FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Festival 2021

When festival season was wiped out last year thanks to the raging COVID-19 pandemic, for us music fans, it felt a hammerblow with our summer being quiet and solitary away from the buzz of a packed crown or the roar of amplified noise on an outdoor stage. Flash forward to the here and now, things are thankfully moving in the right direction and festivals are back! For many, Bloodstock resembles the first major event in our world. There was the Download Pilot sure, but Bloodstock is the first major event to take place following the last of the COVID restrictions being lifted. As a belated bash for the festival’s 20th anniversary, thousands descended to Catton Hall for five days of heavy metal mayhem. And we were there to witness it all.

Wednesday – August 11th

WARD XVI – Sophie Lancaster Stage

WARD XVI are not just celebrating a return to the stage – three weeks ago guitarist David Stott and vocalist Kberrie Nutter welcomed their new son into the world; or as the band would put it, the latest inmate added the asylum. As for their show, it’s filled with all the spectacle you would expect from the shock rockers; plenty of pomp, circumstance and pyro as they charge through a set of fan favourites from Mr Babadook to latest single Burn the Witch and beyond. The sound on the Sophie Stage is patchy all weekend and WARD XVI are one such culprit, but they’ve come a long way in recent years, helped by the power of most recent album Metamorphosis, and this show is testament to what they’re capable of. Give it a few years and they could well be headlining this stage, not playing second on opening night.

Rating: 7/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

RAISED BY OWLS – Sophie Lancaster Stage

If anyone can follow the bombast of WARD XVI, it’s grindcore loons RAISED BY OWLS. Across the weekend there seem to be more t-shirts displaying ‘Jesus probably isn’t that bad’ on the backs of people than any other; a direct parody of THAT CRADLE OF FILTH shirt, there’s even a glorious moment where both are captured side by side and proudly presented on the band’s socials, a testament to their dry humour. Onstage, that humour is there as well; whether it’s the downright silliness of Ross Kemp on Gangbangs or the classic Ainsley Harriot Advises You to Give Your Meat a Good Ol’ Rub, they’re exactly what is needed to keep the party atmosphere high on opening night. There’s even a wall of death where sides are picked based on an individual’s pronunciation of the word ‘scone’, which just about sums them up. Barmy and batty, but brilliant fun.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

BEHOLDER – Sophie Lancaster Stage

Bloodstock stalwarts BEHOLDER have a long running history with the festival. They first appeared in 2007 as a covers band, and have brought their traditional brand of heavy metal here many times throughout the years. Penning the charity single Never Take Us Down following the tragic death of Sophie Lancaster, it seems right that their farewell show should take place on this stage. BEHOLDER’s set is laden with mixed emotion, with the jubilation of Bloodstock 2021 intermingled with the sadness of bidding goodbye to one of British metal’s upstanding acts, and they give us the performance of their career.

Rating: 7/10

Words: Jack Moar

ONSLAUGHT – Sophie Lancaster Stage

Finishing off the first night of a five-day extravaganza, the SLAYER of British thrash metal’s big four do what they do best. Dealing in thick slabs of throbbing satanic thrash, ONSLAUGHT uses their (hour and) fifteen minutes of fame to run a victory lap for 2020’s return-to-form Generation Antichrist. New members Dave Garnett, James Perry and Wayne Dorman fit the Bristolians like a glove. Vocalist Garnett dominates the stage, delivering vehement renditions of A Perfect Day To Die, Generation Antichrist, and 66’Fucking’6. For the diehards donning the old-school ONSLAUGHT back patches, there’s disappointment in a set that largely ignores their eighties heyday, opting for their post-reunion material. This makes the appearance of Metal Forces all the more anthemic as the only 80’s cut of the night.

Despite their disregard for their past discography, the highlight of their set comes in the appearance of former vocalist Sy Keller. As Keller and Garnett go to war line for line, there’s a permeating sense of euphoria as the baton is handed firmly over. On an evening where Bloodstock’s Metal 2 The Masses Co-Ordinator Simon Hall has already closed the chapter on his band BEHOLDER, ONSLAUGHT’s salute to their future feels far more fitting to kick off the festivities.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Jack Press

Thursday – August 12th 

FURY – Sophie Lancaster Stage

A host of bleary-eyed punters make their way in front of the Sophie Lancaster Stage for late morning to catch Bristolian rock upstarts MOTHER VULTURE…only they’ve transformed. Beset by COVID at the last minute and therefore self-isolating, FURY have stepped into their place with no rehearsal time and prior to their appearance in the VIP area the following night. The golden rule with performing on stage, however, is that as long as the audience don’t realise you’ve messed up, you got away with it and FURY do just that – half an hour of throwback trad metal goes down an absolute storm and does well to convert many those who turned up for something completely different. Plus, when you’re at a metal festival, playing a track entitled Dragon’s Song is always going to be well received, isn’t it? Consider a number of hangovers successfully blown away.

Rating: 7/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

ASHEN CROWN – Sophie Lancaster Stage

If there are any hangovers left, they’re soon taken care of by ASHEN CROWN. Four years to the day since they first graced the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage, the band walk out on the next stage up with one intention; destroy everything in their sight. Like many others, ASHEN CROWN have been chomping at the bit to get back out there and play to a live audience, especially as over the last eighteen months they’ve dropped debut record Obsolescence, and they played as if every second on stage was as precious as life itself. Bruising and demanding full attention, there’s no let up from the West Midlanders who watch as not only do the numbers of people inside the Sophie tent grow, but so does the circle pit in front of them. Death metal isn’t everyone’s poison of choice as morning becomes afternoon, but if it is, this does the job nicely.

Rating: 7/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

ODYSSEUS – Hobgoblin New Blood Stage

With bands like CRYPTIC SHIFT and VENOM PRISON carrying the torch for a disgustingly dark new breed of British tech-death, it’s no surprise the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage is rife with new initiates. Manchester quintet ODYSSEUS have quite the hill to climb hitting the stage at 12:45, yet they give it all they’ve got. Last year’s Wretched has the potential to wreck the place, whilst new single Thy Gathering bleeds out into deathcore dimensions. Despite the hefty-sized crowd, there’s still plenty of hangovers being nursed and the pits they deserve never quite come out of the woodwork. On the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage stage, it’s safe to say a successful set can be measured by a band’s ability to act like they’re playing on the main stage, and whilst ODYSSEUS are not quite there yet, they’ve more than proven they pack the potential to climb.

Rating: 6/10

Words: Jack Press

LUNA’S CALL – Sophie Lancaster Stage

Sometimes bands come ready-made for success. Backed by a legendary producer – Russ Russell of AT THE GATES and NAPALM DEATH fame) and funded by a goal-breaking Kickstarter campaign, genre-hoppers LUNA’S CALL should arrive on the Sophie Lancaster Stage as heroes. Of course, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Guitarist Liam Underdown is missing in action, having tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the day, so the remaining trio struggle to truly recreate their complex progressive death metal on such a big stage. Technical issues chew away at the wires of their set like rats, plaguing it as if it’s a doomed slot. Despite this, vocalist Neil Purdy puts on quite the performance. Keeping the crowd chomping at the bit for their immersive music, you’d be hard-pressed to notice they’re missing a member unless you’re a familiar fan of LUNA’S CALL. Let’s hope they have better luck next time, eh?

