Metal

DOWNLOAD REVEALS PROGRAMME OF VILLAGE AND ARENA ACTIVITIES AND ENTERTAINMENT

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Download Festival, the UK’s premier rock event has today announced a plethora of extracurricular
and extra spectacular rock n’ roll activities and entertainment for fans in The Download Village.
Alongside the world’s biggest rock bands; including headliners Def Leppard, Slipknot and Tool and the
high-flying WWE NXT UK, fans will enjoy a stunning array of unique performances, experientials,stalls,
food, drink and more at the three-day rock extravaganza. Day tickets for the festival have also now
been released and are on sale from £79.50 + booking fees from www.downloadfestival.co.uk.

For those looking to get revved up in moshing shape, Download is proud to welcome heavy metal
exercise class RockFit™ to make its festival debut. The classes will see fans throwing shapes and
working out to an energising soundtrack featuring AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses, Metallica as well as acts
from the bill like Slipknot, Def Leppard, Slash and Rob Zombie and more. The classes are suitable and
adaptable for everyone and fans are invited to take part.

DO.OMYOGA™ is back after an incredibly successful first outing, where fans can perfect their asanas,
practice their downward facing Download Dog, and reconnect to themselves through the ancient
Indian practice of Nada Yoga where music and sound become one. Welcoming all to taking a leap into
the heavier world of wellness and fitness in a slow vinyasa based practice, set to a selection of dark,
‘vibrational’ end of the music, along with up to 250 other Metal Yoga enthusiasts, experts and curious
beginners alike.

The SINDROME Arena will be back this year playing host to a programme of death-defying stunts,
bohemian freaks, mechanical madness, Viking battles and a heavy dose of love, peace and air rock n
roll. Fan favourite, Area 51 and their wandering Caravan of Lost Souls are back with their dark circus
sideshow and human curiosities to hype the crowds. In an Official World Premiere The Thunderdome
comes to Download, where Young Wall of Death stars Luke and Kerri Fox defy death right before your
eyes on a 9m mesh wall in their brand spanking new adrenalin fuelled stunt show. The hugely popular
‘Demolition Download’ from Battle Heritage are making the charge back to Donington for a sixth year
where medieval fighters from all over Europe will gather to take each other on in battle to be crowned
champions in this full force, full contact sport. By popular audience demand, festival goers will be able
to try their hand at this most ancient of sports, at the Demolition Download workshops featuring
Battle Heritage Fighters in the SINDROME.

Fans are invited to make air, not war as the UK Air Guitar Championships makes its grand return to
Download. Festival fans are invited exclusively to enter into this internationally recognized
competition and to gain the chance of becoming the UK’s ultimate 2019 Air Guitar Hero and a shot at
the world title in Finland. DR HAZE the Undead Ringmaster of The Circus of Horrors hosts the
competition and at the end of each heat, performers from the Circus of Horrors will hit the SINDROME
Stage.

The beloved Doghouse features a stacked bill including fan favorites Circus of Horrors, who are back
with two wild new shows ‘Asylum’ and ‘Welcome To The Freak Show’. Each featuring an amazing
amalgamation of bizarre, fantastic circus acts and the darkest of magic. Expect unbelievable sword
swallowers, whirlwind acrobats, flaming limbo twisted contortion, blade walkers, fiery hula hooping
divas and lots, lots more in this roller coaster of a show, hosted by undead ringmaster Dr Haze with a
metal soundscape of devil driven rock n’ roll.

The World’s Greatest Wall of Death returns to The Download Village providing non-stop high-risk
performances from the legendary Luke and Kerri Fox and team that will leave the Download audience
utterly awe struck and totally exhilarated. Deep in the Woods in the heart of the Village, The Metal
Den can be discovered – where revellers can lay in hammocks and savour Download’s very first
Outdoor Cinema The Metal Screen and its hand curated Cineprogram. From noon to midnight each
day an awesome collection of Arthouse, classic, comedy and documentaries will be screened. As the
witching hour strikes the Metal Screens’ resident metal VJ Harry K will take to the decks spinning
metal & rock classics into the early hours. Download’s revered resident tattooists, Old Sarum are on
hand ready to ink the masses, for those who want a more permanent memento of their weekend.

The Download Village also plays host to delicious food and drink stalls fairground rides and lots of
surprises!

