HERE ARE THE ROCK MATRIX MAIN HEADLINES THIS WEEK
(click on headlines to read full story)
MONDAY 26 APRIL to SUNDAY 02 MAY
BAND QUEST 2010 EVENTS
This week the following bands battle it out for a chance to win a place in the 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:
------------------------------------------------------
26/04/10 - Event 59, Essex Metal Semi Final 3
Acts playing: NEAR DEATH EXPERIMENT, DISMANIBUS, COURAGE OF THE COWARD
Venue: Edge Bar, Romford, Essex
------------------------------------------------------
27/04/10 - Event 60, Kent Alt Semi Final 3
Acts playing: THE CONSPIRACY THEORY, CITIES FALL SILENT, EVERYONE'S STRAIGHT BUT KATE
Venue: Bull n Vic, Dartford, Kent
------------------------------------------------------
28/04/10 - Event 61, London Alt Semi Final 2
Acts playing: THEY CAME FROM JAPAN, BEARTRAP, GRIMHILDE
Venue: Dirty South, Lee, London
------------------------------------------------------
29/04/10 - Event 62, Kent Metal Semi Final 3
Acts playing: CALLOUS, AVENGE THEE + NAIME, SENTINEL
Venue: Beercart Arms, Canterbury, Kent
------------------------------------------------------
30/04/10 - Event 63, Kent Metal Semi Final 4
Acts playing: SEVEN, SANITY BURNS, SHATTERPOINT
Venue: Red Lion, Gravesend, Kent
------------------------------------------------------
02/05/10 - Event 64, London Alt Semi Final 3
Acts playing: THE GRAFTERS, ELEPHANT Vs LEOPARD, GHOST IN MIRRORS
Venue: New Cross Inn, New Cross, London
------------------------------------------------------
Entry for all Semis is just £4.00 and £3.00 for those with flyers and Band Quest band members. 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.
MONDAY 26 APRIL and BEYOND
NON BAND QUEST EVENTS
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:
------------------------------------------------------
26/04/10 - Romford Roxx
Acts playing: KID NEON, THE MOSQUITO EFFECT, KRYSTAL VAYNE
Venue: Edge Bar, Romford, Essex
Link to Facebook event (this is upstairs from the Band Quest gig)
------------------------------------------------------
30/04/10 - Live At The Lion
Acts playing: MUDSTONE, THE HOAX, THE WORD
Venue: Red Lion, Gravesend, Kent
Link to Facebook event (this is downstairs from the Band Quest gig)
------------------------------------------------------
SELECTED EVENTS BY OTHER PROMOTORS:
------------------------------------------------------
30/04/10 - Unholy Club
Acts playing: DJ 69, DJ SPUNKY LOBSTER + more
Venue: Scala, Kings Cross, London
------------------------------------------------------
06/05/10 - METABOLIC - MAY MADNESS: 2nd night of New Massive Monthly Rock Night
DJs spinning: DJ KING STEVE (Original Rat n Parrot Rock Night) + 3 more TBC
After the success of the launch party on the 1st April, Metabolic is back on THURSDAY 6TH MAY for its second instalment.
Venue: Ivory Lounge, Bexleyheath
------------------------------------------------------
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
------------------------------------------------------
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
------------------------------------------------------
NEEDED
Want to be in a band?
Click on image above to go to the Rock Matrix home page
Musician available: KEVIN EARDLEY
Plays: SINGER
Details: Classic rock singer looking to work with like minded musicians. Influences include everyone from Rush, AC/DC, Deep Purple to Mastodon, Alice In Chains and Dokken.
Contact: 07891584862
------------------------------------------------------
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
------------------------------------------------------
Band: COMETH OF SOLACE
Need: DRUMMER
Contact: andylittlebritain@msn.com or ring 07941865704
Link: Cometh of Solace Rock Matrix profile
------------------------------------------------------
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
------------------------------------------------------
Musician available: DARREN HOLMES
Plays: SINGER
Contact: dareneholmes@hotmail.co.uk
------------------------------------------------------
GIG REVIEW
Kamelot + Leave's Eyes @ Koko - 28/03/10
It was almost exactly a year to the day that Kamelot were last it town and I'm sure that I wasn't the only fan to welcome the upgrade from the 800-capacity Islington Academy to the 1200 capacity Kokos. I'd felt for a while that the band was growing slowly but steadily in popularity and, so it was nice to be in a venue where there was room to move and an opportunity to see the band without standing on tiptoes.