Rating: 6/10

URNE – Sophie Lancaster Stage

Judging from the thunderous applause that greets URNE as they hit the stage of The Sophie Lancaster Stage, it feels like the band are one of the most anticipated sets of the weekend. Debut full-length Serpent & Spirit has been regarded as one of this year’s finest releases and given the fact that Bloodstock is the biggest show the band have played to date, there was a lot riding on whether the trio could meet the lofty expectations that awaited them. And that they did. From start to finish, URNE proceeded to capture the hearts and minds of anyone present in the tent as thick, neck-snapping riffs keep the momentum flowing whilst bassist/vocalist Joe Nally utterly excels as his gruff deliveries soar over the chaos. The set might be short, but a thundering rendition of Desolate Heart ends things on the utmost of highs. Keep an eye on this band, they are bound for greatness.

Rating: 9/10

Words: James Weaver

CASKET FEEDER – Hobgoblin New Blood Stage

Marrying genres in metal can be seen as a crime worth a fate worse than death. However, as Milton Keynes’ CASKET FEEDER prove, breaking the rules can give birth to brand new strains of heaviness. Walking out to a packed-out Hobgoblin New Blood Stage is no mean feat for three in the afternoon. For many bands, this slot is their first slice of festival action. CASKET FEEDER play like they’re performing on the Sophie Lancaster or Ronnie James Dio Stages – a testament to just how important the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage is to the development of new bands. They storm the stage like tornados in a teacup, throwing together the disgusting depths of death metal with the infectious grooves of UKHC. Whilst cuts from 2018 EP Scalps hit hard, it’s new single Wormwood that feels like flesh being torn from your skin. If there’s any band on the New Blood today who’s likely to climb the stages at Bloodstock, it’s CASKET FEEDER.

Rating: 9/10

Words: Jack Press

SEETHING AKIRA – Sophie Lancaster Stage

Bloodstock has always prided itself on pushing the genre boundaries beyond it’s gatekeeping standards. South Coast renegades SEETHING AKIRA truly put that theory to the test with their coffee-cup blend of drum and bass, post-hardcore, and rap-metal. Their set on the Sophie Lancaster Stage is nothing short of a ceremony, having graduated from their slot on the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage in 2017. They hit the ground running with seismic new single Smile Thief, erupting on stage with the intensity of an earthquake. SEETHING AKIRA pull no punches in showcasing their upcoming second album, Dysfunctional Wonderland. The setlist is almost entirely made up of previously released singles and unheard tracks, save for Sleepy Skeletor’s Airstrike and a cosmic, crowd-chanting cover of the BEASTIE BOYS‘ Intergalatic. They put the politics of their music to the side in favour of celebrating the return of live music, often looking astonished at the hefty crowd they’ve hauled in. The bludgeoning bass of Ded whips up the circle pits whilst inducing the sing-alongs bigger slots like this command. Anyone claiming SEETHING AKIRA don’t belong at Bloodstock are proven once and for all wrong.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Jack Press

GODEATER – Hobgoblin New Blood Stage

Akin to so many other bands, the momentum of GODEATER was killed dead thanks to the pandemic. With live shows suspended throughout the majority of 2020, the Scottish tech-death unit could not bring the excellent All Flesh Is Grass to the masses, so it was utterly heartwarming to see a packed tent of the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage awaiting the Scots. Showing no signs of rust, GODEATER proceeded to ooze class, technical precision and aural savagery as they kept the adrenaline surging from start to finish. Riffs bend and dazzle with copious amounts of mind-bending technicality and keep the crowd fixated towards the stage throughout. Picking up right where they left off before The Great Pause, GODEATER are back with a bang and further cement their status as one of the UK’s hottest properties.

Rating: 8/10

Words: James Weaver

FAMYNE – Sophie Lancaster Stage

Canterbury’s FAMYNE bring a traditional doom metal style into the 21st Century. They combine dark fantasy with onerous hooks whilst retaining a familiar ‘epic’ sound, and their second appearance at the festival is met with a rapturous response. Vocalist Tom Vane’s voice soars throughout the Sophie Lancaster Stage with virtuosic ease, as the band deliver an energetic display of dark tidings. Fan favourites Tower and Long Lost Winter appear alongside a showcase of material from their second full-length (due early next year) and give us all reason to wait and see what this promising band are going to do next.

Rating: 9/10

Words: Jack Moar

AXIOM – Jagermeister Stage

You’d be forgiven for assuming AXIOM had rocked up to the wrong festival when casting your eyes on bassist Stuart Drinkwater’s bright pink board shorts and buttoned-up shirt. If you chose to skip their half hour of instrumental prog rock power on the Jagermeister Stage, then we can’t forgive you, for it was a mind-bendingly good time. Dealing in nothing but polyrhythmic prog that puts you in a hazy headspace, the bearded trio of Brummies bring it to Bloodstock. Breaking up their interplanetary instrumentals, AXIOM deliver some light-hearted chit-chat including some self-deprecating crowd chants of ‘Yam Yams.’ When they finally flee the stage, smiles all over their faces, it’s safe to say those crowded under the smallest stage canopy in existence are left wanting more.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Jack Press

PUNK ROCK FACTORY – Sophie Lancaster Stage

The right band, on the right stage, at the right time, on the right day. No disrespect to HACKTIVIST here, who would have destroyed the Sophie Lancaster Stage if they hadn’t cancelled two days before, but what better way to warm up before the truly bonkers LAWNMOWER DETH than an hour of ludicrous cover songs? PUNK ROCK FACTORY are an absolute joy this evening – their latest record, Masters of the Uniwurst, features 22 renditions of classic children’s TV shows and cartoons and the opening number, Thundercats, threatens to bring the roof in. There’s also something so endearing about a packed tent of burly metalheads singing ‘Go Go, Power Rangers!’ or ‘Heroes in a half-shell, Turtle Power!’ at the tops of their voices – after so much negativity, to be able to regress into a safe space of childlike wonder and forget about the outside world is just what the doctor ordered.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

LAWNMOWER DETH – Sophie Lancaster Stage

Thursday’s proceedings come to an end with the cult comedy thrash act, LAWNMOWER DETH, closing the Sophie Lancaster Stage. In a genre where there is always a risk of overdosing on super serious bands, DETH’s ridiculous approach to thrash and crossover laden with gags is a welcome tonic. Leaning heavily on their debut album, the excellently titled Ooh Crikey It’s… LAWNMOWER DETH, the Ravenshead outfit deliver short sharp bursts of joke-laden energy.

It’s clear that the LAWNMOWER DETH boys are having a great time. They beam with smiles as they punctuate classics like Flying Killer Cobs from the Planet Bob and Did You Spill My Pint? with smatterings of new material, all while various crew members join them on stage in increasingly ridiculous costumes. The difficult thing about being a comedy metal band however is the intelligibility of the jokes – in the context of a sweaty tent filled with shouting fans, most lines are hard to land. It’s definitely a show that requires a prior knowledge of the band’s songs to get the most out of it.

Still, the on-stage antics help carry the show and the band’s good vibes are infectious. The set comes to an end with crew members bringing out a surprisingly well crafted torture shed (aptly named the ‘Deth Shed’) for Sheepdip, bungling costumed stage hands in to it to never be seen again. It’s a bizarre concoction of thrash and absurdity, but it’s hard not to come away giggling.

