While Tickets There selfishly confined themselves to tasks associated with ‘WTPTB’ (‘work that pays the bills’ – I’m not explaining that again. it defeats the point) – the mighty KILLFACE went and won the Wacken Metal Battle in Dublin last week!
Tickets There would like to congratulate the lads and wish them the very best when they play one the most revered metal festivals in the world later this year. Good luck in the world final!
Summertime is fast approaching and that means festival seasons is almost upon us. That also means it’s time to find an Irish band on par with Coldwar, Warpath and Overoth and send them over to Waken Open Air to represent Ireland in the Wacken Metal Battle!
The final six bands were announced this morning after Megalomania Production (in partnership with Carnage Metalclub) decided to forego the usual semi-final rounds. Going for the competition are Alpheidae, Animator, Killface, Shardborne, Theories Divide and Zhora.
It all goes down in Fibber MaGees on June 7th. Entry is just €5 and you can follow all the latest updates on their Facebook Event Page.
Its competition time again, this time for all you Twitter followers. If you’d like to win a copy of Wacken Metal Battle finalists, OVEROTH’s, debut album, ‘Kingdom of Shadows’, just pop on over to twitter and start following Tickets There (twitter.com/ticketsthere)
Once we reach 700 followers (51 currently needed) we will pick a random name to win the CD.
Overoth took the crown as Irish champions of the Wacken metal Battle and will be heading to Germany in August to represent us against some of the best up and coming bands from around the world at the Wacken Open Air festival. They’ll play in the largest festival in tent in Europe to 8,000 people in the hopes of becoming world champions. Previous winners include Coldwar (2011) and Warpath (2012)
If you’re not on twitter, now is a good time to start. It’s far less invasive than Facebook and updated more regularly. Here’s a couple of links to get you started,
(Thank you to the band for letting us do this – legends!)
Congratulations to OVEROTH, winners of the 2013 Wacken Metal Battle Irish finals. The Belfast lads will be heading to Germany to represent our wee island against 30+ other nations this August in the world final at W.O.A.
Overoth managed to fend off stiff competition from the other finalists Exzeltic, Killface, Zombified, 7DaysDead and Bakken to make it through. Killface ended up winning the audience vote that saw Overoth take second place. However, a unanimous decision from the judges made the final choice.
Previous winners of the competition include Coldwar (2011) and Warpath (2012). Tickets There wishes Overoth the best of luck in the final and congratulations to all the bands who played tonight. Ye were all excellent!
The time has come; this Saturday six of the country’s best metal bands will compete for a chance to represent Ireland at the world Wacken Metal Battle final! You know what that means? It means one of these bands will travel to Germany and reign holy hell down on the lousy competition other nations see fit to select and Ireland will conquer the world of metal as we know it.
Before all that happens – you, the great unwashed, must pile into The Pint and see these global leaders of the future before they get too big. Six bands, all very well known on the local scene and all well established and road tested – each one with a thirst for blood that would put Romania and Luis Suárez to shame.
[Updated] Stage times have just been announced, can be found below. Before that, let’s have a look at the bands who will be battling (pun intended) on the night in alphabetical order.
7 Days Dead: 7 Days Dead were, in my eyes, the surprise winner of Heat #2 of the finals. They fought off stiff completion from Dead Aeon and Beltbuckle Overdrive to make it through and deservedly so. After just two year’s together the band already sound and play like a tightly functioning unit. Their debut EP, Beyond Within, came out in February this year and displayed real talent and ability to diversify their sound.
Bäkken: Another Belfast band coming down to kick some Celtic arse. Bäkken are a ‘new'(not ‘Nu’) metal band who good for old skool metal tactics (NWOBHM), rather than letting the new stuff interfere too much (basically – no rapping or Chester Bennington impressions). With an album and a lot of expierence already under their belts, Bäkken are a must see for this final.
Exzeltic: Born in Dublin, raised by Thrash! Exzeltic are our favourites for this final. Formed in 2007, Exzeltic are still quite a young band and have come a long way over the past year since they last competed in the finals for this festival. They’re older, wiser, more fosued than before and their stage show is armageddon. Expect lashings of tracks from their two demos (Higher Forces and Ground Zero) and hopefully a new tune or two. ‘Agents of Chaos’!!!
Killface: One of the acts we haven’t gotten to review yet, but their reputation speaks for itself. Killface have been synonymous with thrash/death metal for a few years in Dublin now and that standing is only set to grow. They are number 1 on my ‘bands to be drunk for’ list this Saturday and I will do everything in my power to ensure that happens – headbanging y’all.
Overoth: Now this is a powerhouse of a live band. Overoth are not to be f**ked with; especially since yer making them come all the way down from Belfast (maybe themselves, 7DaysDead, Zombified and Bakken will share a bus – that would be a hangover if ever there was one). Stage presence, performance – everything is nailed down tight by Overoth and the dry ice will ensure enough oxegen leaves your lungs so you get that wonderful euphoric feeling.
Zombified: Second on the list of ‘must be drunk’ bands – Zombified. Grindcore, so a change in pace from the rest of the bands playing on the day and yet another band from the grand auld North. They’ve been around a good long while but really came to full in 2010 when the cemented their current line-up. Let’s hav’ yeah – more fodder for the Zombies!
It all goes down this Saturday, April 27th at the Pint on Eden Quay, Dublin. Entrance is only €5 / Doors are at 7.30 and audience gets to vote; so get in early, avail of the drink promos and enjoy judging some quality Irish metal. There will also be a rock/metal covers band playing after the six competitors are finished – Under An Evil Spell so make a night of it.
