LIVE REVIEW: Second Sem-Final of Metal2TheMasses amps the quality to 11

THE standard of the bands in both semi-finals were a tribute to the quality and diverse nature of Northern Ireland's metal acts, and Friday's (May 5th) second and last semi-final was no different in a (cue the cliché) hotly contested evening of top notch sounds.

Like the meme going round this was Revenge of the Fifth as Belfast's Voodoo reverberated with riffs.

As always the running order was drawn at random, leaving Oracle to open proceedings with a ferocious, aggressive groove metal attack. Jason manically moved around the stage when not clutching the mic as if his life depended on it.

The inter-play between the guitars was balanced, allowing sufficient breath for the rhythms to come to the fore. While they were good in the heats they elevated their performance to great in a set that showcased why many are excited ahead of their forthcoming début album.

Although shorn of their normal corpse paint there was no sense that Neamhni were going to lessen their performance levels. As soon as the intro tape ended they unleashed a mighty melodic blackened maelstrom of metal. At times the sound was a little patchy and muddy, but they soldiered on through.

And that sense of overcoming anything thrown at them was clear as Alessandro towered over and dominated the ranks of headbangers down the front. They are a band on the rise, without pretensions or poses - just laying down death for all in their path.

They may bill themselves as sludge/doom but that underestimates the dynamic of Elder Druid. They have the sensibility not to be monochromatic in the pace of their set, with fluidity not so much a functional thing but an essential part of what they do within songs and the arrangement of the tracks themselves.

As they reach out to shows outside Northern Ireland they are reaching a maturity in their music and stagecraft with some mighty playing.

Muscular music is what Beyond the Beneath do, so muscular that Badger broke the bass drum...it was a technical glitch that threw the band off their stride, and compared to their magnificent show in the heats they seemed a little off their pace.

However, what was clear is that Beyond the Beneath have heft and heaviness that is apparent through all of their songs. They tread the treacherous borderlands between heavy rock and metal with sure-footed ease, creating songs that will develop into full-flown erosion of the senses.

Bakken's thrash metal leanings are proudly displayed in all their recorded and live material, harkening back to the days when the 'Big Four' dominated the pages and airwaves. With Celtic twists to the sound they complete the mélange of their sounds with ease.

The new(ish) line-up gives the Voodoo some of the best tracks they have in their allotted 30 minutes, with a few dashes of power metal thrown in by Simon et al to complete an evening of metal excellence.

As the quantity of beer imbibed and anxious bands and fans awaiting the result Mr Loveday once again resorted to his trusted abacus and solar powered calculator.

Going through to the final on Friday May 12th are: Neamhni, Oracle and Elder Druid.

And it's at this point the local Judges hang-up their lawgivers as Chief Judge and dispenser of final justice Mr Simon Hall will adjudicate. Given he will be also running a raffle for a weekend camping at Bloodstock it's the perfect opportunity to go see top notch metal! The winner will be accorded the honour of playing the New Blood Stage at Bloodstock...

Review by Jonathan Traynor
Pictures by Darren McVeigh

LIVE REVIEW: Heat One of Metal2TheMasses kicks off the battle for a Bloodstock slot

YOU know when Metal2TheMasses is underway when 'real' adults appear in Limelight2. Not, that everyone who normally attends isn't above the statutory admittance age - it's just that these are responsible adults. Also known as parents of band members.

Seeing these responsible adults gives one a sense of assurance that their offspring's efforts to learn a new guitar line, drum fill of bass run, not to mention shipping them to rehearsals has been worth the effort to see their sprogs enter into the fray for a cherished spot at Bloodstock.

By Darren McVeigh

In an evening of varied styles all four bands in this first heat played half hour sets that were entertaining and engaging in front of a relatively healthy turn-out.

With the bands chosen order as usual not pre-determined it was up to Erosion that were up first. These experienced musicians delivered their usual well performed selection of tracks, with Martin particularly impressive. However, at times Mark's vocals were a bit strained.

The excellence of their alt take on metal was, however, on the evening, a little bit at odds with some of the arrangement of the set, and announcing a track as 'hardcore' was perhaps a mistake. That said their use of intro samples and the overall aural wall bodes well.

By Darren McVeigh

Travelling up from Co. Armagh Periapt struggled with tuning during the set, but once they got going their brand of groove with tech touches worked well. Relatively static on stage was understandable given the enormity of the prize at stake.

Which, of course is a slot on the Bloodstock line-up with all that entails - to be on a line-up with Megadeth, Amon Amarth, Blind Guardian, Hatebreed, Testament, Decapitated etc. Given Periapt's hard rock groove they may need to toughen up their sound a little to fight for a slot in the future. That said there is obvious potential.

Beyond the Beneath were playing their first show and their first time they'd lined up as a three-piece. From the off the passion and the ability was clear, as was their use of the stage to its full extent.

By Lizzie Torbitt

The punk edged metal was mixed with groove and a grasp of tight musical arrangements. Colum's lead runs were tight and not overblown, while Davy's bass work and vocals were only matched by the silly in between tracks banter. There are still a few rough edges to be knocked off, but given this was their début that was a minor issue.

Rosco's Riot came on with a wall-of noise, intense and over-flowing with groove. Tim towered over the audience; full-on playing. At times the sound was cluttered, drowning out Tim's vocals, but the riffing was only matched by a peerless union of James and Craig's tightly woven rhythms.

It was clear that Rosco's Riot had brought the most support, guaranteeing they would get a substantial vote from the audience. However, you cannot gather that level of support without a good set and a substantial set of songs.

By Lizzie Torbitt

As always with Metal2TheMassses voting weight was 50% from the audience and 50% from the collective judging panel.

Qualifying for the semi-finals are: Rosco's Riot and Beyond The Beneath.

Review by Jonathan Traynor
Pictures by Darren McVeigh and Lizzie Torbitt (as marked)