Rating: 7/10

Words: Sam Khaneka

Friday – August 13th

FOETAL JUICE – Ronnie James Dio Stage

Opening up the Ronnie James Dio Stage are Manchester’s FOETAL JUICE, whose blue humour belies a surprisingly competent death metal band. No topics are off limits with this band (even donner kebabs) and frontman Derek Carley does well to coax a smile out of a largely hungover audience nursing their morning coffees. What FOETAL JUICE might lack in lyrical refinement they have in spades when it comes to delivering a tight and satisfyingly brutal set, proving that sometimes the low-hanging fruit can be delicious too.

Rating: 6/10

Words: Jack Moar

DIVINE CHAOS – Ronnie James Dio Stage

There’s just something special about experiencing thrash metal at a festival. The surging adrenaline, the thunderous riffing, and the easy nature to just be able to bang you head, thrash is prime for the outdoors and DIVINE CHAOS take their opportunity to blow away the cobwebs of a weary Friday-morning crowd. With the majority of their set compiled of material from last year’s The Way To Oblivion, the band keep the adrenaline pumping through chunky riffs and a commanding display from frontman Jut Tabor. Whilst the sound did become somewhat formulaic at times, DIVINE CHAOS more than surpassed the expectations surrounding an early morning slot, job well done.

Rating: 7/10

Words: James Weaver

DEIFIED – Sophie Lancaster Stage

Merseyside Metal 2 The Masses 2015 winners DEIFIED are going head-to-head with thrash metal stalwarts DIVINE CHAOS. For those who’ve hidden from the sun in favour of catching DEIFIED, you’re rewarded with a throbbing mesh of LAMB OF GOD-inspired groove, EXODUS-influenced thrash, and forward-thinking hardcore. Frontman Jamie Hughes is cut from the same cloth as NAPALM DEATH’s Barney Greenway, spiralling around the centre of the stage like he’s stuck on a loop. There’s a voraciousness to his performance that commands the crowd to bang heads like a brutalist at a ritual. Considering some campers are still queuing up for the showers, and others aren’t even awake yet, sometimes you just need a band to do what they say on the tin. That’s exactly what DEIFIED do, giving DIVINE CHAOS a good run for their money.

Rating: 7/10

Words: Jack Press

SVALBARD – Ronnie James Dio Stage

Since the release of the stellar It’s Hard To Have Hope in 2018, SVALBARD have long been considered one of the treasures of the UK heavy music scene. It was a crying shame that last year’s magnificent When I Die, Will I Get Better? Never got the live treatment due to COVID-19, so for the Bristol-based band, there outing on the Ronnie James Dio Stage is their first chance to display material from their latest opus in the live setting. And they utterly smashed it. With a smile that is infectious as their post-meets-black metal riffs, Serena Cherry and co dispatched one of the performances of the weekend. Revenge Porn rages with the utmost fury whilst Click Bait (arguably the highlight of the set) is performed with sheer excellency. SVALBARD are a special band and judging from their commanding performance on Bloodstock‘s main stage, they further bolster their position as one of the finest bands to grace our scene.

Rating: 9/10

Words: James Weaver

BEYOND EXTINCTION – Hobgoblin New Blood Stage

With the oldest member of the band born in 1999 – and amusingly called ‘Grandpa’ already – Essex’s BEYOND EXTINCTION boast potentially one of the youngest lineups Bloodstock has ever seen, but that youthful energy means they attack the New Blood stage with more venom than a lot of their more seasoned peers. ‘Fists up, you pussies!’, shouts frontman Jasper Harmer as the quintet absolutely batter the living senses out of everyone watching them with some of the bounciest death metal this side of the galaxy. Sure, they’re only just older than the festival itself, but if this is what the new, new generation of metal sounds like, God are we in good hands; by the time God Complex finishes proceedings, BEYOND EXTINCTION have left every other band to grace the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage that day trailing in their dust. Exciting, exuberant and exceptional; these boys are ones to watch out for.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

ACID REIGN – Ronnie James Dio Stage

Arguably the ANTHRAX of the big four of British thrash metal, ACID REIGN have experienced the same level of love their American counterparts have experienced since reforming in 2015. Having previously headlined the Sophie Lancaster Stage, their afternoon outing on the Ronnie James Dio Stage is testament to their stature. Opening with the speed metal spirit of The New Low, they take the Catton Park crowd on a victory lap, celebrating their third album, and first in 29 years, 2019’s The Age Of Entitlement. Despite their popularity in the early nineties, it’s the new cuts that get the crowd going crazy, with Hardship hitting ever closer to home when frontman Howard Smith contextualises it with the perils of COVID-19. ACID REIGN’s set is like a homecoming thanks to the frontman, who in another life was likely a comedian. He leads the crowd in showing their love for the NHS, joking they should get back to work rather than dance around in a field, and brings tears to our eyes when dedicating Blind Aggression to late bassist Ian Gangwer. On a bill jam-packed with up-and-coming British talent such as HIGHER POWER, SVALBARD and VENOM PRISON, ACID REIGN are a surprise highlight.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Jack Press

DESOLATION – Hobgoblin New Blood Stage

DESOLATION deal in the kind of melodic groove metal that belongs in dingy dive bars in the American wastelands. It’s the kind of metal CORROSION OF CONFORMITY wouldn’t bat an eyelid at. They fail to fill out the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage, with space aplenty for tumbleweed, yet the four-piece from Darlington do their best to bring it nonetheless. They throw out groove-riddled riffs like they’re mass-grilling bacon butties, and it’s somewhat sad there’s not more here to make some moshing happen. However, their set is somewhat overshadowed by their mid-set revelation that they’ve not got t-shirts for sale because their special edition Bloodstock ones were banned. Whether it’s true or not, it puts a sour taste on festivities.

Rating: 5/10

Words: Jack Press

VENOM PRISON – Ronnie James Dio Stage

Ever since erupting onto the scene with Animus back in 2016, VENOM PRISON have been one of extreme music’s hottest properties. With consistently strong studio output and a venomous live reputation, any fears that the band’s ferocity would be lost on a bigger stage such as Bloodstock would be instantly squashed as the death metal-meets-hardcore hybrid proceed to pummel the dense crowd through a lethal exercise of aural brutality. Pyro erupts consistently as a cacophony of groove-laden riffing from Ash Gray and Ben Thomas intertwine with frontwoman’s Larissa Stupar‘s contorting screams and guttural bellows. In a breakneck performance with little chance to pause and catch your breath, VENOM PRISON obliterate those who were present. And it was simply glorious.

Rating: 9/10

Words: James Weaver

THE WILDHEARTS – Ronnie James Dio Stage

The career of THE WILDHEARTS has been nothing if not tumultuous, but the band has managed to enjoy enduring success in spite of that. Fronted by their charismatic frontman Ginger, band and audience alike are smiling throughout their set today, which is peppered with plenty of Geordie humour. THE WILDHEARTS perform cuts from their latest album Renaissance Men alongside tracks from the classic Earth vs. The Wildhearts, with lots of other singles thrown in for good measure. This is feel-good hard rock done right and, as the sun shines on this field in Derby, it’s hard to find anyone that would disagree.

Rating: 7/10

Words: Jack Moar

SKINDRED – Ronnie James Dio Stage

When SKINDRED were last announced in 2017, the furore that greeted them was completely unwarranted, something proved when they slapped the bejesus out of the Catton Hall faithful and turned in one of the performances of the festival. This time around, and a place up the bill, they do exactly the same. SKINDRED are rarely disappointing live, if at all, but the way they hit the bullseye with such unerring accuracy time after time is quite scary to contemplate. From the moment they launch out of the traps with Stand For Something, there’s not a person in the arena who isn’t immediately encapsulated by them, whether due to the music or another of Benji Webbe’s eye-popping outfits. Rat Race goes down a storm, Kill the Power has fists pumping and closer Warning once again sees a furious Newport Helicopter as far as the eye can see. Job done once again.

