Born of Osiris’ “Through Shadows” tour arrived in Southampton under slightly unexpected circumstances. Originally scheduled for The Engine Rooms, an 800-capacity venue in the city centre long associated with heavyweight touring packages, the show was relocated roughly one month before doors to The Joiners. While the change reduced capacity significantly, moving the gig to the legendary 200-cap room added a sense of occasion. The Joiners’ has the most incredible backstory, having hosted early performances from bands such as Green Day, Placebo, and Primal Scream. This gave the night an intimacy and legacy that felt fitting for a technically demanding and fan-focused tour.
Opening the evening were Larcenia Roe, an American Deathcore band, who delivered a brutally heavy, slamming set. Songs from their latest album Extraction were clearly faster and more relentless, driving the set forward and establishing the intensity early on. With the room not yet at full capacity, fans had plenty of space to let loose in the pits, and the band fed off that energy throughout the set. The newer material blended well with tracks from their debut “Dereliction,” whose slower, more grounded feel added some balance. For a tight 25-minute set, they paced themselves perfectly and made for a strong opening act.
Australia’s Aversions Crown followed, delivering exactly what many in the crowd had come to expect: uncompromising, tightly executed Deathcore. Their live sound captured the weight of their recorded material really well, with the guitars and drums coming through clean and powerful. Everything felt tight and controlled, showing a band that knows exactly what it’s doing on stage. Including tracks like “Hollow Planet” and “Erebus” gave the set plenty of punch, and the intensity stayed consistent throughout without ever feeling overlong.
By the time Within Destruction took to the stage, The Joiners was nearing full capacity. The Slovenian band proved to be a major draw, and their genre-blending approach brought a different energy to the night. They kicked off their set with “Animetal,” the title track from their latest album, and closed things out with “No Way Out.” Rok Rupnik on vocals, was constantly on the move, pacing up and down the small stage, getting the crowd involved, and even calling for a circle pit mid-set. He did a great job keeping everyone jumping and headbanging throughout. The set was dynamic and intense, reinforcing their reputation as one of deathcore’s more adventurous live acts.
Headliners Born of Osiris closed the night in style, proving why they’re such seasoned pros in progressive metal and metalcore. They kicked things off with “Bow Down,” an absolutely crushing opener that set the tone for the rest of the set. The band moved confidently through a mix of newer tracks from their latest album Through Shadows, including “Elevate” and “In Desolation”, which got pits going, and it was “Inverno” that really stole the show – the opening guitar riffs alone sparked a cheer from the crowd, and the energy just went through the roof.
Throughout the set, their skill and precision really came through, with complex guitar work, intricate rhythms, and tight drumming. The mix of harsh and clean vocals added variety without slowing the momentum, and the band shifted smoothly between fan favourites and newer material. Even in the smaller Joiners venue, their sound felt huge. Heavy haze and frantic strobe lights added to the impact, making the performance feel bigger than the space itself.
Overall, the Southampton date of the “Through Shadows” tour really benefited from its unexpected relocation. The reduced capacity made the night feel more intimate, which only amplified the crowd’s response and brought the band and audience closer together. Across four bands, the evening offered a great snapshot of modern heavy music, from brutal slams to progressive complexity, but Born of Osiris delivered a polished, memorable headline set that left the night feeling cohesive and thoroughly satisfying.
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WORDS AND PHOTOS BY LORNA LEAHY
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