While most people see the year beginning and ending with the 1st of January, for many a festival-going metalhead, their year revolves around the weekend they get to forgo civilised living and decamp to a field with only beer, banter and music to think about. For the last eleven years (well, except 2020 for obvious reasons) Bloodstock Festival has been the event that my year revolves around; pre- and post-festival season start here and end here. Well, I was looking forward to being in a field with little signal and even less connection to the outside world, at least for a little while.
This year saw some of the biggest changes in the set-up of the festival since I've been attending; finally gone were the fairground rides that blared "Thunderstruck" and "Welcome To The Jungle" on repeat, and whose sound bled into the Sophie Lancaster Stage. The Sophie Stage itself now had 2 large screens on the stage panelling and smoking areas on the far side of the tent, which were useful if you were like me and couldn't handle the humidity in the tent but still wanted to watch a band, seeing as no one seemed to know they were there. In addition to the upgrade in size of bands playing on it, it seemed like Sophie Stage was being utilised in a way that seemed alien just a few years ago. There was also the addition of a new campsite for the increased camping capacity overall (but not total capacity, however – the organisers just swapped some day tickets into weekend ones). Bloodstock 2025 had shaped up to be the most successful edition of the festival to date, with the event selling out (except for Friday day tickets) way back in October of last year.
With the weather consisting of extremely strong sun and mid-to-cool temperatures for all bar two hours of rain on Thursday, it was a year to test how well you applied sunscreen. Judging by many of the faces around the site, many clearly failed this test.
Table Of Contents
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
As was the case last year, Bloodstock offered early access camping on the Wednesday; though there was no music, there was a cinema and other entertainment, should you want to take advantage of it. Personally, it provided plenty of time to catch up with friends and to make a dent into the alcohol that had been lugged from the car park to the campsite. Unlike last year, I had managed to get the day off, so I was cracking open a beer by 11am. Not much of note happened, so onto the next day.
Well, cracking open a beer at 11am is both a blessing and a curse. Incredibly relaxing, but bites you in the ass the next day. Luckily, the Thursday remains the traditional pre-party day, so the music doesn't start until 17:00, and with only two bands taking my attention, it meant my day was largely going from beer to beer. Aside from a short period of rain, the whole day was glorious sunshine.
Ozzy tribute
As the arena opened, I thought now would be a good time to see the memorial wall that Bloodstock had put on for the late Ozzy Osbourne. With attendees and fans asking what the festival was planning to do to pay tribute to the man (ranging from naming a campsite after him, to renaming the Ronnie James Dio Stage, which, if you're aware of the history between the two, would have been a bold move to say the least), and time constraints bearing down on the organisers, it was chosen that a large canvas would be provided for fans to write messages on. I popped on a message on behalf of Metal Storm.
Perhaps writing the message before I started drinking would have been a better idea
R.I.P. Ozzy.
Fourwaykill 18:50-19:20, Sophie Lancaster Stage
Killing is my business, and business is OK
Kicking off my Bloodstock 2025 was Fourwaykill, a British up-and-comer that never came to be way back in the mid-00s. A staple of the club scene, circumstances got in the way of the band moving up from perennial opening act. Still, it was good to see familiar faces, as many of the members have since gone on to bigger things before reuniting this one last time to get the festival up and running.
Alas, it seemed the sound gremlins that affected Thursday last year were still in place as, try as hard as they might, Fourwaykill were handicapped by a sound quality that muffled much of their impact. Still, at least the sound cleared up for the closing finale of "24 Hours To Die". In terms of final shows, I think the band owe themselves one more in order to go out on a high rather than the middle ground the sound offered here.
Gnome 19:45-20:25, Sophie Lancaster Stage
The lack of fishing rods ruined the immersion
Up next and packing out the stage were Belgium's Gnome, whose stoner riffs and bouncy melodies were the perfect sound for the Thursday. With the audience bedecked in Gnome hats, traffic cones and party hats, the band brought the party, and the audience was happy to oblige. From the opening "Old Soul", the band (and sound thankfully) were on top form, allowing you to bounce along to the music and just lose yourself in the sound.
Gnome setlist:
01. Old Soul
02. Duke Of Disgrace
03. Rotten Tongue
04. The Ogre
05. Wenceslas
06. Golden Fool
07. Kraken Wanker
08. Ambrosius
As neither of the following two bands took my fancy, I went back to camp and continued the party there.
With the festival proper kicking off, Friday yet again kept with what is seemingly a tradition for me, as it was yet again my busiest day in terms of how many bands I wanted to watch. In a case of ‘careful what you wish for’, I had so much to watch that finding gaps to eat and get off of my feet, let alone socialize, was at a minimum; sometimes stacked days can be a curse as much as a gift, to the point I had to tap out early and unfortunately miss Kataklysm, as I had no energy left at that point.