Rating: 9/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

CONAN – Sophie Lancaster Stage

Purveyors of all things slow and heavy, CONAN have been a fixture in the British metal scene for years so this year’s anglo-centric instalment of Bloodstock would have been sorely lacking without them. Their self-styled brand of ‘Caveman Battle Doom’ is best suited to the sweatier, smaller venues, but translates effectively to the big stage too. CONAN’s bludgeoning riffs never fail to instigate a slow-motion wave of banging heads, and today is no exception. There are no surprises in their greatest hits set this afternoon, but a sudden change in gear for closing piece Paincantation still manages to leave the audience baffled.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Jack Moar

HÄXAN – Jagermeister Stage

The intimate confines of the Jagermeister tent might leave little room to actually see whoever’s on stage, but those who do are greeted with some truly exceptional performances – HÄXAN are one such band. The trio from the South West have garnered a sizeable fanbase over the pandemic, not least helped out by their debut record White Noise. For a three piece as well, they make a hell of a noise – even with just the one guitarist, their THIN LIZZY-esque melodies almost sound like a twin axe attack and the choruses are so catchy that there a number of people singing back every word, particularly on the insanely catch Killing Time. Walking away from the tent, there’s no doubt from anyone who managed to catch them that HÄXAN should be in front of way more people than this; here’s to a year where their venue sizes double and then double again.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

DEVIN TOWNSEND – Ronnie James Dio Stge

Giant elephants. Interplanetary guitar battles. Choirs bathed in white. It’s the kind of colourful chaos a child come dream up. So naturally, it’s not surprising it’s the warped world of heavy metal’s resident genre-hopper DEVIN TOWNSEND headlining his first ever UK festival. Considering it’s his first festival headliner, you’d have forgiven DEVIN for sticking to his guns and playing a hits-heavy set. However, if we’ve learnt anything over the years, it’s to expect the unexpected from the Canadian enigma. And that’s what we get – a set picked entirely for the fans, by the fans.

STRAPPING YOUNG LAD-staple Aftermath opens up Bloodstock’s very own Mad Hatter’s tea party, before Kingdom and By Your Command take an intergalactic trip through a sonic solar system. There’s a method to the madness in this fan-requested setlist. Every song is perfectly placed and paced for maximum impact. The titanic tech-death crunch of Love? causes absolute chaos across the 20,000-strong crowd before bleeding into the transcendent beauty of Deadhead, backed by hauntingly serene visuals. Spirits Will Collide is the highlight of the night. Backed by a choir and a cast of elephants and gorillas, DEVIN and co. stake their claim for Bloodstock’s most anthemic moment. Bathed in gold-light, the crowd laps up every lasting moment, as if it could all be stolen away.

It’s testament to DEVIN TOWNSEND’s dedication to defending the faith that he’s jumped through flaming hoops to make this set happen. He’s been self-isolating both at home in Canada and over here in the UK for over a month, and his band of hired hands have only known each other for three days. It should be a slot set to fail, but you’d never even guess they’ve only done one show together before – they sound incredulously on form. Sounding off with a euphoric rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ alongside the Bloodstock organisers as fireworks shoot off into the night, it’s safe to say that DEVIN TOWNSEND’s first headliner was utterly triumphant.

Rating: 10/10

Words: Jack Press

NAPALM DEATH – Sophie Lancaster Stage

Following up DEVIN TOWNSEND’s set on the Ronnie James Dio Stage is no easy task, but NAPALM DEATH have come prepared by having more energy than any band of the weekend so far. Opening with Silence Is Deafening, NAPALM DEATH’s performance is an exercise in high octane, unrelenting drive. Frontman Barney Greenway stalks the stage, vigorously shaking his head and hands in-between belts of guttural lyrics as sweat flies off in to the crowd. The rhythm section of Sean Emery and Danny Herrera ensures neck-breaking intensity and Mitch Harris doles out vicious riff after riff after riff. It’s a sight to behold.

The band provide a surprisingly thorough overview of their whole discography, airing out cuts from Scum, From Enslavement to Obliteration and many others while barely stopping for breath. As their first gig since its release, NAPALM DEATH squeeze in a number of songs from Throes Of Joy In The Jaws Of Defeatism, with vicious numbers like Contagion effortlessly slotting in amongst the older material.

The most surprising thing about NAPALM DEATH’s set however isn’t the extremity and intensity of the performance, but the sweeping wave of positivity that surrounds it. With Greenway only pausing briefly between songs, he takes the opportunity to affirm support for various down-trodden groups in a sincere and no-nonsense manner. It’s refreshing to see a frontman so polemic about their progressive values in a genre often ripe with problematic ideals, and gives NAPALM DEATH’s show a welcome sense of catharsis. Appropriately, the band cover DEAD KENNEDYS’ Nazi Punks Fuck Off before offering a couple of renditions of You Suffer and closing out their oddly euphoric shout-fest.

Rating: 9/10

Words: Sam Khaneka

Saturday – August 14th

A HORSE CALLED WAR – Hobgoblin New Blood Stage

With Bloodstock being the UK’s premier metal festival, it’s only fitting that some of the darker forces in this world take a hands-on approach to getting involved after a year away. Take the Four Riders of the Apocalypse, for example, who decide to send A HORSE CALLED WAR along to open the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage on this fine Saturday morning. All joking aside though, the sludgecore mob that live on the Norfolk/Suffolk border have a sound that could have easily roused Pestilence, War and Death to join their fellow stablemate, the riffs are nothing short of bone-crunching and the bludgeoning drums wreak havoc across the tent and out towards Lemmy’s Bar situated nearby. At this point, the beginning of day four, bodies will be flagging and tiredness setting in for many, so to have A HORSE CALLED WAR to deliver an audible punch to the face is a welcome gift.

Rating: 7/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

BORSTAL – Ronnie James Dio Stage

Opening up the main stage of any major festival is enough to make a seasoned touring band take a breather. UKHC supergroup BORSTAL are not only opening up today’s festivities as the first band on, it just so happens to be there first ever show together, too. Featuring members of BRUJERIA, DRIPBACK, KING OF PIGS, and KNUCKLEDUST, BORSTAL channel the spirit of New York hardcore like AGNOSTIC FRONT are giving you Cause For Alarm in 1986. They’re visceral and violent, backed up by two masked men wielding baseball bats stationed on either side of Nick Barker’s drumkit for the entire set. Alongside airing cuts from debut EP At Her Majesty’s Pleasure, the quintet kick back with unreleased material that hits harder than anything before it. When frontman Pierre Mendivil takes a moment to talk about the realities of the last year and a half, they’ve amassed a fairly-sized crowd considering it’s not even midday yet. Bringing it home hard, they usher in the era of BORSTAL in a big way.

