BOA - Summer Festival Guide

BLOODSTOCK ADDS TESTAMENT AND THROWN INTO EXILE FOR 2025

October 13, 2025 by Anna Hyams

Have you recovered from the last BLOODSTOCK announcement yet? Well hold onto your battle jacket, because your cries of delight over that news can only be matched by today’s reveal.

BLOODSTOCK can now confirm that 2026’s stellar line-up will be further enriched by Bay Area thrash icons TESTAMENT, who have been ripping the UK a new one this month already. With more than 40 years of excellence and influence under their belt, miss their set on the Ronnie James Dio main stage before BLACK LABEL SOCIETY on Sunday at your peril. While you wait, they’ve just dropped their brand new album, Para Bellum, only yesterday via Nuclear Blast – check out its first single ‘Infanticide A.I.’ here.

TESTAMENT will be joined by their thrash pals from further down the Californian coastline, LA based THROWN INTO EXILE. If you aren’t familiar with them yet, get your ears around clobbering new single ‘Eternal Nothingness’ here and if it makes you want more, grab their last EP, Passageways, too. They’re currently shredding across the US with the Cavalera brothers and Fear Factory.
You’re welcome, thrash fans!

BLOODSTOCK REVEAL BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY, & MORE BANDS FOR 2026

October 13, 2025October 8, 2025 by Anna Hyams

With Halloween around the corner, BLOODSTOCK has some early treats to share, by way of some fiendishly good bands to announce! No tricks here. Hot on the heels of the recent reveal of special guests BODY COUNT, today BLOODSTOCK can tell you another 10 bands who’ll be treading the boards at Catton Park next summer, and if you’re quick, you might just manage to snap up the last of the standard weekend tickets before the box office goblin swoops in with the giant sold out stamp.

Striding onto the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Sunday, will be the mighty BLACK LABEL SOCIETY. Led by the inimitable, master storyteller Zakk Wylde, do they need any more introduction? Warm up your necks in advance headbangers, you’ll need it. Not ones to be intimidated by that hefty gut punch, Friday sees prime deathcore dealers FIT FOR AN AUTOPSY join the bill.

The Sophie Lancaster stage is no slouch either. Thursday welcomes back Birmingham’s previous Metal 2 The Masses winners, boisterous lads MANTIS DEFEATS JAGUAR. Friday confirms sanguine-soaked black metal squad BLOOD COUNTESS and party sludge noiseniks GURT, both poised to enter the realms of BLOODSTOCK lore.

Keeping the metal heavy on Saturday, bear witness to the bleak sounds of blackened death & grind alchemists OUTERGODS. If you thought Sunday was a good day for a rest after all that, you thought wrong, because abrasive doom/punk/blues fans NOISEPICKER, stoner doomsters ALUNAH, death/thrash beasts FLAYED DISCIPLE, and Norwich doom trio ACID THRONE are fully committed to ensuring you round up your best metal weekender ever in blistering style!

BLOODSTOCK ANNOUNCE BODY COUNT FOR 2026

October 13, 2025October 2, 2025 by Anna Hyams

It’s happening. After years of fans requesting it, BODY COUNT are finally set to tear up BLOODSTOCK in August 2026. The Grammy-winning crew led by Ice-T will make their long-overdue debut as special guests on the Ronnie James Dio main stage on the festival’s final day, Sunday 9th August, playing directly before headliner JUDAS PRIEST.

No strangers to controversy or crushing riffs, BODY COUNT have been a rallying cry for raw, unapologetic heavy music since the early ‘90s. Born from Ice-T and guitarist Ernie C’s vision to fuse street grit with blistering metal, the band has built a reputation for leveling every stage they set foot on. With a Grammy win for Best Metal Performance (for ‘Bum-Rush’ off their Carnivore album) under their belt, they’re louder, harder, and more relevant than ever.

Festival director Vicky Hungerford comments, “After 10 years of trying we FINALLY get Body Count to Bloodstock!!! This is going to be one of the most memorable shows the festival has ever seen and how timely it’s going to be a part of our 25th anniversary celebration!”

Tickets are flying fast – snap yours up now at the ticket store and be part of history at BLOODSTOCK’s silver anniversary! Wednesday early access is also available in some campsites for those who want to max out their BLOODSTOCK experience. Day tickets will go on sale at a later date.

BLOODSTOCK’s 25th anniversary is going to be truly unforgettable. With many more bands & additional on site entertainment still to be announced, this is the must-attend celebration of 2026!

BODY COUNT join an already heavy-hitting lineup including RJD headliners LAMB OF GOD, SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL, JUDAS PRIEST, and SAXON. Over on the Sophie Lancaster stage, the headliners are CRYPTOPSY (None So Vile 30-year anniversary set), WEDNESDAY 13, LEPROUS, and CARPENTER BRUT.

