Metal 2 The Masses Manchester – Heat 7 02.03.2025 Rebellion, Manchester
3rd March 2025
Into the final stretch of the preliminary heats now for this year’s Metal To The Masses initiative for Manchester. The fine folk at 0161 MUMC had assembled another fine lineup where 6 bands would eventually become 2 and continuing to vye for their place at Bloodstock Open Air’s prestigious New Blood Stage.
An earlier start at 5.30, James Bennett addressed the crowd and issued a request for the audience to do their best to watch and support all bands as a matter of etiquette. Including open band Neon Oracle.
Neon Oracle
It’s never easy to open up a show. Though it helps when you have someone fronting your band who clearly does not lack confidence nor charisma. It also helps when said front person has endless amounts of venom and angst in their voice. Neon Oracle had both and was certainly a strong opening set with their energy slowly getting the crowd bobbing and weaving along and engaged. Their nu metal-inspired grooves and subtle industrial elements added something we’ve not yet seen in the contest to date, with the band slowing things down for a more melodic number and a highlight of the set, ‘Prodigal Son’. Would this novelty and freshness be enough to earn a place in the quarters, despite the graveyard opening slot?
Groblin And The Ballistics
The theme of powerhouse vocalists continued with the Barrow melodic hardcore act. Far away from home, it felt as though the bands crushing riffs and overall sound should have incited riots and circle pits like we’ve seen on previous dates on this run of shows. With the band unlikely to take the crowd vote, would there be enough to convince the judges to advance to the next round ?
Letters To Burn
From melodic hardcore through to melodic hard rock, and yet another vocalist giving a solid performance! This time featuring a more Dio-inspired higher pitched vocal and an overall classic metal sound. This definitely got the now warmed-out crowd engaged and engaged in a chorus of Ric Flair-inspired Woooos, hopefully offering enough to woo the crowd and judges.
Dwingle
…and on the eighth day there was Dwingle. Before the band had even played a note, the largest crowd of the evening so far had assembled, making it a safe bet as to who would likely win the crowd vote for the evening. Even the neutrals could admire the bands’ stoner and southern metal stylings with grooves for days and riffs heavier than an atom bomb. We saw the moshers emerge from hibernation and the first circle pits of the evening, as well as a good old sit down for story time mid set. If these didn’t progress there would be riots!
Slander
Metal To The Masses provides a platform for all bands. Those who had formed only a few months prior to entering the competition, some older, or in the case of slander, formed before many in Rebellion had even been born! They made all those years of experience count in a robust, mature and clinical performance! Everything just seemed on point; their thunderous drummer and bassist combination laying down the necessary rhythmic foundations for the guitars and soaring lead vocalist to provide the melodic centerpiece in a sound firmly rooted in classic metal. A sound that sadly didn’t seem to resonate as well with the younger crowd, meaning it would likely have to be the judges’ vote which would permit the band to progress to the next round.
Leader
Last but certainly not least, a band tipped to go far in the competition. Rebellion filled up nicely once again which is a nod to their popularity in the area. The young outfit’s sound was reminiscent of an older thrash and speed metal era such were the soaring lead guitar riffs and comprehensively blistering intensity. An intensity that saw the circle pits open up once again and we saw 1,2,3…god knows how many crowd surfers and stage divers! The judges would now have an envious task of choosing only 2 bands from this immensely talented collective of bands this evening.
The verdict
Crowd: Dwingle
Judges: Leader
There could be little argument about those bands selected to advance. This wouldn’t have stopped those that didn’t progress feeling at a loss though. All would have surely enhanced their reputations in the area and gained something from tonight.