BLOODSTOCK READIES M2TM FINALS AND ANNOUNCES SIX MORE BANDS

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BLOODSTOCK is pleased to reveal another six bands joining the fray at Catton Park this summer, hailing from not just the UK, but also Spain, Finland, and Egypt! The Metal 2 The Masses finals kick off soon too, so make plans to support your local event detailed below and you might even get to win a pair of weekend tickets for just taking a photo!
Appearing on the Sophie Lancaster stage on Sunday are Anglo-Finnish tech progsters WHEEL (https://www.facebook.com/wheelband). Expect to hear some tracks from their recently released debut album ‘Moving Backwards’, including perhaps, their latest single ‘Where The Pieces Lie’ – https://youtu.be/MMe99B0EP94.
Joining them are Preston old school thrashers SOLITARY(https://www.facebook.com/Official.Solitary) recently reunited with guitarist Gaz Harrop after an 18-year gap and celebrating their 25th anniversary in 2019. Pick up their most recent album, ‘The Diseased Heart Of Society here but first listen to ‘Wait’ from that LP at https://youtu.be/U5xMZezsNAY.
Spanish thrash beasts VIOLBLAST (https://www.facebook.com/Violblast) are set to melt faces on Sunday’s Sophie stage, shredding tracks from latest album ‘Theater Of Despair’, which they’ve kindly added to YouTube in full over at: https://youtu.be/QZgO0gfJHPg. Go listen!
Adding to Sunday’s Sophie mayhem are Egyptian blackened death metal outfit,CRESCENT (https://www.facebook.com/Crescentband), who released latest album ‘The Order Of Amenti’ via Listenable Records. Investigate ‘Beyond The Path Of Amenti’ and see if this is what your Sunday at BLOODSTOCK needs at:https://youtu.be/SkZOGD5UHUA.
Finnish metal squad, BLOOD RED HOURGLASS(www.facebook.com/bloodredhourglass) also grab a Sunday slot on the Sophie stage. The band are readying the release of their 4th studio album, ‘Godsend’ for 31st May. While you may be priming your ears for new music at BLOODSTOCK, check out ‘Quiet Complaint’, the opening track from their 2017 album, ‘Heal’ – https://youtu.be/4jSV9h4vvb0.
Joining the Sophie Lancaster stage bill on Saturday are British prog instrumentalists, THE PARALLAX METHOD (www.facebook.com/theparallaxmethod). You may have caught the band live before, as they’ve graced the stage at a previous BLOODSTOCK, as well as slots at Download and Hard Rock Hell. Check out their video for ‘You Gotta Be Squiddin’ Me’ – https://youtu.be/okE2TjKIuYg.
BLOODSTOCK is very proud to support the grass roots scene and its renowned Metal 2 The Masses scheme is now reaching its Finals stage for 2019! Events are listed in full below, so support your local scene and watch one of your local bands win a slot at BLOODSTOCK in August. You also stand a chance of winning a pair of weekend tickets by taking a cool photo at one of the events and posting it to your social media of choice (Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter) using the hashtags #M2TMFinals2019 and #BloodstockFestival, ensuring your post is set to public (so we can find your entry). At the end of the Finals tour, we’ll choose our favourite photo from each platform and that winner will receive a pair of weekend tickets to BLOODSTOCK, so feel free to enter on more than one social platform if you so wish to maximise your chances!
Sat 27 Apr – COVENTRY The Empire
Fri 03 May – GLASGOW Ivory Blacks
Sat 04 May – SHEFFIELD The Mulberry Tavern
Fri 17 May – BELFAST Voodoo
Sat 18 May – DUBLIN Fibber Magees
Thu 23 May – NORWICH Brickmakers
Fri 24 May – OXFORD Wheatsheaf
Sat 25 May – MILTON KEYNES Craufurd Arms
Sat 25 May – LEICESTER The Dryden
Fri 31 May – HITCHIN Club 85
Fri 31 May – STOKE Underground
Sat 01 Jun – WOLVERHAMPTON KK’s Steel Mill
Sat 01 Jun – BURNLEY Sanctuary
Fri 07 Jun – BOURNEMOUTH The Anvil
Fri 07 Jun – WREXHAM Memorial Hall
Sat 08 Jun – CARDIFF Fuel Rock Club
Sat 15 Jun – POLAND Miejsce Rude Boy Club
Sat 15 Jun – NORWAY Oslo Rock In
Fri 21 Jun – LEEDS Wharf Chambers
Sat 22 Jun – MERSEYSIDE Liverpool EBGB’s
Sat 22 Jun – NOTTINGHAM The Maze
Sat 22 Jun – NEWCASTLE Trillians
Sun 23 Jun – MANCHESTER Rebellion
Fri 28 Jun – ESSEX Colchester The Soundhouse
Sat 29 Jun – NORTHANTS Northampton Black Prince
Sun 30 Jun – BRIGHTON Green Door Store
Fri 05 Jul – CHELTENHAM Frog & Fiddle
Sat 06 Jul – BRISTOL The Exchange
Sat 06 Jul – LONDON Nambucca
Sun 07 Jul – BIRMINGHAM Hammer & The Anvil
Sat 13 Jul – SOMERSET Bridgewater Town Hall
Friday night’s headliner SABATON, Saturday’s top dogs PARKWAY DRIVE and Sunday’s bill toppers SCORPIONS, join ANTHRAX, DIMMU BORGIR, CHILDREN OF BODOM, CODE ORANGE, POWERWOLF, SOILWORK, CRADLE OF FILTH, THY ART IS MURDER, TESSERACT, METAL CHURCH, SOULFLY, DEATH ANGEL, DEE SNIDER, QUEENSRYCHE, ELUVEITIE, SWALLOW THE SUN, EVIL SCARECROW, ROSS THE BOSS, GRAND MAGUS, ROTTING CHRIST, ABORTED, SKELETAL REMAINS, ALL HAIL THE YETI, INCITE, HYPOCRISY and many more on the Catton Park stages this August. With more bands to come, stay tuned for even more artists to be announced soon!