STAGE TIMES
21:00 – 21:22 Killface
21:37 – 21:59 Exzeltic
22:14 – 22:36 Overoth
22:51 – 23.13 Bakken
23:28 – 23:50 Zombified
00:05 – 00:27 7 Days Dead
**************************
00:45 – 01:30 Under An Evil Spell (Rock and Metal Covers)
The second semi-final of the Irish Wacken Metal Battle took place in the Pint on Saturday night and a fairly epic night it was with controversy, a packed house and a heap of metal to enjoy. In the end, Overoth, Bäkken and 7DaysDead rose to the challenge and carry on to the final, bidding Beltbuckle Overdrive (who came first in the audience vote, but were knocked out with the judges tally…..Tickets There may or may not have been judging this one J), September Cross and Dead Aeon goodbye for this year.
The winners will join Exzeltic, Zombified and Killface for the final which takes place on April 27th @ The Pint, Eden Quay, Dublin. Tickets There will be running features on each band before th27th so keep an eye out.
Congrats to Killface, Exzeltic and Zombified who move into the Irish Wacken Metal Battle final after Sarurday night’s semi final. The three bands beat out competition from Atheos, Twisted Wrath and Xeoncide.
The next semi-final takes place in March 23rd and features Bakken, Beltbuckle Overdrive, Dead Aeon, Eazy Tyger, Overoth
and September Cross. Again, it’ll take place @ The Pint.
This is massively overdue but Tickets There would like to extend our congratulations to Dublin death metallers, Warpath, for securing the winning spot in the Irish leag of the 2012 Wacken Metal Battle. Competing against Exzeltic, Beltbuckle Overdrive (who both came joint second), Psykosis, Zealot Cult and Celtachor, Warpath stormed their way to victory and will crusade across the content to the world final @ W:O:A in August.
Winners aside, the competition really showcased the incredible talent that exists in this country’s metal scene. With Primordial and Darkest Era starting to hammer down the road to greatness, it seems there are many more bands waiting in the ranks for their chance to unleash hell, raise carnage and put some metal up your ass.
Congratulations to all who entered and best of luck to Warpath at Wacken this summer!
The Irish final of the Wacken Metal Battle takes place this Saturday, April 21st at The Pint on Eden Quay. The six finalists from around the country will take the stage and battle for a place in the world final which takes place at the W.O.A. (Wacken Open Air) Festival in August.
The six bands that will compete to represent Ireland at this long running battle are Warpath, Exzeltic, Psykosis, Zealot Cult, Beltbuckle Overdrive and Celtachor. With a helthy mic of thrash, death and Full on mother f**king metal, this is guaranteed to be one hell of a night. Tickets There would like to say we’re not bias, but our money goes on the mighty Exzeltic!
Feel like seeing one of your local head bangers showing Metallica how it should be done? Then pop on down to the Pint on Saturday night and show the colours.
The top prize includes 1, a gig at Wacken Open Air in August (the final – duh), a yearlong recording contract with Nuclear Blast Records (Anthrax, Dimmu Borgir, Behemoth, EXODUS, Hammerfall, Sepultura, Nile, Testament, VADER – frickin’ endless list of legends) and assorted endorsements from the festivals sponsors. Not too shabby eh?
First band are on stage @ 21:00 sharp. Tickets can be bought on the door for E5,
21:00 – 21:22 Warpath 21:37 – 21:59 Exzeltic 22:14 – 22:36 Psykosis … 22:51 – 23.13 Zealot Cult 23:28 – 23:50 Beltbuckle Overdrive 00:05 – 00:27 Celtachor
In fairness, this should be flagged more as a ‘traditional music’ review than a metal one. Like in the bay area of San Francisco, they don’t call Metallica ‘heavy metal’, they call them ‘heritage music’ and ‘traditional bay area folk’. Same can be said the Zealot Cult and Limerick. If Limerick was allowed revamp and update its traditional music, Tickets There would push for insane, gore oozing, gut punching death metal. The tracksuits would probably win out and you’d end up with the Rubberbandits, but what can ya do?
Zealot Cult are on the bill for the Wacken Metal Battle Semi-Final II so we decided we’d give them a spin and all we can say is, ‘Warpath – watch yourselves’. We’ve been spending some quality time on their MySpace player for the past couple of days and while death metal may not be TT’s forte, we can’t help but enjoy the hell out of it. Did the use of the word forte give it away?
‘Killing Spree’ kicks things off and ..yup, that’s what you’d imagine it sounds like. What you do is take two slices of hell, spread a little pain on there. Cut thick slices of punishment and drizzle it with doom. Make sense? If not, you just don’t get metal. ‘Knives of the Zealots’ (knife title)…..(sorry), is a little more up front. Have no idea what’s going on here, but someone’s pissed. Another few lashings of doom and you’re done.
‘Architects of Carnage’ (another bitching title) is faster, more aggressive and more violent than the other tunes. The kind of tune that makes you push the guys in front of you, no matter where you are and force them all into a pit. ‘Portraits in Blood’ is probably the radio single here. Much tamer and a lot more mainstream than the other tracks in the player. Fairly catchy chorus and a savage solo. Of course I’m joking, about everything but the solo! Alas, ‘Homicide’ brings us to an end. Another spree of rabies infected death metal over and nowhere to go. These guys are going to go far in the Wacken Metal Battle if they’re as good live as they are on record. Should make for an interesting final if they go through.
Check out their tunes @ MySpace. Apologies for references to Metallica in two consecutive posts, TT knows other bands but they just seemed to fit so back off.
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