Provide by Two Face Promotions
Finally the time has come, the last heat of Oxford’s Metal 2 The Massed. 15 acts have made it through to the quarter finals and tonight the last two will go to the next round. After last week’s mini meltdown of the PA system resulting in all three bands going through there was a lot of anticipation for tonight. We saw the bands load in early and for once there was so much equipment that some pieces got sent back! First on the chopping block was Bloodshot!
Bloodshot:
Bloodshot kicked off with a heavy, atmospheric intro. Something I noticed early on, one of the first things that stood out was the guitar work: sharp, inventive, and impressive enough that even the singer looked genuinely taken aback, like the guitarist was pulling new tricks out of the bag mid‑set. Something new or something mastered?
Musically, the band leaned hard into instrumentation over vocals, letting the riffs, breakdowns, and solos do most of the talking. The breakdowns landed with precision, and the solos were a highlight for me! Each song seemed to bring more people to the front, but even that was not enough for the front man, he demanded people to move forward! Crowd interaction was simple but effective – getting everyone to scream “aye” lit the room up instantly and is a simple way to capture the crowd in the moment. The drummer, almost completely hidden behind the kit and banners, still delivered a tight, driving performance that anchored the whole set.
The audience was clearly theirs from the start. You could spot Bloodshot shirts everywhere, with plenty of fans arriving already repping the band, showing they brought their own following with them. The only hiccup was a slightly slow exit from the stage, but by then they’d already delivered what people came for.
A set built on musicianship, energy, and a crowd that was fully on their side.
The vocalist took a moment to welcome two new additions to the Bloodshot family, including their new bassist who welcomed a baby with his partner! A wholesome contrast to the crushing sound onstage.
Black Market:
Black Market took the stage and introduced themselves as a little bit different but a lot of energy. Their sound is nu‑metal infused with synth/electronic elements, something you don’t often see executed this confidently on a stage this small. With five members squeezed in, the setup already looked intense. And then the music hit.
The band moved like they were plugged into the mains. The bass player never stopped jumping, keeping the energy level sky‑high from start to finish. The guitarist added flair with smooth fade‑outs and tight riffing that blended perfectly with the electronic elements.
The vocalist was a force on his own; rapping, singing, and screaming, switching between styles effortlessly. A genuinely talented frontman. This was their first time in Oxford, and they performed like they were hungry to return.
Honestly, with that much energy, they could push even further. Their songs are built for in‑your‑face moments, the kind where the vocalist gets right into the crowd and screams a line inches away from someone’s face. They have the material for it, and leaning into that would take their live presence to another level. That would be a lot more beneficial than mentioning that the crowds responses were rubbish.
The rhythm section held everything together beautifully. The drummer smiled through the entire set, clearly loving every second, and the bass tone hit with the right amount of punch to cut through the electronics.
Electronic Nu‑Metal with personality, power, and a whole lot of movement – just like they warned.
YT 1300:
The band is Star Wars‑themed, I was fully sold before they even plugged anything in. By the time the first lightsaber ignited, the gig had already descended into chaotic galactic nonsense, and the band hadn’t even played a note! I immediately grabbed a light saber from the front and I managed to lose my ring in the first lightsaber fight of the night, it flung clean off during my violent attacks. Found it though!
YT‑1300 hit the stage with dual vocals, a barrage of Star Wars puns, and the kind of short‑sharp punk songs that feel like someone is firing musical blaster bolts directly at your brain. They claimed they played 18 songs, and honestly, I believe them! Each song was over before my AuDHD brain had time to wander, which meant I was locked in the entire time.
Between the bursts of chaos were tuning breaks, which gave the members enough time to ask the crowd how they’re feeling, not a single person remained quiet. With chants of a great evening so far the band tore into their next song. Somehow, it only added to the charm. Punk isn’t meant to be tidy.
The bassist deserves their own review. They left the stage multiple times, once to tell me off (lightsabers are for the pit only! Fair, I just wanted to hit the lads in Two Face Promotion, I apologise), and once to dive straight into the pit while still playing. Watching them bounce off people like a force‑powered pinball was the highlight of the night.
YT‑1300 were also the only band of the night to summon both a moshpit and a circle pit! A good time from start to finish!
Results:
Jay bounced back on stage and drew the crowd back in for the results. First up was the crowd vote – our vote, as he reminded us with the enthusiasm of someone announcing a national emergency, and Bloodshot had snatched it clean! That left the Judges’ vote, which Jay delivered with dramatic flair before declaring Black Market the winners, locking in our final two bands of the heats.
Now we’re hurtling straight into the quarter finals, where seventeen acts will collide, compete, and absolutely tear into each other for a shot at the Semis. Chaos incoming!
Some shows are live, some pre-recorded. All times are GMT