Download Festival welcomes WWE NXT UK to Donington Park for 2019

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Download Festival, the champion of rock events, is pleased to welcome WWE NXT UK to the hallowed
grounds of Donington Park across 14-16 June 2019, as well as SEVENTEEN further bands including
supergroup Simple Creatures, The Wonder Years, and Dinosaur Pile-up.

WWE United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne, NXT UK Women’s Champion Toni Storm, and Tyler Bate will
be among the NXT UK stars parading thrilling displays of dynamic athleticism during the bonafide full-scale
ring bouts in the festival arena, which for the first time ever will be taped and aired as part of the weekly
NXT UK show on the WWE Network. Superstars Trent Seven, Walter, Rhea Ripley, Jordan Devlin, NXT UK
Tag Team Champions The Grizzled Young Veterans, Travis Banks, Gallus and many more to be announced,
will descend upon Download for a weekend of high flying maneuvers, action-packed matches and
unexpected surprises. NXT has made a massive impact at the festival in previous years, performing to
capacity crowds throughout the weekend, featuring impressive debuts, shocking returns and exciting
moments. This is the ultimate win for wrestling fans!

Joining headliners Slipknot, Tool and Def Leppard and a host of acts already announced for the annual rock
spectacle, are SEVENTEEN other amazing acts. In a UK Festival Exclusive is supergroup Simple Creatures,
comprising of blink-182’s Mark Hoppus and All Time Low’s Alex Gaskarth, who will headline the Avalanche
stage on the Saturday night. Known as legends of the pop-punk scene, the pair will give an unmissable
exclusive and first UK Festival performance at this year’s Download. Already releasing two infectious singles
‘Strange Love’ and ‘Drug’, Simple Creatures will release their debut EP Strange Love on March 29th.
Simple Creatures said: “An evening of Trash-Pop reverie awaits you at Download Fest. There will be
Creatures. They will be Simple. There will be singing and dancing in a big tent. What more could you possibly
want?”

Also added are Dinosaur Pile-up who have spent the better part of two decades as purveyors of riff laden
ginormous rock and are well versed in whipping the crowd into a frenzy, the powerhouse blend of
psychedelic with grunge from Allusinlove, and Liverpool’s Queen Zee who are ready to cause a commotion
with their inspiring anthems through their fluid expression of brash queer punk. The Wonder Years will
smash a punk shaped whole through Donington with a raucous set of anti-suburban anthems, and they will
be in good company with UK pop-punk upstarts Roam, known for their energetic and frantic live shows.

Norway’s Kvelertak are on their way to lead the crowd through a relentless onslaught of exciting ‘black n
roll’ and join this year’s line up, as are the aptly named Hot Milk who are one of the hottest upcoming names
in UK rock, Finland’s own thrash prodigies Lost Society bringing with them their relentless insanely fast metal
for head banging aplenty, the grime meets punk London duo Nova Twins, and dirty blues rockers The
Picturebooks. Graveyard will be making their welcome return seamlessly blending rock, soul, 60’s acid fuzz
and of course a big dash of heavy metal into an infectious musical stew, alongside Mongolian internet
sensations The Hu which is a genre you didn’t know you needed in your life. Goodbye June, Vambo, Cloud
and Kim Jennett also set to play.

