Bloodstock Open Air

The main RONNIE JAMES DIO stage and the SOPHIE stage boasts some of metal’s biggest names, both international and homegrown. But no less exciting is the NEW BLOOD stage, which offers emerging talent the chance to play an internationally renown festival. The METAL TO THE MASSES initiative works hard scouring the length and breadth of the country to discover the UK’s best new talent, hosting heats where bands will compete for a coveted spot at BLOODSTOCK.

This year, the quality of the unsigned bands on offer is outstanding, resulting in the NEW BLOOD stage’s most exciting line up to date. With sold out finals up and down the country in 200 – 600 capacity venues, as well as reaching over the borders to include talent from abroad – as well as rewarding homegrown talent with the opportunity to play partner festivals abroad, WACKEN andMETALCAMP, the future of UK metal has never looked so bright, and with this latest batch there may well be a futureBLOODSTOCK headliner in amongst them.

On the Friday, EXILE THE TRAITOR bring their melodic death metal to the NEW BLOOD stage, joined by Brummie death metallersKATALEPTIC, Norwich thrashers KILLER HURTS, Romanian experimentalists KRESPUSKUL, Manchester bruisers MY WOODEN PILLOW, Liverpool’s SCARE TACTICS and WALKING THEO from Selby.

Saturday sees Welsh trad-metallers APOLLYON join midlands doomsters COSMIC VORTEX OF DOOM and all the way from Croatia,RATHER, while the Sunday offers Nottingham glamsters AIRSTRYKE, Cypriot death/thrash/groove combo BLYND, Welsh sludge monsters HAKIN, Nottingham Trash-Merchants INCINERY and Preston Industrialists SA – DA – KO.

Simon Hall, who has been overlooking METAL 2 THE MASSES can't help being excited by the talent on display:

This year's Metal 2 The Masses has blown me away with the diversity and talent that is turning heads within the UK underground scene. The quality of The Newblood Stage is undeniable and I can't wait to unleash these bands on Bloodstock along with some more to come in the next week or so!

Whatever you do, make sure you stick your head into the NEW BLOOD stage and support new bands – you may discover the next big thing!

BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2012 takes place at Catton Hall August 9th – 12th. Tickets are available from www.bloodstock.uk.com

Line Up So Far:

RONNIE JAMES DIO STAGE

ALICE COOPER

MACHINE HEAD

BEHEMOTH

ANVIL – WATAIN – PARADISE LOST – DIMMU BORGIR – HATEBREED – CORROSION OF CONFORMITY – SANCTUARY – GRAND MAGUS – THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER – EVILE – NILE – MAYHEM – LOCK UP – SEPULTURA – ICED EARTH – TESTAMENT – CHTHONIC – DIO DISCIPLES – CROWBAR – BENEDICTION – I AM I – MOONSORROW – FREEDOM CALL KOBRA & THE LOTUS

SOPHIE LANCASTER STAGE in association with Last.FM

ALCEST – ORANGE GOBLIN – ANAAL NATHRAKH

ALCEST – ORANGE GOBLIN – ANAAL NATHRAKH – HEADCHARGER – WINTERFYLLETH DEMONIC RESURRECTION – EASTERN FRONT – ANCIENT ASCENDANT – SIGHT OF EMPTINESS – PRIMITAI – PYTHIA – CRIMES OF PASSION – SATURNIAN BLOODSHOT DAWN – RE-ARMED – GONOREAS – COMMANDER IN CHIEF – RISING DREAM – INFERNAL TENEBRA – NOCTEFERIA – MARIONETTE- FURYON – DERISION – BATALLION – WITCHSORROW – DRIPBACK – SAVAGE MESSIAH – FLAYED DISCIPLE – VIKING SKULL – DEATH VALLEY KNIGHTS – SWEET SAVAGE –

PRITCHARD Vs DAINTON – STEVE HUGHES

NEW BLOOD STAGE

DOOMED – GONE TIL WINTER – HURON – FALLEN FATE – REIGN OF FURY –DREAMCATCHER – REFLECTIONS IN EXILE – INFERNAL CREATION – CAMBION – WARHORSE – MERCILESS FAIL – STORMBORN – TEMPUS FUSION – WRETCHED SOUL – A THOUSAND ENEMIES – SHATTERED SKIES-  EXILE THE TRAITOR – KATALEPTIC – KILLER HURTS –  KRESPUSKUL – MY WOODEN PILLOW – SCARE TACTICS – WALKING THEO APOLLYON – COSMIC VORTEX OF DOOM – RATHER – AIRSTRYKE – BLYND HAKIN – INCINERY –  SA – DA – KO.