Kverlertak, Urne and Desert Storm at Electric Ballroom, 2025

On the 21st of February, we had the opportunity to watch a very heavy night at the Electric Ballroom, with the presence of two UK locals: Desert Storm and Urne and the Norway band Kverlertak.

Desert Storm

Starting with Desert Storm as the venue started filling, we had a great blend of Stoner and Sludge metal, coming from Oxford, playing some of their earlier songs and teasing for their 2025 album coming up, they started showing us a bit of what was to come. The vocalist Matt Ryan also was wearing some of the Desert Fest metal festival, where they played on the 2023 edition, and hopefully will play again soon, as they are a perfect fit.

Urne

After such a strong start, it was time for the band Urne to come to the stage, formed by Angus, Joe and James, they’re the locals, coming from London and bringing even more weight with their mix of Sludge and Stoner Metal, it felt too short by playing only 6 songs, that although long (as most of the songs from the genre), it kept me wanting for more. My highlights were “The Flood Comes Rushing In”, which brings a lot of melodic elements to the heavy riffs, and “The Burden” which goes full-on into the depths of what the band is capable of, and finishing with “Desolate Heart” on a slower note, which could’ve been a brilliant idea for what was coming up next.

Kverlertak

When Kverlertak’s vocalist Ivar Nikolaisen entered the stage, it was such a boost of energy that caught me off guard. His presence and energy were impressive, commanding the stage from side to side while playing “Krøterveg Te Helvete”, followed almost immediately by “Blodtørst”.

The whole band had such a great synergy while playing together and were technically perfect, sounding as good if not better than the recorded versions, which have that raw authenticity. During many moments, Ivar jumped into the audience, while singing and crowd surfing and then back to the stage, without stopping (or maybe one or two to sip on some beers).

I mentioned I’d have enjoyed a bit more of the support bands, but after a while, it was clear why there was some extra time left with Kverlertak. They played 14 songs in total, and the very diverse crowd (of all ages and groups) reacted accordingly, by crowd surfing, making mosh pits and even some singing along.

Close end of the gig, a massive flag was brought on stage—as if the band were staking their claim in London and at the Electric Ballroom. It was a powerful climax to an unforgettable Friday night.

Artists: Kverlertak