Halestorm, Clutch, Stone Temple Pilots, Behmoth and more added to Download 2019 lineup

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Download Festival, the world’s premier rock event, has announced a further 43 acts including
Halestorm, FEVER 333, Beartooth, Skid Row, Brothers Osbourne, Stone Temple Pilots, Clutch and
more, joining headliners Slipknot, Tool and Def Leppard for the annual rock extravaganza. The
three-day festival takes place on 14-16 June 2019 at the spiritual home of rock in Donington
Park, Leicestershire. Kerrang! Radio have also launched a talent search for a chance to open the
Avalanche Stage at the festival, head to Kerrang! Radio for more info. Tickets are on sale now at
downloadfestival.co.uk/tickets.

Arena rockers Halestorm will make their grand return to Download delivering break-neck riffs and
lung-busting vocals courtesy of the incredible Lzzy Hale. Stone Temple Pilots, responsible for
megahits ‘Plush’, ‘Interstate Love Song’ and ‘Trippin’ on a Hole in a Paper Heart’ will make their
first Download appearance with new vocalist Jeff Gutt. Festival favourites and hard rocking
institution Clutch will make their sixth appearance, as well as classic grunge rock revivalists Aaron
Buchanan & the Cult Classics led by the former Heaven’s Basement frontman.

Beartooth have ascended to star status with their groove-driven singalongs and the release of
their third album ‘Disgusting’. FEVER 333 have gained a reputation for their hyperactive, political
‘demonstrations’ which will not be forgotten in a hurry. Palaye Royale are name on everyone’s lips
as the unanimous kings of ‘fashion-art’ rock, the exuberant trio have garnered a legion of fans
and ready to make a statement. Brighton’s Black Peaks will thrill fans, having previously impressed
with their mastery of melody and raw power that have seen them become one of the UK’s
brightest metal prospects. Japanese veterans Coldrain will whip up the crowd with their
punchy, bouncy metalcore.

Legendary ‘Youth Gone Wild’ classic rockers Skid Row are on course for a hit-filled set. Supergroup
Deadland Ritual, featuring former members of Black Sabbath, Guns N’ Roses, Billy Idol and
Apocalyptica, are set for a seismic performance. Country rock dynamos Brothers Osbourne will
add some killer licks to the proceedings, plus the heavy metal Last in Line, featuring members of
the original line up of Dio, and Wolf Jaw will also be on hand to deliver some dirty rock n’ roll.

Fans of all things black and death metal will be thrilled with the additions of pioneers Behemoth
and At The Gates, both famed for their respective first-of-their-kind mastery of the genres. They’ll
be in good company with UK upstarts Conjurer whose amalgamation of sludge, hardcore and
black metal have labelled them as massive ones-to-watch. Also added are the ominous Swedish
outfit Batushka and Ne Obliviscaris who’ll usher in a new era in extreme music to Donington.

Ascending pop punk rockers Trash Boat have been pummelling the road as one of the leading,
forward-thinking bands in the scene and the quintet’s claim to the throne is on the horizon. Rock
radio mainstays Three Days Grace are on hand to deliver a powerful performance, as are
Godsmack with choruses so anthemic they grant no immunity, alongside Bad Wolves whose viral
cover of ‘Zombie’ by The Cranberries shot them into the spotlight in 2018.

For those who like their metal delivered with laser-like precision, Animals as Leaders will astound
with their technical virtuosity. Heart Of A Coward return to lay waste to the fields of Donington with
new vocalist Kaan Tasan. They are joined by tech metal instrumentalists Intervals and UK prog
metallers Toska, who have quickly become an exciting force in the ever-growing scene.

 

Newcastle post-hardcore band GroundCulture have been grafting away, building a fierce
reputation ready to take on Download, and forward-thinking nu-metal act Cane Hill are also
confirmed, whose visceral approach has helped reignite the genre.

Download 2019 will be a truly international affair with the addition of Reputable party thrash
heroes Municipal Waste, French post metal/shoegaze Alcest, and Sumo Cyco who have made
waves with their fusion of rhythm and dancehall hooks and metal riffs. Flying the flag for Japan are
all female power metal stars Love Bites as well as Japanese metalcore titans Crystal Lake.

Australian natives Redhook, and Twelve Foot Ninja will also be making the long trip to get the
mosh pits started, while Representing New Zealand are hard rockers Like A Storm.

Electronic-infused industrial duo SKYND are ready to make things dark, creepy and sanguine all at
once. Bridgend five piece Those Damn Crows are purveyors of melodic, in-your-face and
exhilarating hard rock. Icon For Hire have been breaking down boundaries worldwide and are
ready to stamp their mark on their Download debut. Up next are pop-punk new comers Lost In
Stereo, Manchester’s hottest new band Parting Gift, and last but not least are melodic rockers
Vega.

 

BLOODSTOCK announce six bands as an early Halloween treat!

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As Halloween creeps up, BLOODSTOCK has prepared an early treat and announced six new bands to join their previously announced Friday night headliner, SABATON on the 2019 bill at Catton Park.

