After I read this will I be able to get my band signed up tommorow?

No, of course not, but it may help you out a little. The first thing you want to ask yourself is 'Do I want to be signed?' That is not as dumb as it sounds. Is this what you want to do with your life? If yes, do the rest of the band agree. It isn't all smashing up top hotels and shagging every superstar model on the planet. Are you prepared to spend 15 years cooped up in a knackered old van with a drummer who snores and a singer who's feet set out chemical alarms. If the band is just a part time laugh then stop reading this.
The companies are lookng for 110% commitment and if they think you can't hit that target then you have no chance.
Ok so you and the band are committed. You are prepared to do anything to get signed even sell your mother to a Hong Kong slave merchant. Now what? Ok who do you want to get signed to? Nuclear Blast? Candlelight?

STOP

What make you think that anyone would be interested in you anyway? Are you good enough? Now don't give me that crap that you are the best band on the planet 'We could blow Emperor off the stage' etc. It's all very well for you and the rest of the band to think that you are great, you would do it's your band. Labels do not take crap, unpopular bands. The companies are a business not a charity, sure some of them will love the scene and listen to the music but their first priority is making money...lots of it. So are you good enough? Now I am presuming that you have a demo yes? Good (If not I'll come to that in a bit) before you start sending your demo off to the companies get some feed back. Get some opinion and please, don't ask your fucking mum!
Who to ask?
Other bands (be warned, if they think that you are better than them they may say that you are shit)
Play it to your mates, they may not be music experts but then the vast marjority of people who buy music aren't. (Although some would claim otherwise)

Yep you are brilliant, everybody thinks so. Sorted, right now you need to test the waters.
Gigging.
This is more important than some bands realise, It is the most effective way of advertising your band, apart from showing people that you exist, it also intuduces you to the underground scene where you meet other bands (Very Important) and people like me.
How to get a gig - This all depends on how far you are prepared to travel. Ideally this should not be a problem, if you are committed you will want to gig every part of Britain, from Lands End to John o Groats. (It's only a small Island about 1000 miles from tip to tip) So assuming that traval isn't a problem....
Compile yourself a venue list, go onto other metal band websites and see where they have gigged, about 10 venues should do for a start. Start ringing up, Aim for one every two weeks to start with.
IMPORTANT - Don't expect to get paid, you are playing these gigs for experience and to get noticed.
Problem. I can't find the venue phone number, the venues listed on the band websites just give the venue name and town.
Answer. Go onto yell.co.uk or scoot and put the name and town into the keyword boxes, you should be able to get the phone number and address.
(failing that try ringing up Talking pages 0800 600 900 and give the town and venue to them)
Problem. We have a gig but it's miles away and I don't know the area.
Answer. First off, get a map of the area. Multimap is the best one, you can also get an ariel photo too. Go on a scouting mission a few week before the gig so you know exactly where it is.
So you have your gig booked, you know where it is and I presume the equipment is sorted out now what? Now tell people about it. Advertise on the net, send the gig info to metal fanzines, sign other band guestbooks, email every single record label and tell them that you are playing. (Otherseas labels as well, label scouts are well travelled) email the magazines too, maybe they will turn up and review the gig. Now the last bit of advertising may cost you a bit of money if the gig is miles away. Go to the town with some posters and flyers, find the second hand record shops and ask to put the posters up. (Don't think you will like this bit) Go into the local HMV or Virgin and hang about, hand out a couple of flyers to anyone who looks in the metal section. They may go to the local gigs, word will spread. Finally go to the venue itself and hand out flyers there.
It's gig night and you are shitting yourself. For fucks sake don't get drunk to calm your nerves before you play.
Don't ignore the punters hand out a few demo CD's Even if you have a bad night your demo will still get heard.
Remember, when you are on that stage you are GOD.
Do I post my demo to the labels?
I'm going to get slated for saying this but I wouldn't recommend it. At least not untill you have played a LOT a gigs and gained plenty of experience. Have you any idea how many demos they must get every single week? And how many of them are absolutley fucking shite. Get them to come to you, thats one of the reasons why you should gig.
I can hear you thinking that there is a flaw in my reasoning. If there are dozens of shite demos and one good one(i.e. mine) in that pile, my demo will stand out then. There are two things wrong with that. Those dozens of shite demos belong to dozens of bands, all thinking that they are better than everyone else, and how do you know what the reviewer like to listen to? I know that they are supposed to be impartial but it isn't always the case.

To be continued....