Top 10 bands you must watch at Bloodstock Festival 2026

It’s that time of year again. After months of waiting, we’re about to pack our bags and return to the hallowed grounds of Catton Hall for another edition of Bloodstock Festival. And while we’re not looking forward to waking up in a sweat box tent with a hangover the size of a whale shark again, we are chomping at the bit to see some metal. But who are the DS picks for must-see bands at this year’s festival? Besides the headliners, who absolutely can’t be missed for the sake of wandering around the market or visiting that enormous Pick ‘n’ Mix stall?

We’ve got a separate article coming covering the bands for the New Blood and EMP stages, but here are ten of the big hitters from the Sophie and Ronnie James Dio ones. In order of appearance…

HEVISAURUS – Ronnie James Dio Stage, Thursday – August 6th

Opening up the Ronnie James Dio Stage on the first day, HEVISAURUS are one of the more unusual bands on the lineup. The Finnish five-piece are a cheerfully lighthearted group and as far as we can tell, are the only heavy metal band ever designed to appeal primarily to children. Bloodstock Festival has a reputation as a family-friendly event, and the sight of five guys in Dinosaur costumes should only enhance that. It’s YO GABBA GABBA with metal riffs, and it should be a delightfully silly way to kick off the weekend festivities. We might also discover why their name is spelled HEAVYSAURUS on the poster.

CRYPTOPSY – The Sophie Lancaster Stage, Thursday – August 6th

At the complete opposite end of the spectrum are CRYPTOPSY. The Canadian death metal legends have spent the first half of 2026 celebrating the 30th anniversary of their None So Vile album, and the set promises to be jaw-dropping. Their late-night slot on the Sophie Lancaster Stage is expected to be a loud, violent showcase of extreme metal at its most uncompromising. Ears will bleed.

PARTY CANNON – Ronnie James Dio Stage, Friday – August 7th

Some of our more long-in-the-tooth readers might recall that PARTY CANNON first broke through when a poster which contrasted their colourful logo with a sea of black metal ones went viral online. They’ve been dismissed as a joke by many, including themselves, but PARTY CANNON hide some serious chops behind their inflatable toys and stupid banter. There’s going to be inflatable rafts, bowel-shaking bass lines, and a sea of crowd surfers, some of whom will probably be naked. If any band at this year’s Bloodstock Festival is going to require a public apology from Vicky Hungerford afterwards, it’s these guys.

HIDDEN INTENT – The Sophie Lancaster Stage, Friday – August 7th

Cheerfully foul-mouthed Aussie thrashers HIDDEN INTENT made their BLOODSTOCK debut back in 2023, with a little-seen but much-talked-about appearance on the Jagermeister Stage. It was a chaotic, alcohol-fuelled half hour which could best be described as Mick Dundee doing a MUNICIPAL WASTE impression. They must have impressed the right people, as despite nearly bringing the tent down, they’re returning on the much larger Sophie Lancaster Stage this time. We doubt this will be a particularly thought-provoking show, but it should be a right laugh. For extra points, take a shot every time they say c…

SEPULTURA – Ronnie James Dio Stage, Friday – August 7th

There was a fair amount of eye-rolling when SEPULTURA were announced for this year’s fest. Their appearance in 2023 was rumoured to be their last ever UK gig, and yet here we are three years later, and they’re still going. SEPULTURA’s “final tour” has lasted almost as long as a KISS farewell, and it is easy to feel a little cynical. But in fairness, they were really bloody good last time around, and we’ve no doubt it’ll be the same this August. We can’t say no to hearing some of their big, thundering classics live, and this could well be the last opportunity. Unless the retirement tour continues and they come back in 2029.

STAMPIN’ GROUND – The Sophie Lancaster Stage, Saturday – August 8th

Our younger readers might not be familiar with STAMPIN’ GROUND, but trust us on this: they’re probably going to deliver the biggest pit of the entire weekend. These five lads from Cheltenham were a powerhouse of the British underground back in the late nineties, and at one point threatened to be the UK’s answer to LAMB OF GOD. They never enjoyed the success they deserved, but their live reputation was never in doubt. STAMPIN’ GROUND could always be counted on to drive audiences into escalating acts of mosh violence. They’ve not released an album since 2003, but don’t count out these boys. When Officer Down hits, the carnage will be off the scale.

NEVERMORE – Ronnie James Dio Stage, Saturday – August 8th

We all thought NEVERMORE reached the end of their story when their beloved frontman Warrel Dane died in 2017, but against all expectations, they’ve returned. Guitarist Jeff Loomis has put together a new line-up and for many, this will be the first chance to see one of the 21st Century’s most exciting bands. NEVERMORE’s brand of progressive-power-thrash has always been difficult to pigeonhole, but when you’ve got bangers like Enemies Of Reality, The Seven Tongues Of God, and The River Dragon Has Come in your repertoire, genre tags can get in the sea. Dane was a genius, and his passing has left a major gap, but NEVERMORE remain a must-see. We’d go so far as saying that of all the bands we’ve listed here, this is the one you can’t afford to miss. When NEVERMORE hit the stage, drop everything and go watch them. We don’t care how long you’ve been standing in the queue for a Bunny Chow.

CASTLE RAT – Ronnie James Dio Stage, Sunday – August 9th

Back in 2024, one of the highlights of the weekend was the main stage performance by rising stars GREEN LUNG, who rode a wave of hype to draw a massive audience into the arena just after lunchtime. There are several bands scattered throughout the 2026 lineup who could achieve the same thing, but our money is on CASTLE RAT being this year’s breakout stars. The New Yorker’s “fantasy medieval doom metal” has won them rave reviews, with their second album The Bestiary becoming a cult hit. Singer Riley Pinkerton has a remarkable voice and unmatchable stage presence, and they’ve also got riffs that could alter the path of a tectonic plate.

ORBIT CULTURE – Ronnie James Dio Stage, Sunday – August 9th

ORBIT CULTURE have been tipped as “the next big thing” for so long that it’s become something of a meme. While certain sections of the industry are still patiently awaiting the moment they become arena-fillers, they’ve evolved into a genuinely remarkable metal band. Their last three albums – Nija, The Descent, and Death Above Life – are all favourites of the DS office, and if they play Vultures Of North, there’s a good chance our features editor might collapse inwardly through sheer joy. This is going to be a scintillating, blood-thumping metal show, so who cares if they ever headline Wembley or not?

CARPENTER BRUT – The Sophie Lancaster Stage, Sunday – August 9th

We’re rounding the weekend off with something completely different. Synthwave heroes CARPENTER BRUT are playing the late-night slot on the Sophie Lancaster Stage on Sunday night and closing out a weekend of thundering metal. Their electronic soundscapes and ambient beats should be a nice palette cleanser after four days of extremity, but at the same time, we doubt this will be a relaxing way to bring the curtain down. It’s more likely to resemble the blood rave scene from Blade than anything you’d see on an Ibiza holiday, but hopefully with a lower body count. No, it’s not metal, but it’s one band out of the entire weekend. Calm your tits.

Bloodstock Festival runs from Thursday 6th August to Sunday 9th August; we’ll see you in the pit (or at the back, nursing a pint and trying to power through the exhaustion).

Bloodstock Festival 2026 is set to take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire from 6th August – 9th August 2025. Tickets are sold out, resale tickets may be available via Tixel.

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