Love them or H8 them, these boys could be rocking towards the big time.

H8Ball, the heavy rock outfit from Eastbourne, won the final heat of Danny and Nicky's Battle of the Bands contest run by Southern FM.

They might not literally have brought the house down but the West Quay bar in Brighton Marina vibrated to the syncopated rhythms of their heavy bass as if in the aftershocks of an earthquake.

H8Ball are now in with a chance of winning the ultimate prize, playing to thousands at Party In The Park at Preston Park, Brighton, on July 17, alongside top names including Daniel Bedingfield, McFly and Bananarama.

They will join the Wonderfuls, Daze One and Station Road in the final at Karma, Brighton Marina next Wednesday.

Last night Southern FM announced a fifth group will take part in the final as a wild card entry from one of the 12 bands who failed to make the final four.

H8Ball lead singer Grant, 37, said: "We are all into different types of music, heavy metal punk and even melodic.

"We have been together three years now. We would love to rock Party in the Park".

The other members of the band are drummer Terry Hookham, guitarist Toby Rocke, Rob Tapp on rhythm guitar and Steven Barry on bass.

The bands they pipped all erred towards mainly guitar-based rock.

The Calm had the only female vocalist of the night in Lisa Tester. Dressed in leather trousers, the young mum from Woodingdean, moved well and command-ed the stage.

They describe themselves as an indie rock band and have already built up a following from their gigs in Brighton and London over the past three years.

Funk rock band Low Frequency Dive wound up the final heat with their interesting keyboard-based sound.

Singer-songwriter Nick Sheldon - the man behind the band - wowed the crowd with energetic lead vocals and guitar.