BLOODSTOCK REVEALS NINETEEN MORE CRUSHING BANDS

BLOODSTOCK has two true loves…heavy and metal. This Valentine’s, let BLOODSTOCK sweep you off your feet with 18 more crushing bands for August’s best metal weekender.  And, with the line-up now complete for the two biggest stages, day tickets have gone on sale in the ticket store. 

With SOEN, COMBICHRIST, XENTRIX, RYUJIN, IGNEA, UNPEOPLE, BURNER and many more all joining the bill, there’s something this year for everyone on Catton Park’s hallowed turf!  If you’re still hungry for more, why not get involved in your local Metal 2 The Masses heats, and be part of shaping the line-up for the Hopical Storm New Blood stage, with lots of lower card bands still to be confirmed in the coming months.   

Joining Sunday’s Ronnie James Dio main stage bill are Swedish progressive metallers, SOEN.  The band recently released their sixth studio album, ‘Memorial’, via Spinefarm Records.  Check out the lead single, ‘Unbreakable’, taken from that album here.  And opening Sunday’s main stage are extreme metal comedians RAISED BY OWLS, who will be bringing their unique brand of mirth and revelry, as well as beefy riffs to kick off your Sunday morning. Watch their latest video effort here, ahead of their new album dropping in May.

Joining Saturday’s main stage bill are Ukrainian melodic metal storytellers, IGNEA, who are surely bound to play some fresh tracks off their latest record, ‘Dreams Of Lands Unseen’, released by Napalm Records last year.  Perhaps including its lead single, ‘Dunes’? 

Also landing a Saturday slot are British black metal outfit, DEITUS. Investigate ‘Irreversible’, the title track of their latest album released by Candlelight Records, here, if you’ve not yet discovered them.

That’s not all!  Over on the Sophie Lancaster stage on Friday, expect to see atmospheric heavyists DARKEST ERA, death hardcore fusionists BURNER, symphonic black metallers HALIPHRON, Irish death squad DEATHCOLLECTOR, Swedish metal stalwarts WOLF, and opening proceedings that day will be powerhouse rock trio, HAXAN

Saturday’s Sophie bill now features Las Vegas industrial squad COMBICHRIST, hot new alt rock collective UNPEOPLE, Brit hardcore newcomers CAULDRON, classic rock n’ rollers ASOMVEL, and Finnish deathcore outfit, ENEMIES EVERYWHERE.

And on the Sophie line-up on Sunday, BLOODSTOCK welcomes thrash icons XENTRIX, Japanese samurai metal warriors RYUJIN, Brit deathcore bruisers OSIAH, and melodic metal six-piece, AWAKE BY DESIGN.

Kreator, Wolf and 1349 for Bloodstock 2011

German Thrash legends KREATOR return to BLOODSTOCK this year for their only UK show of 2011 on the RONNIE JAMES DIO stage. Alongside fellow countrymen Destruction and Sodom – both BLOODSTOCK veterans – KREATOR dominated the European Thrash scene of the mid 1980’s, working their way from the grimy streets of Essen to international acclaim. 30 years in the business has done nothing to soften the fearsome foursome, and we look forward to a furious set of thrash classics including “Pleasure To Kill”, “Betrayer”, “Tormentor” and “Extreme Agression”.

Joining them will be Black Metal overlords 1349, who make their BLOODSTOCK debut this summer. Something of a supergroup, 1349 specialise in the super fast, raw metal blackness that their home country of Norway is notorious for. Formed from the ashes of Alvheim in 1997, 1349’s speed and technique took their music to a new level of intensity and brutality, in turn leading to an impressed Frost of Satyricon – who was asked to lay down the drum tracks to get the speed required – to join as a permanent member. With live sets famed for their raw aggression and evil atmospherics, the shadow that 1349 will cast over BLOODSTOCK this summer is one no fan of extreme music will object to standing in.

