Even here with the Swansea sea front overlooked by the Mumbles nearby, there is precious little cooling effect coming from the Irish Sea. We are somewhere in the high and very humid 20’s outside; inside you can add half the same again and turn it up to eleven, because this old listed building does not have the concept of ventilation - let alone air conditioning (although to be fair half the problem is some stubborn old codger living behind the venue who complains about everything, forcing all exterior doors to remain firmly shut when the stage is in use, which is why the Patti Pavillion has the quietest bingo callers in the UK).
This is a day of two halves, the first the all-important final for six acts in the South Wales Metal 2 The Masses competition, the second an equal number of professional bands. The heats, semi’s and quarter rounds have run half in Swansea and half in Cardiff, with this being the final coming together of the three finalists from each end of the M4 with a one day festival thrown in for good measure.
It’s an ambitious and successful project into its second year in this venue, and it doesn’t seem to be all that long ago that we were holding this event entirely in Cardiff’s Fuel bar, which has a capacity of about 150. This place is a barn in comparison, and feels about half full, which when you consider how many musicians are also here is still impressive.
Having watched most of the rounds leading up to this event from the Cardiff side, I knew that it was going to be hard for those bands that have ground their way through it, but I’m seeing the three from the Swansea side for the first time today. And here’s the rub – all six are really good, which is why I’m really glad I only have to review this and not have the pressure of deciding who cuts the mustard for Bloodstock...
First up are Adfellion, who left me speechless, because frankly I did not see that coming. This five-piece look like they fell out of the title sequence from the 80’s incarnation of Robin of Sherwood (with that show’s Clannad soundtrack definitely an influence). It’s moody yet subtle; ambient yet heavy - with a huge dollop of the progressive on top for good measure.
Having watched most of the rounds leading up to this event from the Cardiff side, I knew that it was going to be hard for those bands that have ground their way through it, but I’m seeing the three from the Swansea side for the first time today. And here’s the rub – all six are really good, which is why I’m really glad I only have to review this and not have the pressure of deciding who cuts the mustard for Bloodstock...
First up are Adfellion, who left me speechless, because frankly I did not see that coming. This five-piece look like they fell out of the title sequence from the 80’s incarnation of Robin of Sherwood (with that show’s Clannad soundtrack definitely an influence). It’s moody yet subtle; ambient yet heavy - with a huge dollop of the progressive on top for good measure.
The fact that an entirely instrumental act has got this far in the process gives you a clue as to how unique they are. And yet they aren’t, because for my money they feel like the most totally Welsh thing I’ve seen in ages, and I can see them working equally well somewhere like Green Man festival, as anything more Metal inclined like Bloodstock. That’s a good start to a long day…
Kill By Mouth were by all accounts the one to watch from the Swansea side today, and certainly exuded a bucket load of confidence as they hit the stage. Worshipping at the altar of Pantera and the movement it spawned; these boys hit Hardcore more than Groove and turn the temperature up in the room another few degrees as they get the floor moving.
Kill By Mouth were by all accounts the one to watch from the Swansea side today, and certainly exuded a bucket load of confidence as they hit the stage. Worshipping at the altar of Pantera and the movement it spawned; these boys hit Hardcore more than Groove and turn the temperature up in the room another few degrees as they get the floor moving.
They are working it hard, because this is their second year running in this venue at this event, which is one of the reasons this process is so tough, because the competition is so fierce. They probably had the biggest following in the room, but will it be enough? There can after all, be only one…
Cardiff’s Akuma are a local supergroup revolving around the staff of Fuel, taking their influences from the plethora of sub-genres which nowadays we refer to as ‘Modern Metal’. Although only recently formed, they’ve got a lot of experience in their mix and stole the fan vote every time in the heats, and with good reason, because they know how to deliver a show.
Cardiff’s Akuma are a local supergroup revolving around the staff of Fuel, taking their influences from the plethora of sub-genres which nowadays we refer to as ‘Modern Metal’. Although only recently formed, they’ve got a lot of experience in their mix and stole the fan vote every time in the heats, and with good reason, because they know how to deliver a show.
Scaling up to this larger stage was effortless for them, and within no time the audience, the bulk of whom were also seeing them for the first time were onside. The energy level is intense, but it’s done with a controlled and effortless grace from an act that feel like they’ve been together for a long time, despite it being mere months since their inception. Phew!
