FEBRUARY 21st, 2026
IGORRR

 Review by: Martin Storm-Olsen
Photos By: Polina Kulikovskikh
Full Gallery:
 http://www.metaltitans.com/concertpics/igorrr/

Starting this evening is Thoughtcrimes (US). The band played pretty tight, brought a strong energy and a good stage presence. To me, the vocals didn’t fully back up the instrumental quality and as a whole, they never truly clicked with me. It was like they were blending too many elements at once without a proper plan. An odd thing to say while waiting for Igorr, perhaps, but to me, they were missing something to control the chaos. They had some great individual parts, but felt not all that cohesive as a whole. My personal opinions aside, they did get decent support from the audience, knowing how the Norwegian crowd usually is.

Next was DVNE from Scotland, billed as a special guest, despite a relatively short set. This hit closer to home for me: heavier, more progressive, with a hint of mythic and mysterious atmosphere. The performance was dynamic and well-structured, moving seamlessly from mellow passages to explosive riffs. The dynamic use of the different vocalists and clean harmonies was a high note. A minor thing; it would have been interesting seeing them leaning visually more into the mythic aesthetics that was present in the songs and the visual artwork. The performance was great,nonetheless, leaving me wanting more and seeking out their albums after the gig.

For Igorrr, I went into the gig expecting something relentlessly extreme based on what I had seen and heard from official releases upfront. Something fast, frantic, and constantly operating at full throttle. The live experience, however, turned out to be something far more expansive. Rather than existing in a single, typical metal concert gear, Igorrr’s performance unfolded across a far more diverse spectrum, moving effortlessly from aggression to restraint, from density to near silence. It quickly became the kind of journey you find yourself wishing wouldn’t end.

Where the album material can occasionally feel over the top to my taste, the live setting gave everything a stronger sense of purpose and proportion. A very well balanced use of Igorrr's vast array of instrumentations. While intensity is undeniably central to Igorrr’s expression, that intensity is not fixed in one place. Instead, it shifts focus along the way, sometimes driven by sheer speed and force, other times by tension, atmosphere, or precision, keeping you engaged even during the quieter passages. Classical and avant‑garde influences remain present throughout, woven naturally into the electronic and metal framework rather than standing apart from it.

The musicianship on display was absolutely great. A carefully chosen group of co‑musicians shared the stage with Igorrr himself, each contributing to a performance that felt both tightly controlled and alive. The two main vocalists, in particular, brought a striking contrast in both style and presence, their interplay adding a dynamic backbone that strengthened the set's constant forward motion. Igorrr also had the strongest sound of the evening: clear, heavy and defined. While the warm‑up acts’ sound was far from the worst, Igorrr stood out as the most sonically complete and impactful this evening from an engineering stand point.

Early on, I did find myself questioning how much Igorrr relied on backing tracks, especially given the number of instrumental layers. With only one additional guitarist and a live drummer supporting Igorrr’s own multi‑instrumental duties, I couldn’t help but imagine how live bass and perhaps one or more classical instruments might have added another dimension to the experience. At the same time, it’s easy to recognize the practical realities of touring, and the focus on this limitation quickly faded in the face of how confidently the material was delivered. What Igorrr achieved with what they had was simply too compelling to spend too much thought on what wasn’t there.

And talk about owning the room! Igorrr himself, positioned atop a platform packed with instruments –his very own “stage office”– conducted the flow of the performance with visible intent towards the sounds from his synths and samplers or to what action he wanted and got from the audience. Trying to put something so rooted in the sound and image of the moment into words that do it proper justice is no easy task. Igorrr is a display in contrasts and how very opposite fragments can work as glue rather than pull things apart when done right and performed with just the right intent.

In closing, I can only recommend taking the next opportunity to experience Igorrr live if you get the chance. I doubt you’ll leave with any regrets and I’d gladly do it again myself. And backing tracks or not, Igorrr’s avant‑garde blend of metal, electronics, and classical elements translates exceptionally well to the stage. After all, how can you possibly go wrong with an extended passage of nothing but classical piano set against flawlessly executed blast beats?