LIVE FROM THE PIT: Metal To The Masses Birmingham Final

Katherine Russell
Jul 1
4 min read

Stepping into Mamma Roux's on a humid Saturday evening in Birmingham, the black interior and dim lighting immediately set a gritty tone. Heat radiated from the stage, promising an exhilarating night. Birmingham, renowned as the "Home of Heavy Metal", has long forged some of history's most iconic metal music. Tonight, five incredible local bands had reached the final of Metal To The Masses, their performances eagerly anticipated by a crowd that packed the hot, dark venue. This was the crucible where these talented bands would battle for a coveted slot at Bloodfest and, ultimately, the title of Black Country's reigning new metal band of 2025.

DYING ADDICTION

The first band to battle the stage were the impressive Dying Addiction, a four-piece all-female Gothic nu-metal band from Wolverhampton, formed only about 18 months ago. The members are Stephanie 'Sinister' on vocals, Chloe on guitar, Sophie on bass, and Evie on drums – all of which were truly badass Gothic-metal goddesses.

Their aesthetic was striking, with lime green and black outfits, black metal warpaint, green dreadlocks and alien contact lenses which immediately set the tone. Stephanie's vocals seamlessly shifted from beautiful cleans to fantastic screams, even delivering chilling and menacing laughs throughout, accentuating the haunting vibe.

Musically, they were flawless, with chunky, dystopic riffs, sinister and layered bass, powerful and consistent drums, excellent range in vocals and great audience interaction. The set featured fantastic breakdowns and showcased the band's great cohesion and chemistry, creating a unique recipe of gothic nu-metal phantasmagoria resulting in an unforgettable performance the crowd loved.

DREAMBOAT EMPEROR

The second band to take the stage were Dreamboat Emperor, a Birmingham-based instrumental ‘bedroom prog band’ of Sam (guitar), Tahj (bass), and Morgan (drums/e-percussion). With clear influences of Tool and A Perfect Circle, they’re a fresh, professional, and high-performing instrumental act despite only being together for 12 months.

The music featured intricate technical guitar melodies, solidly smooth bass riffs and impactful drums with atmospheric effects on the e-pad. They created a mysterious, otherworldly and epic musical performance with only three members, all of whom connected rhythmically well, displaying great musical chemistry that extended through their entire performance.

Overall, the set was expansive, aided by unique time signatures, and organically grew and faltered in fluidly transitioned waves creating a uniquely atmospheric instrumental journey. A band with fantastic potential that could possibly be elevated by a unique vocalist in the future.

Left: Dreamboat Emperor, Right: The Black Hounds

THE BLACK HOUNDS

Next up were Black Hounds, a powerful four-piece heavy metal band from The Black Country (formed in 2013) with Ant on vocals and guitar, Connor on guitar and backing vocals, Joe on drums, and George on bass.

With hints of Iron Maiden and Megadeath, Black Hounds hit hard from the onset. With exceptionally powerful vocals from Ant, accented with great growls from Connor whilst shredding face-melting guitar solos, underpinned by crisp and formidable drumming. Ant displayed great crowd interaction, shouting "I know it's hot, I know it's sweaty, but I want to see you move!” as the crowd headbanged in agreement.

Overall, it was an exciting and full-throttle performance with maximum energy and impact; powerful yet incredibly clean and precise. The band had fantastic chemistry, with each member excelling individually yet working seamlessly together. Moreover, they displayed fantastic professionalism with clear potential to effortlessly play a festival like Bloodstock.

MANTIS DEFEATS JAGUAR

Mantis Defeats Jaguar, a local four-piece hip-hop/metal/funk ensemble (formed in 2009) left a lasting impression. Featuring JP on vocals, Jim on bass, Dan on guitar, and Pete on drums, their sound was truly unique, with hints of Faith No More but with heavy metal charm.

The room became even more crowded when they started, instantly captivating the audience, many of whom knew the lyrics. Their blend of funky bass, heavy drums, and rapping vocals (with screams) were fantastic. The band had incredible energy; the vocalist was constantly jumping, even dancing with the crowd, truly owning the stage.

Their music featured sick guitar riffs, upbeat rhythms and solid breakdowns, delivering a cool, energetic vibe. While some songs seemed to blend in similarity, the "Kicking Off" drum solo was fantastic and the final song "Get Down" with its funky bass and singalong chorus boded well with the crowd. In its entirety, a unique, cohesive and well-executed performance that left the crowd buzzed.

Left: Mantis Defeats Jaguar, Right: Mount Slatra

MOUNT SLATRA

The final competing band were Mount Slatra, a four-piece thrash-metal band from Worcestershire, featuring Ryan on vocals, George on guitar, Emma on bass, and Ben on drums.

From the opening 'Fist on the Wall', the crowd were headbanging and the mosh pit quickly formed. From here, they maintained an incredible energy, delivering impactful impending doom vibes throughout. Their cohesion and solid band chemistry was palpable, with Ryan humbly taking side-stage frequently to showcase the other member’s skills, displaying the utmost respect within the band.

Each member owned their stage presence, and Emma's fierce growl and call to "open the pit" stood out, followed by a sick breakdown and a face-melting solo from George. Their cohesion was sizeable, and the final shouts of "Surf, suffer, die!" created a residual mark from an outstanding performance.

HEADLINER: KENSEI

The headliners were Birmingham’s 2024 Metal To The Masses winners, five-piece melodic metal masterpiece, Kensei. They delivered a sick, heavy, and brilliant performance with a good lightshow and professional stage setup. The cohesion and interaction among all members were fantastic, with unrivalled raw stamina showcased throughout. The vocals were consistently remarkable, bass was solid, and the drumming was absolutely insane, coupled with frequent undeniably awesome guitar solos (one in the middle of a circle pit which was an unforgettable highlight). The crowd adored them, and they clearly solidified their reputation in Metal To The Masses history.

At the end of an extraordinary metal journey, the winners of 2025 Metal To The Masses Birmingham were announced: Mantis Defeats Jaguar! The crowd chanted “we love f*cking Mantis, la la la!” in response, as the band humbly took the stage for their deserved win. All the bands that competed were exceptional, and for those who did not win - rest assured you left your mark on Black Country metal history and we look forward to seeing you grow in the future.