TOKYO JO get ready for battle!
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Bloodstock add more bands to line-up!
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Colt.44 out gun the opposition!
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No more conquests for Conquest!

This week the following bands battle it out for a chance to win a place in the semi-finals of this years Band Quest! With chances to win places at Festivals, cash prizes, and more, as well as a chance to be on one of this years compilation CD's!

So come along and place your votes (alongside the 3 judges)!

THIS WEEKS BAND QUEST HEATS:

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16/03/10 - Event 25, Kent Alt Heat 5
Acts playing: TRASH MONROE, TOKYO JO, PASSION FOR CATS
Venue: Bull n Vic, Dartford, Kent

Link to Facebook event

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17/03/10 - Event 26, London Metal Heat 5
Acts playing: SEVEN7, HELLBENT AND HAMMERED, TREASON
Venue: New Cross Inn, New Cross, London

Link to Facebook event

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18/03/10 - Event 27, London Metal Heat 6
Acts playing: DIACHRONIA, MEKANIZM, ARMATOOL
Venue: Dirty South, Lee, London

Link to Facebook event

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19/03/10 - Event 27, Kent Metal Heat 7
Acts playing: CURSED AS ANGELS, A CHAOS WITHIN, SIZEN
Venue: Red Lion, Gravesend, Kent

Link to Facebook event

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21/03/10 - Event TBC, London Alt Heat TBC
Acts playing: TBC
Venue: New Cross Inn, New Cross, London

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Entry for all heats is just £3.00. Advanced tickets are available from the bands as well as WeGotTickets website (click on the buy ticket image to the left).

Buy a ticket in advance and arrive before 9.30pm and be in with the chance of winning a £10.00 bar voucher.

Please check the website for more details: www.bandquestuk.com.

For those with no access to Facebook all the above events and more can be seen in the eventmatrix gig guide.

With most of our live nights coming from the Band Quest side of things over the next 3-4 months don't expect this section to be that big. This doesn't mean we will only be running Band Quest events, as the event below shows....

THIS WEEKS NON BAND QUEST EVENTS:

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15/03/10 - Romford Roxx
Romford Roxx continues next week on the 22nd March.
Venue: Edge Bar, Romford, Essex

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19/03/10 - Live At The Lion
Acts playing: ACCIDENTS, MUDSTONE, GIVE ME THE SUN
Venue: Red Lion, Gravesend, Kent

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SELECTED EVENTS BY OTHER PROMOTORS:

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26/03/10 - Unholy Club
Acts playing: DJ 69 + more
Venue: Scala, Kings Cross, London

Link to Eventmatrix event page

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23/05/10 - Bulletfest 3 (London Metal Fest)
Acts playing: MAN OF KIN, 9BLIND, KARYBDIS, MAXDMYZ, AFTER DEATH, GLASS ARTERY, HOSTILE THEORY, PHYREXIA
Venue: Scala, Kings Cross, London

Link to Facebook event page

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13/08/10 to 15/08/10 - Bloodstock Open Air
Acts playing: BAND QUEST BLOODSTOCK METAL TO MASSES WINNERS FOR KENT + ESSEX, HEAVEN AND HELL, SNAKEBITE, TWISTED SISTER, CHILDREN OF BODOM, FEAR FACTORY, BLOODBATH, DEVIN TOWNSEND, CANNIBAL CORPSE, BEHEMOTH, OBITUARY, KORPIKLANNI, DORO, GOJIRA, SONATA ARCTICA, EDGUY, GWAR, GORGOROTH, LEAVES EYES, SUFFOCATION, ROSS THE BOSS + many many more!
Venue: Catton Hall, Derby

Link to Eventmatrix event page

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Band: I WISH I WAS AN ASTRONAUT
Need: DRUMMER
Details: Should be able to get to Dartford/Erith area on Sundays for practice. Influences isn't a big deal but we would say our main influences are Brand New, Alexisonfire, At The Drive-In, Refused, early Feeder. Age 18+, Driving is a bonus but no big deal. We wan't the drummer to be more than just a beat in the background.
Contact: lcarver73@gmail.com
Link: www.myspace.com/iwiwaa

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Band: FARADAY CAGE
Need: BASSIST
Details: Influences include Radiohead, DJ Shadow, Aphex Twin, Nick Drake to Jeff Buckley. We are 15 going on 16 we would prefer our bassist to be 14-16 (maybe 17). We also want someone who is devoted to practice quite frequently. We are from Welling and Abbey Wood and would prefer our bassist to be from around those areas.
Contact: faradaycageband@hotmail.com
Link: Faraday Cage Rock Matrix profile

