MM2: Summer Slaughter

MM2: Summer Slaughter at the Spring & Airbrak is but a few hours away from kick-off. However, some clarification is needed...Firstly, GO! It's worth it! Secondly, sorry guys but it's an over-18s gig only! Secondly, please read the line-up (below or at www.myspace.com/valentinemetalmassacre) and stop sending me emails asking who is playing! Lastly - tickets are priced £12, available at thedoor, and with that line-up you have NO excuse not to be there (unless you are under 18)
See you there...and if you are so minded I will accept either lager or Jager to ensure a mention in gig review...(though timing may be crucial as after about 6 I may not remember your name :)

MM2: Summer Slaughter - be there

On Sunday MM2: Summer Slaughter takes place. Great rock/metal; raising money for charity; raising glasses for inebriation and raising hell at the Spring & Airbrake. Ten hours of metal mayhem. £12 on the day and a tenner if you rush to Katy Daly's and snag a ticket tomorrow! See ya there!

Check out the bands myspace sites below for a taster of the fun that lies in wait on Sunday!

www.myspace.com/standup_guy
www.myspace.com/sorrowfall
www.myspace.com/runecastermetal
www.myspace.com/darkestera
www.myspace.com/devilmakesthree666
www.myspace.com/interrogate
http://www.myspace.com/handoffuckingdeath
www.myspace.com/novemberdeadlist
www.myspace.com/littlenightmaremusic
www.myspace.com/alittlebittermusic
www.myspace.com/escapefails

PS - Sinnocence had been billed to play but other, unavoidable, commitments have forced them to withdraw.

Black Crusade in Dublin

Machine Head are bringing their Black Crusade mayhem to Dublin on November 18th...that's MH, with Trivium, Dragonforce, Arch Enemy and Shadow's Fall. It's at the Ambassador but it's one gig that deserves a bigger venue!

Come to the slaughter!

With Saturday's No Fake ID Required onslaught of metallic mayhem over bands and over-18 metalheads will be warming up for Sunday's MM2: Summer Slaughter on August 26th at the Spring and Airbrake.

It's a diverse metallic line-up...check out Darkest Era and Escape Fails to start with...

In the coming days we'll post further links to the bands that will be destroying the masses in aid of Clic Sargent, together with profiles and pix.

And if you want to know more (or but a ticket in advance and save £2) visit the official site.

Boxing Clever

THERE is perhaps no better sight in music than seeing young people really getting into the effort being put out on stage. It’s even more powerful to see it when they are getting off to music laid down by local bands.

At Belfast’s Black Box venue on Saturday almost 150 fans of hard rock and heavy metal gathered for the debut concert under the ‘No Fake ID Required’ banner.

Hosted by a not-for-profit organisation determined to provide opportunities for metal musicians and fans alike the No Fake ID Required gig was by any stretch of musician, critic or fan’s imagination a complete success.

Mosh pits, massed headbanging, autographed arms – even the obligatory dude in a Hawaiin shirt dancing in the middle of a pit – young and (not-so) old alike were into the music and the general good vibe emanating from the Hill Street venue.

Arcane kicked off proceedings (taking an early slot as one band member was heading for the more sedate surroundings of Slane Castle and the Strolling Bones. As usual Arcane can deliver tight sounds, and in recent months have developed a tighter attitude without losing the freedom of a good live performance.

Next up were teen sensations – help, I’ve just written a pop cliché! Well in this occasion Circadian are worth dipping into hyperbole. All under 15, and with a 12-year-old lead guitarist, these aspiring contenders have the potential to grow into something special.

With a drummer that sings the front three just need to impose themselves a little more to make sure that Circadian reach the heights that the potential of their tender years can surely reach.

Dark Light District changed the mood a little, mixing hard rock tendencies with classic rock aspirations they still managed to have heads a’banging…even straying into 80’s style metal when the crowd (and they!) least suspected it. Closing the set with a power ballad won over many in the hall.

Escape Fails are just back from a tour of the underground scene in Norway, and the legacy of that gigging was evident in a tight and controlled set. They have managed to bridge a style that combines out and out metal and melody that echoes 36 Crazyfists, Drowning Pool and Panic Cell…and they managed to get a ‘wall of death’ started.

Darkest Era brought 80s thrash to the fore with more than a dollop of Celtic styling. Obviously engaged with the crowd, the singer's desire to join in with the headbanging hordes proved a master stroke and sustained much merriment against the metallic background of noise assault.

The crowd had barely time to draw breath (or a quick ciggie outside…) before Sorrowfall took the stage.

With new album ‘Prayers for the Faithless’ already shifting significant units (What? You haven’t bought it? Shame on you!) Sorrowfall have garnered the sort of following from young and old alike that they deserve from their constant gigging.

