Now we are looking to 2023 and after an astonishing 119 applications, we have increased the M2TM Ireland roster to forty bands. Let us introduce you to all of those bands, the dates they will be performing, and links to the events below…
SHOWCASE 1 – JANUARY 21ST
Photo – Down The Barrel Photography
Faint Memory are a Dublin-based metal band, founded by lead guitarist Conor Brown, and vocalist Steven Kelly. The band’s lineup is completed with rhythm guitarist Kyle Wright, bassist Oskar Mozdzierski, and drummer Charls Roy.
Drawing heavy influence from 80’s thrash, hard-rock and metalcore, Faint Memory’s sound is diverse and hard-hitting, with a focus on tight, energetic tracks that can get any crowd moving. They have recently released their debut single ‘Blur‘, with their first EP titled ‘Sit in Silence‘ currently in production, targeting an early 2023 release’.
Photo – Down The Barrel Photography
KUYANG are an alternative music group from Dublin, Ireland consisting of Roy Geary (Vocals) and Sean Keogh (Guitar) Korey O’Byrne (Live Drums)
The group have been creating music together since 2015
KUYANG is their most ultimate genre-defying project so far. Throwing ideas of traditional songwriting out the window, the band aim to push the envelope with styles of Hardcore, Hip-Hop, Pop, and Heavy Techno/Electronica. All the while bringing their intense energetic live performance to the forefront.
The band’s philosophy is based on expression and release, with no room to hold back sonically or lyrically. The duo want to create music which at its core feels raw, and challenging yet still keeps its musicality. The goal is to bring this music to a hungry audience.
Purify are a new age Metal band, hailing from Longford. Formed In 2017 Purify have became one of the heaviest bands from their county, with Thrash Metal roots, and a new found sound.
Formed in Brazil in 2014 by vocalist and guitarist Elvis Suhadolnik Bonesso, the band recorded their debut album ‘Origins’. Shortly after, Elvis moved to Ireland, where Stone Sea became a 3-piece, and recorded their EP’s ‘Vaporizer’ and ‘Mankind Maze’. After that, the band released two other singles: Oblivion and Sweet Inertia.
This incarnation of the 3 piece offers a unique live experience, seamlessly blending carefully constructed melodies with powerful overdriven riffs. While also inviting elements of Bossa nova, Reggae, Jazz, and more into their performance.
The bands name is comprised of two words that oppose each other completely. ‘Stone’ symbolises inner strength, and steadfast elements in our lives, and ‘Sea’ represents life’s ever-changing and dynamic nature. Our music reflects these ideas.
Old school Thrash metal with blistering riffs that will are likely to take a layer of skin off your face. New to the Irish scene, Vahedi are all about power and when you see them live you’ll understand. Bring your hi-tops and open up that pit….
Photo – Down The Barrel Photography
SHOWCASE 2 – JANUARY 28TH
Photo – Down The Barrel Photography
When live music was put on hiatus in 2020, long-time collaborators Tristan Carroll and Maximillion Foy used the down time to form Cell Games as a long distance, largely online project.
The pair released a handful of singles in 2021 influenced by the nu metal they grew up with and coloured by their own experiences playing separately over the last two decades.
With playing live becoming an option again, the hunt for a full band led to Deb O’Brien on bass and drummer Tonči Vrdoljak completing the lineup. Deb, and Tonči quickly injected their personalities into the band’s sound and established Cell Games as a solid addition to the Dublin metal canon.
The band’s first single as a unit, Here’s To Your Bones, is set for release in January 2023, and is their heaviest, and grooviest effort to date.
Reigning from the rebel county of Ireland, Hashmaker is a genre bending (shamcore) 5 feen collective. Having started in early 2020 amidst the big stay inside, The band consisting of Vocalist Adam “Barry” Graham, drummer Josh “the silverback” O’Brien Langford, guitarist Jim “jocks feen” Spillane, guitarist Brian “the hot one” Twohig, and bassist Emmet “I just want to be held” Hickey hunkered down to create the most ferociously silly music known to man with their first release “Attack of The 50FT Lobsters“, and plan to continue that trend with their upcoming release. The core themes of Hashmaker’s sound are: The Lash, mixed feelings about lobsters, and unpredictable mayhem.
