The 2016 Bloodstock Festival will be taking place in Catton Hall, Derbyshire U.K, between 11th and 14th of August. With a line up that is boasting Twisted Sister (last U.K. performance), Mastodon, Gojira, Venom, Behemoth, Slayer, Anthrax, Rotting Christ, Fear Factory and many, many more, we don’t really have to explain in detail of just how incredible this opportunity will be for the band that is chosen by Simon Hall (Bloodstock Promoter / Booker) to go forth and represent Ireland later this year.
Check out the video below of Simon and Bloodstock Festival director Adam Gregory talking about the importance of Metal 2 The Masses and the benefits for getting involved.
Tickets are on sale NOW for Bloodstock and there is even a deposit payment scheme, to help with the overall price of the ticket (which isn’t much anyway). Find out all about it on this link.
OK, lets get stuck into what to expect from Bloodstock Metal 2 The Masses Heat 4.
ALPHEIDAE
Hailing from Dublin, Alpheidae, are familiar with the Metal 2 The Masses having taken part numerous times in the past. As each year passes, this five piece go from strength to strength offering a tantalizing and electrifying live show hosted by vocalist Calvin Singleton, bassist, Gavin Wynne, guitarists Ros Coghlan and Leon Bourke and not forgetting the mighty sticks-man Zach Parkinson. With influences that range from all corners of the metal kingdom, Alpheidae have a knack of twisting their own interpretation through elements of Black, Thrash and Progressive Metal, all the while engaging the audience, like it’s their last show on earth. Always a favorite among both judges and crowd, Alpheidae are a band that you can rely on to put on an actual show and not a live rehearsal.
For more information on Alpheidae, simply click on this link.
DEVOLTED
Overdrive welcomes back Devolted to the 2016 Metal 2 The Masses campaign. Having taken part for the last two years, Devolted will be taking to the stage with their trademark Hard Rock / Metal compositions. Always an engaging live band, singer / bassist ‘Raf’ certainly has all the makings of a captivating front man with his refreshing enthusiasm and choice of stage attire (two piece leopard skin suite anyone?)!
Having just released their debut E.P. “Broken Wings” on February 12th, the Dublin based four piece will hopefully be showcasing some of this material on Saturday night in the hope of securing the votes to push them through to the semi-finals.
If you want to check out the bands E.P. “Broken Wings” click on the graphic below. For more information on Devolted, hit this link.
EMIGRA
Coming from Cork, Emigra are a six piece force to be reckoned with! Cross pollinating Metalcore and Deathcore with a healthy dose of Hardcore thrown in for good measure, Emigra will no doubt level Fibber’s tomorrow night, so don’t say you weren’t warned!
Consisting of Irish and Polish band members, Overdrive has huge hopes for these guys as they sound like they would take a layer of skin off your face for just looking at them! Crushing breakdown’s and sky shattering heaviness will be on the menu and served box-fresh whether you like it or not! Don’t be a pussy and make sure you get front and center for EMIGRA tomorrow night (Saturday, Feb 20th)! Check out the track “Wounds” on the audio video below!
For more information on Emigra, just click this link.
TEN TON SLUG
Coming all the way from Galway, TEN TON SLUG are what you think they might be from the name. Yes, they are heavy-as-fuck with riff’s as big as mountains and a low end that will remind you to not to have eaten such a big breakfast. Band members Micheal Sullivan, Sean Sullivan, Eoghan Wynne, Adomas Trakumas and Ronan O ‘hArrachtain specialise in the finest of Sluge / Groove Metal, that will have you on your knees and totally under their spell by the end of their set. Check out “Live At The Oak” by clicking on the graphic below.
For more info on Ten Ton Slug, just click on this link.
zhOra
If you’re not familiar with zhOra, then shame on you. These guys have been producing earth cracking, glorious Sludge Metal since their first E.P, ““Feet Nailed To The Ground” followed by their debut album “ALMA 3” back in 2011 and have proceeded to gain a level of respect and admiration from fans and fellow musicians alike, based on their straight up, no-bullshit approach to writing ocean-heavy music with a consistent quality. Witnessed in a live setting only creates a bigger picture of just how fucking intense and majestically brilliant zhOra are. Currently working on their sophomore album “”Ethos, Pathos, Logos” (see artwork below), we can only hope that they will be planning to air some of the new material tomorrow night (Saturday Feb 20th).
Prepare for the heavy. You have been warned.
For more information on zhOra, click on this link.
Keep an eye out for all the merchandise and please help to support all bands that are not only taking part tomorrow night but in general.
Metal 2 The Masses Ireland will be taking place in Fibber Magees on Dublin’s Parnell Street on Saturday February 20th, with five bands performing. Two bands will be moving forward to the semi-finals based on (A) Crowd Vote and (B) Judges Vote.
Both bands that are chosen as winners tomorrow night will be interviewed live on air by Cranium Titanium and will feature on a number of websites, not only in Ireland, but also in the UK.
DOORS 7.00PM | ADMISSION €5.00.
Punters will be given an exclusive Bloodstock Metal 2 The Masses Ireland Voting slip, in which they can only nominate ONE band to proceed to the semi-finals. You will be asked to write your name on the back of the voting slip to be in with a chance of winning tickets to see Machine Head in Dublin’s Olympia on March 6th. The winner will be announced from the stage after the Heat 4 winners are announced.
For more information on BLOODSTOCK METAL 2 THE MASSES IRELAND – HEAT 4, just click on the graphic link below
Words – Oran O’Beirne
© OVERDRIVE 2016
