THE FURIOUS HORDE UNLEASH VIDEO IN TIME FOR DARBEX!
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DO YOU WANT FREE ENTRY?
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STORMING OPENING NIGHT AT THE THURSDAY NIGHT ROCK NIGHT - THE NOISEGATE
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SILENT DESCENT RELEASE LOCAL MASTERPIECE!

RESULTS FOR SUNDAY 30 MARCH – Alternative

1ST – ELEPHANT HEAD

2ND – DIESEL SKY

3RD – THE PRESSURE

RESULTS FOR MONDAY 31 MARCH – Metal to the Masses 2nd SEMI FINAL

1ST – SILENT DESCENT

2ND – DESIGNS OF CHAOS

3RD – KLUNK

RESULTS FOR TUESDAY 01 APRIL – Alternative

1ST – MDMA

2ND – A BOY NAMED GIRL

3RD – ELLIOTT HOUSE

Sarah from the 103.7 TGR Sound TakeOver Show speaks to the winners of the heats at the Drayman and the Bull and Vic. Tune in to hear exclusive interviews and tracks from bands playing the Darbex Band Quest on 103.7FM and at www.tgrsound.co.uk.

Sponsors:

DINGO JACKS MUSIC STORE | ELEPHANT MUSIC | DOGHOUSE MUSIC | ROADRUNNER RECORDS UK | MEDIA SOURCING | VICTORY RECORDS | DEMOLITION RECORDS

Partners:

BLOODSTOCK-METAL TO THE MASSES | ORE NET SERVICES | JIGGA JAM STUDIOS

Support from:

TGR 103.7FM | NEWSSHOPPER | BEXLEY COUNCIL | KN MEGA PIX | RICHARD MORRIS PHOTOGRAPHY

This Sunday sees the return of nu-nu-metal hopefuls P.O.S.51. Rockers CABARET DOLL and the acoustic JEREMY AYRE are also on the bill. DJ LIFEGUARD BUNNY keeps things interesting between bands.

Darbex Band Quest – Alternative at The Drayman in Bexleyheath every Monday. £2.00 for loyalty card holders – £3.00 for everyone else.

PLEASE NOTE: The Drayman is over 18s for Darbex Band Quest – Alternative.

What track would you really like to hear played by the DJs at the Drayman on Sunday? – Email us a request now!

On the back of their recently released promo video (see the video here) black metal titans THE FURIOUS HORDE return to Bexleyheath. They see themselves up against thrashers AVENGE THEE and ARXIS. DJ GAMBLIN will be keeping things all stoney and metally between bands.

Without Remorse and Silent Descent are through to the final. Two more places are up for grabs! Follow the music, the drama and excitement at the Drayman every Monday to see who will grace the stage at the Bloodstock Open Air Festival in August.

Darbex Band Quest – Metal to the Masses at The Drayman in Bexleyheath every Monday. £2.00 for loyalty card holders – £3.00 for everyone else.

PLEASE NOTE: The Drayman is over 18s for Darbex Band Quest – Metal to the Masses.

What track would you really like to hear played by the DJs at the Drayman on Monday? – Email us a request now!

The Darbex Band Quest comes to Dartford. Funked up rockers TOKYO JOE return to Dartford in order see off the challenge of female fronted MONKEY PUZZLE TREE. Nu-rockers THE KASE also compete.

Darbex Band Quest – Alternative at the Bull and Vic every Tuesday.

£2.00 for loyalty card holders – £3.00 for everyone else.

WIN £20 bar tab at Bull n Vic each Tuesday if you are Loyalty Card Holder.

What track would you really like to hear played by the DJs at the Bull n Vic? – Email us a request now!

The opening night last week went down a storm with both floors full of atmosphere and good music! Come down this week and do it all over again!!!

4 years and 9 months after starting the first Rock Night at the Kings Arms, we finally get a venue to give YOU what you wanted.

The Noisegate at the The Drayman in Bexleyheath every Thursday.

ROOM 1 – ALTA-SCOPE will concentrate on the lighter and eclectic side of the alternative music spectrum.