The Fallen Ones is an NWOBHM band formed by iordAnis (Sidiropoulos) and based in Dublin. The band started rehearsing directly with original material and the first EP “Rise with me” and their first single “into the blue” followed in 2019 recorded by iordAnis, Igor Tavares, and Rom Passos.
The band played many shows with high feedback and excitement from the audience as well as many friends following and listening to their music. The band has now resumed after the covid period and soon they are hitting the studio to have their new songs recorded. More details will be out soon, stay tuned…
This Place Is Death is a 3 piece Alternative Rock/Grunge band from Cork.
In 2020 we got back to playing and practicing and in 2021 we self released the 3 songs that were recorded in the UK as a mini EP Falling Out of Frame.
Our song ‘Sympathy’ won song of the Month in July 2021 and was up for song of the year 2021 through the The Cork Playlist website.
The band is currently rehearsing for gigs in 2023 and we are currently writing music for an album release in 2023.
One of the stand out bands from M2TM 2022, True Home create mountain-shifting ambient doom-style Metal that punches you straight in the guts. For a duo, their sound is enormous, captivating and equally hypnotic. Featuring the talents of Declan Bare on Bass/vocals and Charlie Appleby on drums, there is no question that they will make an impact that will be felt deep below the surface of Parnell Street, when they hit the stage on January 28th.
Check out their epic track ‘The Summit’ if you need convincing.
SHOWCASE 3 – FEBRUARY 4TH
Dirty Casuals residents of Cork City. The Groove Doom quartet with just a hint of Sludge Metal in their sound formed in 2015 and have created sonic havoc with a pair of Extended Plays in 2018’s “Light And Dark Matter”, and 2019’s “Simulation“. The band – Conor Christodoulides, Samvel “Sammy” Hovhannisyan, Jim Spillane and Rory Taylor –
Being regulars in Dublin, Cork, Limerick, and Waterford the band has made a name for themselves and their rather unorthodox stage antics. The band has a certain thirst for performing and has made notable appearances at Monolith Festival, Seshtival Festival, Relapse Punk Festival, Crane Lane Theatre, Cyprus Avenue, Templemore Metal Festival, Central Arts Theatre and everywhere in between.
SixTooLate are an Irish based alternative rock 5 piece. Combining their influences to create a huge sounding songs with head banging and foot stomping rhythms. The band have been hard at work polishing up an amazing back catalog while continuing to write killer new tunes.
Hailing from Cork, The Magnapina specialise in alternative / New Wave Rock with bursts of unpredictable crossover influences. The five-piece have been winning over audiences for many years, and will no doubt be on top form when they take to the stage for their showcase. Do not miss these guys!
Balls out, Hard Rock with a rusty edge! Vendetta Love have been snapping up headlines in Ireland and the UK thanks to a slew of brain-hacking singles taken from their recently released EP. Having performed at this years’ M2TM Grand final, the band are back for another swing at the Bloodstock prize to play the New Blood Stage.
Vendetta Love – Down The Barrel Photography 2022
War of Attrition is a Limerick-based metal band, born just prior to the first Global lockdown in March 2020.
Determined not to let the Pandemic prevent us from practicing, the band would work via discord, and team viewer during times of lockdown, and practice non-stop between restrictions.
Combining elements of classic/modern/thrash/death and groove metal, they pride ourselves on their heavy, yet melodic approach, to song writing.
SHOWCASE 4 – FEBRUARY 18TH
Photo – Down The Barrel Photography
Born in 2018 as a side studio project by Jamie Murphy (Vocals), Shannon Bowman (Guitar) and Darragh O’Connor (Guitar) Aborted Earth released an EP titled “Birth” which inspired the members of the band to bring a live experience and to dedicate time fully to this project.
