Battle For Bloodstock – The Finals
July 29, 2011Sound Circus, Bournemouth
Tonight Bournemouth’s very own alternative venue Sound Circus, saw the final of Metal to the Masses take place. With a spot on the unsigned stage at Bloodstock Open Air festival up for grabs, tonight was guaranteed to be a blast. The semis had seen six great local bands get whittled down to the four who were to perform tonight. The big difference was that with this being the finals, they all had to crank up their performances and try and take it to the next level.
You can see our coverage of the first semi here and the second half here.
First up for the evening was Furyborn. They took to the stage and as the crowd cheered them on, they launched straight into their set with all guns blazing. The audience responded in kind and soon the dance floor was a writhing mosh pit! With bassist Matt Wilson heading into the mass of bodies and joining in! By the end of the first track you could tell everyone was up for it.
With only a limited time with which to impress, they performed with energy and enthusiasm ensuring the crowd would not forget them. At the end of each of their tracks the gathered cheered for more.
Set List
Blind Leading The Blind
Wraith
Through Degradation And Decay
Medal Of Dishonour
This Fury Re-born
The crowd had noticeably thinned at the start of the second band’s set, Sypher. But this did not deter them, and soon the front of the stage filled up again. As they worked their way through the set they generated a great crowd reaction. The lead singer then jumped off of the stage whilst singing “I Will Execute You” to the crowds delight and started singing directly at the audience.
As they came to the end of their set, their last two tracks received loud cheers and they left the stage to the sound of their name being chanted.
Set List
Drama Queen
Broken Fingers – Broken Hands
Victim #13
Remedy For My Shame
Irritant
Rise
Beauty Without Pride
The Sweetest Song
At 21:35 the pallbearers had started to gather. This only meant one thing; they were preparing Al. B Damned for his funeral cortege stage entrance. The floor once again filled, the stage lights dimmed and the music came across stating it was show time! The dry ice parted and the coffin was brought forward and laid in front of the stage.
After greeting the audience they went head first into “Katch ‘Em & Kill ‘Em” with the crowd singing along animatedly. Their second track got even a greater response, with Al B. getting the audience to jump up and down. The track finished to loud cheers and whistling from the assembled punters!
As the set progressed more and more activity was coming from the dance floor. “Pretty when you’re Dead” had the whole band jumping… well not the drummer!
As he sang to his decapitated head stage prop the mosh pit went crazy and the crowd really got energetic. As they ploughed into their final song Al B. Damned climbed onto the stage barrier and incited the audience, which exploded with raw energy.
Set List
Katch ‘Em & Kill ‘Em
Flatline Valentine
Lust For Death
Play Dead For Me
Pretty When You’re Dead
Die Screaming Marianne
Motherfucker
It was nearly 22:30 when Silent Prophecy came on the stage drawing what felt like the largest crowd of the evening. The whole band looking thrilled to be performing and to have been chosen for a spot in the finals! “Silence Road” got the crowd screaming when it started and built up the momentum as the pit grew and the set went from strength to strength.
The gathering was informed that two more songs remained to be played. The first of which being “We Are Here” which was very well received. The last song of the set was “Salt” got the crowd started again, as if they needed encouragement! As each guitar solo kicked in the crowd cheered. By the smiles on the bands face they obviously had enjoyed the buzz of their performance and the crowd reaction.
They finished to tremendous applause and foot stomping – not to mention the one more song chant, which actually played off! They performed “My Silence” as an encore and finished to cheering and clapping from the audience.
Set List
Dead Believer
Collision
Beings Within
Silent Road
We Are Here
Salt
Encore
My Silence
By 23:00 the bands were done finish and the audience were waiting on Bloodstock’s Simon Hall from Metal to the Masses to make the final decision.
It was apparent that all four bands had upped their performances from the Semis, and all of them had thanked the audience for getting them this far!
Then the time came, Simon took to the stage to thank the bands and everyone for the turn out and told everyone that there was nothing like “British heavy metal in sweaty British clubs”. He explained that now was the part he did not like as for there to be a winner there has to be losers and all the bands had aquitted themselves well. He announced that the grand finalists were “Furyborn” and they would be performing at Bloodstock!
Every year this event just gets better and better and the quality of the bands is superb, next year can’t come quick enough!
Words by Jon and Dan.
Photos by Dan O’Gara.