You’ll also be able to see SEPULTURA, MUNICIPAL WASTE, DEATH ANGEL, NORTHLANE, BLEED FROM WITHIN, VENDED, ORBIT CULTURE, THE SCRATCH, IMPERIAL AGE, LIFE OF AGONY, OF MICE & MEN, BIOHAZARD, 200 STAB WOUNDS, THE HELL, BLACK SPIDERS, SHINING, NEVERMORE, EVIL SCARECROW, HEAVYSAURUS, SKYND, PARTY CANNON, BATTLESNAKE, INHUMAN NATURE, KITTIE, CASTLE RAT, GRAPHIC NATURE, BOOTYARD BANDITS, EXCREMENTORY GRINDFUCKERS, HIDDEN INTENT, SELLSWORD, NECKBREAKKER, SEETHING AKIRA, HAMMER, STAMPIN GROUND, URNE, CELESTIAL SANCTUARY, VIKING SKULL, BOUND IN FEAR, IMPERIUM, FROGLORD, MUSHROOMHEAD, DREAM STATE, and TRIVAX. Many more bands are still to be announced!

For the most up to date festival information, visit the official website at bloodstock.uk.com.

BLOODSTOCK 2026 will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 6th – 9th August, 2026.

BLOODSTOCK ANNOUNCES 27 MORE BANDS FOR 25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

October 13, 2025September 16, 2025 by Anna Hyams

As plans for BLOODSTOCK’s 25th anniversary get underway, the festival has unveiled another 27 bands for 2026’s monumental event. With heavyweights, cult favourites, and rising stars joining the awesome bands already announced, this year’s line-up is shaping up to be one for the ages. And there are still plenty more names yet to come, with approximately 125 bands in total set to appear. Did you know? BLOODSTOCK is going to open the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Thursday now as well! Early bird, campervan, and VIP tickets are already sold out and weekend tickets are over 90% gone, so act quickly to get tickets if you don’t want to miss out!
And so to the bands…

THURSDAY – RONNIE JAMES DIO STAGE

Headlining the opening night on the Ronnie James Dio main stage are none other than British heavy metal legends SAXON. With over four decades of anthems and an iron-clad reputation for blistering live shows, SAXON’s triumphant return to BLOODSTOCK will kick off the weekend in classic style. Expect a masterclass in pure heavy metal power.

Also joining Thursday’s main stage are BLOODSTOCK favourites EVIL SCARECROW, who bring their eccentric, theatrical brand of tongue-in-cheek metal mayhem, and HEAVYSAURUS, the dinosaur-costumed heroes delivering family-friendly metal fun. Previously announced for the Sophie Lancaster stage, HEAVYSAURUS now stomp onto the RJD stage for maximum roar.

FRIDAY – RONNIE JAMES DIO STAGE

Prepare for the unnerving, true crime inspired, industrial sounds of SKYND, the outrageous brutal slamming, death metal riot of PARTY CANNON, and the serpentine heavy rock theatrics of BATTLESNAKE.

SATURDAY – RONNIE JAMES DIO STAGE

Warm up your necks, thrash-fuelled crossover aggression comes courtesy of London’s INHUMAN NATURE, flying the flag for the new generation of feral thrash.

SUNDAY – RONNIE JAMES DIO STAGE

Closing the weekend in ferocious style, BLOODSTOCK is thrilled to host the BLOODSTOCK debut of Canadian alt-metal pioneers KITTIE. Joining them are occult doom bringers CASTLE RAT – all hail the Rat Queen, boundary-smashing modern hardcore crew GRAPHIC NATURE, and Wild West metal rabble rousers BOOTYARD BANDITS (from Worcester no less).

FRIDAY – SOPHIE LANCASTER STAGE

Unleash the chaos with German grindcore absurdists EXCREMENTORY GRINDFUCKERS, Australian thrash squad HIDDEN INTENT, UK medieval power metallers SELLSWORD, Danish death metal beasts NECKBREAKKER, electro nu-core party-starters SEETHING AKIRA, and rising Scottish extreme metal outfit HAMMER.

SATURDAY – SOPHIE LANCASTER STAGE

Expect no compromises from UK hardcore institution STAMPIN GROUND, genre-bending heavy hitters URNE, death metal purists CELESTIAL SANCTUARY, swaggering stoner rock bruisers VIKING SKULL, down-tempo brutality from BOUND IN FEAR, technical groove maestros IMPERIUM, and amphibian doom oddballs FROGLORD.

SUNDAY – SOPHIE LANCASTER STAGE

Round off the weekend with the masked industrial spectacle of MUSHROOMHEAD, soaring alt-rockers DREAM STATE, and blackened extremists TRIVAX.

CHARITY FUNDS RAISED AT BLOODSTOCK 2025

BLOODSTOCK is also proud to share the incredible fundraising achievements from the 2025 event, supporting charity partners Metal For Good and The Sophie Lancaster Foundation. Guest & media donations raised a fantastic £11,698, with the always popular T-shirt Amnesty adding another £2,120, making a grand total of £13,818 – split equally to provide £6,909 for each charity. In addition, Shepherd Events, who run the BLOODSTOCK bars, made an extra contribution to The Sophie Lancaster Foundation by donating bar tips and running ‘spin to win’ competitions, plus Christopher Roberts and Taylan Rodgers, who worked tirelessly on the bars all weekend, generously donated their entire earnings. That pooled £1725 and Alan Shepherd then rounded it up to give The Sophie Lancaster Foundation an additional £2000.