Shrapnel 10:45-11:25, Ronnie James Dio Stage
From humble beginnings, to the mainstage at last
Few bands can claim to be Bloodstock homegrown like East Anglia’s Shrapnel. Starting off on the New Blood Stage over a decade ago, the band have worked their way up the bill over the years, and have now graduated to the main stage at last. Opening up this stage for the weekend with a healthy dose of thrash is just what I needed, and exactly what the band supplied. With the sound thankfully on point, the band tore through a tight set that included mostly newer material, though given the quality of tracks like "Kingmaker", this was not an unwelcome choice.
With their crowning performance to date, Shrapnel repaid the opportunity to play on the mainstage and then some; hopefully the band can push on from here and continue their upward trajectory.
Konvent 12:45-13:25, Ronnie James Dio Stage
Death doom in the mid-day sun was a jarring juxtaposition, but Konvent managed to make it work for them. With the band's splinteringly loud doom bursting out the speakers, it was the perfect music to nod along to in the rising heat. As is the curse with a long weekend of music, the memory gets a bit hazy, but I do remember enjoying myself.
Flotsam And Jetsam 13:45-14:30, Ronnie James Dio Stage
You can teach an old dog new tricks
Few bands’ fortunes have turned around between their festival appearances quite as much as Flotsam And Jetsam's, from being written off as a nostalgia act eleven years ago, to now joining the small club of bands from whom announcements of playing some new material is met with excitement rather than a groan.
My first highlight of the weekend, the band played a packed and tight set that just rolled out the hits. Aside from A.K.'s microphone cutting out occasionally (why no one ever swapped it I don't understand), the sound was tight and on point, allowing the quality of tracks like "Brace For Impact" and "No Place For Disgrace" to come through loud and clear. It seemed a brave move from A.K. to don what appeared to be a metallic helmet during "I Live You Die" given he was directly in the sun, but I guess he couldn't really complain when he's singing about a warrior's honour.
Flotsam And Jetsam setlist:
01. Hammerhead
02. Iron Maiden
03. Dreams Of Death
04. Brace For Impact
05. Primal
06. I Live You Die
07. No Place For Disgrace
Desolator 14:30-14:55, EMP Stage
From the biggest stage of the festival to the smallest, the thrash fun kept flowing. While the tent offered little more than two speakers and a cramped stage, the trio of Desolator made it work for them as they tore through a rough and raw set that breezed by. Somehow getting a moshpit going in such cramped conditions, it was chaos in the best of ways from start to end.
Ogun 15:00-15:00, New Blood Stage
Upgrading slightly for the final of the trio of thrash bands in this back-to-back-to-back streak, it was off to the New Blood Stage for the first time this year, and it was a good thing I was going to be here a few times this weekend, as it proved to be one of the coolest spots on site, meaning I could get comfy and reclaim some energy before heading off elsewhere. Ogun's melodic thrash was an enjoyable listen; while some of the songs aren't quite the finished article yet, there was more than enough there to entertain you and highlight the band's abundant potential.
If It Bleeds 15:45-16:15, New Blood Stage
I could have kept the thrash flowing, but that would have meant leaving the New Blood Stage and back out into the sun, so I instead opted to stay put and listen to Northern Ireland hardcore crew If It Bleeds. When the highlight of the set is the compere embarrassing themselves as they asked for any Schwarzenagger fans and were met with complete silence before meekly adding "Well, that's Predator isn't it", then the omens aren't great. The band were largely forgettable, offering standard hardcore fare that kept you listening but not really engaged.
Rascal 16:30-17:00, EMP Stage
Back to thrash again, this time provided by the winners of the Polish leg of the Metal To The Masses competition. The jump in quality in both stage and song craft was immense, with Rascal feeling like the complete article already; they should have been on the Sophie Stage, as the difference between themselves and others on this stage was significant. Easily the highlight of the New Blood's offerings this year, as the band tore through a thirty-minute set that was the perfect calling card for bigger things.
Vmbra 17:15-17:45, New Blood Stage
Someone has to follow that, and unfortunately Manchester's progsters Vmbra drew that short straw. While far from a bad show, the contrast was evident and not in Vmbra's favour, as they tried to establish themselves. A decent set, and one that will ensure I keep my eyes out for any future material, it just couldn't live up to what preceded it.
Lacuna Coil 17:15-18:15, Ronnie James Dio Stage
With the 2026 band announcement following after their set, I decided to stick around and watch some Lacuna Coil. Granted, I only saw half the set, but the band's inoffensive (well, the fact they have a song called "I Wish You Were Dead" did catch me off guard) goth rock was tolerable at best. I haven't really kept tabs on the group for several years, and judging by their set, I haven't particularly missed much either. Not bad to pass the time to, but wouldn't rush back to watch them again anytime soon.