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Band: STORM THE GATES
Need: DRUMMER
Details: We are about to form a new band from the remaining members of Storm The Gates. The name will change.
Contact: stormthegates2008@googlemail.com
Link: www.myspace.com/stormthegatesuk

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Band: TEMPEST LOVE
Need: GUITARIST
Contact: tempest-love@live.com
Link: www.myspace.com/tempestloveuk

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Band: COMETH OF SOLACE
Need: DRUMMER
Contact: andylittlebritain@msn.com or ring 07941865704
Link: Cometh of Solace Rock Matrix profile

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Band: PRINCE KATOCO
Need: DRUMMER
Contact: cmp5000@hotmail.co.uk or ring Chris on 07506 550 303 or spoek@tiscali.co.uk or ring Joe on 07738 820 290
Link: www.myspace.com/princekatoco

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Musician available: TOM FITZGERALD
Plays: MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST / SONGWRITER
Details: Based in Dartford with own equipment and studio, looking for others. Influences: A Perfect Circle, Soundgarden, Tool, Muse, Radiohead etc.
Contact: ring 01322 284 009

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Musician available: DARREN HOLMES
Plays: SINGER
Contact: dareneholmes@hotmail.co.uk

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While the past few weeks at the Red Lion have featured metal bands, tonight makes a change with some strong rock acts. First up are the 60s/70's four-piece Stacey and the Freeloaders (7/10). With their Hendrix strumming, flowing bass lines and the drumming tying everything together, they offer something different to the rest of the local music scene. However, when the first song was over, the singer raised his guitar and lifted the limp top string up with his thumb. "Soundman, what do you suggest?" He called out. I cringed, expecting a long wait before we even got our second song, but luckily Colt.44 frontman Adam Jerome offered to lend him a guitar and in the meantime out came an electro-acoustic. While the rhythms were very simple, each instrument layered up to create something interesting, with solo breaks adding melody to the repetitive chords. Stacey and The Freeloaders also brought some interesting subjects into their lyrics, such as politics, the media and George Orwell's novel 1984, giving them a lyrical edge on their competitors. The crowd was relatively small, yet the band still performed well and left the stage with their pride intact.

Red Thirteen (10) sprang onstage second, with some frantic 80's hard rock. Catchy riffs and frantic jumping and mic-stand swinging really sell these guys. Mind-warping solos brought in almost every technique available to the electric guitarist short of getting out a little viola and grating it across the strings. The choruses saw vocals harmonising together and even separate melodies on top of one another pushing and pulling your ears like some audio tug-of-war. The crowd is sadly still rather small and stoic, so it is embarrassing when the singer screams "How y'all doin?" at the top of his lungs and is met by the cheers of a handful of dedicated rockers. However, Red Thirteen demonstrate their persistence, playing tight and making a big perfomance. Had the room been packed, it would surely have been stomping along.

Closing the night are Colt 44 (9). This Grungy trio are bursting with raw energy. While their riffs are not as technical as that of Red Thirteen's Pablo, their choruses are as infectious as swine-flu. The singer jumps about, strums, screams and even solos on his back, while the bassist makes his own impression with his huge array of poses and harmonising vocals. The Nu Metal breakdowns make them the heaviest band on tonight and with their small following at the front perhaps the most popular as well. Although they lack the precision and clarity of Red Thirteen, maybe Colt.44 aren't bothered about that. Their onstage energy comes from a reckless punk approach that requires this roughness. The room stays relatively still for this set, except for the dedicated fans moving about at the front, but the bands tonight have all done their duty.

Review by Adam Evans

Despite Romford not having the biggest metal scene (some would ask what metal scene), these Band Quest nights have seen a diverse line-up week-on-week. This time is no different.

If last week Snake Eyes were an example of an experienced band in the middle of a musical career then this week COURAGE OF THE COWARD (6/10) represent the complete opposite end of the spectrum. In a way it was a typical performance from a band who have taken their first tentative steps in the musical world. The mass of influences, the odd worried look to see if the person next to you is playing the same song and the stiff, awkward stance of some of the band showed that they need to play several more gigs to become more comfortable. This though is rather obvious and more importantly irrelevant to a band more concerned with gaining crucial experience. The music itself was interesting, the songs nicely crafted and the guitar player is already rather nifty.