Katy Baker, Co-Founder of Metal For Good, said:“We have been blown away by the generous support of the Bloodstock team and their wonderful festival goers. We raised a huge amount of money from our stand and through donations from the festival and the merch amnesty, all of which will support incredible community projects using music to change lives. The weekend itself was amazing, so many great bands, smiley faces and brilliant partners – including The Sophie Lancaster Foundation, who we are honoured to share the charity donations with. Thank you to everyone for putting on such an incredible event!”

BLOODSTOCK ANNOUNCES 25 BANDS FOR 25TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2026

October 13, 2025August 9, 2025 by Anna Hyams

BLOODSTOCK is delighted to return to Catton Park in August 2026 to celebrate its 25th anniversary – will you be there to celebrate this momentous occasion with everyone?

With 2025’s event fully underway with headliners TRIVIUM, MACHINE HEAD, and GOJIRA melting faces this weekend (alongside 120+ more bands), BLOODSTOCK cordially invites you to get excited for 2026 too, by revealing the first 25 bands set to make 2026 the festival’s best year yet.

You can snap up tickets immediately at the on site box office at an early bird price, saving yourself the booking fee. More info on all ticket types and on sale dates is further below.

BLOODSTOCK is overjoyed to welcome back titans of groove metal, the unmistakable LAMB OF GOD as Friday’s headliner on the Ronnie James Dio stage. Frontman D. Randall Blythe states, “We are thrilled to return to headline Bloodstock in 2026! The UK is one of our favourite countries in the world to play and Bloodstock is one of our favourite festivals. And to Bloodstock security… I will make sure I have my pass on me at all times. See you next August!”

BLOODSTOCK is always keen to give fresh faces the opportunity to show what they’re made of and step it up to headliner status. Without further ado, Saturday’s RJD headliner will be none other than the crushing SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL. That gives you a year to get up to speed with their just released, new album ‘Grizzly.’ Beware of bears on site from tomorrow…

BLOODSTOCK WELCOMES HEAVY METAL TRUANTS

After thirteen annual cycle rides from London to Download Festival, the Heavy Metal Truants are thrilled to announce that next year will see them charting a new path to glory — destination: BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR.
Co-founded in 2013 by then Metal Hammer Editor In Chief Alexander Milas and Iron Maidenmanager Rod Smallwood, the Heavy Metal Truants have so far raised over £1.5 million for four children’s charities: Teenage Cancer Trust, Nordoff & Robbins Music Therapy, Childline, and Save the Children. Since its beginning, this unique initiative has been spearheaded by a three day, 30-person, 175-mile cycle from London to the gates of a major metal festival, and next year that destination is BLOODSTOCK.

“Heavy Metal Truants is more than a cause – it’s a family, and our success and longevity is testament to the power of this metal community which we are so proud to be a part of,” said Milas. “The help and generosity we’ve had from our friends at Download Festival has been nothing less than legendary, but after 13 years, the timing felt right to carry the torch to new, hallowed ground. The response from Bloodstock when we floated the idea was nothing short of phenomenal.”

Adam Gregory, Director of Bloodstock, adds, “Bloodstock is honoured to have been chosen to have the baton passed to us from Download. As we join together with the Heavy Metal Truants on the next part of their incredible journey, I’m confident our fans will continue supporting such a monumental effort from HMT and everyone involved for some truly amazing causes.” The 2026 ride will invite cyclists of all backgrounds and abilities to take up the gruelling challenge of cycling 175 miles with a single goal: raising vital funds for kids in need. As in previous years, the Heavy Metal Truants will also include a series of virtual challenges so walkers, runners, and cyclists from all over the world can also support and take part.

JOIN THE RIDE! You’ll be in good company! See some of the previous pedal-to-the-metal family below!
Sign-ups for HMTXIV are open NOW.

For updates and registration: www.heavymetaltruants.com Follow on social: @hmtruants

BLOODSTOCK confirms final bands for 2025 & more

July 17, 2025 by Anna Hyams

With only a little over 3 weeks to go until it’s time to make your annual pilgrimage to Catton Park for BLOODSTOCK, let’s reveal the final bands performing this year… and a few more details on other cool on site entertainments too!

With this last wave of Metal 2 The Masses winners now locked in, 2025’s BLOODSTOCK lineup is complete — and it’s packed with underground heroes! From thrash to tech-death to ambient metalcore, these new additions to the Timothy Taylor New Blood Stage prove once again that the future of heavy music is in very safe and very loud hands.
Friday welcomes Merseyside champions OGUN, pioneers of “Pyar Scouse Metal” and masters of melodic thrash chaos. Reformed in 2022, the Liverpool wrecking crew have gone from strength to strength, recently dropping their debut album World Of Hate — and they’re ready to tear up the stage. Joining them, Brighton’s victors DEVILHUSK channel disillusionment, self-doubt, and existential fury into a genre-smashing metalcore assault. Unapologetic, restless, and raw, they’re quickly becoming the scene’s most ferocious new antagonists.

