Slaughter To Prevail were exactly what I expected. When The Grizzly Winter Tour finally landed in London, the hype was real, the adrenaline was through the roof. This is a band bringing Deathcore back into the spotlight, a genre often debated, but one they clearly control.
Slaughter To Prevail
O2 Academy Brixton – 16 January 2026
Words: Carol Giannattasio
Photography: Dominic Beaven
Rough, powerful, and full of energy that hits you right in the bones. From the first notes of Bonebreaker, you could feel how heavy the room already was. Not heavy in a boring way, but heavy because everyone was shaking under the crushing, raw voice of Alex.
Unfortunately, just a few seconds into the second song, Banditos, the sound system went down. Around ten minutes of waiting followed while the crew tried to fix the problem.
Alex handled the situation well, keeping the crowd calm, talking and joking with us. From where I was standing, and because of the technical issue, I could barely hear him, but the control was there.
Once everything was fixed, Banditos restarted even harder than before. Between the frustration of what just happened and the excitement of being there, Slaughter To Prevail played so loud it felt like the O2 Academy Brixton was about to fall apart.
The stage setup was simple but fun. A huge bear figure stood behind the band, with two bear heads above the stage, and some pyro popping up during the set.
As the night went on, things got even more intense, especially when Alex announced that V-MAN, bassist of Slipknot, would join them on stage for Viking. What a moment to be alive.
During Bratva, I finally understood why he is called Alex The Terrible. He completely unleashed the beast. Raw, wild, and feral, his screams were insanely deep but still clean, closer to a roar than a classic growl.
Alex’s voice is powerful, versatile, and truly unique in Deathcore. Deep and guttural, yet always controlled and clear. He knows how to lead the crowd and make every Slaughter To Prevail song instantly recognisable.
The rest of the band was just as solid. Mike on bass gave every breakdown a dirty, heavy character. Guitarists Jack and Dmitry delivered tight, crushing riffs that built a massive wall of sound, while Evgeny on drums brought speed and chaos with precision and consistency.
His drum solo was short, technical, and well-built. Fast blast beats, sharp double bass, and clear tempo changes, all played with full control.
Songs like Baba Yaga, Koschei, and Conflict had the entire crowd screaming the lyrics at the top of their lungs. Between wild mosh pits, I finally witnessed a full Wall Of Death during a Slaughter To Prevail set. Total chaos. A human earthquake. You would lose yourself in the crowd in seconds.
Close to the end, they played Kid Of Darkness, one of my favourites from their latest album Grizzly. Deep vocals, low growls, still clear even in the slow and heavy parts and those off-mic screams? One of the band’s most loved trademarks.
It became clear why Alex works so well as a frontman. Full control of the stage, dominant vocals, strong presence, and no need to overdo anything. Everything felt direct, heavy, and real. Proof that you do not need excess to truly connect with a crowd.
The night could not end without Demolisher. After asking for a quick selfie and making us think the show was over, those first notes echoed through the O2 Academy Brixton. Everyone rushed back into the pit for one last mosh. By the end, the floor looked like a battlefield.
The Grizzly Winter Tour left its mark on London. An intense night that confirms Slaughter To Prevail as a solid and credible force on big Metal tours.
Nothing over the top. Just a live show that worked perfectly from start to finish.
