As one of Islington’s premiere music venues, the immediate appearance of the Islington Assembly Hall comes across as rather quaint. With a vast number of venues across the capital displaying a myriad of modern features with cool, calculated designs, the Assembly Hall bears a striking resemblance to your old school assembly hall (funnily enough). Yet that’s in the cold light of day. In the warm dark of night, it resembles a fine West End theatre, with ornate decorations and lighting miniaturised for an added level of intimacy. So an apt venue, then, to play host to two of Sweden’s stellar exports in Port Noir, and the mighty Pain Of Salvation.

Century Media Records natives Port Noir played the role of curtain-raiser and, simply put, delivered an absolutely delightful set of atmospheric and emotionally-charged progressive metal. They impressively set about knocking the room’s collective socks off with chunky, on-edge riffs and soaring vocals from the get-go, leaving the North London venue wondering how this is only their debut shows in the UK. If there were any nerves, then these Swedes never showed it as they crammed themselves onto the tiny stage and set about their task. Despite the spacial restrictions given the venue’s size, it brought no ill effect as the threesome were a whirlwind of energy and movement, tearing through stomping opener “Debris” with aplomb.

For the uninitiated, the Swedish trio’s sound is like an odd concoction of Leprous’ melancholy, Dead Letter Circus’ energy and Karnivool’s penchant for prog, but the upbeat “Onyx” and thumping “Puls” sounded raucous in the Hall. Yet there’s a subtlety in their music that captures the attention far better than anything visual: the undercurrent of emotion threading its way through each note. It’s a palpable experience, which only ramped up towards the end with the mesmeric “Thorns” that was dedicated to the band’s previous bass player who sadly passed away a month ago. It was a touching tribute, rounding off the best of live introductions from these Swedish masters. Port Noir, you will be most welcome on these shores again.

Contrasting with Port Noir’s relative obscurity, Pain Of Salvation were beloved of everyone in the building, and it was to the warmest reception that they took to the stage. Knowing this, they duly delivered the goods, beginning proceedings with intent, courtesy of the appropriately-titled “Full Throttle Tribe”. Their set was a whirl of crunchy guitars, intricate drumming and delightful five-part vocal harmonies (see the majestic “Meaningless” for a prime example), and the joy that mainman Daniel Gildenlöw and his gang displayed was really rather infectious. The feel-good factor in the room was already amped up, yet they just topped it up further.

In many respects, the band’s set was somewhat comparable to a diet Dream Theater. There was some truly excellent musicianship on display from the Eskilstuna natives, and their vision for incorporating more progressive elements (polyrhythms, complex structures and advanced vocal interaction) was certainly a nod in the direction of their American brethren. However, where the Berkley-educated proggers indulged in the excess, Pain Of Salvation retained a solid focus. Arguably, that translated far easier to a live setting – there was no chance of focus wandering during extended improv passages. It’s certainly something that the gathered appreciated, despite a slightly-too-quiet microphone for Gildenlöw and an odd choice of closer (the sentimental ballad “The Passing Light Of Day”, dedicated to Gildenlöw’s wife). It mattered not to all, as the band was resoundingly applauded off stage as the curtain closed on a fine evening.

You’d be forgiven for considering these two bands outside the prog metal world’s elite, but tonight’s gig would make you want to reconsider that opinion. For a trio to eke out as much emotion and grit in this genre, Port Noir should start looking forward to a few more trips to these shores – they certainly earned a number of new fans after their display. Additionally, Pain Of Salvation more than lived up to their adoration and delivered an enjoyable slice of progressive metal in a wonderfully intimate setting. A joyous event for the Wednesday warrior.