Cwmbran’s Exaust have been hugely refreshing throughout this whole process. Many acts these days have been banging at the M2M gong for a few annual cycles, but these guys are first timers. They absolutely stole the show at their first heat with their intensely energetic brand of very traditional Old School Thrash, which made old farts like me who lived through it first time round as a teenager feel rather nostalgic.
Cwmbran’s Exaust have been hugely refreshing throughout this whole process. Many acts these days have been banging at the M2M gong for a few annual cycles, but these guys are first timers. They absolutely stole the show at their first heat with their intensely energetic brand of very traditional Old School Thrash, which made old farts like me who lived through it first time round as a teenager feel rather nostalgic.
So young are they in fact that I jokingly referred to them as ‘Still At School Thrash’ until singer Dewi told me off (so let’s settle on ‘Just Left School Thrash’), but you get the point – they’re very young, they’re just getting going, and no-one saw them coming in a competition full of much more experienced hands. The Gods of Audience engagement were not with them today on stage sadly, as the oppressive heat meant a lot of people were desperately in need of cooling down outside when they were on, but they clung on and worked it until people came back and got the message.
They are a remarkably tight and professional sounding unit, who have already chalked up an impressive set of shows outside the area and whom I think have a promising future, whatever happens here today.
Karmen Field are also no strangers to M2M finals. Having seen this act before this M2M cycle, it’s great to see how massively they have improved over time. They’ve been a tough act to beat in this process and have glided through the preceding rounds. Seeing them have the chance to flex on this much larger stage is a joy, because they do it so effortlessly. Their eclectic brand of alternative / grunge infused metal crosses the aisles perfectly, and I have long felt that this band can go far.
Karmen Field are also no strangers to M2M finals. Having seen this act before this M2M cycle, it’s great to see how massively they have improved over time. They’ve been a tough act to beat in this process and have glided through the preceding rounds. Seeing them have the chance to flex on this much larger stage is a joy, because they do it so effortlessly. Their eclectic brand of alternative / grunge infused metal crosses the aisles perfectly, and I have long felt that this band can go far.
Singer Molly is a charismatic ball of energy at the best of times, but today she turned it up to eleven and had everyone engaged in the room. Then there’s that voice – imagine a highly caffeinated Amy Winehouse channelling Courtney Love with a touch of the Howling’ Wolf delta Blues (but armed with squeezy bottles of strawberry jam for the audience) and you have Molly, backed by a band with a lot of skill and fluidity that can work in almost any setting. Bang on the money for me.
Struggler close the competition half of the day and are the second act today that I would put into the Modern Metal category, with more of a melodic twist to their instrumental sound than Akuma but a way more brutal vocal delivery from frontman Ieuan who leaps around the stage like a man possessed. This act have been honing their things the length and breadth of the country and there’s clearly a lot of love for them here in the room, even if most of the people by this stage are ready to pass out.
Struggler close the competition half of the day and are the second act today that I would put into the Modern Metal category, with more of a melodic twist to their instrumental sound than Akuma but a way more brutal vocal delivery from frontman Ieuan who leaps around the stage like a man possessed. This act have been honing their things the length and breadth of the country and there’s clearly a lot of love for them here in the room, even if most of the people by this stage are ready to pass out.
They may be wearing their influences loud and proud compared to some of the more eclectic styles of music on offer today, but what they do they do very, very well, with a tight, punch precision that doesn’t waste time on unnecessary flourishes and goes straight to the point.
There’s a short break between the next half (as the stage crew are also playing), but that’s when things start to fall apart in terms of the venue. As well as the blistering heat, total lack of ventilation and minimal space outside for people to cool off, the building owners made some business decisions here today that are frankly mind-boggling. Without telling the promotors, the venue decided that if you left the premises, you would not be allowed back in.
If you are going to run and event last eleven hours you want to maximise your takings, I get that, but in that case you need to make it possible for people to stay. Basic hygiene factors like catering were a complete failure, because let’s face it people want a little more choice than a couple of over-priced and miniscule burgers, or a choice of two tiny pizzas that had long since ran out by lunch time.
