Live Review: Pupil Slicer at The Underworld, London (30/11/25)

Three full-length reviews, countless single reviews, several features, and a ton of live reviews, and all since 2021. You might think I’d be getting sick of talking about Pupil Slicer, but you’d be dead bloody wrong. In fact, I’m more encouraged than ever to scream and shout about this band and how brilliant they are. Especially when I get to spend twenty minutes before the show with vocalist/guitarist Kate and bassist/backing vocalist Luke, and you can check out that interview here.

Before that though, let’s talk about a Pupil Slicer performance that will go down as one of my favourites to date.

Having delivered an album of the year contender, they’ve embarked on this co-headliner tour with LLNN (support from the incredible Worn Out) and have been selling out venues across the country. I’ve never felt alone thinking that Pupil Slicer are special, but it is so damn heartening to see more people get it too. From The Oval Space (I’ve never been another show there since) to Bloodstock, to Downstairs at the Dome, to ArcTanGent, to The Grace, it’s been a journey to see Pupil Slicer take to one of the most iconic stages in London and to do so in front of a heaving crowd is even more special.

One of the things I’ve noticed the most is confidence. Pupil Slicer are more confident than ever on stage and a lot of the new tracks allows a certain amount of ‘flair’. What we’re seeing now is a performance, a more developed side to Pupil Slicer, and it’s making them all the more watchable from a casual perspective. Not the hardcore lot though, they’re far too busy pitting to the heavy mania to see anything happening on stage.

It’s the music that causes such feverish behaviour and even though I would have been happy with a full ‘Fleshwork’ play through, I’m also not complaining about the fact that Pupil Slicer have two brilliant previous albums to draw from either. Years later, I still think Martyrs is an absolute beast and Blossom will always put a big, stupid smile on my face.

Both albums (Blossom and Mirrors) get three tracks each, putting the focus on Fleshwork, where we get five. The five singles that were released on route to the album release, and five of the finest Pupil Slicer songs delivered with the kind of intensity that is downright therapeutic. The passionate screams, the potent riffs, the chunky bass lines, and punchy drums cleanse the f**king mind, body, and soul.

Sacrosanct (an inspired opener), Black Scrawl, Fleshwork, Heather, and Nomad (which is still one of my favourite tracks of the year), we’re a lucky bunch. This was manic, and even those who like to stand back, arms folded, and nod their heads, have the biggest smiles (sometimes gurns) on their faces. Such is the immense power of Pupil Slicer’s performance here.

Here’s to 2026 and whatever Pupil Slicer have in store for us. I’ll be there, eagerly awaiting whatever comes next, and I suspect after this show, even more will be alongside me.