BANDS are set to go head-to-head at a Colchester venue as they try and secure a slot at a world famous heavy metal music festival. 

Heat 1 of Bloodstock's Metal 2 The Masses competition will be taking place at Coda, in the High Street, this Thursday. 

Four incredible Essex-based bands, Blackwater Kings, Shattered Knees, Fallen Relic and Babydoll, will all be performing.

Each of them will be hoping to win a spot on the line-up for the New Blood stage at this year's Bloodstock, which has been held annually Catton Hall, in Walton-on-Trent, since 2005.

Gazette: Song - A previous contestant performing on stageSong - A previous contestant performing on stage (Image: Gallow Wood Media)

Ian Manning, Metal to the Masses regional organiser, said: "It never ceases to surprise me every year we find new bands in Essex and the variety this year has blown my mind.

"I have looked through the bios and tracks of everyone that applies for the competition and it is utterly amazing how people are still coming up with new stuff."

After votes from both the crowd and the judges have been cast following the first heat, three bands will go through to the next round.

Gazette: Element - A band putting in their all at last year's event in Coda Element - A band putting in their all at last year's event in Coda (Image: Gallow Wood Media)

Blackwater Kings, hailing from Colchester, are a traditional heavy metal band, while Shattered Knees are a self-proclaimed metallic hardcore band formed in 2018.

Fallen Relic are a hard rock and groove metal band who released their first EP in 2021 and Baby Doll is a one-man band mixing up music genres from emo to trap to metal.

Ian added: "In the early rounds the influence is 70 per cent from the crowd and 30 per cent from the judges.

"The crowd votes on a slip of paper where they can vote for their two favourites."

Entry to the event is £4 and doors open at 7pm. 

For more information go to bloodstock.uk.com.