Awakening Hyperia. Ylem Darkul. MYST. Auraelis. Embodiment. Kikamora. Franklin Mint. Black Wasp. Above are the names of the eight bands who have successfully made the semi-finals of Bristol’s Metal 2 the Masses, the eventual winner going on to appear at Bloodstock Open Air Festival in August. Tonight sees the heats …

On this day over 2000 years ago, the man credited with being the Son of God was in Jerusalem in the build-up to the events which are generally associated with Easter. But before the four day weekend arrives, there’s the small matter of Heat Four of Metal 2 the Masses: three …

Summer appears to have come early in the UK, which probably explains why Download Festival ends up being a complete washout as the country uses up its sun quota for the year before Easter. In any event, it’s a glorious day in the capital, one perfect for finding a beer …

They don’t just book bands, you know… Today, Download Festival announced that, following suggestions from fans, they have made a number of changes to the site at Donington Park that will, all well and good, provide a better all-round experience for the thousands of people who attend every single year. …

Well, isn’t this lovely from Download Festival? They decided to round off the end of last month with a big, fat announcement of bands across all four stages! We’re a bit lucky aren’t we? The biggest names announced are metal’s mad hatter Devin Townsend, paying below Rob Zombie on the …

Two weeks ago, four bands in the semi finals of Bristol’s Metal 2 the Masses became six as Kikamora and Embodiment made it through their heat into the next round. I had a chat with both qualifiers recently to find out a bit more about them… Kikamora For people hearing …

It’s a shame more gigs don’t pass through the Colston Hall in Bristol. At present the city’s biggest indoor venue, its large main room and excellent acoustics make it far superior to the O2 Academy down the road, yet the glutton of comedians and other performance art events that come …

Last week, the second heat of Bristol’s Metal 2 the Masses took place with another two spots in the semi-finals up for grabs. Have a read of the show here and then proceed below to find out a little bit more on Auraelis and Myst, the winners of the night in question. Auraelis For people …

With Storm Doris battering the country and Leicester City sacking title-winning manager Claudio Ranieri, you’d be forgiven for thinking that the UK was descending into madness. Luckily, there’s none of that in Bristol tonight – or at least, not at the Exchange. Instead, it’s time for the second heat of …

With Metal 2 the Masses underway in Bristol again – the review of which you can read here – I had a chat with qualifying bands Awakening Hyperia and Ylem Darkul after the show to find out a little bit more about them! Awakening Hyperia For people hearing about Awakening Hyperia …

Just as the Royal Rumble kickstarts the road to Wrestlemania, so Metal 2 the Masses begins the journey to Bloodstock. A microscopic Eurovision Song Contest of sorts, the competition to perform on the New Blood Stage at Bloodstock Open Air has given exposure to some of the country’s hottest underground …

It doesn’t matter how many times you attend, there’s something special about watching a gig in the belly of a boat. Bristol’s Thekla is one of the city’s most renowned venues and anticipation is high; it’s the last night of the headliner’s tour and sold out to boot. As the …

So goes the age-old joke: “I wonder what it would be like to live in Bath…” “Well, probably rather wet.” Thing is, the city lives up to its name tonight as the South West is caught up in a sharp, heavy shower that leaves everything soggier than your favourite digestive when …

It seems like forever since Download Festival last made an announcement of bands, but good things come to those who wait and the bigwigs have officially made their first announcement of 2017 – and what an announcement! 48 new bands have been added to the bill including several big names …

You’d forgive Austin Dickinson for feeling that, no matter what he did musically, the world was always against him. As if being the son of Iron Maiden’s frontman wasn’t tough enough, his previous band Rise to Remain were on the cusp of something really special when they released the brilliant …

Colder than a polar bear’s backside, the threat of snow overnight and more than a little bit damp – it can only be UK gigs in January. It’s the first concert of the year for Bristol’s O2 Academy, the first date of the headliner’s UK tour and whilst it’s not …

The Japanese are efficient, aren’t they? We saw at the end of last year how rapid they go about their roadworks and then, a little over eight months after three of their hottest exports released their second studio record AND set the UK alight, the first live album from Babymetal was unleashed onto the …

Away from the German market, the temporary ice rink and the giant ferris wheel, the queue outside Cardiff University’s Great Hall snakes around the corner without a hint of Christmas in sight apart from the odd heavy metal ugly sweater – oh, and the brass band who are successfully irritating …

Tis the season to…announce festival bands? It’s certainly not as catchy, but Download Festival have confirmed over twenty names to play at Donington Park next summer and leave us all feeling a little more jolly. They’ve also started to build the day splits already AND announce the headliners for the …

In the English language, the term ‘cheeky scamps’ is usually reserved for boys no older than 10 who are generally well-behaved and sweet, but amuse themselves by partaking in the odd prank and harmless game of knockdown ginger. That the expression is as equally fitting to Bowling for Soup twenty-two …