DJ KING STEVE

ROOM 2 – RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL will side with the heavier and more extreme side!!

DJ 69

2 Pool Tables

Projection Screens, Lighting, Effects!

7pm-Midnight –The whole night (Lower Floor) and upstairs (8pm-11.30pm)

BBQ and Patio (on the warm nights) or stating subject to weather

Drinks Promo's inc, Vodka and Red Bull Mix £3, Fosters, Becks, Stella, Strongbow and selected house Spirits with Mixer £2.50, and '2 for 1 cocktails £5/£6 + More!

Staffed Door!

Special Promotional Feature Nights, with free stuff and Brand New Music!

Over 18's ID Essential

No entry after 11pm

FREE entry for loyalty card holders – £1.00 for everyone else.

What track would you really like to hear played by the DJs at The Noisegate? – Email us a request now!

Bloodstock Open Air returns in 2008 and is set to be the biggest yet. Three days full of pure metal and a little bit more at Catton Hall!

The line–up is far from complete but here are the bands confirmed so far:

• NIGHTWISH
• OPETH
• EVILE
• DIMMU BORGIR
• ICED EARTH
• HELLOWEEN
• OVERKILL
• SOILWORK
• AT THE GATES
• PRIMAL FEAR
• TYR
• AS I LAY DYING
• ELUVEITIE
• COMMUNIC
• MOONSORROW
• SWALLOW THE SUN
• KATAKLYSM
• CLOUDSCAPE
• CROWNING GLORY
• MOB RULES
• SAINT DEAMON
• ALESTORM
• PRO-JEKT

For more information on the festival visit the Bloodstock website.

This was a free benefit gig at Bar Monsta, although you could drop some coins (or notes) in the collection box for the Camden fire brigade who had helped stop the fire near the venue several weeks before.

The entrance fee was as impressive as the line-up as all four bands impressed.

First up were The 3rd Half (6.5/10) who mixed a pop/punk backbone with more rockier moments. They certainly know how to write catchy songs and had feet tapping from the start. Next were Candyblack (6.5/10) who were heavier and lean more in the Zico Chain direction. Considering the lead singer/guitarists band seemes to be disintergrating around him (2 members quit the night before the gig) you have to applaud a short and puncy set. Even before Dear Superstar (7/10) start their first song it's obvious these guys are serious about this being in a band lark. They have a more professional approach and you can hear they have toured enough to plug and play at short notice and still put in a good performance. With a sound somewhere in between Avenged Sevenfold and any number of heavier sleaze metal bands they work their way through a good set.

Headliners Drugdealer Cheerleader (8/10) seem to have a handy knack of improving everytime they get on stage, which tonight was mainly due to them being as solid as fk! From set opener 'Britains great' to set closer 'Maximum power' it was as if every note was played perfectly which can only come from relentless touring. 'Fireworks' crackled with its usual heaviness while 'Ms LaPish's excellent guitar intro was enough to have some of the assembled crowd screaming with delight. 'LMFAO' continued the guitar onslaught before 'It's happening now' slowed the pace nicely before former single 'X E Cute my X' sped things up again. 'Loser' added a punkier side to the set while you can imagine 'Gimme some love' being blasted out at Decadence at 2am. Once again, the overall sound of the band tonight was the key with every member of the band delivering the goods and the addition of a female backing singer added extra depth to each song.

A performance like that was enough to make even the most tipsy cheerleaders dance...

DDCLs setlist:

BRITAIN'S GREAT
FIREWORKS
MS LAPISH
I DON'T WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL
LMFAO
It's HAPPENING NOW
X E CUTE MY X
take it to the EDGE
LOSER
UGLY INSIDE
GIMME SOME LOVE
MAXIMUM POWER

Useful links:

DDCL - www.myspace.com/drugdealercheerleader
The 3rd Half - www.myspace.com/3rdhalfuk
Candyblack - www.myspace.com/candyblack
www.myspace.com/dearsuperstar

Review by Alan

The second release from Dartford 7-piece Silent Descent is nothing short of a local masterpiece!

