HeavySaurus opened up the main stage on Thursday, a Finnish band who take dino-metal very literally. This group is ideal for fans of both heavy music and dinosaurs. It’s certainly a testament to the festival’s ability to cater for both a family and metal audience at once. There were swarms of crowd members dressed in their own dinosaur costumes, along with appropriately themed props being thrown around the pit.
Legacy rockers Saxon were Thursday’s anniversary headliners. Biff Byford is still able to carry the songs with his impressive vocal ability. It’s refreshing to see that there are legacy rock and metal acts out there who have vocalists who have maintained their talent so well. The band is no stranger to Bloodstock, having played at the very first one; it felt apt that they were the special Thursday headliner.
Thursday's acts closed with Cryptopsy over on the Sophie Lancaster stage. The Canadian death metal could be heard all across the festival late into the night. Matt McGachy is a powerhouse on vocals. The group closed out the first night of music with the perfect sound to welcome festival goers to Bloodstock.
Party Cannon was a name often discussed across the festival, known for their death metal with its own unique gimmick. After Heavysaurus, it could be argued that the too many bands gracing the stage don't take themselves seriously. However, at a festival like this, it is incredibly easy to be roped into a fun vibe, especially when the musicians are this talented. The crowd was a sea of people dressed in banana outfits and everyone (fancy dress or not) was having a great time.
Ska-infused metal isn't something many bands brought to Bloodstock this year. Redeemon put on a performance on the New Blood stage that proved this is a winning crossover. This group was a hidden gem of the weekend. They were lively, exciting, and unique. It was great to see such a huge audience slam dancing to saxophones and embracing something so unique.
A band that came highly recommended was Bailed Out, who were playing in the New Blood tent. The five-piece delivered some heavy hardcore with pits instantly erupting. Whilst the group only started playing together a little under a year ago, their set slotted seamlessly into the current hardcore soundscape. They were tight, and it would be easy to assume they’d been doing this for years.
For any Bloodstock attendees who enjoy thrash, Municipal Waste were certainly one that can't be missed. The Virginian band is also coincidentally celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. Whilst they may not have been there for the beginning of the genre, they have helped cement its popularity and continue its legacy. Their circle pits were some of the biggest I saw over the weekend, especially when they began 'Wave of Death'. Frontman Tony Foresta commanded the crowd perfectly. With a world record attempt at crowd surfing, this was definitely a crowd that didn't want to keep still.
Groove metal legends Sepultura were Friday night's main stage support. The atmosphere across their whole set was electric. Drummer Greyson Nekrutman worked flawlessly with lead guitarist Andreas Kisser. It was one of the strongest sets of the weekend in terms of sound quality; everywhere I stood, every instrument was echoing perfectly. Closing the set with their hit 'Roots Bloody Roots' was a great choice.
Lamb of God closed out the main stage as the Friday headliner. Opening with ‘Ruin’, the energy was instantly high, and it was maintained as the setlist was packed full of classics. Randy Blythe wearing a t-shirt of The Jam wasn’t something I expected to see whilst he annihilated the stage. The groove metal legends definitely deserved this slot.
Saturday morning saw Imperial Age take to the Ronnie James Dio stage. Their symphonic power metal felt like a dramatic and otherworldly way to start the day. The pyrotechnics on stage only added to the theatrical feel of this performance. There was almost an operatic quality within this set.
Vended may have amassed a large portion of their fanbase through two members having fathers in Slipknot. However, as soon as frontman Griffin Taylor began singing, it became clear that there is so much more to them than their nepotism. It can't be easy being compared to such famous fathers, yet this group has a sound of their own. Their makeup and visuals were some of the best of the weekend, and their heavy metal sound was made for a festival such as this.
The Ronnie James Dio stage next saw Northlane, an Australian progressive metal band who take the key components of heavy metal as well as metalcore and infuse them into their tracks. Whilst the whole weekend was packed with noteworthy breakdowns, there were a few by this band that stood out. Their sound combined such a variety of metal influences so seamlessly it was impressive. Marcus Bridge both screamed and sang difficult notes effortlessly throughout their 45-minute slot.
Saturday's headliner Slaughter To Prevail received a mixed reception before they even set foot on the stage. Whilst there were many festival-goers wearing their merchandise, there were also many loudly complaining about the deathcore group being given such a high slot on the bill. Regardless, they had a large and enthusiastic turnout that easily hid any boo's. Alex The Terrible may be a controversial figure within the metal world, yet his vocal ability is clearly something unique. When he removed the microphone and was still heard across the arena, he instantly shut down any judgement of his talent.
Bloodstock isn’t just about the acts. There’s a sense of community as people bond over their shared music tastes. ESP Guitars had a tent not far from the main stage, which allowed passersby to jam together. It was cool to see people of varying ages and abilities play with others who they’d often never met before. Areas like this are perfect to check out in between sets or when a more intimate listening experience is needed.
Before watching Castle Rat, it may be useful to read up on the lore. It was an entertaining set that even included a duel. Riley Pinkerton leads this band through each track as well as the immense portions of storytelling. Franco Vittore played lead guitar masterfully and is a real asset to Castle Rat's sound. There's a huge crossover between fantasy and metal fans, so there's major potential for this act to be higher up the bill in years to come.
Kittie followed Castle Rat with no gimmicks or fantasy. Their set was authentic with little to no crowd interaction. It felt as though they were trying to squeeze every track they could into their slot. It felt like a good approach as it kept the vibes high and there certainly wasn’t a moment to consider wandering someplace else. Fans of their debut album will be pleased to hear tracks like 'Brackish' are still in the setlist. However, they impressed me with their current sound as it has progressed to a heavier, death metal-inspired feel since they began.
The EMP tent was overflowing for Stitched. The hot weather had encouraged festival-goers to gather some shade and check out some of the well-deserving, smaller artists in attendance. Stitched had a raw sound that was made better by playing a more intimate stage. There was a DIY feel to this performance in the best way.
Orbit Culture were another contender for some of the biggest circle pits of the weekend. The set was high energy, with melodic death metal being held down by an incredible rhythm section. Metal is full of technically incredible drummers, and Orbit Culture's Christopher Wallerstedt is no exception.
As soon as the staging for Testament was set up, it was clear spectators were in for a treat. After their latest release, 'Para Bellum', back in October, it was clear that this Californian group are still holding their own in a rather saturated sub-genre. They have a great ability to maintain the classic thrash sound whilst not feeling boring or outdated. It translates brilliantly to a festival setting. A huge crowd turned out for them, and right from opening up with 'Into the Pit', it was easy to be immersed.
One of the Metal 2 The Masses winners I managed to catch was Moth. This Brighton-based group was refreshingly grunge after spending the majority of the weekend listening to heavy metal-adjacent music. It was encouraging to see such a big audience for an up-and-coming band like this. The band had a great stage presence and communicated well with the crowd. They’re definitely a group to keep an eye out for.
Black Label Society were a perfect example of a band who can work together like cogs in a machine. Their cover of Ozzy Osbourne’s classic ‘No More Tears’ went down a treat with the entire crowd. Whilst the heat was sweltering at every viewpoint of the Ronnie James Dio stage by this time of day, these guys were worth the watch.
Bloodstock is a festival that knows its niche and creates a family out of it. There were people of all ages who were proudly showcasing merch from all subgenres. It's easy to fall into conversation with a passerby and create lifelong friends here. A real bonus of this festival is the smaller capacity, meaning it keeps the community even more tight-knit. It’s easy to make friends and easy to stumble across a new obsession. This is a must-do for metal fans.
Emily Teague
Images: Tim Firth
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