While we look in wonder and amazement at the continent and it’s incredible array of festivals that deliver the greatest bands on the planet, year after year – it’s important we don’t fixate too long or we’ll never get a chance to support and grow indigenous efforts to cater to the metal masses. With that said, it’s about time we all had a good look north and realize how good this year’s MONSTERS OF ROT is looking.
Held in Fermanagh, Monsters of Rot IV is bigger and badder than ever before as it has announced two stages, nearly twenty acts and the best value you could ever ask for. OVEROTH and COLDWAR are set to headline the one day event with Zombified, Gargantuan, Dead Aeon, Bipolar Joe appearing in the line-up (full breakdown by stage can be found below).
It all happens in The Halfway Inn, Letterbreen on August 16th. Entry is £15 | E18 and that includes camping. Full details can be found on the Facebook page and an official; website will be online soon.
Main stage: OVEROTH, COLDWAR, ETERNAL HELCARAXE, FUCKHAMMER, GARGANTUAN, WEED PRIEST, SETTING OFF SIRENS, ZHORA, DEAD AEON, PUTREFY, ZOMBIFIED Noise stage: LUXURY MOLLUSC, BIPOLAR JOE, CATHAL RODGERS, KATIE O’NEILL, GEN 26, RUAIRI O’BAOIGHILL, DRECK, MAXIMUM TERROREM
Tickets There would like to wish all of our readers, commenters, followers and all the many amazing bands we love so much a very happy new year. 2013 was epically epic and 2014 is looking even stronger.
Before the first proper 2014 post (and yet another Tickets There reboot begins), I’d like to thank Psykosis, Warpath, Exzeltic, Overoth, Animator, Killface, Zombified, Dead Label, Gama Bomb, EHT Promotions, DME, Donnchadh from WMB Ireland, Dan and all the folks from Carnage, Slayer, Exodus, Death, Leonard Cohen, ASH, Black Sabbath, Def Leppard, KISS, Slash, Reckless Love, Crashdiet, Twisted Sister, Helloween, Napalm Death, Whitesnake, Danzig, Testament, Metallica, Jameson, Guinness, Jägermeister, Buckfast, Trooper Beer, Fibber MaGee’s, Gypsy Rose, McKenna’s Dun Laoghaire, everyone at HELLFEST, The Academy, all the cool folks in the Odyssey (except A-hole security and Stalin like measures of control) and my girlfriend (co-conspirator) Dee for an amazing year of gig going, good times and drunken shenanigans.
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 Forcesand 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.
Gutfuck Promotions (Wayyyyy better name than ‘MCD’ IMHOyc) have announced the 2013 Dublin Day of Decay. 22 bands, 2 stages in 1 day. If you’re a fan of any sort of extreme metal then this is another excellent opportunity to check out some of Ireland and Europe’s best up and comers.
Everything from (wait for this) Thrash metal, death thrash, death metal, brutal death metal, old school death metal, goregrind, depressive blackened death, tech-death and melodic tech-death is catered for at this almost all day event.
It takes place June 1st @ Fibber MaGee’s. Doors open at 3pm and its €14 entry.
Oh, who’s playing? Well, WARPATH, Zombified, Guttrench, Overoth, VxPxOxAxAxWxAxMxC, Atrax Mantis, Scordatura, Psykosis, Cemtex, Rex Shachath, Skewered, Wound Upon Wound, Zealot Cult, Atheos, Xenocide, Killface, Dichotomy, Grinned, Aesect, Edenfire, Dead Aeon and Gargantuan will all be there. Drinks promos, spot prizes ..etc all on the day as well.
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.
It’s back! The Irish leg of the Wacken metal battle returns to the capital next month with 12 bands all eyeing the chance to represent the Emerald Isle at Wacken 2013. Last year saw death metal juggernauts, WARPATH, go on to the world finals so who’s it going to be this time?
The 12 bands lined up for the semi-final rounds are Atheos, Bakken, Beltbuckle Overdrive, Dead Aeon, Eazy Tyger, Exzeltic, Killface, Overoth, September Cross, Twisted Wrath, Xenocide and Zombified .
The two semi-final stages and Irish final all take place at The Pint. Dates are below.
Wacken Metal Battle Ireland 2013 Semi-Final1: Saturday, February 16th 2013
Wacken Metal Battle Ireland 2013 Semi-Final2: Saturday, March 23rd 2013
Wacken Metal Battle Ireland 2013 Final: Saturday, April 27th 2013
More details will be shared on winners, dates, prices… etc closer to the dates. Please visit the official facebook page for more.
The semi-final rounds of the Molten Battle of the Bands take place this week in Dublin and Belfast. The winners of each stage will go forward for the grand final in London to compete for the grand prize which includes,
Track Number 1 on Molten Underground Compilation, recorded at Envy Studios in the UK and Produced by Stefano Morabito (Fleshgod Apocalypse, Hour of Penance, Bloodshot Dawn).
Two page main feature in Molten Magazine to coincide with the compilations release.
A festival slot on Portugal’s SWR Festival for 2013.
A professional High Definition Music Video, produced by Dead Parrot Productions.
Fifty shirts printed for free with a 1 colour design to sell as merchandise.
An opening slot on a Molten Sponsored UK tour in 2013 courtesy of Chaotic Tapestry Management.
While we look in wonder and amazement at the continent and it’s incredible array of festivals that deliver the greatest bands on the planet, year after year – it’s important we don’t fixate too long or we’ll never get a chance to support and grow indigenous efforts to cater to the metal masses. With that said, it’s about time we all had a good look north and realize how good this year’s MONSTERS OF ROT is looking.
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