Saturday brings Coventry’s top dogs EXORCISM, blending death metal’s savage bite with thrash’s razor-edge speed. Formed in 2023, these young extremists have already forged a name for their explosive sound and uncompromising live shows. Meanwhile, from Devon & Cornwall’s competition, winners FIGHT THE CHAMP slam down dynamic nu-hardcore energy, packing heavy riffs and an all-out performance guaranteed to ignite the pit.

Sunday wraps up with MONOCHROME, who took first place in Bristol, an ambient-infused metalcore force weaving chaotic breakdowns and ethereal choruses into a sound that’s as haunting as it is heavy. Finally, Burnley’s conquerors SURYA bring a lethal mix of tech and deathcore aggression, fusing surgical precision with crushing grooves to finish the weekend on a devastating high.

As Metal 2 The Masses organiser Simon Hall puts it, “Yet again the M2TM has unearthed some astounding fresh talent, as it has done for over 20 years. The commitment of promoters, venues, fans and of course the bands, is a testament to the strength in depth of the underground, not only in the UK but also with our European and Scandinavian partners. A huge thank you to all those who work tirelessly to give these bands the platform they so richly deserve.”

Congratulations to all the newly announced bands and to every act who fought their way through the M2TM finals — your future fans are waiting!

There’s even more chaos on the menu this year to fire up your festival spirit. Enter THE HUNGER PIT — BLOODSTOCK’s brand new on-site competitive food challenge, hosted by the one and only festival foodie, Ollie Eats.

3 days. 3 challenges. Zero regrets (probably).

Friday launches with CURRY ON SCREAMING — think you can handle BLOODSTOCK’s hottest curry? It’s spicy, it’s loud, and it might just change your life (or at least your weekend).

Saturday brings the SPUDSTOCK SHOWDOWN in partnership with the legendary Spudman and Ollie Eats. This spud-eating team championship match promises absolutely no mercy for the humble potato — only glory (and maybe indigestion). If that’s a-peeling, be sure to sign up in advance, the path to star(ch)dom awaits.

Sunday rounds things out with BUNNY CHOW DOWN, presented with festival vendor Bunnymans. One loaf. One champion. The challenge? Be the fastest to demolish a full Bunnychow and earn your place in BLOODSTOCK’s hall of infamy.

All the madness goes down each day at 5:40pm in the Battle Arena. Sign up, bring your appetite (and maybe a strong stomach), and put your mouth where your horns are.

Horns up if you have started packing for BLOODSTOCK! Not yet? To help you put your festival look together, EMP are offering a special 20% off for BLOODSTOCKers, with the code BOA20! And they’ve created a dedicated Bloodstock store if you want some help narrowing down the many choices! Patches, caps, t-shirts, long-sleeves, bags, even cropped sweatshirts and mugs – EMP has you covered. If you’re a member of their Backstage Club, you can also win VIP tickets for this year! Enter now: emp.me/9it8. Ts and Cs apply.

Stay tuned for news next week on cup recycling and other green initiatives, welfare info, the gaming arena, a food & drink round-up, and more.

Coming early on Wednesday? Amongst other entertainment, Wednesday night Movies In Midgard are confirmed to start at dusk (around 9pm-ish) and include The Lost Boys and Shaun Of The Dead. If you already have a weekend ticket, a limited number of Wednesday early access passes are available for an add-on cost of £25 for those who want to max out their BLOODSTOCK experience, staying in any of the standard campsites (including Kyrr if you have a Kyrr-specific ticket) or the campervan field. This option is not available for the VIP or accessible campsites.

Head to the ticket store to see all currently available options including pre-bookable car parking.

If you’ve missed out on your preferred ticket type, sign up to official resale partner Tixel. Simply set an alert for notification if your tickets of choice become available, or pre-authorise your card in advance, so no need for constant checking back. Tixel also allows you to safely re-sell tickets to a new home if plans have changed. You can sell ALL ticket types, including instalment plan purchases, plus any tickets sold via Ticketmaster or other third party ticket outlets. Click through to https://tixel.com/uk/bloodstock-tickets for more information on how it works.

If you’re thinking about travel options, consider Big Green Coach, for the closest drop off on site. Check out all details here and reserve your spot for a £1 deposit. There are 34 pick-up locations this year, including: Birkenhead, Bournemouth, Bradford, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Carlisle, Chester, Coventry, Crewe, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Gloucester, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Newport, Nottingham, Norwich, Oxford, Plymouth, Preston, Sheffield, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland, Swansea, Taunton, Worcester, and York.

Get more festival information over at bloodstock.uk.com. Watch a trailer here.

BLOODSTOCK will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 7th-10th August 2025.

BLOODSTOCK REVEALS 17 BANDS FOR THE TIMOTHY TAYLOR NEW BLOOD STAGE

July 14, 2025 by Anna Hyams

The UK might have been gripped by a heatwave of late, but BLOODSTOCK has some news that’s even hotter, revealing a whopping seventeen more bands set to take to the Timothy Taylor New Blood stage in just a few weeks time.

With the winners of the grass-roots-supporting Metal 2 The Masses finals ranging from Somerset to Poland, your new favourite band might be lurking right here, so do check out any names you aren’t already familiar with and get excited for what’s in store!