Sleeve’s vocals are as always seering, matched by the conviction of a stage presence many had suspected was lurking there all along. One young punter, awed by his performance, said “Yer man’s built like Geddy Lee but he sings like he’s ragin' with everyone, fu**in’ great!”

Eddie’s bang on drumming, combined with Chris & Chris’s increasingly sublime guitar understanding (at times telepathy seemed to be in the musical air) and Sleeve’s bass pummelling had the crowd cowed.

Pits, synchronised banging and a mass reaching out at the stage had all agog.

As the crowd filed out into the Belfast evening air punters and bands alike asked when the next ‘No Fake ID Required’ gig would be.

Soon, soon…watch this space!

Expect requests for replacement livers and neck braces

If y'all recover from Saturday's 'No Fake ID Required' gig at the Black Box, then next weekend will be one hell of a three day party...expect desperate online pleas for liver transplants and neck braces to appear online....

On Friday 24th August Sorrowfall have their album launch party at the Rosetta - ably assisted by Residual Effect, Devil Makes Three and the one-off return of The Watch.

Then on Saturday night The Dwarves are at Spring and Airbrake.

And then on Sunday there's MM2:Summer Slaughter (same venue) with 12 bands in 10 hours in aid of Clic Sargent.

No Fake ID Required – all ages metal concert

In response to requests from young people to access music that is otherwise played in over 18s venues a not-for-profit organisation is hosting the first in a series of All Ages gigs at Belfast’s Black Box on Saturday 18th August.
For the reasonable price of £4 you can check out six local metal acts, including headliners Sorrowfall who have just released their debut CD – Prayers for the Faithless. The line up is:

• Arcane
• Circadian
• Dark Light District
• Escape Fails
• Darkest Era
• Sorrowfall
  
  Doors open 2pm

Nazareth Belfast date

For those with long memories...or a fondness for classic rock, Nazareth are playing Belfast's Spring & Airbrake on 8th February 2008.

August....rockin' month!

Hey there...been away a while...catching the rays in the sunshine state of Florida with Belfastmetalheadsreunited's junior eds (a.k.a. my kids). Rest assured though that we'll be catching up with all things rock and metal in days to come.

In the meantime don't forget August 18th's No Fake ID Required gig at the Black Box headlined by Sorrowfall, (who have a launch party for their CD on August 24th). And on August 26th there's Summer Slaughter: MM2 - 12 bands in 12 hours in aid of Clic Sargent....metal on a mission for charity!

When my body clock adjusts back to UK time more details, more gossip and more rock and metal!

Metalworks gig launch - No Fake ID required: with Sorrowfall

Metalworks is a local music community based in Belfast. It consists of a team of dedicated members, whose prime objective is to provide musical education and performance opportunity. Its not-for-profit, but Metalworks is up for rock!

As well as developing musical education (from some of the best tutors in Northern Ireland), Metalworks wants to make sure more and more young people can hear live music from some of the island’s top rock and metal bands.

'No Fake ID Required' is a planned series of All Ages gigs. They kick off on August 18th at Belfast's Black Box when Sorrowfall kick headline, with support from Circadian, Dark Light District, Escape Fails, Arcane and Darkest Era.

All this rock and metal for just £4 is a demonstration that Metalworks wants to make sure access to quality musical affordable as well as open to all ages.

Rammstein hoax

On Total Rock today an update on the Rammstein situation...."It would seem that stories about vocalist Till Lindeman leaving Rammstein are not true. This is a hoax, although exactly why it started remains unknown." Mmmmmm, strange days with the German mentalists!

Diamond Head still on!

There was some confusion about Diamond Head's gig on 25th July. A glitch on myspace meant an event cancellation bulletin was sent out in error. Thankfully the gig is still definitely on! See y'all at The Rosetta!

Gig listings

Updated gig listings....any more details of gigs you want listed here drop us an e-mail

• Hunger’s Mother/Arcane/Stone Crow – July 20th Bush Tavern, Ballymoney (in aid of Action Cancer)
• Soundstone (album launch) with Million$Reload – July 21st – Rosetta Bar
• Diamond Head/Sinnocence/Nemesis/Revengance - 25th July – Rosetta Bar
• Blitzkrieg , Fireland , Rabid Bitch Of The North – 27th July – Rosetta Bar
• Spitknot – 28th July – Rosetta Bar
• Cannibal Corpse - 28th July - TBMC Dublin
• MSG/Rattlesnake Remedy - 10th August - Spring & Airbrake
• ALLIANCE (EX ANNEX and NO HOT ASHES from the 80's) Million Dollar Reload and Resurrection – 10th August – The Rosetta Bar (in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Fund)
• Tampora (Pantera tribute), LessHelp, Blizzard Of Ozzy, Residual Effect, Honey for Christ, Condemned, War Iron, Overoth 11th August – The Rosetta Bar (in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Fund)
• Devil Makes 3, Dangerfields, BadBoat, Dawn, Sky Pilot, The Angry Host and one other TBC – August 12th – The Rosetta Bar (in aid of Marie Curie Cancer Fund)
• Napalm Death / Condemned / Scald / Overoth – 20th August – The Limelight
• Foo Fighters/Nine Inch Nails - 22nd August - Marley Park, Dublin
• The Dwarves – 25th August – Spring & Airbrake
• MMII – Summer Slaughter - 26th August, Spring & Airbrake (in aid of Clic Sargent)
• Wishbone Ash - 9th November - Spring & Airbrake
• Thin Lizzy - 16th December - Waterfront Hall