 

CHILDREN OF BODOM land a Friday spot on the Ronnie James Dio main stage in a UK exclusive. The band entered Danger Johnny Studios with producer Mikko Karmila earlier this year to work on a new studio album, due for release in 2019, following 2015’s devilishly good ‘I Worship Chaos’. See the video for ‘Morrigan’ from that album at: https://youtu.be/jm3kDrBTlt8.

 

CRADLE OF FILTH return to Catton Park’s main stage on Saturday. The British hellfiends are no strangers to our hallowed ground and we’re keenly expecting both tricks and treats aplenty. Lead Cenobite Dani Filth had this to say about returning to BLOODSTOCK; “Obviously we want to finish what we started ten years ago, that is to finish our set! And for that alone we are really, really looking forward to bringing a massive Cradle show back to the BLOODSTOCK fans. We f**king can’t wait!” Meanwhile, watch the video for ‘Heartbreak And Seance’ at https://youtu.be/DNRIaeg6EyY, taken from their gothic horror-infused twelfth album, ‘Cryptoriana – The Seductiveness of Decay’.

 

SOILWORK also pick up a Sunday slot in a UK festival exclusive. The Swedish metallers are currently hard at work in the studio brewing their eleventh studio album and the follow up to 2015’s acclaimed ‘The Ride Majestic’. Check out the band blazing through ‘This Momentary Bliss’ (taken from their ‘Live In The Heart of Helskini’ DVD) here; https://youtu.be/3RsAF6r3gQw.

 

BLOODSTOCKers will be able to see the inimitable DEE SNIDER on Sunday’s main stage! The Twisted Sister frontman’s recent solo album, ‘For The Love Of Metal’ was the result of a challenge issued by Hatebreed frontman (and BOA favourite!) Jamey Jasta! Whilst appearing on Jasta’s podcast, Jamey told Dee that he ought to make a “true metal album” and he wanted to produce! The project forged ahead, picking up numerous plaudits on release earlier this year. Check out the video for ‘Become The Storm’ – https://youtu.be/hljBz0zTEKQ – for a glimpse of what’s in store!

 

We also welcome QUEENSRYCHE to the main stage on Sunday. The Todd La Torre-fronted outfit are putting the finishing touches on their forthcoming new album too and are giving PledgeMusic supporters an early taste! Head over to https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/queensryche2 to sink your teeth in and get your claws on all kinds of special pre-order bundles.

 

Lastly, but definitely not least, Swedish death metal luminaries HYPOCRISY join us on Sunday! With Peter Tägtgren at their helm, the band released their first record back in 1992 and have released 11 more since. The band enter the studio in January 2019 to create a new masterpiece, their first since 2013’s, ‘End Of Disclosure’. Watch the video for that title track at https://youtu.be/MJsdZ2FR3WM.

 

 

BLOODSTOCK announce SABATON as Friday night headliner for 2019!

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BLOODSTOCK are excited to announce their first headliner for 2019! Swedish metal warriors, SABATON will headline Friday 9th August in what will be their only UK show in 2019! Check out what they had to say about returning to Catton Park’s hallowed turf to headline the festival this time around – https://youtu.be/a_m5jrhKUZs. The band have always been a huge hit with BLOODSTOCK’s crowd in years prior, so we’re excited to see them step into a headline slot. Remember their 2015 set when they brought their tank?! Watch them blast through ‘Metal Crue’ here – https://youtu.be/nt2pF7Bf944.

 

Stay tuned for more band announcements soon!

 

Standard weekend tickets are also currently available at ‘early bird’ prices (just £132 for four days of metal fun), so grab yours now at the ticket store – http://bloodstock.seetickets.com – if you want to save a few quid. Camper van passes are also available in limited quantities, but be quick, half the available spaces have sold already!

 

For those who want their VIP spot guaranteed, BLOODSTOCK’s first wave of 2019 Serpents Lair VIP tickets are also available, priced at £290. A second wave, including the Deluxe VIP packages (Luxpads, Bellepads, Podpads, etc) and a limited amount of VIP upgrades (for those who’ve already purchased standard weekend tickets) will then become available on 16th December at 9am. For full details click to http://www.bloodstock.uk.com/pages/vip-camping.

 

We trialled the deposit scheme for VIP tickets in 2018, but please note, there will be NO DEPOSIT SCHEME for VIP tickets this year.

In other excellent news, BLOODSTOCK is very proud to announce that the 2018 event raised a total of £11,872 for TEENAGE CANCER TRUST, via the guest list scheme, on-site donations and the charity stall at Catton Park. A great result for a very worthy cause so a giant THANK YOU to everyone who donated.