Rating: 9/10

Words: Jack Press

BLACK ATLAS – Hobgoblin New Blood Stage

It might be tough to follow A HORSE CALLED WAR under usual circumstances, but BLACK ATLAS take it in their stride and let their music do the talking. They might have sludge in their sound like their stage predecessors, but that’s where the similarities end. Instead, BLACK ATLAS give Bloodstock half an hour of dreamy, grunge-filled stoner rock that doesn’t charge out of the speakers but rather wafts through the tent, enchanting the senses instead of pummelling them and underpinned by some glorious riffing to entice punters in from the outside. Playing a number of tracks from 2018’s Weight of the World – including the likes of Long Man and a standout rendition of Paralyser – BLACK ATLAS have no trouble in winning over the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage and making a number of new fans in the process.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

CONJURER – Ronnie James Dio Stage

As UK darlings CONJURER take to the Ronnie James Dio Stage, there is huge anticipation for a band who have been cherished as one of the brightest new lights in UK metal. Unfortunately, things get off to a shaky start as the sound gremlins threaten to dampen the Midlands-based band’s dense aural bludgeoning but once rectified, CONJURER are monolithic. Brady Deeprose‘s ear-piercing screams and Dan Nightingale‘s booming lows work wonders over the sludge-driven heaviness whilst bassist Conor Marshall windmills so hard you just end up fearing for his neck. With the bulk of the set comprised of material from 2018’s stellar Mire (which still sounds as crushingly heavy live to this day), CONJURER‘s time on stage, or in the case of Marshall who spends the latter stage of set finale Hadal up close and personal with the fans, further bolsters their stake to the UK heavy music crown. We cannot wait for what comes next from this special talent.

Rating: 8/10

Words: James Weaver

TERRA IV – Sophie Lancaster Stage

If TERRA IV’s set on the Sophie Lancaster Stage proves anything, it’s that guitarist Timfy James is undeniably a phoenix rising from the ashes. Having helped prototype grime metal with HACKTIVIST, it’s clear he’s set to perfect it with TERRA IV. They’ve only got four songs to their names, and it’s their first festival as a band, having formed in the midst of the global pandemic. You might think a slot on the Sophie Lancaster Stage is too tall an order? Not at all. They stomp across the stage like bulls in a china shop, throwing out unreleased songs like they’re fully established hits. It’s this kind of confidence that will supercharge them moving forward. They work hard, too. Not everyone passing by the stage is accustomed to their infusion of djent-driven grime and they give it all they’ve got to get the circle pits spinning by the end of their set. As they close out with their best material yet – an unreleased number – smiles are all over their faces, a clear sign they’ve won over the crowd.

Rating: 9/10

Words: Jack Press

ASCARIS – Hobgoblin New Blood Stage

By far the smartest dressed band on the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage – they’re always in shirts, waistcoats and ties – hopes are high for ASCARIS who rightfully have a decent sized audience in front of them. Their music is also smart, although in this case the word ‘smart’ is used to mean ‘well-executed and tight’, because blackened death metal probably isn’t the first genre you’d associate with it. But that’s what ASCARIS play and my word do they play it well; there’s enough force generated by punters headbanging to bring down a small city. Sound gremlins do threaten them at points, but the sheer power of their music breaks down all obstacles and Eau de Nil in particular rockets out of the speakers with face-melting vigour. Like every year, the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage is awash with the most exciting up-and-coming talent around; ASCARIS are one of the best.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

WARGASM – Ronnie James Dio Stage

Marmite. You love it. Or you hate it. There’s no middle ground. That’s the best way to describe the divide nu-metal duo WARGASM bring to the Bloodstock crowd. It’s safe to say a huge chunk of their crowd are curious cats unsure of what they’re about to witness. Opener Rage All Over is explosive – the duo of Milkie Way and Sam Matlock treating the stage like it’s a sandbox. They sound a little like SLIPKNOT. They sound a little like POPPY. If you’ve ever wanted to watch a bunch of battle jackets drop their jaws, this is the set to do it. They drop their cover of N*E*R*D’s Lapdance like it’s a Bloodstock staple, and tease out new material no one’s heard. They act like they’re headlining the festival, yet their chaotic energy isn’t convincing everyone. Sure, they’ve got a huge chunk jumping up and down, crowd-surfing, and kicking off mosh pits; there’s also a huge chunk looking on in confusion and disgust. Whether you’re spreading this marmite band on your musical toast or not, you can’t deny they’ve got one hell of a presence.

Rating: 7/10

Words: Jack Press

MALEVOLENCE – Ronnie James Dio Stage

It’s somewhat of a surprise that Sheffield’s MALEVOLENCE have never graced the hallowed ground of Catton Hall until now. Their hardcore with undertones of NOLA-esque sludge is a match made in heaven, but good things happen for those who wait. And the wait was worth it. From the moment they hit the stage, MALEVOLENCE would dispatch a performance that would go down as one of the sets of the weekend. With aggression upped to the max thanks to hefty slabs such as the riff-frenzy Serpents Chokehold or emphatic closer Keep Your Distance (that boasts a mosh-call that has all the more ironic impact thanks to COVID-19), the adrenaline never stopped flowing throughout their time on stage. Even when the band dialled things back a notch with the poignant and emotionally-heavy The Other Side, frontman Alex Taylor and his bandmates held their crowd in their palms of their collective hands. Everyone has suffered from the absence of live music during the pandemic, but for anyone who was present for MALEVOLENCE‘s show-stealer of a performance, the wait for its return has been more than worth. Truly phenomenal.

Rating: 10/10

Words: James Weaver

WHILE SHE SLEEPS – Ronnie James Dio Stage

WHILE SHE SLEEPS have slowly but surely been climbing the ladder of British heavy metal over the last few years. They’ve watched their friends in ARCHITECTS and BRING ME THE HORIZON break through to the mainstream, and their set at Bloodstock is yet more proof in their giant slice of pudding that they’ve got what it takes. They’re fourth from top yet they’ve got headliner-worthy production. They’ve arguably drawn in one of the biggest crowds of the weekend. And they’ve bought a setlist of bangers to boot. Opener Sleeps Society whips up the pits, whilst fan-favourites Brainwashed and Four Walls give way to sing-alongs few bands on this bill manage to cook up. By the time vocalist Loz Taylor sprints through the crowd and climbs up the sound tower like he’s playing Donkey Kong, the Sheffield massive have set out their stall for all to see. If WHILE SHE SLEEPS aren’t headlining this stage in the next five years, we’ll be very surprised.

Rating: 10/10

Words: Jack Press

PARADISE LOST – Ronnie James Dio Stage

Gothic metal royalty PARADISE LOST are no strangers to Bloodstock, and they take to the Ronnie James Dio Stage with the calm confidence which only thirty year’s experience in the business can buy. The musical partnership of Gregor Mackintosh and Nick Holmes has been nothing if not productive, but Draconian Times undeniably sits atop a growing list of chart successes. Today they treat us to a complete performance of their classic album, but they look as though they wish they hadn’t. There is a certain conviction lacking in their performance, and when twinned with an ear-splitting keyboard mix, it would be fair to say that there have been better days to see PARADISE LOST.

