Consecutive M2TM weekends are always a treat and these lighter brighter evenings and the lure of the pub alongside the rapidly advancing competition are really helping to draw people in, so it’s no surprise to see another good turnout this weekend. Bloodstock is well and truly within our sights now, Quarter Final 2 is a go and we have another four bands ready to step up and give their all in this round.

Up first are the highly energetic hardcore chaos bringers, The Blade Itself, who are bouncing around in the pit before their set even starts. These guys really know how to get the room going making them fabulous openers for this Quarter Final. They are absolutely brutally loud and bring lots of groove and filthy breakdowns to proceedings which is well received by the crowd who understand the assignment and throw themselves into it straight away. 

This is a tight and confident set and it’s easy to see how they earned their spot as last year’s finalists. Not only is the musicianship strong, they are a really fun band to watch. From the bass player leaping off stage to start a circle pit, to inflatable swords, to the vocalist cartwheeling through the crowd and nearly annihilating patrons in the process; there are shenanigans abound when the Blade Itself Take to the stage that make you want to keep coming back for more. This was everything we have come to know and love from this band refined even further for a highly enjoyable and memorable performance. 

Away With The Seas are up next and absolutely explode into their set, another band who have taken things to the next level since their performance in the heats. The drum kit in particular took a real punishing during this set, and it’s honestly a surprise to see it remaining intact at the end of it. This is a set of raw, pure emotion and blends atmospheric, ambient elements with unadulterated progressive metalcore energy and volume.

They effortlessly weave some beautiful emotive moments in amongst the fraught and frenetic ones. In some songs you have the vocalist jumping off and onto the stage and screaming from the pit, at others he can be found kneeling amongst the crowd just soaking up the vibe. Another fantastic set that is well received by the crowd, brings the headbangers out in force and showcases the standards rising now that we are entering the later stages of the competition. 

Caravan of Whores are next to take to the stage. It’s always a treat to see these guys and just soak in how much they are enjoying what they are doing. They have such excellent synergy on stage and put on a really tight performance. They brought the vibes and the groove in huge quantities, alongside the heavy, heavy bass that you felt with your whole body and they soon have everyone in the room is swaying. 

For a three piece band they have a real depth to their sound. The ambient and emotive guitar solos complement the bass beautifully. They artfully combine this with rasping vocals, lots of reverb, sharp drumming, and some slower elements mixing up the tempo nicely and making for lots of monumental build ups.

Last but not least we have Nvmeral and with five of them up there the stage is a little cramped. As such, their main vocalist spends most of his time off the stage and mingling with the crowd, and it’s instantly clear that everyone is enjoying the nostalgic sound and feel Nvmeral elicit during their performance. Their music is heartfelt, profound and uniquely theirs.

Their songs are layered and multi-faceted and as a band they are so captivating to watch that a couple of times throughout the set I have to remind myself to take photos. It truly feels like every element and instrument has its place and is showcased brilliantly in their set. The guitar work is beautiful and both singers complement each other perfectly. Everything melds together to bring a refreshing take on an early 2000s style of sound that fully packs in the emotion.

Another round over, another thundering round of performances and another set of tricky decisions to be made! After deliberation time the crowd vote goes to The Blade Itself by just one vote! A knife edge you could say! Away With The Seas deservedly take the judges vote and we bid a sad farewell and thank you to Caravan of Whores and Nvmeral!

Words & images: Kate Elfström