metal

Megara

© EBU/Alma Bengtsson About Quick Facts MembersKenzyRoberVittiRa Tache Founded2015 Nationality🇪🇸 Spanish National SelectionUna Voce Per San Marino 2024Benidorm Fest 2023 In Eurovision2024 Malmö Song11:11 (2024) Biography Megara, an alternative metal music ensemble from Spain, was established in 2015. Comprised of members Kenzy on vocals, Rober on guitar, Vitti on bass, and Ra Tache on drums, this Madrid-based quartet has made a name for itself in the music scene. Identified primarily within the alternative metal genre, Megara’s sound also embraces what they term as “fucksia rock” or “fucksia metal.” This inventive label, blending the words “fuck” and “fuchsia,” signifies their desire to incorporate a broad range of musical influences without being confined to a single genre, aiming instead to embody the broader spectrum of rock music. The band’s journey began with the release of their debut EP, Muérase quien pueda, in 2015, featuring notable tracks like “Seis” and “Baños de sangre.” This was followed by their first full-length album, Siete, in 2016, and their second album, Aquí estamos todos locos, in 2018. Their rising prominence led to a performance at Resurrection Fest in 2019. Their third studio album, Truco o trato, was released in 2022. In the early part of 2023, Megara competed in the Benidorm Fest 2023’s first semifinal, earning 111 points with their song “Arcadia” and securing a spot in the final. Despite not being chosen to represent Spain at Eurovision, their participation sparked discussions, especially due to some staging similarities between their performance and that of Serbia’s Eurovision entry. April of the same year saw them announced as the opening act for Babymetal’s Spanish tour dates. Attempting another shot at Benidorm Fest in 2024 with the track “11:11,” they faced rejection from the selection committee. However, not deterred, they entered the song into San Marino’s selection for Eurovision, Una voce per San Marino. With minor lyrical adjustments to include Italian verses, they managed to impress the jury in the final, leading to their selection as San Marino’s representatives for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. Unfortunately, the band didn’t make it to the Grand Final of the contest. Entries 11:11 Country🇸🇲 San Marino Year2024 LanguageSpanish LyricsRoberto la Lueta RuizSara Jiménez Moral MusicRoberto la Lueta RuizSara Jiménez Moral DancersAria BedmarEmma Fernández Huerta Results Semi Points: 16Position: 14Running order: 10 Results Finals Points: –Position: –Running order: – https://youtu.be/IqyJvkGmAjo?si=nXITqURAaMC7qrCZ

Road to Rotterdam: Finland

Blind Channel is the band that represents Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest. The band has been active since 2013 and has now released three albums. Of the many singles they released, none of them became a hit so far. That changed after they won the Finnish preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest with “Dark side”: rightaway the group was at 1. Angry metal fans stated that the music of Blind Channel is absolutely not metal. Okay…. photo credits: Stefan Bollmann, Wikimedia Commons

