• 

  Doll

• Date: 21/03/2026

Poster provided by Two Face Promotion

After the chaos and carnage of Oxfords Metal 2 The Masses I thought we were out of the woods of extremely tight Heats. It doesn’t happen very often but I will admit and own up to times when I am wrong. I was wrong. Heat Five wasted no time proving it had teeth. I managed to slip inside just in time to catch a final sound check before the chaos officially kicked off. And honestly, I should’ve known it would be wild, Greg from Two Face Promotions had already hinted at the madness earlier, casually mentioning just how many presale tickets they’d shifted. In hindsight, that was the warning shot. The venue filled at a ridiculous pace, bodies pressing in, the temperature rising with every minute. And before anyone could settle, the first act stepped into the spotlight. Last‑minute addition Away With the Seas opened the night, ready to claim their place in the frenzy.

Away With The Seas:

Reading’s own Away With The Seas stormed into their last‑minute slot with absolutely zero hesitation. From the moment they hit the stage, the room was blasted awake by a wall of sound! A thunderous, very loud kick off punctuated by immediate breakdowns that snapped the crowd to attention and set the tone for the chaos to come.

The band wasted no time proving they belonged in the heat of competition. The lead vocalist delivered powerful and harsh vocals that cut clean through the air, driving the energy higher with every line.

What stood out in their set was the frontman’s strong engagement with the crowd. He stepped off the stage and moved through the audience as he delivered his vocals. Later, he dropped to his knees for a quieter, more controlled section that shifted the pace without disrupting the overall intensity of the performance. The band continued to play whilst he just knelt there for a minute. I missed the theme of the song but it felt emotional even without knowing.

The whole band delivered a consistently energetic performance, with both guitarists in near‑constant motion as they powered through each track. The vocalist kept the momentum high, repeatedly shouting “come on” to drive the crowd’s energy even further. The drummer added to the intensity with a hard‑hitting style that gave the set the feel of a full‑blown hardcore show. With that level of command onstage, it felt like if the frontman had called for a mosh pit, the room would’ve erupted on the spot. By the time they wrapped, the room was buzzing. Great set, great crowd interaction, and a clear sense that the audience would’ve happily taken another song or three.

And, in the spirit of full disclosure, I must note one final, deeply personal moment: at one point the singer’s hat flew into the crowd. I (heroically, selflessly) retrieved it and placed it back on the stage. I received no thank you. I am choosing to be only mildly dramatic about this. Much love, Doll. xoxo

Talassum:

Talassum were one of the bands I was most eager to see, especially after their strong showing in last year’s Metal 2 The Masses and their slot at Rabidfest, so the anticipation in the room felt well earned.

A slight delay pushed their start back as they worked through some equipment checks, but they looked great in their doomy gloomy hoods at least. When announcer Jay jokingly asked for a “quiet” welcome, the crowd immediately proved otherwise, helped along by a few enthusiastic voices calling out for “more violins” before the set had even begun. Once Talassum kicked into gear, the audience responded instantly, and from my usual dead‑centre spot it was clear the band have only tightened and refined their sound since the last time I saw them. It felt like no time had passed and also like their set was moving too quickly, and singer Hristo joked that all their songs were no longer than 2 minutes each, that explains it.

Talassum contrasted Away With The Seas and brought a new energy, even at the end of their set asking the crowd to just jump and dance for one minute as they left us wanting more. The crowd were responsive throughout the performance and they wrapped up to a lively room and a well‑deserved round of applause.

Later, curiosity got the better of me, and violinist James mentioned they’d performed the entire set without monitors – something I never would’ve guessed, and a solid testament to just how well‑rehearsed and composed they were onstage.

On a quick side note, I would also like to personally thank Talassum for giving me a fabulous gift, that gift being Jay of Moshville Radio on his tippy toes trying to talk into the mic after it had been raised for Hristo. Made my night, got it on video. Went straight into the group chat.

Sabertooth:

Sabertooth hit the stage with an explosive start, and judging by the sheer number of people packed into the room, it was clear they’d brought a sizable entourage along for the ride. Phones were raised from every angle, capturing the set as if the band were headlining a much larger stage. I even had to fight my way forward, a first for me at an M2TM heat, just to grab a short video for the Metal 2 The Masses Instagram page.

Their sound was polished from the first note to the last, delivering a high‑energy performance that kept the night’s momentum running strong. It’s not often you hear audience members singing along at Metal 2 The Masses, yet Sabertooth had lyrics being thrown right back at them with enthusiasm. The drummer, in particular, delivered with such force that the ground seemed to vibrate beneath us. The set was so tight that the lead singer announced they thought they only had one song left when in reality they had another ten minutes for their set! Luckily they continued through and delivered a memorable performance.

All three bands brought something distinct to the evening, and Sabertooth closed their set on a definite high.

Outcome:

Announcer Jay returned to the stage with results that surprised absolutely no one. The crowd vote went straight to Sabertooth, and the reaction was so loud he had to pause before delivering the judges’ decision. When he finally did, the judges’ vote went to Away With The Seas, securing their place in the next round. It was a well‑earned outcome for both bands, and Talassum received plenty of love and support from the room as well – a testament to how strong the entire lineup was. Heat Five proved to be packed, lively, and explosive from start to finish, and if this is the standard being set, the rest of the competition is going to be something special.