Kicking off tonight’s event were Defy the Sky. The band were clearly out to make an impression and succeeded thanks to their charismatic vocalist, Rob Pocock, who seemed possessed by his bands art. Defy They Sky were catchy yet powerful and by the end of their set they had quite a following. The band certainly got the heat off to a flying start (sorry).

Followers The Blackhand answered the challenge of their predecessors with a balsy groove meltdown. The band were heavy on the grunge influences and at times suspicion was raised as to whether their guitarist was a young Jerry Cantrell. The Blackhand clearly want to look forward rather than backward, however, with each member giving their own contemporary touch on the night.

Next, things were mellowed out somewhat with Preston’s own March. Dealing in modern anthems were March’s specialty and almost every song had a moving chorus. March were absolutely explosive on their heavier parts and the contrast between these moments proved the band’s genuine talent.

Being the final act of the night is a daunting task which Ides Of March took with surprising confidence. The riffs jumped around frantically in Ides Of March’s set, making the choice of a single highlight difficult. Not to be outdone by the previous acts, their vocalist made sure everyone knew exactly who his band was during their 30 minute set.

March claimed the crown for round one, roll on heat two.

http://www.readytorumbleunsigned.co.uk/

-Alex Varley

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