From neighbouring Sweden, true metal heroes WOLF return to BLOODSTOCK for some kick-ass, honest, grab-you-in-the-nuts heavy metal. After releasing their debut album, “Wolf” back in 2000, the band toured relentlessly and destroyed the major festivals gaining them more and more followers and success. Over 15 years later, with five albums under their belts and a new one set for an April 2011 release, the Swedish powerhouse look forward to their third appearance at BLOODSTOCK, for this exclusive UK festival appearance. The band look forward to their third trip to BOA:

Bloodstock Open Air!!!! Hell yeah we say. It’s an honor to return for the third time and as always; we’ll give you 666%. With the new album, ‘Legions of Bastards’ fresh outta hells mouth, we’ll be blasting you off the goddamn planet. Us included. See ya frontrow. –WOLF

Next up, Rock’n’Roll dirtbags NEMHAIN return to deliver a dose of whiskey fuelled blues stained punk rock mayhem and have already started their preparations for BOA 2011:

Last time Nemhain played Bloodstock, the sky turned black, Thor’s hammer sounded, and the mother of all storms descended just as we went onstage. That however, was nothing compared to the soaked and rabid crowd who came to be deafened during our set and join the Nemhainous afterparty!

We love Bloodstock and are honoured to be on the bill again and especially to be playing the S.O.P.H.I.E stage. In fact, we’re so excited, we’re packing already: Drums: Check, Guitars: Check, Jagermeister: Check, Alka Seltzer: Check, Dodgy blow-up doll: Check …

Joining them Newcastle metallers DEF-CON-ONE will be joining the line up on the SOPHIE stage. Formed by ex-Venom drummer Antton, DC1 look forward to delivering a powerful set of groove crushing metal this August.

All we can say is how excited we are to be playing bloodstock and its gonna be an absolute honour to play the fest. Bloodstock always has killer bands on the bill and we can’t wait to be apart of it.

Finally, Finnish death metallers SURVIVOR ZERO, come to BLOODSTOCK for the first time. Formed by noted Finnish Metal Producer and video director Sami Jämsen, the line up is completed by other metal lifers who had paid their dues in Finnish heavy-weights as Finntroll, Deathchain, Impaled Nazarene and The Scourger. Describing their music “heavy death metal”, the band has always aimed for great songs instead of image, crushing live shows and straight up honesty in their music. Says the band:

Survivors Zero is proud to have the chance to perform at Bloodstock, the greatest festival on the misty isles.

In other news, BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR has released VIP Tickets for its 2011 event. BLOODSTOCK is set to be the heaviest festival of the summer, with exclusive performances from the likes of MORBID ANGEL, THERION, NEVERMORE, EXODUS and headliners IMMORTAL, plus 2 more headline slots still to be announced and many more UK exclusives. Now the addition of luxury VIP extras makes Britain’s only true outdoor metal festival even more enticing, with a selection of packages designed to make the festival experience that much more enjoyable. From reserved areas to pitch your own tent, to luxury tipis and spacious yurts, all VIP packages come with multiple extra benefits, including:

Full Weekend Camping from midday Thursday to Monday
Car park pass
Private entrance
Access to the hospitality area including the ‘Serpents Lair’ VIP bar
Private restrooms and complimentary hot showers
Private cash food facilities
Goody bag (including t-shirt)
Priority Access to the signing tent
Event management staff, hostesses and security in attendance
Campsite information Hub

VIP Tickets are available now from www.bloodstock.uk.com

Win the ultimate Bloodstock competition with Big Green Coach Bloodstocks official travel provider.

What’s more, the Big Green Coach company – BLOODSTOCK’s official travel partner – are offering the ultimate festival package in an exclusive competition. All those purchasing travel tickets via Big Green Coach will automatically be entered into a prize draw, and one lucky winner will receive a VIP upgrade for the weekend for themselves and a friend, including a luxury mini Yurt for two, Rock Society membership and a stuffed goody bag. Log on to http://www.biggreencoach.co.uk/bloodstockcomp for more info.

Look out for an exciting announcement next week.

Lineup so far

Ronnie James Dio Stage
IMMORTAL – AT THE GATES – RHAPSODY OF FIRE – MORBID ANGEL- THERION – CORONER – EXODUS TRIPTYKON – NEVERMORE – GRAVE DIGGER – TAROT – NAPALM DEATH – KREATOR

Sophie Lancaster Stage
ANGELWITCH – CRIMINAL – LAWNMOWER DETH – ARTHEMIS – POWERWOLF – THE ROTTED

OCTOBER FILE – NEMHAIN – DEF-CON-ONE