Honouring the memory at The Rosetta

Condolences to Andy Allen of the Rosetta Bar who a number of weeks ago lost his sister, who was also a founding member of the Rosetta. Andy wrote on Metal Ireland that she died peacefully thanks to the Marie Curie Cancer care.

Andy is laying on a weekend of rock and metal to raise funds for the Marie Curie Cancer Fund. Further details will appear soon, but the line-up and doors to date are:

August 10th ALLIANCE (EX ANNEX and NO HOT ASHES from the 80's) Million Dollar Reload and Resurrection Doors 9pm.
August 11th Tampora (Pantera tribute), LessHelp, Blizzard Of Ozzy, Residual Effect, Honey for Christ, Condemned, War Iron, Overoth. Doors 6pm.
August 12th (TBC) Devil Makes 3, Dangerfields, BadBoat, Dawn, Sky Pilot, The Angry Host and hopefully one other. Doors TBC (will end at Midnight as it's a Sunday)

Good luck Andy with this weekend of fundraising! Hope it raises loads.

Loss of a NWOBHM pioneer

New Wave of British Heavy Metal pioneer Kelly Johnson of Girlschool has died aged 49. Kelly had been battling cancer of the spine for six years.

For those of long memories Kelly almost stole the show when Girlschool supported Motorhead at Maysfield Leisure Centre in the mid-80s. Condolences to her family.

"When did Motley Crue become classic rock?"

Perennial pop punk funsters Bowling for Soup asked “When did Motley Crue become classic rock” in their song ’1985’.

They had a point.

The term classic rock has expanded and evolved over the past five years to become an almost meaningless.

Flick through the pages of the (excellent) magazine of the same name and there is a diverse number of acts and genres lumped under the catch-all of ‘classic rock’. From the retro thrash of Trivium to the prog stylings of Porcupine Tree, the acts vary in ages from the ancient to the fresh. The magazine has even carried two cover-mount CDs of acts that one day aspire to be heirs to Guns ‘n’ Roses 80s sleaze rock throne.

But what classic rock is, for many, music played in the style of 70s and 80s hard rock, the style pioneered by proto-metallers Cream, elevated by Zeppelin and Free and evolved further by Lizzy, UFO, Whitesnake et al. Bluesy rock, with roots in the delta blues of Robert Johnson’s alleged crossroads deal with the devil. Latterly the likes of Thunder, Jet and Velvet Revolver kept the torch aflame when fad orientated music promotion kicked in during the latter years of the

In Northern Ireland there is a healthy crop of acts that can aspire to the title of classic rock, despite the connotations some may draw from that (free cardigan with every CD as was once wittily said by Scottish author Christopher Brookmyre).

Leading the pack in the classic rock vanguard is Downpatrick’s finest, The Answer. In fact they are blazing a trail few can keep up with.

The Answer has been on tour in perpetuity for the past 18 months. They have scored critical acclaim in that time, recorded healthy album sales, supported mega-acts Aerosmith and the Rolling Stones. Considerable achievements.

They have played Donington, collected awards and re-released their debut album, Rise, to record yet more sales (label support evident in Albert Records even taking ad slots on TotalRock!)

Put bluntly they are on the cusp of a real breakthrough to deserved monstrous mainstream success.

Yet, after I hooked up with James Heatley (drums) and Paul Mahon (guitar) prior to their award-winning gig at QUB Student’s Union, no magazines were interested in carrying the review and interview.

Was it that the band was being over-exposed? Was it that the label’s PR machine had been there already?

No, in fact there was a jaded feeling knocking about UK music editors that the band had been covered. Unless the label was paying for a hack’s flight to Japan then there was little interest in the review etc.

This is, in fact a sad testimony to the UK music press, and the wider journalistic view in the UK and Ireland. Build ‘em up, knock ‘em down. Fortunately for The Answer being knocked down usually is followed by being built back up again. That will happen to The Answer, not thanks to the cyclical nature of journalistic habits, but through the band’s obvious talent.