The band manage to mix growling verses, catchy melodic choruses and lovingly crafted atmospherics into a cauldron of delights leaving the listener gasping for breath. This is most notable on opening trio ’Anagram, ’Beyond Grey’ and ’I can I will’.

The influences of the likes of Soilwork and Scar Symmetry are obvious but are built apon and expanded rather than lazily copied. There is even a touch of Nightwish like keyboards at the start of track two.

Track four ’Bleed in trust’ is where the album really begins to expand in terms of song structure. A ferocious attack on the listener which doesn’t let up until a superb guitar solo saves you from oblivion. This leads into the dancey ’Duplicity’ adding yet more ingredients to the toxic mix. This 6 minute slow versed burner is perfectly placed in the running order giving the album balance. With its flamenco like guitar part, a chorus reeking of melody and a superb guitar solo, the title track is among the most diverse on the album. ’Blood Fucked’ is also amazing. Black metal-esque guitar with slight electronic interludes leaves you wondering how much more they can possibly squeeze into each track.

The electronics are mixed perfectly with the heaviness of the album and the two sounds never collide, instead uniting and forming an unstopable surge of power which drives the album from to start to finish.

Breathtaking athmospheric tunes such as ’Hitting the ground’ wouldn’t be out of place as the backing track to a medievil hollywood blockbuster while both guitars are mightly effective throughout the album and provide solos aplenty. Tom Watlings vocals move from growls to melody and back again with ease and he lets out the biggest scream since the last Cradle of Filth album at the start of ’Failure’. Mr.Gs turntables are used sparingly and add depth to the songs rather than drag them back into the dark days of 90s nu metal, although this period does have an influence - but in a good way!

The album doesn’t drift at the end, instead giving you the likes of ’Living in false eternity’ which is a must for music tv and final track ’In the skies’ is the most ’poppy’ and ’youthful’ on the album. With its group chants and danceable verses its slow keyboard ending is almost at odds with the rest of the song but like on the whole album it just seems right!

A special mention must be given to guitarist Tom Callahan’s production and engineering skills along with Dan Abela’s mixing and mastering - the album simply sounds amazing and is a credit not only to the local scene but to British music. So often a British album fails to shine partly because the production and overall sound is nowhere near the quality of our American and Scandinavian cousins. ’Duplicity’ has no such problem.

Overall, ’Duplicity’ is not the sound of a band trying to break out of a local scene, but a band ready to take on the big boys. This album could only be the beginning.

www.myspace.com/silentdescent1

(8/10)

Review by Alan

THE BANNER who have a new full-length FRAILITY out on June 9th debut the song DUSK.

The Banner, known for horror imagery and dark lyrics and themes, are continuing what they began on their debut Each Breath Haunted.

"The songs are all focused, and there are some that are very short, like bursts of anger." Vocalist Joey Southside says, "There are straight up black metal riffs through the whole thing." and our drummer, Pollution, is really powerful so the drums are very heavy on the punk stuff, which I personally love."

To listen to Dusk, go to: www.myspace.com/thebanner

THE HOTTNESS debut The GHOST from their forthcoming full-length STAY CLASSY being released on April 28th.

The Wilmington NC based five piece have become a hot commodity with their bastardization of punk with dirty rock leanings, metal stomping riffs and a southern flair.

"We're just ugly, unhealthy guys who know how to play music and love it more than anything" vocalist Adam says.

To listen to The Ghost, go to: www.myspace.com/thehottness

ELYSIA are probably the youngest band currently on Ferret debut BOX OF NEED(LES) from their upcoming full-length LION OF JUDAS out on June 9th.

The Sacramento based band recorded with Kurt Ballou (Converge).

Vocalist Zak Vargas says of the album "The sound of the album is very offbeat and weird compared to what is going on in the scene right now, still very heavy but we played around with a lot of with the instruments, and we even threw a tambourine in the mix."

Known for their excessively brutal but socially conscious hardcore/metal mix, they thrive on audience interaction and showed their viewpoints on a recent tour with This is Hell and Ruiner.

To listen to Box Of Need(les), go to: www.myspace.com/elysia

Calling all Bands in South East! Darbex is still open! Massive £7000+ of prizes and huge exposure. Nothing to lose! read more....