Blind Channel

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts Group membersJoel HokkaNiko VilhelmJoonas PorkoOlli MatelaTommi LalliAleksi Kaunisvesi Established2013 Nationality🇫🇮 Finnish National SelectionUMK 2021 In Eurovision2021 Rotterdam SongDark side (2021) Biography Blind Channel is a five-, now six-man rock band founded in Oulu in 2013. The band itself defines its music with the term “violent pop,” which the band has used since its inception. After two self-published releases, Blind Channel participated in the 2014 Wacken Metal Battle. They won, and the prize was a performance in the festival Wacken Open Air. In the same year, the band signed their record deal with the Finnish company Ranka Kustannus.Their debut album Revolutions was released on October 1, 2016. In June 2016, Blind Channel was chosen to open for the Canadian band Simple Plan in Finland and all Baltic countries. In 2017, the band also opened for Royal Republic. Their second album Blood Brothers was released in April 2018, while in February, Blind Channel opened for Hollywood Undead, who played at the Helsinki Ice Rink. It resulted in the band opening for Hollywood Undead at four other European concerts as well. In May, Blind Channel played at Tavastiafor the first time as the main performer. Following the release of the album, the band went on a tour in June that included performances in Finland and abroad. In December 2018, Blind Channel toured the UK with All That Remains and Sevendust. After the tour, Blood Brothers was nominated for the Emma Gala in the category Rock Album of the Year. In November 2018, Blind Channel released their first single from their third album, “Over My Dead Body”. In March 2019, the band released a song called “Timebomb” in which Alex Mattson (Aleksi Kaunisvesi) was a visiting artist. With the collaboration, Blind Channel also ended up playing a joint gig later that year with him. The third studio album Violent Pop was released in April 2020. In October 2020, the band announced Alex Mattson would join the band as its sixth member. He plays samples, synthesizers and percussion in the band and produces the band’s music. In february 2021 the band won UMK, the Finnish national final for the Eurovision Song Contest, with the song “Dark side”, and thus represented Finland in Eurovision. In May 2021, Blind Channel signed an international record deal with Century Media Records, a record company focused on metal music under Sony Music. In August 2021, the band released the single “Balboa.” In November 2021, the Blind Channel released the single “We Are No Saints,” which, according to band members, reflects how they were pressured to become role models. At the end of 2021, the band was awarded the Kaleva Publicity of the Year award. Entries Dark side Country🇫🇮 Finland Year2021 LanguageEnglish Lyrics & MusicAleksi KaunisvesiJoonas PorkoJoel HokkaNiko Vilhelm MoilainenOlli Matela Backings– Results Semi Points: 234Position: 5Running order: 14 Results Finals Points: 301Position: 6Running order: 16 https://youtu.be/fOPGxQ4fgVw

Eldrine

About Quick Facts MembersSopho ToroshelidzeTamar ShekiladzeMikheil ChelidzeIrakli BibilashviliDavid ChangoshviliBeso Tsikhelashvili Active2007-2017 Nationality🇬🇪 Georgian National SelectionGeorgian National Final 2011 In Eurovision2011 Düsseldorf SongOne More Day (2011) Biography Eldrine, a dynamic band from Georgia, has made a significant mark in the music scene since its inception in 2007. Initially founded as ‘Bios’ by a trio of friends, the group underwent a transformation in 2010 with the introduction of vocalist Tamar Eldrine Wadachkoria. This period marked a new chapter for the band, leading to their participation in the Tibilisi-Altervision Festival in 2010, where they performed the song “Haunting.” The year 2011 proved to be a pivotal one for Eldrine, as they represented Georgia at the 56th Eurovision Song Contest in Düsseldorf. Their entry, “One More Day,” demonstrated their unique sound and energetic stage presence. Competing in the first semi-final on May 10, 2011, Eldrine successfully advanced to the final, held four days later. Their performance captivated the audience and judges alike, earning them a respectable ninth place. This achievement was a significant milestone for the band, showcasing their talent on an international platform. Eldrine’s album, “Fake Reality,” released in 2011, became a sensation in Georgia, maintaining a strong presence on the Georgian Album Charts for 52 weeks, peaking at third place. This album solidified their status in the Georgian music industry and resonated with a wide audience, showcasing their ability to blend various musical styles into a cohesive and engaging sound. However, the journey wasn’t without its challenges. Intense discussions about the vocal capabilities of Tamar Eldrine Wadachkoria led to a sudden and critical change. She was replaced by the classically trained singer Sophio Toroschelidse, a decision that marked a new direction for the band’s vocal dynamics. Despite this change, Eldrine continued to thrive and evolve, showcasing their adaptability and commitment to their art. Eldrine’s discography reflects their musical journey and evolution. Their albums include “Fake Reality” (2011) and “Till The End” (2014), while their singles feature “Haunting” (2010) and the Eurovision entry “One More Day” (2011). Each release encapsulates different facets of their musical identity, from haunting melodies to energetic anthems. Apart from their studio successes, Eldrine also made their presence felt through live performances. They performed at the European Union days in Georgia, in 2016, an event that celebrates the union’s culture and values. After 2017, it remained silent around the band. Entries One More Day Country🇬🇪 Country Year2011 LanguageEnglish LyricsDJ RockMicheil Chelidze MusicBeso Tsikhelashvili Backings– Results Semi Points: 74Position: 6Running order: 9 Results Finals Points: 110Position: 9Running order: 25 https://youtu.be/s2EwiTBiEDU?si=DmNWFeJrUzZ73Dw8

