Bloodstock Metal To The Masses South Wales Semi-Final 1 Preview

Bloodstock Metal To The Masses South Wales Semi-Final 1 Preview

Six heats, 27 bands and some crazy nights. Now we get down to the business end of possibly the closest event in the history of the South Wales competition. With each of the semi-finals boasting line-ups good enough to qualify as the final in their own right, let’s get down and dirty and have a look at what promises to be two highly competitive and emotionally charged nights at Fuel, starting with Semi Final 1

Semi-Final 1 – Fuel Rock Club, Friday 3rd May at 18:00

Semi-Final 1 contains three of the five bands who edged through as wild cards. I say ‘edged’ but some of these bands have been gigging in some shape or form for over a decade and might well have walked into the final in other heats or regions. Anyway, spawned from the permafrosts of South Wales, Asbjorn - Daemonium de Noctis, Dominus de Octopus and Kjottflate - The Mighty Ravendork, collectively known as Black Pyre stormed into the semi final with a resounding win in Heat 2. The band’s grapefruit gripping black metal has improved immeasurably since their early shows and their recent EP The Forbidden Tomes is a work of crafted if simplistic but totally effective black metal. With tracks such as Tones Of The Endless Void and their anthem Summoning in their arsenal, and a whole bunch of fruit wielding maniacs as their support, don’t rule out the three-piece continuing their journey across more desolate South Walian tundra in search of more invisible tropical fruit.

Doing their best to spoil the misery of a Black Pyre party (and there ain’t no party like a Black Pyre party) will be Heat 3 winners Grym. With the crown for their win in the worst interview answers competition already safely in the trophy cabinet, the Swansea outfit threw something of a surprise on the night of their heat, with a cohesive and confident performance that certainly shook things up. Industrial and sleazy, Grym bring something different to the party and their pumped-up effort in the heat duly pushed them into the semis. Whether they will have enough is open to debate but with a small army of support, it’ll be another boisterous face kicking regardless.

So, what about the wild cards. Well, two heavy weight beasts clashed in heat one and are squaring up to do battle again in SF-1. The old school thrash of Swansea four-piece Sepulchre has been delighting crowds for several years. Their slab of Slayer/Megadeth/Morbid Angel infused thrash drew high praise in their heat. Frontman Darren Evans was everywhere, and while his shirt throwing antics appears to demand medical help, the only assistance needed as a result of his guitar playing is swabs to stop those ears bleeding from the auditory assault. With Aimee Coppola unflappable on the kit and bolstered by Dan Yeoman’s rock steady rhythm guitar work, these thrashers have recently completed recording their new album. If they can hit it from the start, tracks like Kill Me will do exactly that and the band could well cement their place in the last four.

The other behemoth that swapped everything but spit with Sepulchre in heat one was King Kraken. With an army of support, the band who only formed in 2018, stomped a big mud hole in Fuel with their no-nonsense balls out heavy rock. In frontman Mark Donoghue the band possess an ace up their sleeve. His full-on stage presence, where he prowls like a caged bear, combined with a ferocious roar could be the difference on the night, whipping the already rabid support into a frenzy. Since the heat the Kraken have been gigging furiously, and they should be sharp and battle ready. With some new tracks to stand alongside Freak and War Machine, this could be a collision not seen since the Sea Shepherd’s Steve Irwin rammed the evil bastard Japanese whaling factory ship The Nisshin Maru in 2013.

He may have broken his ankle skiing recently, but Adam Vaughan and Fallen Temples are ready. Their bluesy swagger belies a steely underbelly which allows Adam, Joe and Joe to kick serious ass when they play. The guys have road miles under their belt and possess a battery of quality songs which hit the spot every time they play. Skilled in their craft, entertaining to watch and with a humbleness that is fully endearing, the only chink in the Temples armour will be their support (though they promise a bus load - Ed). In heat 4 the judges argued hard to put the band through with lower votes than their competitors. Whether a huge crowd of support can be summoned for the semi-final is moot, but regardless if they do or not, Fallen Temples have sufficient quality to turn any neutral their way and I expect them to run every other band close.