Rating: 5/10

Words: Jack Moar

LOWEN – Jagermeister Stage

LOWEN patiently wait for the Ronnie James Dio Stage performers to finish to avoid a sound clash, eventually kicking off their set with an earth-shaking solo vocal from frontwoman Nina Saeidi. As the rest of the band join her, the sheer sonic weight of LOWEN’s playing makes it clear that the real risk was them drowning out PARADISE LOST. Playing a musically dense brand of doom, LOWEN weave in a number of Middle Eastern influences that make them stand out from your typical heavy band. Saeidi’s spiralling vocals are delivered with a trance-like intensity, while Shem Lucas’ hefty guitars provide an enjoyably oppressive battering ram of riffs. The rhythm section prove no slouches either, with Richard Stevenson’s bass perfectly complementing the mesmerising technicality of James Loh’s drumming. As the set approaches its finale, Saeidi brings out a Daf to accompany the sludgy music. The mesmeric performance is over all too quickly, but hopefully setting them up for a future slot on a stage big enough for their sound.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Sam Khaneka

WINTERFYLLETH – Sophie Lancaster Stage

Standard-bearers for British black metal WINTERFYLLETH have come to cast a shadow on this sunny afternoon, and seemingly every extreme metal fan at the festival is here to see them do it. They forefront tracks from the much celebrated The Reckoning Dawn, giving Absolved In Fire, A Hostile Fate (The Wayfarer Pt. IV) and the title track their first live outings, but it’s the classic A Valley Thick With Oaks which receives all the fanfare. Their triumphant return to the Sophie Lancaster Stage marks the debut of their new guitarist Russell Dobson, also of NECRONAUTICAL (more on them later.)

Rating: 7/10

Words: Jack Moar

CRADLE OF FILTH – Ronnie James Dio Stage

You might say that extreme metal icons CRADLE OF FILTH measure success at Bloodstock by how many gobstoppers get thrown at them. If that’s the case, they’re in the clear as they crown themselves the kings and queens of the sub-headliner slot before KREATOR. Whilst most bands over the weekend are plugging their new material, CRADLE relegate new album Existence Is Futile to the bench in favour of a first-team full of hits. Focusing largely on their early-to-mid noughties output, they throw out big-hitters like Cthulhu Dawn and Nemesis early on like it’s no man’s business. Lilith Immaculate and Her Ghost In The Fog are the clear highlights, causing chaos for security and some of the biggest chants of the weekend. It’s less the setlist and more the stage shows that matters though. Set up like their very own Garden of Earthly Delights – in honour of their Hieronymus Bosch-inspired artwork – keyboardist and vocalist Annabelle Iratni is encased in a vine-riddled wonderland whilst frontman Dani Filth and co. run up and down unearthly staircases. If that wasn’t enough, they’ve bought enough pyro to rival RAMMSTEIN, threatening to singe the eyebrows of the front row. If you hadn’t seen the line-up, you’d be forgiven for thinking the band that once got bottled here by gobstoppers were actually headlining this stage.

Rating:

Words: Jack Press

MEMORIAM – Sophie Lancaster Stage

When MEMORIAM first emerged and graced Bloodstock back in 2016, it felt like it was just an opportunity for Karl Willetts to lay BOLT THROWER to rest. Flash forward five years, and the death metal band are a fully-fledged outfit with ample material to boot. And their time as a later-billed band on the Sophie Lancaster Stage is well spent as Willetts and company proceed to unleash an aural barrage of top tier death metal. War Rages On rumbles with apocalyptic menace, Shell Shock is but a joy to experience live in the flesh and set closer Flatline is a fitting finale to a band who have really grown comfortable in their own skin. Whilst the set does experience a flittering of repetitiveness, MEMORIAM generate enough groove and slick death metal precision to warrant your attention and their outing at Bloodstock will only help to cement their place in the death metal world further.

Rating: 7/10

Words: James Weaver

MOUNTAIN CALLER – Jagermeister Stage

If there’s any band on today’s Jägermeister bill that’s causing more of a buzz than bees in your backyard, it’s instrumental trio MOUNTAIN CALLER. The trio of Claire Simson, El Reeve and Max Maxwell wield their instruments like wizards. Their music takes you on a spiritual journey through the cosmos, having crafted all of their releases so far around a singular concept. You might think it’s a tall task for a band like MOUNTAIN CALLER to be headlining this stage so early on with quite a complex offering. You’d think wrong. They’ve packed out the Jägermeister Stage and prove every person right to have done so. Introduced as the main support for KREATOR, it’s clear they’re not taking things too seriously and their instrumental chops do the talking for them in between El Reeve’s science facts – see, they’re teaching us stuff, too!

The real magic of their set is their ability to create an escape. There’s not a single moment from the opening notes of their set where you’re not fully immersed in their world. Their work tells the tale of a women who wakes up with no memory and no voice in a devastated city and the journey she goes on. Their polyrhythmic carousel of sounds is kaleidoscopic and captures the story so well, with Feast At Half – Light City a notable highlight. It’s testament to their skills and to the future that lies ahead for them that there’s not a single member of their audience not crying for one more song by the time they leave the stage. They may be on the smallest stage tonight, but they’ll be ascending to far bigger things soon enough.

Rating: 10/10

Words: Jack Press

KREATOR – Ronnie James Dio Stage

When veteran German thrashers KREATOR last graced Bloodstock, frontman Millie Petrozza declared that the next time they played, they would headline. Whilst there’s a slice of luck due to the pandemic, headliner they are and with a world of expectation, there’s a lot riding on whether KREATOR have the knack to pull it off. And from the moment they roar into Violent Revolution, the band instantly showcase their credentials and what follows in a performance of the highest quality. Armed with a plethora of pyro, confetti cannons, an elaborate stage set-up with multiple backdrops and a neat guest appearance from CRADLE OF FILTH‘s Dani Filth on Betrayer, the Germans have plenty of tricks up their sleeves but for all their elaborate stage showmanship, it’s their music that does the real talking.

Recent rippers from their searing run of latter albums such as Satan Is Real, Phantom Antichrist and Enemy of God are utterly explosive whilst the anthemic Flag of Hate (that features one of the most comedic moments of the entire festival as Petrozza toys with the crowd and their kindergarten level of raising the flag of hate) or the rip-roaring closer Pleasure To Kill showcase that KREATOR are the real deal. It feels like their headlining performance was meant to be, written in the stars if you will, and it was gripping from start to finish in one of the standout performances of the entire festival

Rating: 10/10

Words: James Weaver

PHIL CAMPBELL AND THE BASTARD SONS – Sophie Lancaster Stage

If you were hoping for an hour’s worth of MOTÖRHEAD karaoke courtesy of axe-slinger Phil Campbell and his band of Bastard Sons, you may have found yourself disappointed during his headline set on the Sophie Lancaster Stage. There’s no denying the Welshman his rights to legendary status, who’s worked tirelessly to keep Lemmy’s legacy flying high over the years since his death. However, there’s also no denying that his solo material is nowhere near that level. And his set tonight proves that when he’s playing the solo cuts alongside MOTÖRHEAD classics, the former simply doesn’t cut the mustard.

Closing trio Silver Machine, Ace Of Spades, and Killed By Death are a compelling crowd-chanting exercise in heavy metal heroics. It’s the painful path to them that makes a trip on the dodgems opposite the Sophie Lancaster Stage a more tempting proposition. Step Into The Fire and Son Of A Gun could be big-room hits, but they’re immediately followed by Rock Out and Born To Raise Hell, so they’re lost in a far bigger shadow. If Phil Campbell purely played MOTÖRHEAD and HAWKWIND cuts, this would be one hell of a karaoke headliner. However, you can’t deny his rights to move on – it just simply doesn’t cut it when it’s overshadowed by something so legendary.

