Headbangers and heavy metal: Battle of the Bands starts off strong with Heat One

Copper Rooms 2, University of Warwick Campus, 22 January 2026

Warwick BandSoc’s annual Battle of the Bands, a spectacular showdown between student bands, has just begun. With twenty-nine bands competing, Heat One introduces us to only five: Gospel of the Machine, Dust to Dust, Pokerhouse, Wet Towel Flagellation, and Bloom Phase. Who will secure their spot in the final? 

So, with a warm welcome from BandSoc President Onur – “Enjoy yourself, don’t mosh too hard, and have fun!” – we are ready to witness the first five bands taking part in Battle of the Bands 2026. 

Coming up first, with the additional challenge of facing a non-warmed-up crowd, is Gospel of the Machine [GOTM]. Sporting sleeveless attire, the quartet introduces ‘Unsanctioned Terror’. GOTM presents a truly unique set, with no vocal line, relying purely on the intensity of their guitars and drums. It is heavy, immediately drawing in attention from the initially sparse crowd, and despite a brief stint of technical difficulties, this attention was well retained. Employing engaging tempos throughout the performance and some nasty riffs and reverb, GOTM set a high bar from the start. 

The lead singer’s vocals carry a powerful yet sombre energy… contrasting with a more upbeat instrumental

Five-member band Dust to Dust follows, with lead singer Azi standing centre stage, adorning their tambourine. They introduce their first track with an endearing “1, 2, 3, 4”, presenting a much softer energy than was previously experienced. The lead singer’s vocals carry a powerful yet sombre energy – singing “look at me, look at me, please stay” – contrasting with a more upbeat instrumental. Another “1, 2, 3, 4” leads into their next track, which is introduced with a jazzy elevator-esque instrumental. Sonically, Dust to Dust maintains their momentum, continuing into their final track ‘First to Last’. 

At the halfway mark of the night, Pokerhouse enter the stage. Despite being the smallest band thus far, with only a trio being under the spotlights, the charisma of the lead singer fills the space. Before their set begins, she states: “we’re probably the least heavy band of the night, and we apologise for that.” They are definitely correct. The first track is much more relaxing and wholesome than both previous performances. Their following song, however, aptly titled ‘December’, is much moodier and somewhat solemn. It’s definitely a stronger sound. Soft, beautiful vocals singing “and I feel free” neatly wrap up the performance. 

From Battle of the Bands 2025, two semi-finalists feature in this first heat. Wet Towel Flagellation is our next band. Returning to five-member bands, one drummer and four guitarists pack the stage. Prior to them assuming positions, however, armed with a band banner, they embellish the stage. It’s a stark change of pace; the band are heavy metal – emphasis on the heavy. Screamo vocals tend to dominate, but duality is shown with some melodic singing and sexy guitar riffs, all while their drummer brings the intensity. They are a clear fan favourite, with the sea of headbanging in the crowd being a clear indicator of the audience’s engagement. 

 The amount of textures in his voice and the versatility present in each track demanded attention from the audience

The other semi-finalist? Four-piece indie rock band Bloom Phase. Lori, their lead singer, had the highest energy of the night, exclaiming, “fuck it’s good to be back”. The amount of textures in his voice and the versatility present in each track demanded attention from the audience. Fortunately, his bandmates were more than able to match his energy, with their detailed yet passionate performances. The experience of the band shone through. They were the only band to introduce each member, and they absolutely had the best crowd work. From asking the audience to clap along to scrambling off-stage into the audience for the final track, it was undeniably the most entertaining performance of the night.  

Following the performances, BandSoc President Onur returns with an important message. A reminder of the strife currently faced by the society, which, back in October, discovered £1,000 of equipment missing. He notes that the society is “breaking even at the heats” and urged the audience to donate via the SU website.  

It is only a handful of minutes later that Onur and the judges reveal the podium. In third place, gaining a spot as a wild card is Dust to Dust. Coming in at second is Wet Towel Flagellation, securing for a second year in a row, a spot in the Semi-finals. First place is well deserved by Bloom Phase, who have secured a ticket straight to the Finals! So, Heat One has certainly set a precedent for the rest of Battle of the Bands, and hopefully, we can anticipate many more jam-packed nights of head-to-head competition!