I won’t lie, finding the Green Door Store was a tribulation in itself. Tucked away beneath Brighton train station, the place it’s already stiflingly musty, the audience clad in black shirts and tattoos. I am undoubtedly in the right place. Tonight is a roomful of people reconnecting from gigs past, who would be strangers if it weren’t for our Gracious Lady Metal. The Bloodstock franchise is plastered around the venue, as ever championing the best of what’s new.
Tonight, Mutually Assured Destruction, Emersis, Tales of Autumn, Dreamwaves, Terraborn and Enslavement go head to head to win a slot at the UK’s number one independent metal festival and the heart of our world – Bloodstock. The stakes are high and the atmosphere is thick but there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that this the coolest place to be tonight.
In no particular order:
Dreamwaves, playing a modern, instrumental, proggy tech metal deliver a fantastic set especially for a band with only a year of experience under their belt. Much like non-competitors Vrona who play later, their progressive music is more of a crowd hypnotiser than a body mover but they do captivate and they do it well.
It’s Mutually Assured Destruction who bring the thrash to the party with a brilliant reception. Whilst it feels a bit derivative, they’re doing it best tonight and at a much higher sonic quality than their recorded music would suggest. Their shorter punkier songs are the most well-suited, especially when buttered with the finest lead guitar work of the night. It seems unfortunately wasted on the crowd when it’s not kept within the realms a minute and a half, however it’s apparent that some people in the crowd have found their new favourite band in them.
Deathcore outfit Enslavement take to the stage and kick faces in with white hot blastbeats and Johan Hegg-like fronting, leading people along in a tribal stomp hopefully all the way to Bloodstock. “Sculpted From Filth” literally tears the place apart, front to back, people are going for it, pummelling the very foundation of the venue into submission. No punches are held back. That level of sonic brutality hits home like a ton of bricks. Brilliant.
Whilst the other bands tonight have a lot of recognition in their respective scenes, Tales Of Autumn come with the intention of making their mark. As with the other heats, they have left some metallers in a state of confusion. The fact they made it this far is an absolute achievement in itself, playing a noticeably tamer brand of rock that initially seems out of place, they niggle their way in over the course of their set. It’s frighteningly infectious.
Emersis arrive playing a sincere, impassioned, unashamed set tipping their hats to hard rock’s biggest bands. Largely it feels like a Dio era Sabbath tribute show, the older headbangers in the crowd lap it up though. It’s the impressive vocal performance that gives the band their edge
Apocalyptic metallers Terraborn do not piss about, unleashing riff after riff accompanied by shredding vocals. Along with Enslavement, I feel these guys have the best constructed songs of the night. It’s apparent several people have come out just for these guys, though none leave tonight without their the Terraborn name burned into their minds.
Guest acts to the competition followed Enslavement whilst the judging commenced. Vrona‘s proggy vibe was similar to that of Dreamwaves as the whole band swayed and captivated the audience. It’s Outright Resistance that steal the whole event though. Bringing the weight of a ten-ton truck, they tore the place down. Combining crushing music with guttural vocals, important societal messages, raw punky defiance and electric frontmanship, they simply could not be stopped. It’s their rendition of Limp Bizkit’s “Break Stuff” with local legend King Leviathan’s frontman joining them on stage that marks their seal on the night. Fucking brilliant.
Death metallers Hærken close the night, harking back to the days of old. Arriving on stage robed up, they pillage and conquer through a set of hard hitters, crowning themselves as the good time band of the evening and bringing together the brotherhood atmosphere of the night once again.
Waiting with bated breath for that all important announcement, my money was on either Enslavement or Terraborn although had Outright Resistance been competing they would’ve blown everyone else out of the water. When Enslavement are announced to be on their way to Bloodstock, the place explodes though it feels just. They played a killer show and I can’t wait to catch them again at Catton Park.
