Metal To The Masses Heat 5 Rebellion, Manchester 02:02:2025

Metal To The Masses Heat 5 Rebellion, Manchester 02:02:2025

3rd February 2025 0 By Oli Gonazlez

The mid-point of the heats now. January had come and gone, and whilst it was still cold and dark outside, payday had come and an array of talent from the local area had assembled for their chance at keeping their Bloodstock dream alive. Commiserations to Rain In Death Valley who sadly withdrew due to illness within the camp. This meant a slightly later start time of 6 pm (just more time for beer, right?). So, what happened?

 

Asleep At The Helm (AATH)
New yet old, novel yet established, AATH has undergone a series of lineup changes in the past few years yet have still stayed true to their modern metalcore identity. The high level of investment in their live show was evident given their excellent production values provided in part by their own sound engineer. Whilst we had some movement in the crowd and some who were receptive to this, we’d have likely seen way more in the circle pit and certainly more than two in the wall of death! That’s the luck of the draw though and AATH had the graveyard opening slot. Would this stage sound and crowd interaction be enough to see them through to the quarters?

Covert
Do you ever see a band and think “This is the future here?”. Forgive the hyperbole, but I had this feeling with Tortured Demon and we’ve seen the heights they’ve ascended to. Everything about Covert’s set seemed to be just on point! The lights, smooth sound, stage presence, and effort went into their attire. This was lapped up by the crowd in a performance mature beyond their years! If the crowd was quiet for the opening band, they had woken up now as we saw the pits back in commission. The band’s vocalist asked how they were supposed to follow up AATH’s solid opening set. Well, how was anybody supposed to follow up this act?

Bad Heritage
Time for a bit of NWOBHM. “They’re not heavy enough” I heard some say. Well, many said the same about Square Wild and Ashen Reach, both of whom went on to smash their sets on the New Blood Stage as previous regional winners. After seeing the amount of people occupying a prime viewing spot right next to the stage, it was clear who brought the crowd tonight. This was a performance where the whole was greater than the sum of its parts. Each individual was clearly talented and proficient on their instrument, especially their phenomenon of a front woman Courtney who worked the crowd with a confident ease. Though as a collective they were a powerhouse that could have booked their ticket to the quarters tonight.

Yetii
Two men, drums, a guitar, a microphone, and a shed load of pedals versus the world. How would Yetii front up against the ridiculous talent we had witnessed at this stage? With a sound borrowed from the 90s grunge movement and enhanced with a sprinkle of psychedelic spice, this was objectively excellent and a joy to watch. Especially with the frontman’s undeniable talent behind the mic! Sadly, there was space in front of the stage. Too much space. The semi-circle of doom was hinting at a lack of crowd engagement, though you could spy a few heads banging and some movement. It would be a shame but understandable if the band did not progress for this reason.

Crude Virtue
Another band leaning on a more classic and rock-oriented style, this time a fusion of grunge and NWOBHM. A fusion that truly packed a punch and felt like a more successful transition to the heavier sound that the competition may have deemed necessary. However it felt at this stage that the judges and crowd votes had already been sealed. The crowd seemed fatigued and had likely already cast their votes too. Stronger vocal performances on the night from previous bands as well as an overall sharpness in their sounds may well have been the difference between them advancing to the next round and not Crude Virtue.

The verdict

Judges vote: AATH

Crowd vote: Covert

No arguments here, the right bands went through. One could have made a reasonable argument for Bad Heritage to advance, though with two wildcard places still up for grabs, don’t be surprised if we see them or any band from this hotly contested heat advance to the next round.

 

How useful was this post?

Click on a thumb to rate it!

Average rating 5 / 5. Vote count: 4

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

As you found this post useful...

Follow us on social media!