The incidence of the words 'extreme' and 'metal' in the same sentence around this time of year can only mean one thing - it's time for another edition of the X-Treme Metal Assault (XMA) festival and this year's line-up promises to live up to, perhaps even exceed expectations. As the days draws closer, it's all systems go behind the scenes to ensure the stage is set - incidentally, there will be two of them to ensure faster changeovers - and as you read this, at least 14 rehearsal rooms around Malta (and one in Italy) are being shaken to their foundations in preparation for the big day.
Now in its seventh edition, the XMA has consistently presented a winning formula, that of bringing together as many metal genres as possible together in one single event; well as much as a 15-band line-up will allow anyway! The bottom line remains that there will be something for every metalhead, with the festival also doubling as a recognized platform for local metal acts and, for the second time in XMA's history, this year's edition will also feature a foreign act, namely Italian brutal death metallers Onicectomy. It will all be happening on Saturday, July 12 at the Old Military Prison in Corradino. Doors open at 4.30pm with the first band taking the stage at 5pm sharp and the last one finishing at around 2am (full running order listed further down). Food & drink stalls as well as transport services will be available, and just to put everyone's mind at rest, a first aid team will also be on hand in the unlikely event someone gets too excited in the moshpit. Gory Goth will also be present with great stuff and band merchandise. For more information and full event details, visit the event page on Facebook here.
Last but not least, XMA organizer Edward Tagliaferro will be interviewed by Michael Bugeja during the Friday, July 11 edition of ROCKNA (www.radio101.com.mt)
RUNNING ORDER
01. 5.00pm Chaotic Remains (Stage 1)
02. 5.30pm Relicuia (Stage 2)
03. 6.00pm Blind Saviour (Stage 1)
04. 6.30pm Rising Sunset (Stage 2)
05. 7.00pm Fallen Icon (Stage 1)
06. 7.35pm 26 Other Worlds (Stage 2)
07. 8.10pm Repugnance (Stage 1)
08. 8.45pm Angelcrypt (Stage 2)
09. 9.20pm In The Name Of (Stage 1)
10. 10.00pm Insurgence (Stage 2)
11. 10.40pm War Trigger (Stage 1)
12. 11.20pm Loathe (Stage 2)
13. 12.00am Onicectomy (Stage 1)
14. 12.40am Abysmal Torment (Stage 2)
15. 01.20am 12th Ode (Stage 1)