florence black

Hailing from the Welsh Valleys, Florence Black play a brand of grunge-infused melodic rock that has earned them a loyal following. Debuting with their self-titled EP in 2016, the group delivered Weight of the World in late 2021.

Formed in the town of Merthyr Tydfil, by lifelong friends Tristan Thomas (guitar/vocals), Jordan Evans (bass), and Perry Davis (drums) in 2012, the trio continued the rich heritage of classic rock spawned from the hills of Wales. Taking inspiration from early grunge pioneers like Temple of the Dog and the melodic rock of classic '70s acts such as Fleetwood Mac, the band quickly earned a loyal following. Issuing their eponymous EP in 2016 and following it up with a second, EP II, in 2017, the group also spent their time gigging around the U.K., eventually earning themselves a support slot with Stone Sour at the legendary Paris venue Bataclan. A third EP, The Final -- which featured a guest spot from Skindred's Benji Webbe -- was issued in 2018, and by 2020 they had started tracking album demos with Bullet for My Valentine's Michael Paget. Earning support from the PPL Momentum Music Fund, the group entered the studios with Romesh Dodangoda (Funeral for a Friend, Bring Me the Horizon) to record what would become their debut album. The resulting self-released Weight of the World was issued in late 2021.

Adding horror-strewn lyrics to blistering, hook-filled, '80s-inspired hard rock and metal, Bournemouth, England's South of Salem manage to root their sound firmly in the 21st century with the use of modern production techniques.

They formed in 2018, when individual members of like-minded local bands came together for a jam. From an early stage, vocalist Joey Draper and guitarist Kodi Kasper emerged as South of Salem's key songwriting force, and the lineup was completed by Fish MacDonald on guitar, bassist Dee Aldwell, and drummer Pip Sampson. A shared love of Rob Zombie, Motley Crue, Guns n' Roses, and Avenged Sevenfold -- alongside a passion for classic horror movies -- helped to develop their sound. By their first gig, a February 2020 hometown support slot for Saints of Sin, South of Salem's debut album was already in the can. During sessions with Scott Atkins at Grindstone Studios in Suffolk, they crafted The Sinner Takes It All, which was released on their own Spider Party label in September that year.

The record won them a place on the bill for Bloodstock 2021, and it was during this post-COVID-19-lockdown period that they were able to fully hone their live act. They often walked on stage to the Halloween theme and occasionally augmented their set with covers of Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell" and Velvet Revolver's "Slither." A December 2022 hometown headline gig, billed as The Nightmare Before Xmas, simultaneously saw Sampson bow out and his replacement, James Clarke, enter the fold. There was a further lineup change in 2023, when MacDonald made way for Denis Sheriff on guitar ahead of sessions with Romesh Dodangoda in Wales for a second LP. October's riff-laden "Left for Dead" was the first single issued from Death of the Party, which arrived in January 2024 and hit the lower reaches of the U.K. album chart.

Formed in 2018, black lakes create a sound that deliberately blurs the boundaries between hard rock and alternative metal, drawing on a wide range of influences from across both scenes. Their debut album "For all we've left behind", produced by premier rock and metal producer Romesh Dodangoda, achieved several notable accolades, including being named album of the year by four media outlets including ERB magazine and East London Radio.

Following the success, fans demanded more music and the band ran a pre-order campaign raising £8,000 to fund their sophomore album. Once again working with Romesh Dodangoda, "Dead Gods" is set to release on the 6th of September. Singles "White Cliffs" & "Hurricane" have once again seen the band featured on national radio across the UK & internationally.  In June of this year, they were the recipients of the Best Punk/Metal Band award at the 2024 Newport Radio Awards. The band have worked hard to build a reputation as a captivating live act, picking up new fans from across the UK and are always striving to build on their previous shows to create something bigger and better for their growing fanbase to enjoy

TRUCKER DIABLO began in early 2008 as four friends coming together collectively as a group to play music they loved and that defined them as individuals. This soon became an unstoppable machine through the local support of fans and the internet. Quickly they were hailed as a Northern Ireland super group due to the band members successful past.

Simon Haddock had been a previous member of Joyrider who enjoyed a highly successful career signing to A&M Records in the late 90’s, touring internationally and appearing on the legendary Top of the Pops with their single “Rush Hour” which reached 22 in the UK charts.

Tom Harte and Terry Crawford were members of acclaimed Hard Rock outfit TILTED who signed to Shattered records in the late 90’s . They enjoyed a successful career touring the US, UK and Canada and received praise from acclaimed L.A producer Kim Foley. Present Day TRUCKER DIABLO have been playing the local circuit supporting Ricky Warwick and Adam Bomb on their recent UK tours and have released their debut album “The Devil Rhythm” with a guest appearance from Northern Irish Rock Star and New Thin Lizzy frontman Ricky Warwick from “The Almighty” fame. The band also gained some recent praise in the form of Joe Elliot (Singer with Def Leppard).