DARBEX BAND QUEST 2008 – £5000 WORTH OF PRIZES / PLAY AT BLOODSTOCK!!
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ROCK MATRIX TOP 50 ALBUMS OF 2007
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GERMAN POWER METAL MASTERS 'HELLOWEEN' TO PLAY BLOODSTOCK!

The DARBEX Band Quest 2008 competition….. 'Scratch the Surface CD' + Altascope magazine – key points

What going on? What to do next? And a few answers to questions!

All bands/genres welcome and from any area of South East (subject to over 18’s ID)
Prizes based on winners choosing most suitable prize/reward to them

Chance for each band to WIN one of:

1) £1000 cash prize

2) Stage slot at Bloodstock Festival (4 finalists take part in a Bloodstock website vote)

3) 1000 CD Duplication and 4 page booklet Cello-Wrapped.

4) Full Roadrunner DVD Catalogue

5) A days Recording at Jigga Jam Studios

6) £410 worth of Vouchers from Dingo Jacks Store

7) 5 x £200 worth of cash prizes*

8) Multiple sets of Bloodstock Tickets

9) The chance to play at the biggest local Festivals

10) Over £250 worth of Merch from Victory Records, including signed and rare gear

Be on the CD:

- Chance to be one of the 40 bands selected to be on the 'Scratch the Surface' compilation CD – May Release

- For £25 be part of a 1000 run, 100 will be to industry and all you have to do is submit a Master Copy

- Each band gets 10 copies to sell or distribute to industry in 2008 all inclusive of the cost, more available at £2.50 if pre–ordered

- Be featured on promotional bulletins, to help grow awareness that your band has been involved in a professionally released CD.

- Images to be used in the Booklet for promotion and recognition enabling contacts to directly liaise with the band.

Feature in the magazine:

- Be part of 3 x 24 page magazines at a min run of 2500 copies to be made available to gig goers and local businesses

- Gain national exposure with features on all heat winners and bands with something to tell the world!

- Profile you band to get local acknowledgments and build a fan base via contact details which will be published

- Have your band image displayed throughout the DarBex Band Quest all gig goers and venue visitors

- Interviews, Features and Adverts will create the most comprehensive local band publicity tool.

Other Incentives:

- Bands paid at every gig £1 per ticket

- Photography deals made available

- CD replication deals made available

- Each event will be communicated to over 50 event listings and local businesses

- Be noted and promoted to over 100 local business partners

What do we need to do next as a band?

- Let us know you are interested by emailing us at gigs@rockmatrix.co.uk

- If you want to be entered submit your band details through this form: http://www.eventmatrix.co.uk/artists/?view_add=bmpfrm and quote 'ENTRY FORM FOR DARBEX BAND QUEST 2008

- Be prepared to pay a £25 deposit fully returnable at the end of the comp or before based on commitment to the rules of comp entry.

For FULL DETAILS see the full details blog.

Suggest bands for this exciting opportunity by emailing contact@rockmatrix.co.uk now. They cannot afford to miss this!

Click on image above to go to the Darbex blog page

After a storming metallic start to 2008 last week we return with local thrash merchants SCHIZOPHRENIA. Fans of Exodus, Testament and Lamb of God should be queueing now! SISTER KETAMINE bring their new wave of metal sound while I WISH I WAS AN ASTRONAUT pull ambient punk sounds from Dartford, Barnehurst, Canterbury and Wales! DJ GAMBLIN spins between bands.

The beast that is Metal Monday at The Drayman in Bexleyheath every Monday. £1.50 for loyalty card holders – £2.00 for everyone else.

PLEASE NOTE: The Drayman is over 18s for Metal Mondays.

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

Not many bands can mix alternative harmonies with the odd razor edged guitar like STAR CHAMBER. ROULETTE DARES support along with indie–funksters THE BRASSIC. JASON OLVEIRA opens the night. DJ LIFEGUARD BUNNY spins the decks.

Rock Night Live at the Bull and Vic every Tuesday.

You will get in FREE if you are a loyalty card holder who brings a guest or if you are a musician who has played live at the Bull n Vic on a Tuesday!

£1.50 for loyalty card holders – £2.00 for those with flyers – £2.50 for everyone else.

Win a £20 bar voucher at the Bull n Vic. You have to be a loyalty card holder to win this and it's based on those paying at the door – you get entered then drawn then presented with the £20 tab the week after.

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

Go Mental! at the Zero Bar this week sees resident DJ DJ KING STEVE, DJ KEVORKIAN and DJ LAMINATOR churn out the big tunes and requests!! Remember the music and drink goes on until MIDNIGHT!

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 Zero Bar? – Email us a request now!

The UKs premier prog and power metal festival, Progpower UK III returns at the Anson Rooms in Bristol on a Friday and Saturday.

Here are the bands confirmed so far:

• EVERGREY
• POWER QUEST
• THUNDERSTONE
• BRAINSTORM
• SERENITY
• DIABLO SWING ORCHESTRA
• VANDEN PLAS
• THY MAJESTIE
• ANDROMEDA
• CIRCUS MAXIMUS

For more information on the festival visit the Progpower website.