 

BLOODSTOCK will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 8th-11th August 2019. Get additional information over at www.bloodstock.uk.com.

BOA 2018 – NIGHTWISH: Reviewed!

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The final night of Bloodstock 2018 is here, and there’s a distinct chill in the air, closing the main stage are symphonic metal heavyweights – Nightwish. From the moment they were announced last year, Nightwish have been a controversial pick for fans on the forums and social media, a band known as much for their ongoing drama as for their music. Indeed tonight’s showing will be the third lead vocalist BOA has seen with the band (Tarja Turunen; 2003, Anette Olzon; 2008) as Floor Jansen takes to the, ahem, floor.

A giant flip-clock on the stage video screen suddenly appears, and begins counting down from one minute, and as the timer hits zero the band burst on stage in a cloud of smoke, straight into ‘End of all Hope’. Jansen energetically jumps around in a leather jacket, but for some reason her mic seems to be criminally quiet for the first half of the song and gives the impression that she isn’t a strong vocalist.

Thankfully, as the backdrop changes to an icy waterfall reminiscent of those hilariously kitsch moving paintings you stare at whilst waiting for your Chinese food order, ‘Wish I had an Angel’ has Jansen’s mic issues fixed and we get our first real chance to compare and contrast. Let’s not pretend we aren’t all doing it, and of course Jansen isn’t hitting the notes of Tarja, but she brings a strong, raw quality to the song. It’s different that’s for sure.

In ‘Come Cover Me’, Tuomas appears to be well and truly locked in a love affair with his keyboards and there are a whole host of expertly choreographed pyrotechnics accompanying the entire show, makes a change from the seemingly random barrage of flames some other bands seem to employ. Jansen asks “…there’s so much energy here after 3 days and boozing I hope?…” and lets us know we’re in for a trip Floor headbands. Looks like she’s having a great time. Studded dress?

Wearing a studded dress that looks a bit like a portcullis, Floor is headbanging and wind-milling her hair for all she’s worth, and gives ‘Amaranth’ a decent effort, but if you’ve spent nearly a decade getting used to Annette Olzon’s high notes, it does feel a bit weird singing along.

‘Devil in the Deep Dark Ocean’ is beautiful, with Marco calling out “Dear citizens of UK… I bring you greetings from… Finland. You deserve something nice… a love song!”, but it’s the firm fan favourite ‘Nemo’ intro that garners the biggest crowd roar. With a white curtain of rain as the backdrop and visuals of the iconic Once album cover, it’s the epic pinnacle song we’ve all been waiting for – and their prowess as one of the slickest metal bands out there is clear.

Closing out with ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’ and ‘Ghost Love Score’ to a huge explosion of blood red fireworks above the stage and a billowing CGI Decades banner on screen, Nightwish leave with a wave and a quick plug for their UK tour dates. Notable omissions from the set included ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ and the huge ‘Wishmaster’ – but I suppose the point of the Decades tour is to play a lot of stuff that normally doesn’t see the stage. I get it, but at a festival – I think it’s fair to say, we appreciate the hits more than the obscurity.

© Photograph courtesy of Bloodstock Festival

 

BOA 2018 – GOJIRA: Reviewed!

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Gojira have been long awaited as a headliner here at BOA, and it seems as though the entire population of the festival – some 18 thousand metalheads, have turned out for them tonight. The band waste no time in racing right into the heavy stuff with ‘Only Pain’ and ‘The Heaviest Matter of the Universe’ against a brooding mountain range backdrop, as giant plumes of smoke are blasted out from the front of the stage.

The intro for ‘Love’ has vocalist Joe Duplantier screaming out “Lemme see your fucking hands c’mon” as an added lyric, and the video backdrops depict a spinning cage whilst the band burn through those heavy Gojira riffs. Calling out “This is fucking beautiful thank you” in response to the sea of raised horns, Duplantier looks almost surprised as a streamer-cannon goes off next to him, followed by a burst of on-stage fireworks. Whilst ‘Flying Whales’ definitely is not a comedy track, hell, it kinda sounds like an Attenborough script, there is something really funny about the British need to kitsch everything up. There must be about 10 or so inflatable Orcas being bopped about in the crowd, ‘flying’ if you will.

If the band has noticed, they haven’t let on – “Bloodstock you know what we wanna see now… a giant fucking mosh pit… I’m sure you can make that hole a little bigger guys, come on, stand back”, and in response the place goes absolutely mental for ‘The Cell’. The lightning flash backdrop and accompanying strobe-effects hit a little close to home though as we’ve all been waiting in the pouring rain for the last hour, but guitarist Christian Andreu is paying the drizzle absolutely no mind, spinning around like a whirling dervish as he shreds.