The two support bands were perhaps also important in helping to swell the size of the crowd. Montpellier-based Progressive-Metal Act Adagio (6/10) had only played London once before while Leaves Eyes were another band that had a growing fan base in the UK. Adagio were onstage very soon after the doors opened, but unfortunately had to cope with a poor sound to begin with. Gradually the soundman got things together and we could eventually hear the excellent pipes of Swedish front-man Mats Leven, who was filling in on vocals for this tour after the rather sudden (and apparently acrimonious) departure of the Finn Christian Palin.
With only 30 minutes in which to make an impression, the band's set concentrated on their latest album 'Archangels in Black, though we were also treated to a single track from each of the bands first 2 albums. As the set went on and the overall sound improved, so did the crowd reaction and by the end of the set, they were receiving a good response from the crowd. It was just a shame that the set was so brief.
Leaves Eyes (6) were next onstage. The last time I'd seen them was in Belgium when they were filming their DVD 'We Came With the Northern Winds'. Here they didn't have quite such a grand stage, but they appeared to a great response from the crowd, who continued to respond positively throughout the 8-song set. Unfortunately for me, I was only familiar with a couple of songs 'Elegy', with the bulk of the set being taken from their latest album 'Njord', which, if this set was anything to go by, lacks the more pastoral sound of the band's debut. From where I was standing the sound did not seem so good and I found it difficult to enjoy the set with songs such as 'Ragnarok' and 'Take The Devil in Me' sounding particularly dull. While I did not particularly enjoy their set, it must be said that I was in a distinct minority in that respect.
Finally around 9PM Kamelot (8.5) hit the stage. Having been touring with 'The Ghost Opera' since their 'ProgPower UK festival' appearance in 2007 I had expected some changes to the setlist this time around. However the band seemed unwilling to change a winning formula too much and so the setlist was only slightly re-arranged from the show we saw last year, featuring just a couple of new numbers ("The Great Pandemonium" and "Hunter's Season") enough of the old favourites to satisfy most long-standing fans.
The show was certainly slick and well rehearsed, but for those of us who had seen it before on stage (and DVD) it was perhaps not quite different enough for us to enjoy the show to the full. The band members changed places well on stage and the interplay of female vocals with those of frontman Roy Khan worked extremely well, adding real drama to some of the songs, particular on the duet 'The Haunting'. The instrumental and solo spots given to each member of the band gave time for changes of costume and yet were not overly long, giving the musicians ample time to demonstrate their chops without boring the audience.
However the band's main attraction for me if the voice of Roy Khan. He was on top form, and is a much more confident performer these days. He had the crowd eating out of his hands throughout and his duets with the female singer/dancer worked particularly well. 'The Pendulous Fall', 'Forever' and 'March of Mephisto' all went down a storm, but as a big fan of 'The Fourth Legacy', I long to hear the band perform tunes such as 'New Allegiance' and 'Nights of Arabia' once again.
Overall I'd say that it was a good solid show rather than an excellent one, but the large proportion of the crowd who were seeing the band for the very first time certainly enjoyed themselves and sent the band away to thunderous applause.
Review by Charlie Farrell
ALBUM REVIEW
Nile - Those Whom the Gods Detest
With the 'Death' metal scene being full of shite recently (Bring me the Horizon, Suicide Silence, to name a few...) it certainly feels like a breath of fresh air to see a dark messiah above it, shining through like a beacon of pure, unrelenting evil. This album certainly feels like a return to form, not only for Nile but for death metal.
The album begins with the Fearsome 'Kafir!', a song about an ancient Islamic belief system; Nile seem to have a way of depicting ancient civilisations (especially Egypt) in a very uniquely evil and fear inducing way. This is really what stands them above other death metal bands, not to mention the ferocity of the drums and the rawness of the guitars.
Dallas' vocals are on top form, perfectly resonating with the brutality of the record. Tracks such as '4th Arra of Dagon' and 'The Eye of Ra', feel like a demonic plainchant that leave you searching for more like a back alley hooker trying to score heroin.
This album, in essence, is evil. Enough said.
9/10
Review by Frazer Bowdery
SINGLE REVIEW
Placebo - Bright Lights
The now veteran goth-indie-pop pushers, Placebo seem to have settled into a grinding rhythmic groove that centres on Brian Molko's rising, slightly croaky cry. This sojourn sticks rigidly to this formula, harnessing the bounding toe tapping percussion of Steve Hewitt. The odd oxymoron is chucked around playfully by Molko, as the lyrics retain a dark slant, but lose a little of their edge due to the familiarity of Placebo's approach.