FOR EVERYTHING A REASON (7.5) sound massive and make the Edge Bar sound like a top London venue in the process. Their screamo hardcore approach may not be the order of the day for a lot of Bloodstock metallers but they do it so well it is hard not to take notice. The songs are well built with each and every riff hitting home with a precision born from constant gigging. The breakdowns punch like drunken boxers, making half the venue move in one way or another. The sampled beats featured in some tracks only add to the performance. Impressive stuff.

Anyone wanting something a little more traditional would have been very pleased with the heat winning performance from headliners MERCILESS FAIL (8). 'Forged in black' sounds like a forgotten classic, complete with its maiden-esque guitars and crowd-friendly chorus. The band may quote Testament and Iron Maiden as influences but there is something more sinister in their sound, recalling the likes of Venom and Pentagram. The old school metal vibe seeps from every pore as they thrash out the best set of the night and head gallantly into the semi-finals.

Review by Alan Hicks

Hands sway towards the front like six year olds who have just gotten the hang of the six times table and teacher is asking questions on it. As the rugged edged disco-rock and punk twisting Brighton quintet This City, provides earthy rhythm, urgency when needed and oodles of enthusiasm. Chomping guitars push the slightly coarse, soaring vocals of Chris Purr and dance friendly drum beats of Nick Burdett create a carefree, yet hard-edged atmosphere. Stand out single 'Black and Blue', from their promising debut album 'We Were Like Sharks', results in a driving rock, featuring Thursday veined atmospheric interludes, style conclusion that is sure the help This City's fan-base in Manchester city to grow.

Youths pass out and are passed to the back like photos at a family re-union, as the excitement builds for the main draw, Hadouken! A full recovery is made by each of the afflicted upon the sprightly entrance of singer James Smith and company. They waste no time in getting the pit and all behind it bouncing with the feral post-hardcore/dance stomping anthem of 'Get Smashed Gate Crash'. They bundle together a broad range of influences from Plan B to Kanye West through to The Deftones. A much appreciated appearance from a giant mouse helps to enhance the fun spirit and, you can't help hoping that it is also a side-swipe at rock bands who take themselves too seriously (yeah, Arcade Fire I mean you).

The lighter touch, yet meaningful lyrics of 'Declaration Of War', shows up an ability to communicate a serious message about needless rivalries, without the pit feeling the need for a breather. Crowd involvement continues right the way throughout this study, robust and genre mixing set, most noticeably in a James Smith cajoled sing-a-long to the hip-hop, soul and rock merging, 'Mic Check'. The backing vocals of the likes of James 'Pilau' Rice and Alice Spooner are sturdy and add an extra strand in a live setting. The robust, digitally intoned 'Crank it up' , keeps the tempo rising and the fervour building. Hadouken! shows us tonight that aside from being able to bicker with La Roux, they are also continuing to grow in impact in a live setting.

Rating: 4/5

Review by Dave Adair

Los Angeles metal label launches website dedicated solely to spreading the word of Heavy Metal to the masses.

HOLLOWAY ROAD, London - March 11, 2010 - Forerunners in the heavy metal scene since its humble beginnings in the early eighties, Metal Blade Records is once again spreading the word of Heavy Metal to the world now through the label's brand new site, Metal Blade TV www.metalblade.tv.

Metal Blade TV will be a place for metalheads to go and see video interviews and segments from some of their favorite Metal Blade artists in addition to other notable metal musicians and bands. Metal Blade is doing this because the label is not only about exposing its own bands to the metal community, but also bringing attention to the talents of all metal musicians out there on the scene working hard to give you music to bang your heads and pump your fists to.

Chairman and CEO of Metal Blade Records, Brian Slagel comments; "We are very excited about the launch of our own TV channel, Metal Blade TV! We are going to bring you not only content from Metal Blade artists, but from the entire world of Heavy Metal. We want to take you behind the scenes and see all the bands in a different way. Also there will be a lot of rare live video clips too! We really hope you enjoy this new venture from Metal Blade Records!"

As Brian Slagel stated above, Metal Blade TV will also host rare video clips from his illustrious collection that spans 30 years of Heavy Metal shows. There are sure to be some very interesting and never seen footage so be sure to stay tuned to Metal Blade TV to catch of glimpse of Heavy Metal history.

A music starved kid named Brian Slagel, killing time in suburban Los Angeles, gets sick of watching the local metal scene being ignored by the major labels. Working days at legendary metal emporium Oz Records and nights putting together one of the first metal fanzines, The New Heavy Metal Revue, Slagel asks some distributor friends if they'd be interested in circulating a compilation of unsigned bands if he put it together. The distributors said yes and Metal Blade Records was born. Of course it wasn't quite that simple. Putting in long 17-hour days between Oz and Metal Blade, Slagel pieced together the bands that would grace the label's first release - The New Heavy Metal Revue presents Metal Massacre. Metallica, Ratt and Black 'N' Blue were just a few of the willing locals. Except before Metal Massacre, Metallica didn't exist.