But, as the band look forward to recording the follow-up to Rise, they know that negative reviews, occasional sniping and even ennui from long-time fans, has set the bar higher than on their début platter.

“We hope to be in the studio in the autumn with a 2008 release,” said Paul, as he chugged at a bottle of water and looked only slightly suspiciously at a half-cut Belfastmetalheadsreunited editor.

And as such, how much weight can be put on their live performances? At The Mandella Hall they kicked up a storm. Occasionally a little too loose, the band still managed to hold the attention and awe of the crowd. Crowd awe aside, at times the band have been guilty of being too casual. Rhythm and lead have been noted to be wandering apart during some appearances…for lesser acts this would have been fatal. With Cormac’s professionalism and the band’s ability to right themselves it has been averted. As they grow in importance and exposure such looseness cannot be covered. But it is a tribute to the totality of the band’s dominance that such wanderings do not bother crowds.

Such adulation makes the band a little uncomfortable.

“Yeah, it’s nice,” said James, “But it was a bit mad in Japan.”

Kerrang!, spent two pages extolling the virtues and sales in Japan. Then gave a poor review for their Donington and Hyde Park appearances

Other mags showed their devotion by indifference.

Fickle press cannot be swayed by freebies (though I’m willing to try and be swayed by freebies!).

So what does the future hold? Blues-based groove is ‘in’ at the moment with a plethora of pseudo-rockers like The Killers bothering the charts.

Would The Answer sign their souls away for such fame?

Paul and James exchanged a nervous glance before answering that question…MTV fame and royalties versus longevity.

“The MTV royalties would be nice,” said James, “But we’re here for the long term.”

And that is the attitude that will make sure The Answer will slowly, but with inevitability, gain more fans, gain critical credibility and still be grounded in where their music comes from – classic rock with a Northern Ireland spin.

“We’re working on the songs for the next album,” said Paul.

Hard work is what The Answer do better than most. Great blues rocking is what they can and, all metal gods being willing, do best.

The next album will not have the benefit of, as James put it, “a dozen months of rehearsing on the road”.

What it will have is the benefit of goodwill the band has generated through the constant touring and swimming in the relatively strange seas of Japan and Korea.

The Answer will have a rocky ride over the next 12 months. “We’re ready for the challenge,” said Paul. But, the perseverance they have shown to date will need to be apparent in spades.

To return to Bowling for Soup…on their piss-take song ‘I’m Gay’ they declare a hate for bands that take their rock too seriously. The Answer know it is a serious game, they know that when they take to the stage it is a serious game, but other than that it isn’t life or death for the punters who put their pounds down for a few hours of fun and damn fine entertainment.

The Answer, even when not at their best , deliver pure hard rocking fun. Try to interrogate them about this and, well, there are no ulterior motives lurking in the background.

In short The Answer will lead the way towards a hallowed ground where they may not dominate, but will permeate and seal longevity.

For Northern Ireland it will be further proof that, in the wake of Van Morrison, Gary Moore, SLF, the Undertones, Therapy?, and Ash, there is a further wave of talent bursting through. Better still The Answer are inspiring and showing others that it can be done.

Rise up, the vanguard of true classic rock has led the way…let me follow!

MM2: Summer Slaughter - August 26th be there!

Gigging, ligging and reviewing

Got a gig coming up? Let us know and we'll put a listing up...(include link etc to myspace or other sites). Want to help us lig about.....ok, that was a blatant attempt to blag...but if you want review of album, ep or demo, same addy...

Raise your axes for charity!

Heavy metal ‘Summer Slaughter’ charity gig

SOME of the heaviest bands in Ireland will take to the stage on August 26th in an aural assault to raise money for children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent.

Belfast’s Spring and Airbrake will host ‘MM2- Summer Slaughter’ - the second time heavy metal and hard rock bands have rallied round a good cause in an epic gig.

Last time out 12 bands played in 10 hours – and the winning formula will be repeated again.

Event organiser, Laura Kennedy said the hard rock and heavy metal community had proved they could have a good time and help others.

“When we hosted the Valentine Metal Massacre hundreds had a great time and raised £1,100 for Fibromyagia Northern Ireland,” she said. “This time out we hope to repeat the experience and raise money for a great cause.”

Stephen Wright of White Wolf Promotions said fans of heavy music are in for a treat come August 26th.

“There’s another great line-up of bands ready to rock Belfast,” he said. “I know that these bands will let rip for the audience and all are fired up to be playing for such a good cause.”

A full list of bands playing will be available soon on www.myspace.com/valentinemetalmassacre with details of how you can help raise funds for CLIC Sargent through MM2: Summer Slaughter.

Rosetta pix!

The pictures from Friday night's Rockin' the Rosetta with Heeltap/Stillroom/Million$Reload. View the pix here
In the meantime...some samples!