Bloodstock Open Air – Metal 2 The Masses // Heat 4 // Northern Ireland
It is time to get the nose back to the grind with M2TM in 2025. After a road trip down south to capture the one and only Pantera, I am back at my Friday night home away from home in Belfast, Voodoo.
As Whitesnake said, ‘Here I Go Again’, Time flies when you’re metal to the massing; somehow, we are on heat 4 racing towards heat 5 and then the semi’s. Tonight is going to be a killer, with two well-established bands who have ripped the faves off many here in Voodoo and a few who are lesser known to me but have quality within.
If it Bleeds, open up proceedings and waste no time whipping voodoo into an absolute rager! The floor becomes a bloodbath in no time, and bodies are flying all over the show as If It Bleeds lays down a gargantuan-sounding set. Filthy thick grooves, huge breakdowns and monstrous guttural vocals create a thick-sounding wall of distortion any metalhead can get into. These guys can mix it up sonically, tossing out intricate tunes that offer a diverse and addictive sound that seems to have the Voodoo faithful losing their minds. What’s not to love? An absolute fuckin belter! For an opening band, the bar has been set pretty high.
Listen To If It Bleeds Here
Up next are a band new to me, El Toro, Irish Stoner Roc, a fresh-faced band on the scene, currently hiring for a singer, as explained by their current frontman and guitarist. The guys have a hefty groove laden sound, old school at times with gnarly melodic guitar work and lines, the band open with a song with vocals and progress into an instrumental for the second, the tune itself it’s a banger hat takes you on a sonic rollercoaster covering as many bases melodically as it can and ends with a thunderous cacophony.
The third tune enters the surreal with two guest screamo vocalists. Is this the new norm? Have we entered a Trump era of music creativity? Could that be Elon and Vance on screamo vocals? We shall see. The set is chaos personified and that’s not a bad thing, we all love a little chaos at times, the bass player is playing his bass so low it looks like his strap is broken, I honestly don’t know how he does it, a curious approach but it works for him and he’s slapping da bass like a man possessed. El Toro is certainly one for the future; watch this space. They have all the ingredients there to be a great band; they just need a little time to cool it, and I have no doubt they will.
El Toro are very fresh no links to share at the mo – that’s your job ladies get on your socials and sort thon shite out! #loveyou
Foreignwolf are up next, one of the more experienced bands in tonight’s collection. Hard rocking and always on point, I know they’ll deliver a killer set as always, right away though I realise FW have got gnarly since the last time I caught them live. Their opening track is a real attention-grabber, and it doesn’t stop there. Their opening track lads aren’t here to make up the numbers, these guys are tight as a tigers ass, their energy is always on point and get the room moving. I have to say as I watch the set you get the message pretty quick, the musicianship in the bar is right up there, the attention to detail in the songwriting, the drum work, the highs and lows and the way the band lets the songs breathe at times shows their maturity as a band. So you have to acknowledge their strengths for sure. A band with a wealth of experience delivering a seriously polished set. Well played, gents.
Listen To Foreignwolf Here
And now for the filth! Indominus
These guys are the local metal scene’s wrecking ball; chaos ensues wherever they go! Being up front watching Indominus is like getting hit in the chest with a sledgehammer! The riffage is as thick as treacle, screaming harmonics tossed out at will, all battened down by a thunderous backline and topped off with hard-hitting vocals. These guys always deliver a passionate, hard-hitting performance, and I appreciate that. There are so many bands you’ll see on the local circuit that can play well or are on the start of their journey but dont translate their passion for what they do to the live stage, but you nevr doubt an Indominous performance, the sheer joy os the live expereince can be seen through Mr Bass Face himself MJP, he’s like the male version of yer bird outta Haim! There is no doubt this man is living his best life up there every time he plays, as do the other guys. A real, gritty, hard-earned performance that a lot of the younger bands and newbies can learn from.
That’s it, each band gets 30 minutes to make their mark, a packed out Voodoo once again has embraced the local metal scene with open arms and year on year this trend continues. We appear to be in good hands moving forward as so many fresh faces keep popping up at the shows; long may that last. Spread the word, kids.
Congratulations to ForeignWolf and If It Bleeds on making it through to the semifinals. I am confident that it was a tight one to call, and fine margins, no doubt, would have separated the results.
Heat 5 is on Friday, 14th March. Be there or be square.