So now for almost 30 years, Metal Blade Records has been setting the trend in heavy metal music without compromising its underground beginnings. Brian Slagel and Metal Blade Records have without a doubt had a major role in developing the American metal scene since day one and remains one of the most essential sources of metal music today. Since its beginnings in 1982, Metal Blade Records has unleashed some of the most influential and significant metal acts like Slayer, Metallica, Cannibal Corpse, GWAR, Six Feet Under, and King Diamond while developing acts like As I Lay Dying, The Black Dahlia Murder, Amon Amarth, Unearth, Behemoth, Job For a Cowboy, Whitechapel, Goatwhore, The Ocean, Soilent Green, Lazarus AD and 3 just to name a few. There are few who can argue that Metal Blade is one of the leading independent metal labels around! Constantly growing and expanding, Metal Blade has offices in Japan, Canada, and an office in the UK. Not to mention the already significant Metal Blade Records Germany who’s been a strong and major force in the European scene for over a decade. By keeping a constant eye on the underground, adding some of the best bands out there to its roster, and sponsoring leading metal tours and festivals like the Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival and New England Metal & Hardcore Festival, it is obvious that Metal Blade Records is here to stay!

Have a look at the new Metal Blade videos in the video section of this newsletter.

www.metalblade.com
www.metalblade.tv
www.myspace.com/metalbladerecords
www.facebook.com/metalbladerecords
twitter.com/MetalBlade
www.youtube.com/metalbladerecords
www.ilike.com/artist/Metal+Blade+Records

Local classic metallers Conquest have called it a day. Below is the official statement:

"Conquest have officially split up. Unfortunatley due to personal and musical differences Conquest have called it a day. We would like to thank everyone who has supported Conquest over the last three years! This is from friends, family who have seen us live and helped us, the bands we have supported, local promoters Rock Matrix and Fifth Season Promotions that have given Conquest the chance to play numerous times in the south east / Kent area and where we rehearsed Abbey Music Studios. This has been a roller coster of a ride and we wish all the former members of Conquest all the best."

There is no news on what direction each member will go in but there are industrial rumblings in the distance....

Local tech metallers Subversi0n are still after a slot at Bloodstock via the Bloodstock website. Read the instructions below if you want to help them get a slot:

1) Go to this page: Subversi0n - Seizure Promo - Bloodstock Unsigned

2) Register and then confirm the email sent to you.

3) Click 5 stars on our track 'seizure' where it says 'rate this file'.

So many local acts have appeared at Bloodstock over the years, (most via Band Quest) including Denounce, Cursed As Angels, The Inbreds, Silent Discent as well as Sanctorum, SevenYearsDead and O.M.T who have played local on occasions. Let's keep this great record up and send Subversi0n there as well!

www.bloodstock.uk.com

Album out early 2010!

www.myspace.com/svsnband

www.tinyurl.com/svsnfacebook

www.youtube.com/user/SVSNBAND

Fast rising rockers Patchwork Grace are in the running for two awards at the 2010 Emerging Talent Awards!

They're in the categories of Best New Band as well as Best Live Act. If they make the top 15 in the voting they get to go in front of some industry panel of very important bigwig type people for final positions.

You can go and vote for them using the links below - just click:

Vote them as Best New Band

Vote them as Best Live Band

VIDEOS OF THE WEEK:

THE 69 EYES - Dead N'Gone video

PRIMORDIAL - All Empires Fall trailer

DOPE STARS INC. - It's Today video

ARMORED SAINT - Cooking with Armored Saint part 1

HEIDEVOLK - Uit oude grond Trailer

THE GOOD THE BAD - 026 video

CALLEJON - Kinder der Nacht video

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EMAILS:

Gig booking: annika@unifiedsounds.co.uk

Newsletter queries: alan@rockmatrix.co.uk

Reviews: alan@rockmatrix.co.uk

General: adam@unifiedsounds.co.uk

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LINKS:

www.bandquestuk.com

www.eventmatrix.co.uk

www.unifiedsounds.co.uk

Facebook group - Band Quest/Unified Sounds

Facebook group - Rock Matrix

www.myspace.com/rockmatrix

www.myspace.com/rockmatrixpromotions

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