XMA are three letters that won’t mean much to those with no particular interest in music of the heavier kind, but for Malta’s metal community, they represent a call to arms (metaphorically, of course).

They are an opportunity to hang out with people of the same musical inclination and experience some of the island’s leading metal acts live in the flesh.

XMA, in fact, stands for Xtreme Metal Assault, which despite its aggressive-sounding name is a rather pleasant gathering of the brotherhood that exists within this underground music community.

Now in its sixth edition, XMA has successfully presented most of the top names on the local metal scene since its inception in 2007, and the 2013 edition will be no different, presenting no fewer than 14 bands from a variety of metal genres.

Further to the gigs that Maltese metal bands manage to stage despite a marked lack of available live venues, festivals such as the XMA provide a welcome opportunity for local bands to experience a bigger stage and ultimately, a bigger audience.

Furthermore, this festival also brings together all styles of metal under one banner, which naturally also gives it a broader appeal. For the first time in the event’s history, this year’s edition is being held at the Old Military Prison in Corradino.

Bands will play alternately on two stages, with the first band kicking off at 5pm and coming to an end around 2am. Tickets cost €15 and there will be transport available to all locations after the event.

The list of bands confirmed for the festival includes Twenty-six Other Worlds, Ascendor, Ashes For Nought, Beheaded, Carnivorous Horde, Fallen Icon, Insurgence, Loathe, Shadowborne, Repugnance, In The Name Of, War Trigger, Weeping Silence and X-Vandals. For more information, look up the Xtreme Metal Assault event page on Facebook.

www.xtrememetalassault.com