On Saturday, five of the county’s most promising metal bands will join forces at the O2 Academy, under the mighty banner of Skeletor Promotions.

The monstrously-named gig organiser is all about exposing Oxfordshire’s best heavy acts, putting them proudly on the pedestal of the iconic Cowley Road venue for moshers and metalheads to find their new favourite bands.

It’s a worthy mission statement, especially considering the multitude of talented local musicians who choose to hone their musicianship through this challenging genre of music. This weekend’s event is dubbed The New Breed and is especially angled at promoting younger bands whose relentless gigging around the county has been commended by the head honchos at Skeletor. The fearsome line-up includes Evavoid, Crown’s Reign, Ignite The Sky, Retribution, Mordecai and Minimata Convulsion – all will be turning it up to 11 for the humungous riffs, blood-curdling roars and thunderous rhythms that encompass the metal genre.

Wallingford-based eighteen-year-old Chris Burgess, below, is the frontman of Ignite The Sky, and is especially looking forward to the opportunity to demonstrate his band’s mastery of heavy music. Since their first gig at The Net in Abingdon last year, Ignite The Sky have stomped their way through sets at venues like The Wheatsheaf on High Street and The Face Bar in Reading. He admits that the opportunity to play at the O2 Academy is something the band have been striving for ever since they first came together.

“It's a very big deal to us to have made it this far already. For us, it’s quite an accomplishment, especially from something that started as an idea over a cheeseburger at McDonalds.”

A testament to the band’s hard work and hard rocking, this gig will mark the first birthday of Ignite The Sky’s first ever performance. As if that wasn’t enough, Chris has also revealed that the band’s new EP, So Ends Suffering, will be officially released on the night.

“It is going to be a pretty special night for us as a band,” he says. “The O2 Academy is a massive deal for us, so we're going all out. “I want to get the crowd involved as much as possible, and we all want to put on a very professional and enjoyable show for everyone.”

  • Tickets cost £7 from WeGot Tickets.com, or £9 on the door. Check out facebook.com /skeletorpro for more information.