Employed To Serve, 18th June 2025, Pandæmonium, Copenhell Festival, Denmark

Photo: Zoran www.sonic-shot.com

With the last-minute cancellation of Cattle Decapitation, the festival announced Employed To Serve as the replacement. While it was by no means a one-to-one substitution—and many fans at Copenhell were undoubtedly disappointed—the British metalcore band came ready to prove they could hold their own. From the start, they seemed determined to do just that.

It took vocalist Jess Nyx a couple of songs to really lock into the performance, and Sammy Urwin’s backing vocals were buried deep in the mix during the opener, “Treachery.” But around the third or fourth song, Nyx loosened up—as did the rest of the band—and Urwin’s melodic vocals found a better balance, which is an important part of the band’s sound, giving a chance for sing-along participation and adding a layer to the band’s music.

There’s a mellow charm in Nyx’ presence, juxtaposed with her diabolical vocal delivery, and that contrast works well—perhaps even better in a festival setting.

But for the most part, it was sheer brute force that drove the show forward. Employed To Serve remain one of the most potent newer names in the British metalcore scene and their latest album, Fallen Star, is further proof of their growth, though their live show leans more heavily on raw intensity than nuance.

Yesterday at Copenhell, they delivered several strong moments—including sparking a respectable amount of crowd-surfing—and overall gave a solid performance. That said, the set felt a bit like the band was on autopilot. It met expectations, but didn’t push beyond them.

SETLIST:

1. Treachery
2. Atonement
3. Force Fed
4. Fallen Star
5. Sun Up to Sun Down
6. We Don’t Need You
7. Eternal Forward
8. Motion
9. Mark of the Grave
10. Whose Side Are You On?