Rating: 5/10

Words: Jack Press

Sunday – August 15th

SEIDRBLOT – Ronnie James Dio Stage

A more serene atmosphere greets those who traipse into the arena on Sunday morning and it comes courtesy of SEIDRBLOT. Over the last few years, bands such as HEILUNG and WARDRUNA have been making waves within the metal community with their brand of ‘Nordic folk’ or ‘Neo-pagan’ music, combining the earthly sounds of traditional instruments with ancient chanting. SEIDRBLOT are a band who do the same and, even though it’s not yet midday, they pull an incredibly receptive audience. Sat on stools, the trio use tagelharpas, singular drums and even an axe hit into wood to bring their shamanic music to life, backed by two fire dancers that wow with their dexterity and skill. If SEIDRBLOT were a guinea pig to see how this style would go down at Bloodstock, it’s a rousing success; give them a late night slot on the Sophie Lancaster Stage and it would be magical.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

BLOODSHOT DAWN – Ronnie James Dio Stage

BLOODSHOT DAWN have a long-standing relationship with Bloodstock. Since making their debut at the festival in 2012, the band can credit a lot of their biggest moments thanks to their appearances at the festival. Despite a lull in activity, the band are back with an early morning slot on the final day of Bloodstock and despite the weary and heavy-heads from four days of debauchery, the tech-leaning death metallers are simply exquisite. Frontman Josh McMorran oozes charisma, regularly engaging with the crowd throughout their time on stage and despite the makeshift lineup thanks to COVID-19, the band put their musical quality front and centre. Riffs bend with ferocious death metal fury whilst the technicality of the guitars dazzle and impress throughout. If anything, BLOODSHOT DAWN‘s time on stage served up a reminder that they are still here, and they are still a force to be reckoned with.

Rating: 8/10

Words: James Weaver

DIAMOND HEAD – Ronnie James Dio Stage

DIAMOND HEAD have spent the last ten years touring off the back of the Big Four shows they were graciously given guest of honour slots for. Sure, there’s a fair share of their crowd sitting tight to hear that one song but they more than prove they’re worth sticking around for. The NWOBHM luminaries deal in old-school rock-and-roll where the solos slide away and the lyrics either take on the occult and call out for a party. Their lineup is a revolving door of hired hands save for guitar god Brian Tatler, yet frontman Rasmus Andersen and guitarist Andy Abberley act with such passion and pomp that it feels like they’ve always been in the band. Leaning heavily on their 1980 debut Lightning To The Nations and 2019’s The Coffin Train, classic cuts It’s Electric and Helpless go hand-in-hand with fresh takes Belly Of The Beast and The Messenger. Ending with the seven-minute set-slayer Am I Evil? there’s not a single soul in the crowd not chanting the lyrics word-for-word, losing themselves in the heavy metal anthem that inspired METALLICA. Mission accomplished, we’d say.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Jack Press

SON OF BOAR – Hobgoblin New Blood Stage

With Yorkshire Pudding trays tossed aside, Bradford’s SON OF BOAR brings the Sunday service the Bloodstock faithful need on the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage. Their stoner-doom is designed to be both drearily dark and delightfully groovy. The cavernous structures that hold up the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage suit it well, and as the weather cools itself down for impending doom – we mean rain – they run wild with it. They run the stage with authority – they look the part and they act the part – and when it comes to chucking out chunky stoner riffs to light up the spliffs, they’ve got spoonful’s of the stuff. SON OF BOAR’s set might be short but sweet, but it’s certainly one suited for Sundays at Bloodstock.

Rating: 7/10

Words: Jack Press

BLEED FROM WITHIN – Ronnie James Dio Stage

Judging from the chatter proceeding BLEED FROM WITHIN hitting the Ronnie James Dio Stage, there was a lot of anticipation awaiting the Scottish metallers. Considered one of the highlights of the Download Pilot, there was great anticipation as to whether the band could replicate their performance to a much bigger crowd. And that they did. Led by the ever charismatic Scott Kennedy, BLEED FROM WITHIN felt instantly at home at Bloodstock, dispatching ample amounts of thumping breakdowns and slick grooves with the utmost ease. Bolstered by flashes of pyrotechnics, adding a visual spectacle to their crushing modern metal sound, the band ensured that the adrenaline was maintained in a tight and concise performance that showcased the quality of 2018’s Era and last year’s Fracture. Whilst it was perhaps disappointing that early material was completely omitted, there was no doubting that BLEED FROM WITHIN‘s resurgence will only be enhanced thanks to Bloodstock. And boy, do they deserve it.

Rating: 8/10

Words: James Weaver

PIST – Sophie Lancaster Stage

Going up against BLEED FROM WITHIN isn’t the easiest of gigs, let’s be honest, but Bury’s PIST do a thunderous job of bringing punters into the Sophie Lancaster Stage and – more impressively – making them stay. Rising stars within the stoner and sludge world, they throw out riffs the size of mountains as easily as vocalist Dave Rowlands chucks out free band shirts during their set. The likes of Mind Rotter and Death To All are huge slabs of metal that satisfy with ease whilst closing track Skin Your God somehow manages to top all that’s come before it and be the highlight of the entire show. There was gathering excitement over the weekend about PIST, a sizeable number of individuals touting them to be one of the best of the festival – they certainly put themselves into the running. By the end, the tent is full and they’ve deserved it.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

ORANGE GOBLIN – Ronnie James Dio Stage

As the fifth-day festival odours intermingle with the distinct perfume of cannabis, it occurs to us that ORANGE GOBLIN are basically the British KYUSS, minus the hip-thrusting swagger, and with a healthy dash of MOTÖRHEAD to boot. Their no-nonsense take on groovy heavy metal draws and broad crowd, and the lads are clearly relishing their return to the stage. ORANGE GOBLIN perform a career-spanning, greatest hits set to an appreciative, if a little sunburnt, audience. The rows of bobbing, balding and red heads speaks volumes: the London outfit have done their bit to keep the ale flowing today.

Rating: 7/10

Words: Jack Moar

VEXED – Sophie Lancaster Stage

Bloodstock Festival was made for a band like VEXED. Oozing the utmost aggression and a sonic template that just feels tailor-made for a festival, the band utterly demolish the Sophie Lancaster Stage. Opening with the ferocious Hideous, from the get-go VEXED mean business. Dense grooves combine with frontwoman Megan Targett‘s vicious shrieks whilst her sporadic cleans helps enforce a moment of respite, before the chaos is unleashed once more. Speaking of Targett, she cuts a formidable character on stage as she prowls the stage and consistently moves in perfect harmony to the swinging rhythm from her bandmates and the way in which she holds the crowd in the palm of her hand is highly impressive, especially when commanding a SLIPKNOT-esque ‘jump the fuck up!’ in the latter portion of their set. If Culling Culture was the start, Bloodstock was their statement of intent, VEXED lay their claim for the UK heavy music crown.

