A Guernsey rock band is set to play at a UK music festival this weekend after winning the opportunity through a competition.
Apothis – a 5 piece Metalcore/Deathcore band – will play at Bloodstock, a four-day Heavy Metal festival in Derbyshire.
Since they began in 2019, the band has played gigs at The Vault and The Yacht, growing a local fanbase.
It has also released an album and an EP, played at the Vale Earth Fair and had a gig at the St James’s in Jersey.
But the opportunity to play at a festival that will welcome 20,000 metal fans is a chance for the band to take their support to the next level.
Leon “Axel” Roze, Guitarist, said: “We can’t be any more proud to have an opportunity like this to represent the Channel Islands music scene in a festival with bands such as these and very much appreciate all the support by our fans and all the other bands we have the pleasure to play alongside to get to where we are.”
Apothis won this opportunity by winning the Channel Islands’ version of the Metal 2 the Masses – a competiton hosted by Bloodstock that looks for new and emerging talent to play at the festival.
It will play on the ‘New Blood Stage’, which will see other emerging bands play, many of whom have also won their local editions of Metal 2 the Masses.
Guernsey Arts, who have supported the band on their way to Bloodstock, said: “Guernsey Arts is delighted to be supporting Apothis to compete on the New Blood Stage at Bloodstock Festival UK, following thier success at the Channel Islands heat of Bloodstock Metal 2 The Masses.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for the band and will showcase the quality of Guernsey’s grassroots music scene. We wish Apothis every success!”
This will be the first time in 12 years that a band from the Channel Islands will take to the stage at Bloodstock.
Apothis join a lineup of big names in the heavy metal world including Saxon, Lamb of God, Sepultura, Slaughter to Prevail and Judas Priest.