With bands that have not paid their deposits and other that cannot play the dates left we have just a few places left on the Darbex Band Quest 'Elevation of Creation' competition and related activity (Scratch the surface compilation CD and Altascope Magazine).

If you are interested now.. please read over the details at this link and ask any questions through darbex@rockmatrix.co.uk, we are looking to cover from late March onwards 5 slots in Dartford and 5 more slots in bexleyheath. All we need is the form here completed and a £25 deposit (not a fee) to assure you of a place. The METAL section is closed so we are looking for Indie/Alt/Rock bands as well as acoustic acts to play in darbex between March 18 and May 7th (Heats).

The Prize fund is worth over £7000 now and we are looking to award 33 prizes for the 99 bands we are looking to take part, min prize value is £99 as it stands and the max £1000 CASH!! Prize list here.

We will launch - this week the scratch the surface CD - Your chance to have a professionally released CD with over 1000 copies bieng distributed throughout the South East and Industry from May onwards in 2008.

Further more.....We are putting out 3 magazines to maximise your chance of exposure for you band and activity, this is being worked on now!

Dont miss this once in a bands lifetime chance to utilise this promotional vehicle and get yourselves into the local and national papers and many event listings all handled by rock matrix through out this project.

What ya got to lose?

Adam

The Rock Matrix

If you want to help make this a massive success come to any of the 3 events this Sunday / Monday / Tuesday.

4 alternative bands needed – we need more bands to 'confirm' their intent to play.

We are doing this:

- 1x A Battle of the bands with a twist featuring show case events!
- 2x 20 track cds called 'scratch the surface' one heavy one light!
- 3x Magazine called Altascope, featuring all acts taking part and more!

We have now got 99 bands interested with 82 confirmed, so we are now taking on a reserve list and back up list in case any bands that have committed drop out or decide not to take part for what ever reason.

Therefore we ask 3 things of thee!

1. If you want to have a chance in taking part complete this application form
2. If you want to help make this a massive success come to any of the 3 launch events this Sunday 3rd/Monday 4th/Tuesday 5th – events are here: www.eventmatrix.co.uk/events/
3. Or just wish us well, this really could elevate bands form our local scene to something much more promising. Help by adding graphics to your site etc or reposting bulletins. Thanks for anything in advance.

We are deep in talks with festivals and promoters about getting our bands playing for them. We have £7000 of prizes already committed and 1 in 3 bands will win something.

There will be:

- 100 bands playing by the end of this comp
- 2 x 20 track cds launched to support the quest
- 3 Magazines called Altascope covering ALL local music activity
- Around 400 playing musicians and 100 professional people involved in making this work
- 45 events with over 6000 people attending
- 20,000 flyers hand to hand
- 500 posters
- 33 prizes worth over £7500
- Media, Radio, Record label support and coverage
- And a bucket loads of bloody great nights in good venues!

All further enquiries and questions will be answered only through darbex@rockmatrix.co.uk

PS. We would love to know if you are in a new band or have left a band we thought you may be in.

For FULL DETAILS see the full details blog.

Offer 1:

We are doing a Free entry Ticket to a Darbex Live Event Worth £3 IF they print off the 'offer' and provide us with email, mobile and DOB at THIS weeks Noisegate night at the Drayman! This in turn is to offer those who's birthday it is a WEEK of FREE ENTRY to all RM events! In other words a second offer until end of July and 'at our discretion'.

Offer 2:

Those on the mailing list and that submit ket info will get FREE entry to all Rock Matrix events from week come monday-sunday worth £10 atm.

These offers begin on Sunday 30th March 2008!

FACEBOOK:

Facebook group - The Drayman - Noisegate! The New Night With All Alt+Rock+Metal

Facebook group - Rock Matrix

Facebook group - Darbex Band Quest

Facebook group - Rock Matrix Loyalty Card Holder

Facebook group - Rock Night Live

Facebook group - Metal Mondays

Facebook group - Bloodstock

MYSPACE:

www.myspace.com/rockmatrix

www.myspace.com/rockmatrixpromotions