Rating: 9/10

Words: James Weaver

THERAPY? – Ronnie James Dio Stage

Today’s line-up is littered with legends from the NWOBHM movement. Heroes of the eighties, live and in the flesh. So, it’s in true Bloodstock fashion then that nineties alt-metal institute THERAPY? grunge up proceedings for forty-five minutes. They’ve cut their teeth across fifteen albums and thirty-two years, yet their set largely pulls from their most commercially successful era in the early nineties. Over three-quarters of their set is taken from their Top 5-charting opus Troublegum, throwing out a wave of nostalgia without resting on its laurels. Opener Potato Junkie proves that THERAPY? have the bite to prove their bark, baiting the crowd to chant ‘James Joyce is fucking my sister’ like poetries going out of fashion. From there on in the trio dive in deep, early airings of Knives and Die Laughing top up their sing-along appeal. The Irish trio waste no time in getting tight with the crowd, opening a safe space for everyone to be honest about the hard year and a half it’s been before bowing out with a double whammy in the shape of Nowhere and Screamager. THERAPY? might be the odd one’s out today, but they certainly bought the star power to Catton Park.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Jack Press

FELLOWSHIP – Hobgoblin New Blood Stage

Playing your first ever live show will always be a daunting experience, no matter where or how many people you’re in front of. But when it’s at a festival to a sea of faces (some of whom have only ducked into the tent to get out of the rain), then that pressure is dialled up to eleven. For power metal outfit FELLOWSHIP, it’s what greets them as they step onto the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage for their debut performance – what transpires is a band that swing for the fences and hit a home run at the first attempt. Backed by a boisterous audience that includes several plastic swords, diehards singing every word and – to add a big cherry on an already triumphant cake – a crowdsurfing Gandalf, the quintet from Harwich are an absolute delight in every respect. UK power metal has a new force in town, and they’re making J.R.R. Tolkein proud.

Rating: 9/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

DEITUS – Hobgoblin New Blood Stage 

Given perhaps one of the hardest clashes of the weekend – festival favourites GLORYHAMMER are on the Ronnie James Dio Stage – black metallers DEITUS ensure they leave the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage imprinted in the minds of everyone who came to see them. Active since 2004 but making considerable ground in the last few years, the five piece may no longer come on stage in full corpse paint but their music remains as bleak and dark as it did all those years ago. Whether it’s the likes of the title track or Malaise from 2018’s Via Dolorosa or even Lightbearer from debut album Acta Non Verba, DEITUS give everything they have. Finishing on a cover of GG ALLIN’s Bite It You Scum is a bit of a shame – they could have played another original instead – but what’s come before them is enough to ensure the set isn’t derailed.

Rating: 7/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

GREEN LUNG – Sophie Lancaster Stage

It’s criminal that GREEN LUNG have not received as much plaudits as they deserve. The doom-meets-psychedelic outfit have been a firm favourite in the underground, especially since the release of 2019’s Woodland Rites, so, it was incredibly heartwarming to see a packed crowd at the Sophie Lancaster Stage awaiting the band at Bloodstock. And they did not disappoint. Dense and trippy riffing was the order of the day as the band boom into life with Call Of The Coven whilst Leaders Of The Blind further bolsters just how exemplary a vocalist Tom Templar is. With a splattering of new cuts from the eagerly awaited Black Harvest, that go down an absolute treat, and a consistently solid set, GREEN LUNG can consider Bloodstock a job well done.

Rating: 8/10

Words: James Weaver

SAXON – Ronnie James Dio Stage

At this point, SAXON are essentially a house band for Bloodstock Festival and rightly so. With a lengthy set spanning a 40+ year discography, Biff Byford and his team of metal stalwarts are able to ensure that every song is a banger. What the show lacks in surprises is made up for by how celebratory it all feels. As the band play, the screens behind take us through a visual history of not only SAXON, but British heavy metal as a whole. In particular, testament to classic rock adversity And The Bands Played On hits hard on a weekend where so many acts, crew and staff have moved heaven and earth to bring back live music. Ending with a double-header of 747 (Strangers In The Night) and Princess Of The Night, SAXON’s set is the perfect commemoration of heavy metal and sets the stage for JUDAS PRIEST.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Sam Khaneka

NECRONAUTICAL – Sophie Lancaster Stage

Malevolent maritime metallers NECRONAUTICAL might look like a blackened ALESTORM on paper, but that’s where the similarities end. This relatively recent addition to the now-thriving UK black metal made waves with 2019’s Apotheosis and, if their performance today is anything to go by, it looks as if the (now released) Slain In The Spirit could cause quite a splash too. Closing pair Hypnagogia and Necropsychonautics leave us stunned, with the soaring, operatic backing-voices pulling more than their weight in tonight’s performance. Flickering candlelight creates a tastefully theatrical atmosphere beneath the canopy as NECRONATURCAL confirm that they are unmissable live act.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Jack Moar

BLACK SPIDERS – Sophie Lancaster Stage

It’s four words long and, for many in the Sophie Lancaster Stage‘s tent, hasn’t been shouted for a good seven years. As such, hearing a good few hundred people shout ‘FUCK YOU, BLACK SPIDERS!’ is the audible equivalent of settling down into a favourite chair from one’s childhood. After all this time, those songs from debut album Sons Of The North like Stay Down and KISS Tried to Kill Me still stand tall and proud, whilst tracks from the latest self-titled record are just as well received, Fly In The Soup in particular. Given the adjusted times on the Ronnie James Dio Stage, the crowd has thinned considerably by the end as many go to catch the beginning of JUDAS PRIEST, but BLACK SPIDERS keep playing as if the tent were still full, consummate professionals right to the end, just as they always have been.

Rating: 8/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

JUDAS PRIEST – Ronnie James Dio Stage

It’s been a long time coming but finally – FINALLY – JUDAS PRIEST are able to start celebrating half a century of being a band. The last time they played the UK was this very festival in 2018, with the pandemic keeping them inside from anything since June of 2019. As such, this makes for a very special night and nobody has a clue what the veterans might play, other than it’s likely to be a greatest hits set.

Is it? Is it balls. JUDAS PRIEST aren’t here to rest on their laurels and churn out the big numbers on autopilot, although there are several within their two hour show. This is just as much about the deep cuts as it is Painkiller and Breaking the Law: they open – OPEN – with the live debut of One Shot At Glory; for the first time since 1976, they play Rocka Rolla. A Touch of Evil is performed after a 16-year absence; there’s another debut song in Invader. Heck, You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’ is casually thrown out third. It’s actually unfair how many bangers JUDAS PRIEST have in their arsenal and they prove it tonight. There’s no official encore, but the final three tracks see former guitarist Glenn Tipton emerge to rapturous applause and as Living After Midnight fades away, grown men are seen openly weeping at what they’ve just witnessed. 50 years on and there are still only a handful of bands who can truly match their majesty; Long live JUDAS PRIEST.

Rating: 9/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

EVIL SCARECROW – Sophie Lancaster Stage

If you ever wanted a band in the so-called ‘deadliner’ slot, particularly on the last night of a festival, EVIL SCARECROW are a certified home run. They’re as mad a box of frogs, but will always ensure that doesn’t let their live performances falter, and tonight they get showcase what they’re capable of when there’s more money for stage effects. There’s fire, digital screens and levels to the stage, all of which turns the likes of Skulls Of Our Enemies and Robototron into anthems more raucous then ever before; as if things couldn’t get any more mental, festival organisers Vicky and Alan Hungerford also show up for Last Battle of the Unicorns adorned in outfits of the mythical creatures. It’s completely bonkers and as Crabulon closes with a sing-a-long so loud it can be heard on the far side of the campsite, it’s another triumph for Nottingham’s resident maniacs.

Rating: 9/10

Words: Elliot Leaver

And that rounds off our huge coverage of this year’s Bloodstock Festival! This year’s festival was an absolute blast to experience, especially after the misery of 2020. It felt so good to be pack among friends, new and old, and to enjoy the sheer thrill of live music. We’ll see you next year!

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