For a confusing minute we get an up-close and personal as drummer Mario Duplantier ditches the kit in favour of a, um, spear. No clue why, but he’s brandishing it about the place and yelling “It’s an immense honour to headline bloodstock today… thanks for sticking out the rain”. Up next, ‘Silvera’ is stunningly beautiful, with it’s almost ambient mellow passages, and after a somewhat excessive drum solo we’re getting down to the wire with the heavy but melodic ‘The Shooting Star’, which is heralded with a rain of fireworks from the stage roof.

Pulling absolutely no punches, Gojira blast into encore/finale song ‘Vacuity’ supported by a barrage of on-stage pyrotechnics and a massive set of flaming red fireworks from behind the stage as they finish, calling out “Thank you so much bloodstock that’s all from us tonight. Stay safe, stay happy, stay healthy. Goodnight!”. It’s the perfect set and there’s no denying that Gojira are absolute masters of their craft, we have definitely been pulled right into the moment with them and sincerely hope we’ll be seeing them back at BOA soon.

© Photograph courtesy of Bloodstock Festival (Amplified Gig Photography)

BOA 2018 – Judas Priest: Reviewed!

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It’s Friday night at Bloodstock and we’re gearing up for the mighty Judas Priest, the stage is set with giant ‘Devils tuning fork’ backdrops and standing props and smoke is billowing in from the sides. Entering to Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs’ and a barrage of stage lights, Rob Halford is still rocking the signature fringed leather and sunglasses look, despite the now dark skies. Kicking off with brand spanking new track ‘Firepower’ – a polished but ultimately traditional Priest sound, it’s clear we’re in for a treat.

Halford shouts out “C’mon Bloodstock the priest is back! Are you ready for some heavy metal?” to a roar of approval in reply and a sea of horns are raised across the arena. Busting through hits like ‘The Ripper’ and ‘Turbo Lover’, we’re getting nothing but pure old-school heavy metal – which is especially poignant since Halford is almost dressed in heavy metal himself, sporting what look to be silver chaps, a la Tinman from Oz.

A pride flag waves in the middle of the crowd, presumably as a tribute to Halford himself who publicly revealed his homosexuality during an MTV interview, and became an early advocate for LGBT presence in the metal community. Indeed, metal for everyone; inclusion and diversity, is always a line that Bloodstock has kept at the forefront of their festival ethos.

The stage screen backdrops change to scrolling newspapers and an image of Big Ben for ‘The Ripper’ and there’s a distinct possibility of permanent retinal damage with the insane amount of strobe light use during ‘Saints In Hell’. Yelling “Thank you so much! Heavy metal is forever right?” the metal certainly does just keep on coming. Now dressed in an extraordinarily sparkly trench coat reminiscent of a giant disco ball, and wielding a blue lightsabre for no clear reason at all, we get right into the good stuff. ‘You’ve got another thing coming’ has everyone headbanging along with the band as a Black Country flag flutters on the screens – particularly relevant here in the Midlands. As is traditional, Halford rides his motorcycle on stage wearing yet another fringed jacket and leather baker-boy cap for ‘Hellbent for Leather’, which frankly is something to aspire to. If you ever get the chance to include a motorcycle as part of your essential stage kit – well you’ve definitely made it.

The encore sees guitarist Glenn Tipton join the band on stage, who has recently revealed that Parkinson’s disease would require him to step down from performing. Despite this, Tipton absolutely smashes Priest super-hit ‘Breaking The Law’ to crowd-wide chants for him, it’s a really powerful moment. Halford calls out “Thank you so much. Thank you for having us back home, this is where we’re from, the home of metal” and indeed this sort of homecoming for the band, with almost 50 years under their belts, must feel all the more special. Closing out with new record ‘No Surrender’ and finally ‘Living After Midnight’, this really has been one of the best Judas Priest gigs we’ve had the pleasure of attending, and we’re sincerely hoping it’s not the last. As Halford crows; “We'll be back, we are Judas fucking Priest!”.

© Photograph courtesy of Bloodstock Festival

Bloodstock Open Air: PREVIEW – 3 WEEKS TO GO!

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The countdown is on, three weeks until Catton Park is overrun by a hoarde of the weird and wonderful, your punks, goths, metalheads, geeks and freaks. Yes, it’s almost time for Bloodstock Open Air – the UK’s premier Metal fest.

