Occasionally a live show comes along which proves to be utterly compulsory to attend. For those that miss out on said event, the jealously is all-consuming, for those who were lucky enough to grab a ticket early on, the glow of happiness is hard to ignore. One such show was Yob’s appearance in London along with the phenomenal Pallbearer (for many, the main draw) and local doomsters Bast at The Underworld in Camden.

It seems many people in the sold out Underworld (a place that seems like a viable hell on earth when at capacity) are here for Pallbearer – their debut Sorrow & Extinction was a record that first brought them to the attention of the masses and with follow-up Foundations of Burden, their sound has been ramped up, broadened and pushed to the very limits – but a decent amount of people hit the venue early for openers Bast but sadly leave before or during Yob.

It’s particularly brave of the Bast trio to introduce themselves to the (mostly) unfamiliar crowd with the nigh on twelve minute long instrumental “Psychonauts” from their incredible debut Spectres. But their gamble pays off and as more people flow into the venue, they’re drawn to the floor of the Underworld and towards the strains of blackened doom that flow from Bast’s fingertips. Their approach to doom is a little off-centre and the inclusion of black metal influenced sections is a credit to their creativity and with “Outside the Circles of Time” (praise YeAuldMetaller for capturing this video and the others I will link) they truly shine. Soft moments play off against Craig Bryant’s voice and the song builds to a crushing, fast finish.

Pallbearer open with the massive “Devoid of Redemption”  and continue to wreak havoc on the emotions throughout their set. “Worlds Apart” showcases how far they’ve come in such a short time and “Watcher in the Dark” is a genuinely moving few minutes. Brett Campbell’s voice has improved significantly since the first record and his affected pitch curls around the crunched bass of Joseph D.Rowland and Pallbearer engage their audience in reflection and sorrow.

Yob. Bloody, lovely Yob completely own this show though. Their sound is beautifully on point and running through the very recent Clearing the Path to Ascend is a wonderful treat for the audience. The four songs on the record are bookended by first track “Ball of Molten Lead” which proves an excellent starting point, while “Quantum Mystic” and “Adrift in the Ocean” leave those who stay wanting so much more. Mike Scheidt’s voice rings out across the venue in waves of sadness and hope during the truly stunning “Marrow” and the band bring deft touches of colour to the slowly progressing song, allowing the beauty to wash over those who have had the good sense to stay until the end. And what an end it is. “Adrift in the Ocean” closes the evening with consummate style – the acoustic leaning beginnings of the track ushering in deeply riven guitars and Scheidt’s singular voice while constantly striving towards the inevitable, devastating end.

This is a night that will not be forgotten.