First set of Band Quest results are in!
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More metal bands battle for place at Bloodstock!!!
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Alliance shatter Silas hopes with close win
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Things get heavy in Gravesend!

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LATEST BAND QUEST RESULTS BELOW:

MONDAY 16 FEBRUARY - Band Quest - Heat 1 - Metal

1ST - SHATTERED ALLIANCE

2ND - SILAS

3RD - ZENITHAL

TUESDAY 17 FEBRUARY - Band Quest - Heat 1 - Alt

1ST - FACADE

2ND - NOVEMBER CRIMINALS

3RD - MATT KNOWLES

FRIDAY 20 FEBRUARY - Band Quest - Heat 1 - Metal

1ST - WARHORSE

2ND - CIRCLE OF RAGE

3RD - SEVEN

Thanks from the Team at http://www.unifiedsounds.co.uk

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Heat 1 of Band Quest 2009 comes to OHM on Sunday!

Popular rockers LIVE POLITICS play this week and are up against DAYFALL and JEREMY AYRE.

Win a Reading Ticket and a Bloodstock Ticket as guests of the events in a Super Draw! Ask at the event for details.

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Band Quest 2009 - Alt Sundays at OHM every Sunday.

£2.00 for Gold loyalty card holders, £2.50 for those with flyers and £3.00 for everyone else.

What track would you really like to hear played by the DJs at Band Quest 2009 - Alt Sundays? – Email us a request now!

Band Quest 2009 will be bringing the METAL TO THE MASSES to you every Monday in Bexleyheath as bands battle it out for a place at Bloodstock!

In HEAT 2 metallic hard rockers COLT 44 take on SEVENTH SIN and the legendary ROY STONE. DJ 69 spins the metal with a touch of Judas/Hellfire spice this week.

Win a Reading Ticket and a Bloodstock Ticket as guests of the events in a Super Draw! Ask at the event for details.

Band Quest 2009 - Metal Mondays at The Drayman in Bexleyheath every Monday.

£2.00 for Gold loyalty card holders, £2.50 for those with flyers, £3.00 for everyone else.

What track would you really like to hear played by the DJs at Band Quest 2009 - Metal Mondays? – Email us a request now!

The alternative side of Band Quest 2009 continues tonight in Dartford.

Heat 2 sees pop punkers A BOY NAMED GIRL come up against ska punk debutantes ABOUT YOUR BEAR. Also playing are ESCAPE THE SKIES who hope their brand of altcore will take them through.

Win a Reading Ticket and a Bloodstock Ticket as guests of the events in a Super Draw! Ask at the event for details.

Band Quest 2009 - Alternative Tuesdays at the Darenth Suite, Acacia Hall every Tuesday.

£2.00 for Gold loyalty card holders, £2.50 for those with flyers, £3.00 for everyone else.

What track would you really like to hear played by the DJs at Band Quest 2009 - Alternative Tuesdays? – Email us a request now!

The Noisegate at the The Drayman in Bexleyheath every Thursday.

ROOM 1 (main floor) – Rock, Metal, Goth returns to the main floor at The Noisegate - expect a bigger mix of all things alternative.

ROOM 2 (upstairs) – Indie, indie disco etc.

2 Pool Tables

Projection Screens, Lighting, Effects!

7pm-Midnight - The whole night (Lower Floor)

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

Drinks Promo's inc, Buy on get ONE FREE on bottles of wine, 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 Gold 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!

Heat 2 of the Gravesend metal part of Band Quest is here!

Local metal heroes INNER FIRE come up against the formidable sound of SANCTORUM. ROXVILLE will try and use their sleazy Motley Crue inspired classic rock to upset the apple cart.

Band Quest 2009 - Metal Fridays at the Red Lion every Friday.

£2.00 for Gold loyalty card holders, £2.50 for those with flyers, £3.00 for everyone else.

What track would you really like to hear played by the DJs at Band Quest 2009 - Metal Fridays? – Email us a request now!

Bloodstock Open Air returns in 2009 and is set to increase in size for the 5th year running. Three days full of pure metal and a little bit more at Catton Hall!

Weekend tickets are available and can be ordered from the Bloodstock website - Order Bloodstock Open Air tickets.

Here are the bands confirmed so far:

• AMON AMARTH
• SATYRICON
• SAXON
• GWAR
• KATATONIA
• TURISAS
• MUNICIPAL WASTE
• ENSLAVED
• THE HAUNTED
• CANDLEMASS
• WINTERSUN
• BATTLELORE
• SABATON
• DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER
• MILLION DOLLAR RELOAD
• BEHOLDER
• PYTHIA

For more information on the festival visit the Bloodstock website.