Numerous releases since have come to fruition, live shows and the addition of Drummer Dan O’Connor, and Bassist Ian Bowman to complete the line up. Aborted Earth aim to push the limits of the Grindcore genre, with experimentation, and try to give intense and passionate live performance to fans.
Photo – Down The Barrel Photography
D’Skinful is a Irish-Brazilian four-piece heavy rock band based in Dublin. Their sound identity is defined by the specific mixture of influences brought by all members, resulting in a very distinct, and powerful sonority with elements of Rock, Hard Rock and Alternative Rock/Metal, Indie Rock and Progressive Rock.
Brutal old-school Hardcore from one of Ireland’s oldest HC bands. Imagine Motorhead, Discharge, Venom, and early Sepultura in a bar fight, and you’ll be somewhat in the region of what they are capable of doing.
With their debut album [yes, it’s taken over 30 years] set to be released in 2023, the lads will be taking no prisoners when they lay waste to Fibber Magees. You have been warned!!
Photo – Down The Barrel Photography
Dublin based RITUAL EFFECT fuse aspects of grunge and metal together with catchy riffs, fast paced songs, driving choruses and high energy shows.
Each of the members has their own style and very different qualities which have been intricately wound into Ritual Effect. 2019 saw the band enter the studio for their first serious project, their debut album ‘Fossils‘. This 15 track album is a heavy, melodic nod to their past, and sets the pace for a high speed, full on sonic assault to the future. With their song bank close to full storage, a follow up mini album ‘Too Late to Turn Back’ appeared in 2021. Come join the Ritual and embrace the Effect.
Uragh is a metal band formed and based in Dublin in 2022, that incorporates elements of alternative, progressive and black metal in their songs.
The band’s main influences are Converge, Cynic, Lamb of God and Gojira, amongst others.
Their first EP is expected to be recorded by early 2023, and will incorporate some songs from their demo available via this link.
Uragh’s line-up consists of vocalist Craig Murphy (ex-Outbreak), Marcelo Varge (ex-Sectile) on guitar, Sebastian Sparr on bass and Jason Hodgkins on drums.”
SHOWCASE 5 – FEBRUARY 25TH
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Blood Soaked a Kildare based death metal band featuring members, James Connolly (drums,) Alan Connolly (guitar), Rob Connolly (guitar), Jason Carroll (bass), Danny Butler (vocals).
With the release of new music this past few months, the band will be performing some of their new material, which we urge you to check out immediately, via the Bandcamp link provided above…
Celtic Legacy is an Irish heavy metal band formed in 1997.
Of the 3 albums the band released during the initial 12-year period, Resurrection – the second album is widely regarded as the band’s high water mark. The album received incredible reviews upon release
The band’s current album, Redux, was released on October 31st 2022. For fans of Iron Maiden, and Thin Lizzy.
Death Can Wait are an alternative metal band from Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. Their roster includes Thea Moylan (Vocals), David Moorehouse (Guitar), Samuel Darlington (Bass) and Patryk Hadrys (Drums). After a number of roster changes since the conception of the band in 2018, Death Can Wait are returning to the Irish metal scene promising a heavier and more aggressive approach to their unorthodox take on metal.
Their music remains pure to themselves, neglecting formal trends in the genre, in order to create something true.
Ophelia’s Wrath set up in the summer of 2017 by brothers Conor and Declan Gallagher. After trying out several different singers, guitarists and bass players, by the end of 2019, the final line up was settled.
All five members of the band were born and raised in North Dublin, Ireland. With punch and groove, the drums, bass and memorable guitar riffs, and harmonies, along with Phil’s distinctive vocals, the audience will be on their feet, shaking their heads from start to finish with a set of original songs that will take you right back to the hard Rock era of the 60’s and 70’s.
For fans of Judas Priest, Thin Lizzy, and Led Zeppelin.
In 2017 Rustam (Rakoth, Umbral Presence, Cruachan, etc) started a new ‘Death/Doom‘ project, Superstatic, which was named as a reference to Rakoth’s debut album from 1998, “Superstatic Equilibrium“.