Without further ado, Friday welcomes Nottingham winners tealdeer, bending reality with their unpredictable alt-metal mash-up of SOAD, DGD, horror films, and carnival chaos – led by masked guitarist ODM (Ominous Deer Man). Joining them are Poland’s champs RASCAL, delivering lightning-fast twin lead speed metal soaked in classic heavy and thrash energy, and Kettering’s BACKSEAT JULIET, a glam-soaked rock ’n’ roll riot — loud, wild, and proudly over the top.

Saturday brings London deathcore bruisers SYMBYOTE, diving deep into darkness with crushing riffs. Plus, Welsh victors ADFEILION who conjure enchanted landscapes through atmospheric folk metal and Cheltenham’s top dogs PRODIGAL, who deliver soaring, emotional anthems that hit the heart.

Joining them, Norway’s ZEBULON offer slow-burning doom riffs soaked in sulfur and fire; Birmingham’s MANTIS DEFEATS JAGUAR fuse hip hop, metal, and funk in riotous style; MECHROMORPH bring savage deathcore brutality (and pig squeals) all the way from Essex; HEAD DENT tear it up with no-BS punk chaos after winning in Stoke; and Kent’s UNNATURAL ORDER smashed first place slicing through the noise with their razor-sharp djent and metalcore aggression.

Sunday wraps up with Oxford’s OCEAN PLANET, a techy, progressive metalcore onslaught; Somerset’s RIZEN, pure rock ’n’ roll energy with no frills; and Hitchin’s HEADCOUNT, a hardcore groove juggernaut. Also for your headbangin’ pleasure, East Anglia’s KOBA build dark, immersive post-metal soundscapes; Newcastle’s RULED BY RAPTORS smash genre lines with punk-metal post-hardcore force (and did we mention Sunday is dinosaur day?); and last but not least for this reveal, North Wales’ BAD EARTH help finish the weekend with thunderous, no-nonsense “Rockcore” power. Being fans of Motorhead, Clutch, and Baroness, they’re sure to convert you too.

Catch all of these hotly-tipped, bright new stars – and even more still to be announced – at BLOODSTOCK this summer! Congratulations to all the winners of the Metal 2 The Masses finals so far and big shout out to the metalheads supporting at all the events as well.

Lights, Camera, Carnage! Steel Donkeys Filming Starts at BLOODSTOCK 2025!

Cult writer/director Richard Stanley (‘Hardware’, ‘Dust Devil’, etc.), whose work defined the cyberpunk era, is to helm ‘Steel Donkeys’ from his own script for Steel Mill Films, based out of Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing’s legendary rock venue in Wolverhampton.

The film follows three small-time crooks hired to steal a powerful artefact from a mysterious rock star at a massive festival. When their heist goes wrong, they unleash a malignant Afro-Caribbean entity trapped inside the artefact — a demon that parties its way through the festival crowd, threatening to end the world. As the chaos spirals, the teens must rally a ragtag band of heroes to stop the demon and restore cosmic balance.

Will you be on screen? Exterior scenes will shoot at BLOODSTOCK this summer with further production at K.K.’s Steel Mill starting October 1st. Legendary martial artist Cynthia Rothrock (‘China O’Brien’) joins a cast drawn from the world of rock and metal.

BLOODSTOCK director Adam Gregory says, “We are delighted to be working with Steel Mill Films and with Richard Stanley on this fantastic project which will showcase Bloodstock to an international audience on the big screen.”
Director Richard Stanley adds, “The stars have aligned to conjure this dream into manifestation, a perfect storm of metal, martial arts and cosmic horror, precision calibrated to burn its way into the brains of a whole new generation of metal fans. It makes me hugely happy to be back in the UK and to be returning to my cultural roots with this supernaturally charged psychedelic hand grenade, freely inspired by a real-life misadventure from my younger years. Given the current state of the nation, I firmly believe ‘Steel Donkeys’ is exactly what Britain both needs and deserves…”

Name The Brew Of The Beast!

As the final weeks to BLOODSTOCK draw near, something dark and powerful is brewing. BLOODSTOCK has teamed up with Coffee Central Roasting Co. and Gregory Catering Ltd to create the first-ever official BLOODSTOCK coffee blend—and it needs a name as bold as the brew itself.

This isn’t just coffee. It’s an anthem in a cup. Riffs in the roaster. Crafted with precision by Coffee Central, this brutal blend combines a specialty-grade Robusta from Clarke Farm in Uganda—bold, smooth, and loaded with caffeine—with a naturally processed Central American Arabica, rich with dark fruit and chocolate. The result? A massive, high-octane brew built to fuel the faithful all festival long and all the long days that follow ’til you reunite with your BLOODSTOCK brethren.

But now the power is yours! BLOODSTOCK needs you! From June 27th – July 11th, submit your name ideas and vote for your favourite across BLOODSTOCK’s official social platforms: Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and YouTube. Festival management is watching them all, and the chosen name will become part of BLOODSTOCK history.