BAND WITH NO NAME YET needs:

- Singer

I've got some very talented musicians together and need a frontman. For an idea of what style I think listing some covers that we do should give everyone an idea - Vasoline-STP, Day that Never Comes-Metallica, Own Worst Enemy-Lit, In Bloom-Nirvana, State of Love and Trust-Pearl Jam. Ideally should be mid 20's to early 30's. Experience preferred but not essential. Just need a good style and a good set of pipes. An absolute shed load of original material already written for someone to stamp their identity and talent onto. Contact the band here: John Riddle jr224a@yahoo.com.

BAND WITH NO NAME YET needs:

- Song writing guitarist

Influenced by Clutch, Monster Magnet, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, QOTSA etc. Contact the band here: www.myspace.com/ajddk.

DRUGDEALER CHEERLEADER needs:

- Bass player

Contact the band here: info@drugdealercheerleader.com or www.myspace.com/drugdealercheerleader.

BAND WITH NO NAME YET needs:

- Singer

Influenced by Tool, Killswitch Engage etc. Contact the band here: Nel on 07798640786 or nelcooper@hotmail.com or Joe on 07752519676.

CONQUEST need:

- Bass player

Contact this band here: leslie.clayden@ntlworld.com or admin@roystone.com or ring Les Clayden on 07832 235715.

UNTIL I BLEED need:

- Guitarist (with some lead ability)
- Bassist
- Drummer
- Female vocalist

Contact this band here: tombwibble@yahoo.co.uk

ROY STONE needs:

- All musicians

Contact Roy Stone here: admin@roystone.com or www.myspace.com/roystonelink.

1st) Shattered Alliance
2nd) Silas
3rd) Zenithal

After Silent Descent won last years Band Quest (then called Darbex) and Denounce won the Battle for Bloodstock all-dayer they both not only represented North Kent/South East London at the Bloodstock Festival, they also raised the bar of quality in the local scene. It is therefore interesting to see how the remaining local bands rise to the challenge.

The first band to take up the challenge this year in the opening Band Quest metal heat was Zenithal (6/10). With a good sound and some nice guitar work things looked positive. The energy they conveyed meant they were always interesting to watch and some of the riffs dragged you into the song. Despite this initial quality the songs seemed to lack a real punch when needed and when combined with the unmelodic vocal style sounded somewhat unmemorable. Zenithal have enough quality to work with though and it wouldn't be a surprise if they have gone up a few levels this time next year.

Second up were Silas (6.5), hot on the back of releasing an excellent 3 track demo. The songs on display, as with the demo were ones of quality, with every track containing a uniqueness that makes Silas so... well unique! What really damaged them tonight was the inability to get their melodic side across effectively. Too often a superb solo or killer riff was followed by some off-kilter attempt at melody which upset the rhythem of the song. After Silas were unfortunately absent from last years Band Quest great things were expected from them this year. It wasn't to be though as the band with arguably some of the best songs in the local area slipped out the competition in the first round.

Shattered Alliance (7) in some ways were on a slightly higher level tonight. Melodywise they struggled in the same way as Silas. Their Killswitch inspired metalcore failed to land the blows it should of done but sonically Shattered Alliance were heavier, louder and basically bigger than the preceeding bands. Some of the riffs and breakdowns were massive, enthusing the crowd to move and ensuring all those in the venue took notice. Winning this heat by a mere 1% won't have the other bands running for cover but Shattered Alliance's imposing presence and power may have some worried.

Review by Alan

Metal Blade is happy to announce the signing of VALKYRJA from Sweden! The Black Metal horde formed in 2004 and released the five-track 'Funeral Voices' in 2005.

The band went through some line-up changes over the years and recorded it's debut album 'The Invocation Of Demise' at Necromorbus Studios (Watain, Deströyer 666, Razor Of Occam) in March and April of 2007. It was unleashed upon mankind in September the same year via Northern Silence Productions.

By the end of 2008 VALKYRJA signed a multiple album deal with Metal Blade Records.

Comments VALKYRJA: "The band sees the work with these allies as an opportunity to spread their crafts even further and on a larger scale. The Swedes have thus far already marked both studio and live performances with a brutal and aggressive signet, leaving no-one unaware of what the band can deliver. Territories stand not yet ravished by the plague and famine that is

VALKYRJA, a fact this collaboration will change - a seal in Blood, Fire and Death."

In the beginning of 2009 the band is busy writing and rehearsing new songs for their second full-length. VALKYRJA plan to record at Necromorbus once again.

Metal Blade Records will re-issue 'The Invocation Of Demise' in June 2009 with new artwork and booklet, giving the album the Worldwide credit it truly deserves!

Excerpts from 'The Invocation Of Demise' can be found on www.myspace.com/valkyrjaswe.

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