Asha Sitarz
April 18, 2025| Amy Bowles |LIVE REVIEW
Live Review: Dopethrone, Wallowing, A Horse Called War, Praetorian | Downstairs At The Dome, London | 22/03/25
Four sludge bands, bone-obliterating levels of distortion and a pint in hand, honestly is there a better way to spend a Saturday night?
Praetorian
Kicking off the night’s proceedings are Hertfordshire quartet, Praetorian. Dipping into the depths of depravity, their sound is far from the posh surroundings of their homelands. Monstrously loud and oozing with gloom, their offering is just as pummelling live as it is on record. Blackened elements and the vocalist Tom’s bewitching growls create a sinister ambience, vividly contrasting with the moments groove and blissful post-metal leanings that offer relief from the nastiness. Even in the face of adversity (tech issues), they do not lose a single drop of ferociousness. It is obvious from this set why the band is rapidly gaining momentum in the scene.
Photo Credit: Asha Sitarz
Praetorian
A Horse Called War
Next up on tonight’s sludge-fest, A Horse Called War. Partying since ’05, the four piece unleash an onslaught of aggressive melodies and purgative heaviness. As a call for havoc riles up the crowd, the forceful drumming shatters sticks, sending them flying into the audience. The jarring tempo shifts are whiplash-inducing, while Shane’s delivery of ear-piercing shrieks and gutturals hit just as hard live. Their intense, murky sound banishes any trace of joy from the room. Yet Shane, who dons arguably the best t-shirt of the night, happily boogies around the stage during the faster moments.
Photo Credit: Asha Sitarz
Wallowing
Eerie green light floods the small room, cutting through the billowing smoke, setting the scene for the next act. With Wallowing, one thing is always certain: a harrowing set of extraterrestrial soundscapes and absolute carnage. As they navigate through cataclysmic atmospherics, sonic eruptions, and raw spoken word segments in “Earth Reaper”, it’s utterly mesmerising to watch five dudes in beekeeper suits lose themselves completely on stage. Beneath the intensity and damn right horribleness lies a genuine passion that radiates from their performance. Wallowing are truly unique force in the scene and a band that should be on everyone’s bucket list to experience live.
Photo Credit: Asha Sitarz
Dopethrone
The evening seems to have flown by as Canadian ‘Slutch’ headliners, Dopethrone take to the stage. Ears may be ringing and tummies may be hurting from the oppressive bass, but there’s an excited buzz around the room as the first riff of opener, “Snort Dagger” rings out. While their music may be punishing and thick with fuzz, their presence on stage is almost theatrical, swigging buckfast and demonstrating 100 ways to hold and play a guitar. Newly recruited bassist, Mike Ripel slides seamlessly into the fold. Throwing his bass around and weaving around vocalist Vincent Houde’s guitar as they hammer out crusty riffs.
With every crash of the cymbal the crowd get more riled up and with every swig of booze Houde’s speeches get more unintelligible. However, in no way does this stunt their impressive performance as they breeze through the mind melting riff in “Shot Down” and the solid slab of sludge that is “Wrong Sabbath”. Expectedly, “Scum Fuck Blues” erupts the crowd into a singalong and stirs commotion amongst the sweaty punters at the front, before the set ends on a high (or rather a suffocatingly downtuned) note, with filthy banger, “Killdozer”. Tonight Dopethrone have further exemplified that 3-piece bands do it best, flawlessly finishing the Broke Sabbath tour.
Photo Credit: Asha Sitarz