In 2019 Rustam took a break from Superstatic, and joined the Irish Celtic Metal band, Cruachan, as a bassist. After a year of touring, Rustam decided to start playing live with Superstatic and ensembled a line-up. But then the pandemic happens… Rustam starts working on a new album.
Check out their latest single, “I Have No Mouth and ‘I Must Scream” via their Spotify link here.
SHOWCASE 6 – MARCH 4TH
Photo – Down The Barrel Photography
Classic Hard Rock/Heavy Metal with a contemporary edge is what you’ll hear when Etherium takes to the stage. The Dublin-based four-piece dipped their collective toes into Metal 2 The Masses earlier this year, making it their first time performing with such a wide variety of Metal bands. They have promised a heavier set of new music, so be sure to catch them once again on Fibber Magees stage.
LaVein
Huge riffs with elements of metallic Hardcore/Thrash drenched in a pulsing groove. Sound good? Then make sure you are in attendance for LaVein’s debut M2TM Ireland performance. From the demos that we’ve heard, you’re in for a seriously good time, and one hall of a sore neck.
Photo – Down The Barrel Photography
Dublin’s based, depressive Black Metal project, promises to be as intense as one could hope for. This five-piece are planning to upset the balance and bring plenty of chaos to the stage, so be prepared for just about anything.
With 4 singles and 2 EPs already under its collective belt since its inception, Restive Nation has just released its self-titled debut album. Known to blur the lines between genres, the self-titled record showcases the band at the height of creativity and offers everything from alt-rock, electronica, progressive, metal, industrial, trip-hop, punk, and much else in between. Furthermore, the album was daringly and lovingly presented with a music video accompanying every track on the record.
The band strives to be different and offers something new and unusual for the curious ear. The full extent of the sonic narrative shines through in the live setting with the use of electronic segues intertwined with lush soundscapes to give the audience a truly unique and textured listening experience.
Yuweh is a five-piece progressive Metal project from County Westmeath that formed in late 2021. Featuring ex-members of Jenova, Awaken Dominion, and Megacone, they describe their music as a plethora of genres using Metal as a focus, all the while fusing elements of orchestral and Jazz music blended into their songs, which they say “creates a beautiful depth, alongside their intricate, rhythms and driving melodies.
SHOWCASE 7 – MARCH 11TH
Photo – Down The Barrel Photography
Blending the furious combination of Nu Metal and Grunge, with Y2K Pop, Mallratz brings a fresh sound to the scene, with the mission of imbuing new energy into Irish music.
What started initially as a post-pandemic project for a competition, has sprouted into a full band with 5 members, with plans for a full EP release in the beginning of 2023.
P.O.C. are a three-piece punk/metal crossover band which blend influences from Galways’ ferocious hardcore scene, along with their laid-back blues-rock roots. The outcome is a unique fuzzed-out, sludgy, west-coast style of heavy music which hits hard in an intimate live setting. The songs are short, simple and unapologetic, the lyrics cynical and insulting. The band cares not for genre, image or technicalities, only bringing a groove to make the crowd move.
Formed from the mud of Europe’s ‘Rainfall Capital‘, Steiner sets its stoner caravan towards the sun bleached vistas of the Palm Desert, spiritual home of stoner rock. Along the way, collecting vestiges of 60s/70s psychedelia and 90s Grunge. Steiner is a celebration of all things fuzz and groove.
Founded in 2016 by bassist/singer and songwriter Rod Rosica, the band started originally in Brazil and has been based in Dublin-Ireland since 2019. Since February 2022, the band has gigged substantially and became popular for their energetic stage presence and powerful hard rock sound with a bluesy touch.
They released an EP ‘Bluesy soulful experience’ in 2019 and two singles ‘Under her spell’ and ‘A thousand years’ in 2022. Currently with Igor Tavares on guitar and some session drummers who have been touring temporally, the band is finishing the recordings of their new EP, which is supposed to be released in the beginning of 2023.
One of Ireland’s rising Metal bands, Unmaker have accomplished a great deal in the short time they have been in operation. Having reached the final of Metal 2 The Masses Ireland this year, the band have also performed at the Siege of Limerick and are about to release their debut full length album. For fans of old-school brutal Thrash, not to be missed.
