PHOTO GALLERY: Deafheaven, Portrayal of Guilt, Zeruel, Arts Club, Liverpool, 01/12/2025

Photo Credit: Maryleen Guevara

After spending the year tearing up stages around the world, including a huge slot at Damnation Festival, Deafheaven finally landed in Liverpool for a sold out show at the Arts Club.

Opening the show was up and coming metal-gaze act Zeruel. Less than two years on from releasing their debut EP, Awakening, Zeruel is already building a name for themselves in the extreme metal scene and do a great job of waking up a Monday night crowd.

Up next were American Black Metal stars Portrayal of Guilt. Almost a decade into their career, Portrayal of Guilt are riding a wave of critical acclaim following the release of their 2023 album Devil Music, which reimagined their black metal sound with acoustic and orchestral instrumentation. The live show is every bit as experimental with the band mostly hidden in darkness whilst black and white silent movie clips are projected behind them.

After two great support sets Deafheaven have their work cut out for them but the second they step on stage you realise why they are the kings of their genre. Equal parts brutal and beautiful, Deafheaven sound huge from the first note and the almost 1,000 fans in attendance are gripped by every second. Frontman George Clarke is a magnetic presence and conducts the audience like a maestro at work. It’s been over ten years since Deafheaven first broke out with their classic album Sunbather but they still sound just as challenging and exciting and continue to reach new levels as a live act.