'Bright Lights', is certainly a single that will tighten Placebo's stranglehold on mainstream appeal. Although, it will leave those who remember their uncompromising eccentricity and obliqueness of old looking further and further into the past.
Rating: 3/5
Review by Dave Adair
METAL BLADE NEWS
Spanish Symphonic Gothic Metallers DIABULUS IN MUSICA post first new song of their upcoming debut album "Secrets"!
Click on image above to go to the Metal Blade myspace page
Become a fan of Metal Blade on Facebbok
Click on band links below for info:
Female fronted Spanish symphonic gothic metallers DIABULUS IN MUSICA have uploaded the first new song of their much anticipated debut album Secrets!
Please surf over to the bands myspace page to check out Come To Paradise!
Frontlady Zuberora comments the song as follows: "This is one of our favourite songs from the album. Actually, is the second one we've written when we started with DIM, so it's kinda special for us. It's full of energy and we never get tired of it! This is why we thought that 'Come to Paradise' was the most suitable song to open 'Secrets' and welcome all of you to our special world!"
Secrets was engineered by the prestigious Spanish tech-producer Iņaki Llarena and mixed by former EPICA guitar player Ad Sluijter who was blown away by the stuff DIM sent to him. Last but not least, DIM is supported by the invaluable expertise of Sascha Paeth, Simon Oberender and Michael (Miro) Rodenberg who mastered Secrets in the Gate studios in Wolfsburg, Germany.
DIABULUS IN MUSICA managed to record an equilibrated album, including self arranged classical music elements, catchy melodies as well as darker and harsher sounds, so an eclectic but perfectly fused style is what we can find on Secrets. The metaphorical lyrics of the versatile singer Zuberoa, express personal feelings and worries but we can also find some anthems to nature and freedom or mythological themes.
DIABULUS IN MUSICA have posted a trailer with excerpts from a few songs of Secrets.
Secrets will be released on the 24th of May via Metal Blade in the UK!
LOCAL BAND NEWS
Subversion hammer home their demo!
Click on image above to go to the Silent Descent myspace page
Click on band links below for info:
The recent demo from local tech-metallers Subversi0n has been given the thumbs up by none other than Metal Hammer! Read the review below:
"Though keyboards have often been a useful implement in metalcore's arsenal, no one has used them with such unashamed bombast as kent sextet Subversion. With melodic death metal punch and hardcore fury in one hand, and symphonic might and ivory tinkling in the other, the band seamlessly blend a potentially disastrous mess, breathing new life in to a well-trodden genre. All four tracks have old fashioned bludgeoning and vehement barking in abundance, but its the over the top choruses and daring bravado that really takes the band to exuberant heights. This is awesome, and is merely a taster of debut album Lest We Forget, due out in June. We cant wait!"
Review by Adam Rees, Metal Hammer
LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS
Band Quest snapped!
Local photographer Martin Hobby has been one of the main snappers in this years Band Quest. View just some of his excellent band photos in this blog:
LINKS AND EMAILS
Podcasts, Links, Video and Emails
VIDEOS OF THE WEEK:
MEGADETH - The Right To Go Insane video
PATCHWORK GRACE - The Lovecats video
STEELWING - Roadkill (...Or Be Killed) video
TRISTANIA - Year of the rat live @ Karmoygeddon Metal Festival 2010
BRAINDRILL - Beyond Bludgeoned video
KISSIN DYNAMITE - In the name of the iron fist video
------------------------------------------------------
PODCASTS:
Bloodstock Metal 2 The Masses:
Each week keep up-to-date with the build up to Bloodstock.
Click here for Bloodstock Podcast
Amped Rock:
At Amped Rock Sky London and Tazz Sander source the world to bring you the best of the best, in rock and metal. If you want to know before everyone else, or just keen to open your mind to new music be sure to listen every month. From the biggest bands to the best of unsigned it's all here.
On the 1st of each month we will release the next episode, so don't miss out on the podcast that the bands themselves listen to. Subscribe, follow, facebook and more importantly listen!
www.ampedrock.com
------------------------------------------------------
EMAILS:
Gig booking: annika@unifiedsounds.co.uk
Newsletter queries: alan@rockmatrix.co.uk
Reviews: alan@rockmatrix.co.uk
General: adam@unifiedsounds.co.uk
------------------------------------------------------
LINKS:
Facebook group - Band Quest/Unified Sounds
www.myspace.com/rockmatrixpromotions
------------------------------------------------------