The creator of the winning name will earn eternal bragging rights, a pair of weekend tickets to BLOODSTOCK 2026, and a hefty 1kg bag of the exclusive blend. Two runners-up will each receive a 250g bag to taste the fury at its finest.
You’ll find the blend exclusively at Gregory Catering Ltd outlets across the festival, including VIP, Niflheim, and Ironwood. A limited run of 500 retail boxes will also be available via Coffee Central’s webshop – just look out for the QR code on site! VIP ticket holders will get an exclusive gift pack in their official goodie bags!

BLOODSTOCK’s battle cry in liquid form. The energy of the pit. The brew of the beast. Summon a name that will echo through the ages…

Stay tuned for more news on BLOODSTOCK 2025 soon!

BLOODSTOCK reveal the first batch of Metal 2 The Masses winners

June 5, 2025 by Anna Hyams

There’s just 9 weekends ‘til your heavy metal brethren thunder their way onto Catton Park’s (un)holy lands for BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2025! So it’s about time to reveal the first batch of winners from this year’s hotly contested Metal 2 The Masses finals that have been taking place across the country, earning spots on the Timothy Taylor New Blood stage! These bands have battled their way through their local scenes to claim a coveted slot this August.

Friday will see Belfast victors If It Bleeds, a five-piece delivering hardcore-infused metal in spades, make their mark on the New Blood Stage. Joining them are Sheffield champions ThunarWülf, fusing folk melodies, myths, and thunderous riffing; Manchester’s Vmbra, offering a fresh progressive rock/metal hybrid; Compounds, who won over the Southampton final with their punked up, melodic hardcore edge; and Baelfýr, the top dogs in Leicester, bringing a blackened death metal assault with accessible bite.

Saturday welcomes Edinburgh’s Nothing Speaks, winners of the Scottish final. This young hard rock outfit blend grunge and groove with nods to classic influences like Alice In Chains, bringing gritty energy to the day’s proceedings.
Sunday rounds out the weekend with Leeds champions Theocracide, furnishing headbangers with a hefty dose of thrash metal steeped in crossover/hardcore intensity. Representing further afield, Speak In Whispers – conquerors of the Cyprus final – will showcase their progressive groove metal, and are reputed for their high-energy performance and intricate heaviness.

Catch these rising names – and many more still to be announced – at BLOODSTOCK this summer, where the future of heavy music is forged in fire!

Trying to decide which campsite to be in? Every campsite has its own vibe – just ask the regulars if they have a favourite! If you’re looking for the designated quiet campsite, you’ll want to head for Ragnarok. Kyrr is also a designated quiet campsite this year (but you must have a Kyrr ticket to camp there). Niflheim is the accessible campsite for those who have applied successfully in advance to camp there.

Coming on your own and/or a bit anxious about that, or perhaps it’s your first time at BLOODSTOCK? Consider joining unofficial Bloodstock group Camp Loners & Newbies, who always camp in a corner of Valhalla. With Ironwood, Midgard (this is the lively one, party fiends), Jotunheim, Asgard, and Hel to choose from too (plus Vanaheim for our campervan pals & the Serpent’s Lair campsite for VIPers) you’re sure to find your home away from home!

Want to chat to fellow BLOODSTOCKers before you get there and get some tips? There are a number of unofficial Facebook groups, including BMF666, Bloodstock Festival Girls Group, LGBTQIA+ Bloodstock Fans, Niflheim Community, Parents, Family, and Baby Bloodstockers, and more. You might even find festival management popping in and joining the chatter from time to time.

Next time you’re doing some online shopping, be sure to check out the online merch store for some awesome brand new items – from a S’tan rubber duck and bathrobe to a BLOODSTOCK hockey shirt and a beach towel!

See all items here. And if you buy a hockey shirt this week and have a BOA24 t-shirt in your basket too, you’ll get the t-shirt free! There’s also a select range available to click & collect at the festival – browse those items here.

BLOODSTOCK reveal EMP stage line-up

May 6, 2025 by Anna Hyams

BLOODSTOCK is thrilled to be partnering with premier alternative lifestyle and merchandise brand EMP to unveil the next wave of rising metal talent set to storm the EMP Stage this August.

EMP declare, “After last year’s success, we are absolutely thrilled to announce our partnership again with BLOODSTOCK 2025! As proud sponsors of the 4th stage, EMP is ready to rock alongside the best in metal. Stay tuned for exciting giveaways and exclusive content in the lead-up to the festival. As Europe’s #1 for music, films & TV, gaming merchandise & alt fashion, EMP is honoured to be part of the UK’s biggest independent Metal Festival once again and can’t wait to join forces with BLOODSTOCK to make history on the EMP STAGE!”

A powerhouse mix of fresh faces and underground favourites, these bands represent the fierce diversity and raw energy of the UK and European metal scene.Get to know the bands who’ll be igniting the EMP Stage:
Joining Friday’s bill:

DESOLATOR – High-speed, high-impact thrash from Yorkshire, proudly flying the old-school flag.

LUST RITUAL – A doom-laden descent into occult ceremony, invoking heaviness with haunting atmosphere.

INSIDIOUS VOID – Belfast death metal trio unleashing old-school brutality with fresh venom.