Let’s take a look at what BOA 2018 has to offer…

BANDS

Headlining Friday night at BOA are the mighty Judas Priest, tipped to be bringing some ahem, serious fire-power, alongside material from their new album… ‘Firepower’. It’s going to be a memorable show that’s for sure, but it’s not all about the headliners at Bloodstock – Friday offers up a plethora of bands we rarely get to see at other festivals in the UK, like Emperor and Suicidal Tendencies. We also can’t wait to walk with zombies Wednesday 13 and get our thrash on with Onslaught, we are coming fully prepared to leave this festival with RSI of the neck.

On the Sophie Lancaster stage we’ll be looking out for metal goddess Doro, and we’ll definitely be checking out the New Blood stage to fill our boots with brand new music to add to our playlists.

Gojira are back after a year off, but this time taking the Saturday headline slot to showcase their unique brand of metal and having seen them hit BOA in 2016, it’s pretty clear we’re in for an incredible night. Also on Saturday’s menu, the beautifully weird juxtaposition of Scotland’s own pirate power-band Alestorm, followed by New York death metallers Cannibal Corpse. I’m down for that sort of variation, it keeps things interesting. We’ll also be turning out for Combichrist, and Israeli band Orphaned Land over on the Sophie stage.

Sunday’s finale spot, perhaps somewhat controversially goes to Nightwish, a band who are no stranger to drama throughout their career. Indeed this will be the third time the band have headlined the festival, with yet another different vocalist – Floor Jansen. However Nightwish undeniably deserve the accolade of closing out Bloodstock, having topped the bill twice before and drawing from a massive eight studio albums worth of music, we’re catching them on the ‘Decades’ tour, which is bound to be celebratory. Also on Sunday, SFG are looking forward to At The Gates, Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed fame, and Evergrey but the biggest hype by far is for American rock crooners Mr. Big. We simply cannot wait to karaoke the hell out of ‘To Be With You’ in the cheesiest way possible. Might even slow dance. There’s something fantastic about Mr. Big featuring on the same bill as Watain – over on the Sophie stage, who we will also be sure to catch. If you’re heading there too, take a poncho for the gore and keep your phone in your pocket. Trust us. It’s gonna be a wild one.

ENTERTAINMENT

If the music isn’t enough to satiate your appetite over the weekend, or there’s a bit of a lull in your lineup, you’ll find plenty of other stuff to see and do at BOA this year. Take a stroll through the BOA RAM Gallery which features the incredible artwork of Paul Raymond Gregory, various photographers’ shots from previous years, and new this year – an entire Judas Priest wall.

Meet your heroes and get your stuff signed! Bloodstock has always had a great band-to-fan signing tent with loads of opportunities to meet and greet, so make sure you take along any special CD sleeves for your favourite band and check the signing times.

Muscles 2 the Masses – BOA’s very own Strongman/Strongwoman competition now has an amateur division for festival-goers (who have competed in qualifying heats already) to be crowned Bloodstock’s Strongest Man, in a series of events which centre on… well, you know, lifting stuff up, mainly. If that doesn’t take your fancy, we’ve heard Battle Reenactment is back on the menu – who doesn’t love armored dudes beating seven shades of hell out of each other?

Late night DJ’s and movie screenings after the bands are finished are also being laid on for the drunks and nosferatu among us, so if all your mates have crashed and burned for the evening, pull up a pew for Spinal Tap and make some new pals.

FOOD

There’s no slacking on the food front either, for a smaller festival the options are excellent whether you’re a straight up carnivore, a vegan or somewhere in between. Grab yourself a brisket sandwich between bands, pick a veggie paella or an entire Sunday dinner in a Yorkshire pud, but for my money – I’m making room for a crazy hot chili in a bread bowl also known as Bunnychow. Oh and you’ll find your morning hangover cure over at the famous Motley Brew, I particularly love their ‘Sweet Chai o’Mine’ mugs and the fact that you can also get a massage while you convalesce.

MERCH

BOA’s main arena boasts a massive array of shops in which you are sure to find anything and everything a metal fan needs – you’ve got your patches and pins, your leather chaps, extremely obscure black metal tees, jewellery emblazoned with skulls, studs on absolutely everything and of course, viking drinking horns. If you’re looking for rare vinyl or CD’s – Bloodstock has your back, particularly brilliant if you’re looking for something better than the programme to take into the signing tent (I once found a vinyl of The Final Countdown and got Europe to sign it, they were not thrilled to recall their hairstyles…).

As for official merch, you’ve got your straight up festival tees with the incredible Bloodstock artwork, and a heap of other stylish variations, but this year I’m after some of the new offerings, particularly the leggings, hip flask and leather cuff. It’s great to see BOA venturing into more merchandise variation, and we’ll definitely be getting hold of the branded reusable cups for our beers too.

So what are you waiting for? Tickets are on sale HERE

See you down the front! m/