Top Ten Bands You Must Watch At Bloodstock Festival 2022

After what felt like an eternity of pandemic-enforced lockdowns and livestreams, the return of Bloodstock Festival last year felt like a watershed moment for heavy music fans in the UK. As the first festival in our scene to return with no shackles of social distancing regulations or capacity limitations, the return of Bloodstock in 2021 was euphoric for many who graced the grounds of Catton Park. Whilst last year’s itinerary was comprised almost entirely of homegrown talent, thanks to international travel restrictions, 2022’s Bloodstock is back in full swing; a bonanza of metal from all corners of the globe. Ahead of the festival next week, our Editor-in-Chief James Weaver picks ten bands from this year’s billing that are must-sees across the weekend!

LORNA SHORE – Ronnie James Dio Stage, Saturday

The rise of LORNA SHORE has been short of meteoric. Last year’s To The Hellfire was a viral success that jettisoned the deathcore practitioners to the forefront of the sub-genre’s revival and following rave reviews on their recent UK tour, LORNA SHORE arrive to Bloodstock to huge anticipation. Riding the wave of their momentum, a new album (Pain Remains) on the horizon, and possessing a utterly monstrous vocalist in the form of Will Ramos, their set at Bloodstock has the potential to be truly explosive.

SYLOSIS – Ronnie James Dio Stage, Saturday

After being forced to withdraw from last year’s Bloodstock at the eleventh hour due to COVID complications, British metallers SYLOSIS have a second shot to make a statement of intent at Bloodstock 2022. Joining the lineup in the place of SACRED REICH, who confirmed their withdrawal last month, Josh Middleton and co. will whip up a frenzy with hench grooves, intricate solos and fist-raising mosh-worthy moments. The pandemic might have cut their victory lap for comeback record Cycle Of Suffering short, but Bloodstock presents the perfect stage for SYLOSIS to pick up where they left off and reaffirm their status as one of British metal’s most beloved acts.

SWAMP COFFIN – Jagermeister Stage, Friday

We’re going to sound like a broken record throughout this list. The UK is blessed with a wealth of talent and Rotherham’s SWAMP COFFIN are yet another wicked band from our island gracing Bloodstock this year. Whilst the Jagermeister Stage sometimes doesn’t get quite the attention it deserves, come Friday, we anticipate the festival’s smallest stage to be crammed with people witnessing the band’s brand of nihilistic sludge metal. Last year’s Noose Almighty was a hit in extreme metal circles and we anticipate a plethora of cuts being performed at full blast when they take to the Bloodstock stage.

MALEVOLENCE – Sophie Lancaster Stage, Saturday

Giving arguably the best performance of last year’s festival, Sheffield’s heavy hitters MALEVOLENCE make a rapid return just 12 months later with a well-deserved headlining slot on Saturday’s Sophie Lancaster Stage. Whilst naysayers might whinge on message boards about their return so soon, those that were present for their crushing main stage performance last year will argue their case on this year’s billing. Armed with their utterly monstrous new record, Malicious Intent, MALEVOLENCE will incite sheer bedlam at Bloodstock. Circle pits will swirl, limbs will fly and when they drop the pace in favour of their anthemic softer side, the sing-alongs will epic. If they can hit two for two, MALEVOLENCE and Bloodstock will be a match made in heaven.

PUPIL SLICER – Sophie Lancaster Stage, Saturday

Recent years have seen wave after wave of emerging talent breaking down the walls of sub-genres and creating a noise that is unique as it is truly enthralling. PUPIL SLICER are one such band. An amalgamation of death metal, grind, powerviolence and mathcore craziness, the band erupted onto the scene with last year’s sublime Mirrors and their appearance at Bloodstock will further bolster their status as one of the UK’s most exciting young bands. Expect utter bedlam as the band with incite chaos from the moment they take to the Sophie Lancaster Stage to the last crushing note. A must watch.

BEHEMOTH – Ronnie James Dio Sage, Friday

Considering they are considered one of the bands that sit at the summit of extreme music, it’s surprising it’s been ten years since BEHEMOTH last headlined Bloodstock. Back in 2012, it was very much a different scenario as that headlining performance marked a triumphant return following frontman Adam ‘Nergal’ Darski‘s battle with leukaemia. Flash forward to the here and now and BEHEMOTH are the aural equivalent to the beast of their namesake. Headlining Bloodstock‘s Ronnie James Dio Stage on Friday night, the band will provide both a musical and visual masterclass. The livestreams the band unveiled during the pandemic, In Absentia Dei and XXX Years Ov Blasphemy, were masterpieces of art and we can only begin to imagine just how euphoric it will be to witness a full BEHEMOTH live experience in the flesh once again. Expect eye-catching stage theatrics, a setlist of bombastic cuts from across their decorated discography and glimpses into their hotly anticipated new record Opvs Contra Natvram. It will surely be a show to remember.

HERIOT – Sophie Lancaster Stage, Sunday

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, chances are you’ve seen the buzz around HERIOT this year. Incendiary performances with the likes of ROLO TOMASSI? Check. A storming debut at Download Festival? Check. Critical acclaimed debut EP? Check. The wind are very much in HERIOT‘s sales and they look to further their dominance of the new wave of British heavy music in what will surely be another memorable outing at Bloodstock Festival. A neck brace might be necessary by the time they’re done…

BLOODYWOOD – Ronnie James Dio Stage, Friday

Metal is a global community and India’s BLOODYWOOD is testament to that fact. Fusing traditional Indian instruments with brutal metal, the band are a unique but damn fun proposition to experience. Gracing the Ronnie James Dio Stage on Friday afternoon, the band’s high tempo and catchy bars will blow off the cobwebs of any stragglers from the night before as they hammer their way through a set comprised of this year’s stellar Rakshak. We anticipate a truly standout performance at this year’s Bloodstock.

LAMB OF GOD – Ronnie James Dio Stage, Sunday

The last time LAMB OF GOD graced Bloodstock was way back in 2013 and am abrupt stop as the barrier collapsed dampened their impact somewhat. Nine years later and Virginia’s finest metallers are back to make things right. With hopefully no curveballs curtailing their momentum this time round, the band’s slot as Sunday’s headliner will ensure that Bloodstock will end on the biggest of highs. With new album Omens on the horizon, and hopefully some new material to showcase on the big stage, momentum is on LAMB OF GOD‘s side. That, and with some of the biggest metal anthems of the 21st Century in their locker, Randy Blythe and co. will have the hordes of Bloodstock moving and screaming along in unison from the first minute to the last.

SLEEP TOKEN – Sophie Lancaster Stage, Friday

Granted, they are far from being the heaviest band on the billing at this year’s Bloodstock, but the mystique and aura of SLEEP TOKEN cannot be understated. The enigmatic collective have been a cult success story in British heavy music in recent years and they arrive at the festival on the back of jaw-dropping performances across the UK in the past year. Those that congregate at their altar for their headlining performance at the Sophie Lancaster Stage on Friday night will be blessed by djent-heavy riffing, whimsical melodies and the angelic croons of bandleader Vessel. It intends to be a performance that will last long in the memory.

Bloodstock Festival 2022 is set to take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire from 11th August – 14th August 2022. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here. 

For more information on the festival like their official page on Facebook.