LIVE REVIEW: Metal2TheMasses 2018 kicks off with a bang!

Now in its fourth year, the Belfast Metal 2 the Masses competition is the time of year that has Northern Irish metal fans (and bands!) salivating: several weeks of the best of the local scene, competing for the chance to play at the hallowed grounds of Bloodstock Festival in Derby, England.

The first heat did not disappoint, with four highly worthy bands performing for a keenly enthusiastic crowd.

Doom metallers Elder Druid opened up proceedings; sounding rather like a pissed off Black Sabbath, theirs was a furious, jagged brand of doom that got heads nodding (and often banging) in appreciation. Tight as the proverbial drum and with swivel-eyed intensity to spare, they proved to be very popular with the crowd.

Ketos were next, and it became immediately apparent that they were there to prove the “metalcore shouldn’t be at Bloodstock” naysayers wrong. Tough and muscular, and with a hefty dollop of NWOAHM to really beef things up, they played a stunning set which blew the crowd away. A tightly cohesive unit with a consummate professional in front man Pete Crenshaw, they were definitely in there with a solid chance.

Some more doom followed, in the shape of Disconnect. After a slow start they come out swinging like a wrecking ball, seemingly intent on reducing Voodoo to dust. Innovative, atmospheric and crushingly heavy, thanks in no small part to a downtuned-to-fuck bass guitar, they prove their merit in spades, garnering a huge roar of appreciation from the crowd at the end of their set.

Last but not least it was time for Lock Horns to show what they’re made of, which turns out to be equal parts prog and groove metal, as well as just a dash of L’Oreal-worthy flailing hair, They were immensely popular from their opening drum solo to the final scream from front man Alex Da Costa, who is utterly in his element onstage. Like a pile driver set to heavy metal, their sound has heads banging from start to finish.

Four brilliant bands, one difficult decision to make…who to vote through? When Distortion Project head honcho James Loveday steps onstage to announce the results, it becomes clear that this was a very close race, with less than one percent separating first and second place. The result? On 27.6 percent: Lock Horns; and at 26.95 Percent, Ketos.

Well done, folks! Now on to heat two…

The second heat of M2TM will be at Voodoo on Friday, February 9th, featuring Cursed Sun, Death of a Salesman, Oracle and Korvid. Doors at 8pm

Review by Melanie Brehaut
Pictures by Liam Kielt

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: Close call between four acts in Heat two of Metal2TheMasses

THE court was in session - judges ready to preside, the public gallery ready with their voting slips and Ormeau Avenue's Limelight2 was about to rumble with the sound of competition to win through to the semi-finals of Metal2TheMasses and a shot at securing a slot at Bloodstock 2017.

Lining up were four bands who had the grit and determination to earn their slot in this event, laid on by The Distortion Project.

First into the ring were Neamhni - down a man, but ready for the fray. The blackened death metal crew mounted the stage with attitude and barely restrained anger.

Behind the corpse paint smouldered a band that have obviously been putting in the hours as they prepped for their 'Vermin' EP launch in March.

Noticeably this was a better balanced set in terms of the pacing of the songs across their allotted time. Even short of a guitarist they managed to lay down a set filled with aural dynamics.

The room bled into doom as sludge filled So Much For The Sun slayed the sunlight and added fuzz and to the darkened venue. The three-piece played a set filled with resounding celebration of the darker side.

With two varying vocal styles and an impressive set of fx from the guitar all tracks held the interest, however at times the energy levels dropped a little. That did not diminish from what was an impressive set of songs.

Once more doom-infested the room when Elder Druid drew forth sounds from the other side, with much of the second set from the recently released 'Magicka' ep.

The two guitars were particularly well linked on the riffs with solos placed well in each song. The five piece have presence on the stage and provide a black treat with no trickery.

What is noticeable is that Elder Druid's recent run of dates has placed them well for their upcoming English dates next month.

Without a drummer Disconnect have nevertheless programmed it not to sound too robotic. But that also puts them under pressure to keep their playing tight.

Verging from extreme to industrial sounds the two-piece are visually engaging as well as precise with almost every note.

While getting the right drummer can be a challenge for any band perhaps it is time to hunt for a sticks man that may allow the excellent playing to a little more fluidity to the otherwise solid performance.

After the dust settled this was in the words of organiser, James Loveday, it was a close call between the four acts.

Neamhni and Elder Druid were voted through to the semi-finals

Review by Jonathan Traynor
Photographs by Darren McVeigh

LIVE REVIEW: Voodoom brings sludge, stoner and doom six-pack to Belfast

WHEN there was a promise of six bands bringing a storm of noise to Belfast's Voodoo it was a prospect that both filled attendees with excitement and a certain amount of trepidation...After all, cramming that many bands into a short time-slot had the potential for technical disasters.

With just a 10-minute turnaround between bands there turned out to remarkable clarity of sound and great separation across the elements showcased what a good soundman can do.

But, could the bands live up to the great set-up? Given the diversity of styles they managed to pull off a night of entertainment a range of sludge, stoner and doom that varied in dynamics and tone.

Opening up was a considerable challenge for two-piece Maw, but they managed to produce a well-balanced set. There were a couple of moments of tiny faltering, but overall they managed to maintain composure.

Their sound was well filled out for just drums and guitar, but in future they could consider adding a bass to reduce pressure on the rhythm elements that give their songs so much drive.

After just a few gigs under their belts Goatschlager seemed to have achieved a presence that belies the age of the band, if not the collective experience.

Their stoner sound works well and Darren works well s a front man, and the band understand tonality. There were, however,  a few moments that require more polish that will add to the overall excellence.

Moving from stoner to the sludge doomy sounds Korvid retained the audience and it was obvious they have a devoted following.

Their sound has all the elements of traditional doom, but have enough variety of pacing and power to keep it interesting.

Jonny's range of vocals is impressive in range and tone, backed by a band that pulls no punches.

The fuzzed out sludge of Elder Druid could have merged into the previous band's sound, but had enough of their own distinctiveness to set themselves apart. Gregg's initial struggles with mic stand didn't hinder his delivery.

Not for the first time echoes of Sabbath reverberated around the room with a sure footed stomp. There is a clear seanse that Elder Druid can reach further in the live setting.

The live setting is somewhere Molarbear now seem increasingly comfortable, with a booming sound and overall heftiness.

The three guitars don't overwhelm each other, but rather complement the intent and intensity. What could be overpowering is instead weirdly enjoyable.

They have poise and power in equal measures and a range of songs that are never dull.

With their now trademark synth on a stool Nomadic Rituals doom and sludge has at times elements of prog rock within their wall of sound.

What could be boring in less capable hands is a sense of arrangements and soundscape that invites listeners in, and has sufficient depth to retain interest.

Craig, Peter and Mark have clearly considered how to promote their unique take on doom. There is enough variety in the tunes to sustain the attention.

Voodoom more than lived up to expectations, despite the challenge of putting on six bands. And it proved that despite the clichés that surround the tags of doom, sludge or stoner there is still enough variety in Northern Ireland to confound the critics.

Review and pictures by Jonny -  Reproduction only by explicit written consent.