Lacuna Coil setlist:
01. Layers Of Time
02. Reckless
03. Hosting The Shadow
04. Kill The Light
05. Blood, Tears, Dust
06. Gravity
07. Heaven's A Lie XX
08. I Wish You Were Dead
09. Enjoy The Silence [Depeche Mode cover]
10. Our Truth
11. Oxygen
12. Never Dawn
2026 announcement
This was a surprisingly sloppy affair that dulled the impact of the announcement; the compere’s microphone didn't work as he came out to kick off proceedings, so the announcement just started. Mix in a lack of audio coupled with kicking off with the smaller bands, first and you could hear the silence until more recognisable names popped up.
For all the hype of it being the twenty-fifth year anniversary, the offerings so don't seem particularly special, although there is the odd gem in amongst the dirt. Slaughter To Prevail as headliners is a... bold choice to say the least.
Emperor 18:55-20:10, Ronnie James Dio Stage
Well, with the intermission being filled with debates over the quality of next year's offerings, it was back to this year's line-up, as Norway's answer to how to efficiently convert wooden structures to ashes walked on stage. With the sun still high in the sky, the atmosphere that tracks like "Thus Spake The Nighspirit" aspire towards didn't happen, although the band ensured it was through no lack of effort on their side. I had to tear myself away early to ensure a prime spot for the next act, but Emperor were highly enjoyable, and regrettably had to be cut short.
Emperor setlist:
01. Into The Infinity Of Thoughts
02. In The Wordless Chamber
03. Thus Spake The Nightspirit
04. Ensorcelled By Khaos
05. The Loss And Curse Of Reverence
06. With Strength I Burn
07. Curse You All Men!
08. I Am The Black Wizards
09. Inno A Satana
10. Ye Entrancemperium
Nailbomb 20:00-21:00, Sophie Lancaster Stage
Nailed it
When it was announced that Max Cavalera’s Nailbomb was to be playing in the tent and not mainstage, it seemed a wild underestimation of how popular they were, with much chatter over how they should be on the main stage, and so it proved to be as the packed-out tent was eager for this rare spectacle. It proved a coup having them in the tent, however, as the oppressive atmosphere matched the music and resulted in a performance that should be remembered for years to come. From an explosive "24 Hour Bullshit" to a lightning Dead Kennedys cover in "Police Truck", the band were more than just Max and a couple of hired guns; it was a tight-knit unit that breathed life into the music, and made for an aggressive and powerful performance.
If It wasn't for one other band, this would easily be the highlight of the weekend; as it is, it ranks as one of the best shows I've seen in my eleven years of going.
Nailbomb setlist:
01. Wasting Away
02. Vai Toma No Cú
03. Guerrillas
04. 24 Hour Bullshit
05. Blind And Lost
06. Sum Of Your Achievements
07. Cockroaches
08. World Of Shit
09. Exploitation [Doom cover]
10. Religious Cancer
11. Police Truck [Dead Kennedys cover]
12. Shit Piñata
13. Sick Life
Trivium 21:10-23:00, Ronnie James Dio Stage
See you again in ten years, when you make it best two out of three
Up next were the first headliner of the festival, and, for me, the most interesting prospect of the three. When Trivium last headlined Bloodstock Festival decade ago, they were perhaps at their lowest ebb as a band, and their set was woefully attended and rather flat. Having breathed new life into their career, it would be interesting to see how they were fare this time around.
As it turns out, they absolutely smashed it.
From a crystal-clear sound to a solid stage show, Trivium were on top form as they tore through a setlist that was all hits, with no obligatory but uninteresting new tracks this time around. On top of that were guest appearances from several different artists (a rousing tribute of "Symptom Of The Universe" was ruined by a rather lost-looking Robb Flynn, who didn't know what to do without a guitar in hand, except butcher a classic). The band really need to get around to a tour focusing on their last two albums rather than an Ascendancy-in-full tour, as the sole inclusion of "Catastrophist" meant those albums were unfortunately overlooked.
The contrast between their shows was unbelievable; this felt like a special event rather than just another run through their hits, and it was all the more enjoyable for it.
Best show of the weekend, something I would have laughed at you at for suggesting after seeing them here ten years ago.
Trivium setlist:
01. The End Of Everything
02. Rain
03. Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr
04. Like Light To The Flies
05. Catastrophist
06. Until The World Goes Cold
07. Symptom Of The Universe [Black Sabbath cover feat. Robert Flynn]
08. Throes Of Perdition [feat. III]
09. Master Of Puppets [Metallica cover]
10. Drum Solo
11. A Gunshot To The Head Of Trepidation
12. