M2TM Heat 2 kicked off this week, with a strong set of bands competing for the crown. The same as last week it was hosted by The Brickmakers who have recently come under new management; despite this, it continues to be a safe haven for the alternative community, somewhere welcoming where people can go and have a great time.

First up on the stage we had Men Of Munga and I had heard the name before but didnāt know what to expect; all I can say is they blew me away. Offering a progressive metal sound, they didnāt shy away from making some noise and giving it their all and creating an opening set that was purely memorable. They have a well thought out blend of melodic guitar ā both rhythm and solo ā paired with heavy bassy drums, building up from the start; the breakdowns they had within each song they played were different, initialising that separation needed to keep the audience on edge and hungry for more. I have to give some appreciation for the drummer who was absolutely insane, building up slower beats to going all out; his playing really reminded me of the late Joey Jordison from Slipknot. They have recently released an EP aptly titled Men Of Munga consisting of 3 songs ā my favourite of which being āBig Machineā; this is a band to keep on the radar.

Following next was Uridium and the best thing about their set was the fact they had so much fun when playing; the singer commanding the crowd and even getting a wall of death going. Each member of the band played a vital role in creating a unique sound that screams Uridium. The stage presence they had really warmed up the crowd for the rest of the bands playing and built great rapport with the audience whilst playing music headband worthy and strangely motivational. Their newest EP In For The Kill dropped recently with 5 great songs that I can guarantee can fit with everyoneās metal music taste. They played the song āFightā during their set and you could hear the pub filled with audience members shouting the words alongside Uridium from outside. This is a band that has created a sound for themselves, one that screams Uridium and I canāt wait to see what new songs they bring out.
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After a short break to cool down and drink more, Heathen Kings hit the stage. What I liked best about them is they had a Viking theme going on, not just within their music but also their costumes; complete with warpaint, they set up a narrative throughout their songs and got the crowd moving yet again. They interacted with each other, enjoying the music they played and the environment they had created which I think is an incredibly important attribute to any band performing live. āThe Heart Of The Mountain Hordeā is the third single they have released which features a beautiful build up of instrumental followed by passionate harmonising vocals that creates a community. I have never really listened to Viking metal before however after seeing Heathen Kings it will be a genre I will explore further and I can thank them for the introduction.

The original guest headliners unfortunately had to pull out of the spot, however we had none other than Perseus fill the spot. Perseus is a band I have worked with many times before and it was a strange full circle moment; the first time I ever photographed them was at last years M2TM East Anglia competition where they were competing so it felt right to be photographing them again this year as a guest headliner. As always they put on an amazing show with great chemistry between them all with their sound blasting hard rock/metal beats. What an amazing band to finish the show, squeezing out the last few mosh pits the crowd had in them; and I am not ashamed to admit I was one of them.
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A huge congratulations are in order for Uridium who advanced to the semi finals. This heat was for sure one to beat and I cannot wait to see what the new set of bands bring next week!
Pics by Chloe Sibley