LIVE FROM THE PIT: Imminence and Ne Obliviscaris

IMMINENCE’s rise to popularity amongst the metal fans is no secret, and anyone who ever listened to the Swedish metalcore five-piece can agree with that statement. Hailing from Trelleborg, the southernmost city of the country, the band not only stands out because of their dark and mysterious visuals, but also thanks to the unique sound of violin present across their works.

Choosing The Roundhouse in London as the last stop of The Black Finale tour, whilst promoting their latest release The Return of The Black; which is a re-release of their most popular album The Black, that brought many artist features on their songs, as well as some remixes, the Swedish five-piece not only ensured a one-of-a-kind show, but also introduced their audience to the Australian legends - NE OBLIVISCARIS.

The auditorium was about half-filled when the lights went down for the first time of the night to welcome the Australian progressive metal band NE OBLIVISCARIS. The audience's cheers indicated that many of the fans were previously acquainted with their work, and that is to no surprise, as the six-piece was formed in 2003. Currently composed of TIM CHARLES (clean vocals, violin), MATT KLAVINS (rhythm guitar), BENJAMIN BARET (lead guitar), MARTINO GARATTONI (bass, backing vocals), DANIEL PRESLAND (drums) and JAMES DORTON (harsh vocals), the band is well-known for long songs, predominantly brimming with emotional melodies, heart-taking lyrics, and melancholic riffs. 

From the first song of the set, Equus, to the last one, And Plague Flowers The Kaleidoscope, the stage presence permeated a strong energy into the concert auditorium, allowing people to be present in the moment, be emotional and even start a moshpit in the middle of the dancefloor. CHARLES kept alternating in between his vocals and his violin for the duration of the five songs they played, oftentimes using both at the same time, while DORTON’s harsh vocals added an immense depth to the already complex compositions, that were only elevated by the rest of the instruments. Seeing NE OBLIVISCARIS live, especially with no previous knowledge of their repertoire, is a remarkable experience, and there is no other band who could prepare the audience for the headliner better than them.

Once the lights dimmed for the second time, every soul on the dancefloor and the balcony cheered as loudly as possible. Starting their set with a lengthy and mysterious instrumental track, the fans held their breath as the moment when their favourites finally arrived on the stage was closer than ever. As a mysterious figure in a black cape walked over the stage while holding a lantern, later to be revealed as the vocalist and violinist EDDIE BERG, the music started to pick up, slowly transitioning into the first song Come Hell Or High Water, whilst the band, followed by the string quartet unique to this tour, appeared on the stage, all whilst the fans cheered and clapped to welcome IMMINENCE in London.

From there, BERG, accompanied by HARALD BARRETT (backing vocals, rhythm guitar), ALEX ARNOLDSSON (lead guitar) and their touring members DAVID MÅRTENSSON (bass), FREDRIK BERLIN (keyboard, backing vocals) and STEVE JOAKIM (drums), did not stop to impress the crowd with his talent, as he not only carried the vocals that night, both clear and harsh, but also played his violin the whole night (and screamed into it). The night saw all songs from their hit album The Black played live, including a live feature of Come What May with TIM CHARLES from NE OBLIVISCARIS, as well as some from their previous albums Turn The Light On, Heaven In Hiding and This Is Goodbye, showcasing their talent at innovating their own sound. 

A big part of the concert was an acoustic set that lasted for five songs, and focused primarily on BERG’s vocals and the string quartet that accompanied the band on the tour. The fans had a chance to hear the songs Saturated Soul, Alleviate, Continuum, This Is Goodbye and Love & Grace in a way they usually can not, which only made this part of the set even more special, especially with the sound of live strings. The band members seemed more emotional throughout this part as well, as if the melody made them realise the scale of their impact on people's lives and how important their music is to the modern metalcore scene.

After this, IMMINENCE carried on with their heavy melodies, led by BARRETT’s unmistakable presence. The last songs were as impactful as the rest, and it was only when they played God Fearing Man that the fans started to realise the end was rapidly approaching. The song absolutely shredded the auditorium to pieces, especially when BARRETT presented his signature bow, signalling the well-known breakdown is about to happen. This had to be one of the most unique and brutal breakdowns The Roundhouse saw in its long history, and the moshpit and crowd-surfers only proved the fact to not be far from the truth. After that, IMMINENCE closed the night with their infamous song The Black and its beautifully melancholic outro Le Noir, that only features BERG playing violin, leaving the crowd in London in tears, as it was not only the very last concert of 2025, but also a historical moment for everyone present. 

IMMINENCE is with no doubts one of the most significant bands of modern metal and keeps bringing new perspectives into the genre, whilst inspiring new-coming artists to experiment with classical instruments in modern settings. Both IMMINENCE and NE OBLIVISCARIS have an important role in the scene and seeing them back to back was an unforgettable experience that is going to be a core memory for many fans who attended the night.

Words and photos: Katerina Stepanikova