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maltatoday SUNDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2018 30 This Week SHELLSHOCK Metal Fest is back for the fourth time, as the bi-yearly event grows bigger and more bru- tal with each edition. Organiser Shawn Mizzi tells us that the ever- growing festival is gaining acknowl- edgment for its variety of metal bands, as well as its focus on keep- ing audiences entertained every second of the event. In fact, he promises that next week's edition is the most varied yet, as the festival has partnered up with Wicked Comics to bring a mini Malta Comic Con inside the premises, making Shellshock a metal fest and comic con combined – for the second time yet. Headliners for the much-awaited festival from overseas include El- venpath from Germany, Synaptik, and Kill All The Gentlemen from the UK and The Crawling from Northern Ireland specifically. Lo- cals include long-standing bands Martyrium, Angelcrypt and For- saken among others. Mizzi's band – Angelcrypt – have never failed to make an appearance at the festival. "I organise one of the biggest Metal festivals on the island. I cannot leave my band out." Band applications are published publicly and every band can apply. Of course, the only requirement is that the band needs to be metal. But the screening process is a tough one, as Mizzi says he re- ceives hundreds of applications. "I always try to open the doors to local talent but at the same time Shellshock is getting even more attention from the foreign scene. Bands are chosen to play based on their reliability, talent, and capabil- ity to put up a show to remember." Inviting foreign bands is also a service to the local scene, Mizzi says, as local bands get to meet in- ternational artists and share the stage with them, exchange gigs, and perhaps even get the opportunity to go abroad themselves. This year, the festival will see Forsaken, the island's longest es- tablished metal band, hit the stage – but not for the first time. "For- saken has been privileged to feature at Shellshock before and it's always a pleasure to return," the band's frontman Albert Bell tells us, as he describes Shellshock as being one of the leading metal events, and a 'must' for metalheads. "The festival spans metal's diverse shades and hues as this edition am- ply proves. There is something for everyone really, and it also provides an opportunity to discover new and emerging talent as well as enjoying the very best that the Maltese scene has to offer." Bell says he is personally looking forward to Elvenpath – a power metal band with six CDs under their belt, hailing all the way from Germany – whose spokesperson shared with us the funny coinci- dence which led them to the island. "The internet is a wonderful tool to discover festivals all over the world. When I got in touch with the festi- val promoter, he informed me that he also played in Angelcrypt and we happened to share the stage at a festival in Germany some weeks later. That's where we met in per- son and we talked about gig pos- sibilities in Malta and Germany… and so, Elvenpath was confirmed for Shellshock." The Crawling, a three-piece, death-doom metal band from Northern Ireland will be land- ing in Malta thanks to ENSO management. They are currently working on their second album and video production for another track. "We're really excited about Shellshock fest, and there are many aspects for the festival we are look- ing forward to." Frontman Andy Clarke, a keen scuba driver, says he's been to Malta and before, and Ticking time bomb Taking place next week, the metal music festival Shellshock promises to deliver the goods for its fourth edition in a row, as TIA RELJIC discovers The Crawling from Northern Ireland: "We're really looking forward to Shellshock... as well as the weather and cheap beer!" Veteran local metalheads Forsaken: "Shellshock is an opportunity to discover new and emerging talent as well as enjoying the very best that the Maltese scene has to offer"