Metal2TheMasses London returned to The Big Red on Sunday night for Heat Six of the competition, offering four more self-signed / unsigned bands the opportunity to play at the UK’s biggest independent metal festival: Bloodstock Open Air.
First to hit the stage on this slightly soggy Sunday evening were hard-rock four-piece Over-Score from Guildford who played an energetic set and did a great job of warming up the crowd with their pounding riffs. Vocalist Joe headed out into the crowd to make sure that everyone was in their set, which they ended with an Airbourne cover which definitely suited their music style and persona. I really enjoyed their performance and they were a pleasure to watch.
In-between bands, MonstaEnts’ Mick Wood mentioned that tonight there was a particularly eclectic mix of music being represented, and the next act to play were a great example of this. Biomechanimal were intriguing from the very start when we saw them set up the stage in preparation for their set without a drummer. We also spotted a peculiar instrument that looked like some sort of keyboard/guitar hybrid. Biomechanimal’s sound was very different to that of Over-Score, but I really liked their mix of powerful bass, harsh vocals and danceable hooks. For me there was a tiny hint of Rammstein in their sound as well, which I guess came from the industrial-dance vibe. The mysterious instrument seemed to be some sort of drum-machine / keyboard and it was awesome!
Time for a third type of music as Dartford thrash metal band Prolapse A.D. took to the stage. They opened their set with “a song about digging up dead people and f*cking them” called “Your Mother”. The crowd instantly warmed to their thrashy tongue-in-cheek songs and anyone who wasn’t head-banging had a smile permanently fixed upon their face throughout the band’s set. Other songs featured takes of David Cameron interfering with a pig (featuring a very catchy chorus that we probably can’t publish), “F*ck Cancer”, “One Minute Wonder” (which requires little explanation) and my personal favourite “Black & Decker Pu$$y Wrecker”, apparently penned about a former band member who had a particularly large appendage.
Last but certainly not least were heavy metal band Sun Seth who opened their set with their two most recent singles: “The Forge” and “New Millennium Demigod”. The crowd were receptive from the very start and the band’s expert mix of massive riffs and captivating melodic passages went down very well. The four guys had a very cohesive look and their sound was very tight. They would certainly go down well at Bloodstock.
After all four bands had played it was time to hand in voting slips and await the decision – 50% public vote and 50% from the judges. For me it was a tough one to call as all of the bands had very different styles and they all put on great performances, but a decision was eventually made and the bands going through to the next stage of the competition are… [drum-roll]… Prolapse A.D and Biomechanimal. Congrats to both of them and also a huge pat on the back for Over-Score and Sun Seth who were fantastic.
Metal2TheMasses London returns to The Big Red next Sunday 28th January where another four bands will compete for the chance to play Bloodstock Open Air Festival this summer. Get all the details on the event page and come join us for what is always a fun evening supporting the local music scene!
Photos by Katie Frost Photography