SHRIKE – Ambient, orchestral, and utterly epic, if you like cinematic metal this band is for you!

HELLDOWN – South Wales thrash newcomers combining aggression and precision in lethal doses.

Added to Saturday’s line-up:

CROWN SOLACE – Scottish symphonic metalheads boasting soaring vocals and cinematic grandeur.

TIBERIUS – Edinburgh’s prog rockers, whose infectious energy and technical finesse have already earned them a cult following.

BAD SMELL – Raw, no-frills metal that hits like a pub brawl.

THRASHIST REGIME – Aberdeen’s thrash commandos bringing riff-fuelled chaos with a punk edge.

RITES TO RUIN – Classic metal stylings from a band built for festival stages.

Livening up Sunday’s proceedings:

THE FIVE HUNDRED – Nottingham’s melodic metalcore juggernauts, fresh off a sold-out show at Rescue Rooms and riding high with their latest blistering single.

Z MACHINE – Sax-driven Sheffield heavyweights blending groove and innovation – perfect for Bloodstockers with adventurous ears.

MAATKARE – Metal warriors bringing Egyptian history and mythos to life with fierce riffs and empowering presence.

ORME – Hertfordshire’s slowest power trio, dealing in drone, sludge, and tectonic-level heaviness.

PHON – Worcester’s heavy sludge/grunge trio delivering thick riffs and angsty hooks.

Known for championing emerging artists and killer festival style, EMP returns to BLOODSTOCK with some special offers…

WANT TO WIN WEEKEND TICKETS?

EMP is giving you the chance to win a highly sought after, sold out pair of full weekend tickets to BLOODSTOCK! Head here for how to enter and join the action this summer!
GET BLOODSTOCK READY!

To celebrate 2025’s partnership, EMP is helping fans gear up with a 20% discount at their online store. Whether you need band tees, boots, or camping essentials, just use the code BOA20 at checkout and get 20% off your order (minimum spend £39.99).

Head to EMP UK and stock up now!

T&C: 20% off / MOV £39.99. Valid until 21.05.2025. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotional codes. Only redeemable once per customer. After entering the code, the discount will be automatically deducted from your shopping basket. Books, media, tickets, Rammstein, Die Ärzte, Die Toten Hosen, Feine Sahne Fischfilet, Broilers, New Balance, Böhse Onkelz, Funko Pop!, vouchers & items that include a donation in the price are excluded from the promotion.

Join us for the UK’s most spectacular weekend of metal and mayhem with your mates this August – and discover the future of metal live on the EMP Stage!

USE CODE BOA20 AT EMP TO SAVE 20%

Nights out with BLOODSTOCK + more bands announced

April 1, 2025 by Anna Hyams

With 4 months still to go before you can shout BLOODSTOCK is next week, festival HQ has got all the details of some raucous nights out to help you pass the time and get a sneak peek at some of the freshest talent to perform at BLOODSTOCK this August, in rock clubs around the country and at the Metal 2 The Masses tour dates which kick off imminently! Plus, even if you can’t make any of those events, read on for the low down on 8 hellacious acts who’ve already seen off all the challengers to claim spots on the Timothy Taylor New Blood stage, so you can discover your new favourite band right now.

Have you been following the earlier events of BLOODSTOCK’s phenomenally successful Metal 2 The Masses (M2TM) scheme? If not, now’s the time! The final 31 tour dates are locked and loaded! With a different line-up every show, one band from each night will be selected to join the line up on the Timothy Taylor New Blood Stage this August.
With 31 regions taking part, across the UK, Poland, Norway, and Cyprus, 2025 marks the biggest Metal 2 The Masses scheme yet! The first final kicks off in Cyprus on April 11, but you can get details of all venues and dates on BLOODSTOCK’s website, Facebook, or by clicking the region below.

LONDON | CYPRUS | BRISTOL | COVENTRY | BURNLEY | DEV & CORNWALL | MERSEYSIDE | BRIGHTON | OXFORD | NORTHANTS | NOTTINGHAM | STOKE | CHELTENHAM | KENT | NEWCASTLE | HITCHIN | SOUTH WALES | NORTH WALES | NORWAY | SOMERSET | BIRMINGHAM | EAST ANGLIA | ESSEX | MANCHESTER | SOUTHAMPTON | LEICESTER | SHEFFIELD | LEEDS | BELFAST | SCOTLAND | POLAND

Kicking off at the beginning of May are this year’s riotously fun BLOODSTOCK CLUB NIGHTS! Another fun way to get out there and support your local venues and perhaps take home some BLOODSTOCK tickets while you’re at it! With only a very small handful of festival tickets left available to buy, every club night will have a ticket competition on the night and you might just be the lucky winner!