Photo – Down The Barrel Photography
SHOWCASE 8 – APRIL 1ST
Photo – Down The Barrel Photography
Following The Signs are a five-piece metal band from Cork city. With Dan Hayes on vocals, Noel Crowley & Vincent Lacrampe on Guitars, Rory Taylor on Bass the band are no strangers to Metal 2 The Masses and have always made a huge impression from their hectic live shows. Be sure to catch them lay waste to Fibber Magees on April 1st for the last of our showcases.
Nebularis are a progressive metal band hailing from Dublin, Ireland. With inspiration from Karnivool, Devin Townsend, Steve Vai, Opeth, Yes, and many more intertwined with cinematic soundscape, and synthesizer progressions.
Nebularis, whilst being new to the scene, aim to build a following and establish themselves locally and internationally
Neon Empire is an innovative Metalcore band from Dublin, Ireland, formed in the summer of 2019. The band consists of vocalist John Collard, guitarist/vocalist Hassan Ali, bassist, Tom Ambrose and drummer Veronika Svecova.
By blending crushing guitar riffs with dance-ready electronics, Neon Empire have created an exciting sound that will get your blood pumping, and your feet moving! For fans of Northlane, Wage War, Spirtbox etc…
Photo by Jim Culloty
Steve Beale (Vocals/Guitar), Alan Murphy (Vocals/Lead Guitar), Aaron Kennedy (Bass) and Luke Butler (Vocals/Drums) first formed to perform a Chris Cornell tribute gig in early 2018. Alan & Steve had performed soon to be Outsound singles, ‘Vertigo Breeze’ and ‘Missing Out’, whilst Luke & Aaron plied their trade with alt-metallers Archaos.
As time progressed so too did their sound. Maybe the metal tendencies of Aaron & Luke started seeping through or perhaps Steve & Alan had been secretly preparing a new wave of riffs. The end result was a new wave of progressive, hard rock carrying the still ever melodic vocals through atmospheric bends, searing leads and bouncing breakdowns.
Tearing strips from blues, grunge, heavy metal and even sprinkling in some Beach Boys flavoured harmonies, Outsound are here to spread their madness to the masses.
The Sluagh are a progressive symphonic death metal band from Ireland formed with their current members in 2019. The name is derived from mythological creatures, ‘Sluagh na marbh’, in Gaelic folklore. Said to be composed of the souls of the dead, usually this army would appear similar to a flock of birds before a person was taken by them.
A five-piece band originating in Ireland, most of the members are from international backgrounds and consists of three guitarists, Seán Blacklock (Ireland), Killian Chellar (Ireland), Avinash Appadoo (Mauritius), bassist Krzysztof Sowa (Poland) and vocalist Jorge Nino (Colombia).
As of 2022, The Sluagh have released two studio albums as part of one album cycle, titled ‘Enivid Creatures’. Significant experimentation began at the onset of writing both albums, drawing inspiration from both classical composers while also strongly influenced by technical and progressive metal bands.
The Sluagh are currently writing material for a new single to coincide with the re-release of ‘Enivid Creatures’ which will have enhanced artwork, and a hidden track.
Check out the full line up and all the showcase dates via the image below…
Bloodstock Open Air will be taking place from August 10th – 13th in Catton Park, Derbyshire, UK.
This year’s Metal 2 The Masses Ireland winners will be performing on the New Blood stage and listed alongside some of the biggest names in the Metal universe, including, Megadeth, Killswitch Engage, Meshuggah, Celtic Frost/Triptykon, Helloween, DevilDriver, Sepultura, Decapitated, Sacred Reich, Crowbar, Fit for an Autopsy, Biohazard, and many more…
The Irish Metal 2 The Masses band that is chosen by BOA booking agent, Simon Hall will also be joined by fellow Irish artists, Dead Label and The Enigma Division, who were announced in the last few months.
Oran O’Beirne
www.overdrive.ie 2022