AWS

© EBU/Thomas Hanses About Quick Facts MembersÖrs SiklósiBence BruckerDániel KökényesÁron VeressSoma Schiszler Founded2006 Nationality???????? Hungarian National SelectionA Dal 2018 In Eurovision2018 Lisbon SongViszlát nyár (2018) Biography AWS is a Hungarian metal and post-hardcore band formed in 2006 by Bence Brucker, Dániel Kökényes, Örs Siklósi, and Áron Veress, later joined by Marcell Vaga. The band’s name is often humorously explained as an acronym for a random phrase. In the initial period the formation worked as a real high school band. The 2006 the band was linked to a school-farewell concert. This was their first public appearance. Soon after, a recording of their song “Alone” was made, but it was only released among friends. Their first major recording was a two song EP with the songs “Afterparty” and “It’s My Word”. Their raw material was published on Myspace.At the end of 2008, they were invited to perform at Budapestrocknroll. After the concert they joined the band Superbutt at two other places. These were the band’s first ever country club concerts. In early 2009, they set off for their first Transylvanian tour. In june of that year, they played their first self-organized mini-festival in Budakeszi. In mid-December, they will begin recording drums of their then-untitled first album at the Bakery studio in Érd, with Attila Horváth, the sound engineer known as the Subscribe guitarist. At the end of the year, they were invited to the BZF Talent Final on the A38 as an invited guest. In April 2011, after many years of work, the band’s first album, “Fata Morgana” was released. They won the MTV Brand: New Award for their album. Soon after the release of the album, which contained English and Hungarian songs, AWS decided to go for Hungarian Lyrics. A four-song EP called “Világposztolás” was released, with videos made for all four songs. The band made a tour with the group Road. In September 2012, the band reached another milestone with their first concert in London with the bands Depresszió, Rómeó Vérzik and Sold for Evil. In 2013 Marcell Vaga left the band and was replaced by Gergő Varga. With this line up, their second album “Égésföld” was released in 2014. A year later, they performed in London again, opening for the band Alvin és a Mókusok. Varga then decided to leave the band. They continued playing without a bassist for some time. They continued playing at concerts and released a new single “Te is félsz”. In September 2016, “Kint a vízből” the band’s third album, was released. In October, they launch a highly successful joint tour with Leander Kills. At the beginning of 2017, the band’s new bassist, Soma Schiszler, joined the band. In November, they gave four concerts in front of the Tank Trap.In 2018, the band took part in A Dal, the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. As they won A Dal, they were able to represent Hungary in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Viszlát nyár” and reached the final. Two weeks later, they are giving their first solo concert on the Budapest Park stage. With the upcoming festival season and the hype surrounding the media, the band was thrilled to finish their new album. This album, “Fekete Részem”, was released in octorber 2018. AWS released their fifth studio album, “My Black Part,” on October 10 2019. In December, the video and audio material of the Madách theater concert in September were released. At the beginning of the year 2020, the band went on a solo tour, the guest was the band Useme. In February, another milestone came in the life of AWS, as they ran out of tickets for their Aquarium Great Hall concert three weeks before the event. Örs Siklósi, the singer of AWS, died of leukemia on February 5, 2021. He was 29 years old. The band kept on performing, but now as a four man band. Entries Viszlát Nyár Country???????? Country Year2018 LanguageHungarian LyricsÖrs Siklósi MusicBence BruckerDániel KökényesÁron VeressSoma Schiszler BackingsDavid Schwartz Results Semi Points: 111Position: 10Running order: 13 Results Finals Points: 93Position: 21Running order: 21 https://youtu.be/p6e1TmYb33w