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:

• OPETH
• HELLOWEEN
• DIMMU BORGIR
• SOILWORK
• AT THE GATES
• PRIMAL FEAR
• EVILE
• TYR
• ELUVEITIE
• COMMUNIC
• MOONSORROW
• SWALLOW THE SUN

For more information on the festival visit the Bloodstock website.

You can find contact details by clicking on the band names. This will you take you through to the profile page of the band.

Shattered Alliance are looking for a drummer and a vocalist.

Nineteen of the Rock Matrix staff, DJs and reviewers have voted on their top albums of the year. Below is the final list of the top 50 albums in order:

1. NIGHTWISH – Dark Passion Play
2. MACHINE HEAD – The Blackening
3. MEGADETH – United Abominations
4. BLACK STONE CHERRY – Black Stone Cherry
5. WITHIN TEMPTATION – The Heart of Everything
6. ALTER BRIDGE – Blackbird
7. CLUTCH – From Beale Street to Oblivion
8. OZZY OSBOURNE – Black Rain
9. EVILE – Enter the Grave
10. DOWN – Down III – Over the Under
11. TYPE O NEGATIVE – Dead Again
12. DIMMU BORGIR – In Sorte Diaboli
13. MUNICIPAL WASTE – The Art of Partying
14. W.A.S.P – Dominator
15. PARADISE LOST – In Requiem
16. FOREVER NEVER – Aporia
17. DREAM THEATER – Systematic Chaos
18. THE 69 EYES – Angels
19. SHADOWS FALL – Threads of Life
20. HIM – Venus Doom
21. PORCUPINE TREE – Fear of a Blank Planet
22. ANNAL NATHRAKH – Hell is Empty, All The Devils Are Here
23. ARCH ENEMY – Rise of the Tyrant
24. ANNIHILATOR – Metal
25. MARILYN MANSON – Eat Me, Drink Me
26. EXODUS – The Atrocity Exhibition: Exhibit A
27. MANIC STREET PREACHERS – Send Away The Tigers
28. MINISTRY – The Last Sucker
29. VELVET REVOLVER – Libertad
30. LINKIN PARK – Minutes to Midnight
31. THE FURIOUS HORDE – World Aghast
32. ELUSIVE – Locked Doors, Drinks and Funerals – Songs From The Desert
33. RUSH – Snakes and Arrows
34. THE BIRTHDAY MASSACRE – Walking With Strangers
35. KORN – Korn
36. BIFFY CLYRO – Puzzle
37. PARAMORE – Riot
38. SEVENYEARSDEAD – To The Ruin of All
39. PRONG – Power of the Damager
40. DRUGDEALER CHEERLEADER – Enjoy The Time You Waste
41. COMBICHRIST – What The Fuck is Wrong With You People?
42. STAR INDUSTRY – Last Crusades
43. TAROT – Crows Fly Back
44. BON JOVI – Lost Highway
45. NEW YOUNG PONY CLUB – Fantastic Playroom
46. AVENGED SEVENFOLD – Avenged Sevenfold
47. AKERCOCKE – Antichrist
48. VNV NATION – Judgement
49. THE MISSION – God is a Bullet
50. ENTER SHIKARI – Take To The Skies

To see the top albums chosen by individuals please see the main albums of 2007 blog on the Rock Matrix myspace page.

BECOME A LOYALTY CARD HOLDER AND GET ALL THIS!!!

• 1 Free Entry into a Rock Matrix Live Evening Event worth at least £2.50
• Free entry into Go Mental! Rock Night at the Zero Bar every Thursday Until August 2008
• 25% OFF your first/next purchase from the Rock Matrix stall/store after receiving your card
• 1 Free Bottle Drink from Rock Matrix
• 10% off of all items from the Rock Matrix stall/store all year round
• 10% off at Dingo Jacks Music Store
• 10% off at Fiendish Clothing
• Free 'Bag of Swag' upon signing up
• 1 Free Gift worth £3.00 from the Rock Matrix stall
• Help in finding items otherwise hard to find
• Special Card Holders 'Win £20 Bar Tab' Comp every week at the Bull and Vic
• T–shirt and CD for £20 (max value £15 each item)
• Reduced door entry at Rock Matrix events
• 5 Patches For £10 Offer
• Free pendant when spending over £25
• 3 for 2 on all CD's at the stall voucher offer
• At least £2 off all–day events held by Rock Matrix and BIG party events and themes Nights

For information on these benefits have a look at the Rock Matrix loyalty card section and join today!

New Year clearance offer of 25% off anything on the stall at the Zero Bar in January.

View our extensive selection of alternative, rock, metal and gothic products on sale including jewellery, clothing, music and lifestyle goods. You can shop securely in confidence that your details are processed with modern encryption techniques and methods through our payment partner, Worldpay.

Just one example of the items we have in stock is this Fear Factory t–shirt at just £9.00 for Loyalty Card holders and £10.00 for everyone else:

To see all items in stock CLICK HERE.