Live Review: Lowen at The Underworld, London (04/12/25)

What a moment this was for Lowen. The culmination of an epic two-year journey that has seen the London based Middle Eastern progressive doom band deliver their sophomore album, ‘Do Not Go to War with The Demons of Mazandaran’ (Church Road Records) to welcoming ears all over Europe, the UK, and many major festivals including Download, Bloodstock, ArcTanGent, and Uprising.

An album that has proven to be an unmitigated success as the band beautifully blends Middle Eastern music with progressive metal in a rich showcase of heavy and epic sounds. Mixing fantastical stories with deep dives into Iranian history and shining a light on important modern issues across six epic listens. Check out our review here.

From the moment this show was announced, there was no question that I was going to be there. Lowen headlining The Underworld? What more proof does anyone need that this band has grown? Well, how about the incredible fact that it’s a sold-out show in the end too!? A staggering achievement, with a sweet ‘full circle’ moment to as vocalist Nina Saeidi met guitarist Shem Lucas here eight years ago, kick-starting Lowen.

It’s an achievement that the band don’t take lightly, as evident by their awestruck nature on stage. Though that has no effect on their performance as what we get is a career best Lowen show. One filled with atmosphere, mystical vibes, and haunting intensity, and one that features dancers, props to emphasis story content, and guest cellist Arianna Mahsayeh. Who makes an appearance on the gob-smacking May Your Ghost Drink Pure Water, one of Do Not Go to War with The Demons of Mazandaran’s finest tracks.

That comes near the end though, as a buoyant and sweaty crowd (even in December, the Underworld has warmed up) continue to drink in every magnificent moment. Before we get to this point though, it’s back to the beginning as the set begins with Ashurbanipal’s Request. The opening track from their 2018’ debut album, A Crypt in the Stars. Lowen’s sound is one that genre-bends, but this one is doom through and through.

From there, it’s all about Do Not Go to War with The Demons of Mazandaran, with the occasional step back in time to A Crypt in the Stars. With highlights including Najang Bah Divhayeh Mazandaran and Corruption on Earth, where Lowen showcase just how impressively their metal side mixes with their Middle Eastern folk side.

Other highlights include Waging War Against God, a personal favourite, and The Seed That Dreamed of Its Own Creation. Not just because both are fantastic songs and have such potency live, but because we also get a degree of theatrics with both. Notably dancers who add an alluring edge to the music. It’s not easy to do much on The Underworld stage, but Lowen do try to make this a night to remember.

Which it really is. Especially when Lalaei Madar gets an airing. A unique track that holds so much emotional importance to Nina, being an Iranian lullaby that her mum sang to her when she was a child. Her voice has been spectacular all night, but here, it hits a whole new level of hypnotism.

This is the culmination of a journey, the closing of a chapter, and before all sights can be set on the future, Lowen chose to end the show by going all the way back to a track that holds so much importance for them. It’s Krenko’s Command, and it’s the first song they ever wrote. It’s an exclamation point on an incredible night that no-one in attendance will be forgetting anytime soon, least of all Lowen.

Whatever the future holds for this band, there is no doubt in my mind that they’re going to attract bigger and bigger crowds, regardless.