There’s a short break between the next half (as the stage crew are also playing), but that’s when things start to fall apart in terms of the venue. As well as the blistering heat, total lack of ventilation and minimal space outside for people to cool off, the building owners made some business decisions here today that are frankly mind-boggling. Without telling the promotors, the venue decided that if you left the premises, you would not be allowed back in.
If you are going to run and event last eleven hours you want to maximise your takings, I get that, but in that case you need to make it possible for people to stay. Basic hygiene factors like catering were a complete failure, because let’s face it people want a little more choice than a couple of over-priced and miniscule burgers, or a choice of two tiny pizzas that had long since ran out by lunch time.
By this point of the day there was hardly anything left (and if you were a vegan you had nothing at all from the start), so people quite rightly went in search for sustenance, but to come back and be told that ‘no, you can’t spend any more money in this venue because we had not thought this through’ is frankly insane. People vote with their feet, and in quite large numbers, which is a real shame, and so easily avoided.
Opening the second half, Ofnus are another local Supergroup (a summary of whose music sounds like the shipping forecast on Radio 4 “Mostly sad; black - occasionally progressive”), but frankly they always put on a fantastic performance with today being no exception. Although it feels really strange watching them in daylight on what ironically I is the longest day of 2025, they completely lull what remains of the crowd into the mood with the intense, focussed power of their show. Their latest album Valediction is a masterpiece of Black Metal, and I get the feeling they walked away from today with a bunch of new fans. They will go far…
Inhuman Nature are one of the acts I had no exposure to prior to today, so I’m really pissed off to have missed a large chunk of their set for logistical reasons, and it’s so frustrating for them that the crowd had thinned so much by this point in the day as the oppressive heat hit its nadir at the back end of the afternoon.
Opening the second half, Ofnus are another local Supergroup (a summary of whose music sounds like the shipping forecast on Radio 4 “Mostly sad; black - occasionally progressive”), but frankly they always put on a fantastic performance with today being no exception. Although it feels really strange watching them in daylight on what ironically I is the longest day of 2025, they completely lull what remains of the crowd into the mood with the intense, focussed power of their show. Their latest album Valediction is a masterpiece of Black Metal, and I get the feeling they walked away from today with a bunch of new fans. They will go far…
Inhuman Nature are one of the acts I had no exposure to prior to today, so I’m really pissed off to have missed a large chunk of their set for logistical reasons, and it’s so frustrating for them that the crowd had thinned so much by this point in the day as the oppressive heat hit its nadir at the back end of the afternoon.
This London quintet play a blend of the kind of classic Thrash Metal / Crossover / Hardcore that never goes out of fashion and which always floats my boat. Energetic, brutal and so angularly tight that you might cut yourself, what I did catch of their set tells me I have some catching up to do.
South Wales’ King Kraken have done really rather well for themselves since they formed in 2018. Their most recent album March of the Gods is frankly a triumph, and if you haven’t come across them yet imagine the heavy end of Hard Rock with a melodic metal tinge, spliced with Amon Amarth lyrically. This band may be longer in the tooth than many onstage today, but that experience pays off well, and despite their evident frustration at the fact the audience has been thinned so badly by events outside of everyone’s control, they deliver a solid performance.
I’ve not come across Red Method live before, but this fusion of members of The Defiled and Meta-Stasis have built a solid reputation since their debut album hit in 2019 and they reap the benefits of a sudden air-clearing cloudburst outside. Whenever experienced bands like this form, they always get to shortcut many of the hurdles that acts in the first half of the day have to overcome as they drag themselves up by their bootstraps, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to reap the rewards of all that experience.
South Wales’ King Kraken have done really rather well for themselves since they formed in 2018. Their most recent album March of the Gods is frankly a triumph, and if you haven’t come across them yet imagine the heavy end of Hard Rock with a melodic metal tinge, spliced with Amon Amarth lyrically. This band may be longer in the tooth than many onstage today, but that experience pays off well, and despite their evident frustration at the fact the audience has been thinned so badly by events outside of everyone’s control, they deliver a solid performance.
I’ve not come across Red Method live before, but this fusion of members of The Defiled and Meta-Stasis have built a solid reputation since their debut album hit in 2019 and they reap the benefits of a sudden air-clearing cloudburst outside. Whenever experienced bands like this form, they always get to shortcut many of the hurdles that acts in the first half of the day have to overcome as they drag themselves up by their bootstraps, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to reap the rewards of all that experience.