Party nights line up as follows, air guitaring is optional:

Sat 3rd May – York, Bluebox – Deadbolt
Sat 10th May – Manchester, Rebellion – Deadbolt
Sat 17th May – Bristol, Basement 45 – Apocalypse
Sat 31st May – Brighton, Above – Apocalypse
Sat 31st May – Southampton, Sobar – Apocalypse
Fri 6th June – Glasgow, Cathouse Fridays
Fri 6th June – Guildford, All Bar One – Schism
Fri 20th June – Cardiff, Metros – Heresy
Sat 28th June – Stoke-on-Trent, The Sugarmill – Devil’s Night
Sat 12th July – Nottingham, The Sal – Hexx
Fri 18th July – Exeter, The Cavern – Altern8
Fri 25th July – London, Elektrowerkz – Voodoo

The best (days and) nights out in August are of course those you can spend at BLOODSTOCK! With such high quality acts applying to the festival this year, here’s the low down on 8 bands who have already been locked in to make everyone wish the New Blood tent was twice the size.

Friday welcomes Mancunians THE MACHINEST (video), offering up a particularly gnarly and intense flavour of industrial extreme metal, for fans of Anaal Nathrakh and The Berzerker. They’ll be joined by Hertfordshire-based squad LOWDOWN (video), firm believers in riffing like their lives depended on it, who’ve just signed to Damage Records for their debut. If you’re a fan of Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, Ghost, Heilung or Nightwish, save some space in your schedule to catch Northern powerhouse LN (video) and their transcendental blend of Pagan/Viking metal.
Did they foresee they’d be joining Saturday’s bill? FORTUNE TELLER (video) is the power metal brainchild of Ross McLennan (Ingested, Viscera, Abhorrent Decimation), paired with Meyrick De La Fuente, Ian Rockett, and Theresa Smith (Metaprism). Saturday also adds prog metallers HEKZ (video), who’ve been splendidly described by Prog magazine as sounding like “Queen having a barney with Dream Theater as Rush and Iron Maiden duke it out on the sidelines.”

Local Derbyshire lads THE CARTOGRAPHER (video) clinch a spot on Sunday’s line up, a spine-shattering embodiment of modern deathcore. Also part of Sunday’s affray, the evocatively named SPITTING TEETH (video) are sure to wake up the pit – if you dare – with their filthy riffs and relentless and punishing live set.

For a change of pace that day but no less captivating, why not check out Belfast’s alt rock tribe PREYRS (video), featuring singer Amy Montgomery. The group were previously nominated for both Best Live Act and Best Artist at the Northern Ireland Music Prize and are sure to make new fans at BLOODSTOCK!

Did you snap up a ticket yet? Day tickets are now running VERY low (only Friday left!), and weekend tickets have also already sold out, so don’t hang about if you want to join the fun this summer! If you already have a weekend ticket, a limited number of Wednesday early access passes are available for an add-on cost of £25 for those who want to max out their BLOODSTOCK experience, staying in any of the standard campsites (including Kyrr if you have a Kyrr-specific ticket) or the campervan field. This option is not available at present for the VIP or accessible campsites.

Head to the ticket store to see all currently available options including pre-bookable car parking.

If you’ve missed out on your preferred ticket type, sign up to official resale partner Tixel. Simply set an alert for notification if your tickets of choice become available, or pre-authorise your card in advance, so no need for constant checking back. Tixel also allows you to safely re-sell tickets to a new home if plans have changed. You can sell ALL ticket types, including instalment plan purchases, plus any tickets sold via Ticketmaster or other third party ticket outlets. Click through to https://tixel.com/uk/bloodstock-tickets for more information on how it works.

If you’re thinking about travel options and your dinosaur isn’t giving you a lift, perhaps consider Big Green Coach, for the closest drop off on site. Check out routes here.

Get more festival information over at bloodstock.uk.com. Watch a trailer here.

BLOODSTOCK will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 7th-10th August 2025.

BLOODSTOCK’s 2025 Ronnie James Dio stage headliners are TRIVIUM, MACHINE HEAD, and GOJIRA. Headlining the Sophie Lancaster stage will be ME AND THAT MAN, KATAKLYSM, STATIC-X, and OBITUARY. You’ll also be able to see MASTODON, NAILBOMB, MINISTRY, EMPEROR, FEAR FACTORY, LACUNA COIL, HERIOT, ORANGE GOBLIN, CREEPER, KUBLAI KHAN TX, CAGE FIGHT, RIVERS OF NIHIL, FLOTSAM & JETSAM, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, FEUERSCHWANZ, LORD OF THE LOST, PALEFACE SWISS, AUGUST BURNS RED, WARBRINGER, UNDEATH, SPIRIT ADRIFT, THROWN, ALL FOR METAL, BREED 77, HIGH PARASITE, and 3 INCHES OF BLOOD.

Joining them are SHRAPNEL, FAMYNE, KONVENT, THE SPIRIT, GHOSTS OF ATLANTIS, ONE MACHINE, MY DILIGENCE, SHADE EMPIRE, EIHWAR, WATERLINES, PHOENIX LAKE, NEONFLY, WALL, DOGMA, SIGLOS, DEADFLESH, FOURWAYKILL, GNOME, TURIN, LOCK HORNS, OFNUS, ROUGH JUSTICE, IREOSIS, BA’AL, FRAYLE, PENGSHUI, VNDER A CRVMBLING MOON, APATHY UK, and BARBARIAN HERMIT.

Stay tuned for many more bands and on site activities to be announced over the coming months.