I’m getting the fusion of Death and Industrial influences, and it’s delivered with energy, mood and sheer aggression, with frontman Solomon J totally owning the audience, which is probably just as well given that their oversized drum kit not only messed the schedule up but left the remainder of the band very little room to manoeuvre on stage. This isn’t bothering anyone in the crowd (even if the stage crew are spitting feathers) and the band remain a tough act to follow.
“Right you lot, we haven’t travelled all this way to play to an empty room. Get your arses back inside!”. So sayeth Acid Reign’s H, having leapt off stage, mike in hand during the band’s intro to admonish all of us still standing outside desperately grabbing a bit of post downpour cooling air. Acid Reign are one of the erstwhile Big 4 godfathers of British Thrash, but an act that spent a lot of time out since the 1990’s. It seems an eternity since I saw them play at Trent Polytechnic in my home town of Nottingham in the late 1980’s, and with only frontman H remaining from that original line up that was revived in 2015, I wasn’t sure whether this was going to work, and I have to confess I really haven’t listened to the new material released since then (sorry H).
I need not have worried.
Exploding on stage seems too small a description for the human fireball that is frontman H, who covers every inch of the boards. Not to mention the rather wobbly speaker stacks either side of it that no-one thought to strap down, the arena and seating tables therein and even racing up and down the length of the bar, singing as he goes. It’s also the first time I’ve ever seen a frontman go to the bar whilst still singing a number, buy a round and carry it on a tray to his bandmates without dropping a beat, but that’s what you get with Acid Reign – energy, energy, energy… and a huge dollop of silliness, because these boys are here to entertain you. Which they do relentlessly for the next hour and a bit.
Musically they are as tight as it goes, with the hilarious antics and banter from H bringing everyone with them, as well as that uncertain edge that anything might happen (whoever is responsible for health and safety in the venue was probably having kittens by this point). This band may have only had half of the original audience to play to, but each and every person in this sweatbox came away loving their performance. With the promise of a new album and a festival tour on the horizon next year, Acid Reign nailed it tonight and bring to a close a fantastic set of performances.
The only thing left was to announce the M2M winner, with Adfellion seizing the prize of a slot on the New Blood stage at Bloodstock. That must have been a hard call for the judges to make, because all six bands today were top notch, but South Wales is being represented by something quite unique this year.
“Right you lot, we haven’t travelled all this way to play to an empty room. Get your arses back inside!”. So sayeth Acid Reign’s H, having leapt off stage, mike in hand during the band’s intro to admonish all of us still standing outside desperately grabbing a bit of post downpour cooling air. Acid Reign are one of the erstwhile Big 4 godfathers of British Thrash, but an act that spent a lot of time out since the 1990’s. It seems an eternity since I saw them play at Trent Polytechnic in my home town of Nottingham in the late 1980’s, and with only frontman H remaining from that original line up that was revived in 2015, I wasn’t sure whether this was going to work, and I have to confess I really haven’t listened to the new material released since then (sorry H).
I need not have worried.
Exploding on stage seems too small a description for the human fireball that is frontman H, who covers every inch of the boards. Not to mention the rather wobbly speaker stacks either side of it that no-one thought to strap down, the arena and seating tables therein and even racing up and down the length of the bar, singing as he goes. It’s also the first time I’ve ever seen a frontman go to the bar whilst still singing a number, buy a round and carry it on a tray to his bandmates without dropping a beat, but that’s what you get with Acid Reign – energy, energy, energy… and a huge dollop of silliness, because these boys are here to entertain you. Which they do relentlessly for the next hour and a bit.
Musically they are as tight as it goes, with the hilarious antics and banter from H bringing everyone with them, as well as that uncertain edge that anything might happen (whoever is responsible for health and safety in the venue was probably having kittens by this point). This band may have only had half of the original audience to play to, but each and every person in this sweatbox came away loving their performance. With the promise of a new album and a festival tour on the horizon next year, Acid Reign nailed it tonight and bring to a close a fantastic set of performances.
The only thing left was to announce the M2M winner, with Adfellion seizing the prize of a slot on the New Blood stage at Bloodstock. That must have been a hard call for the judges to make, because all six bands today were top notch, but South Wales is being represented by something quite unique this year.
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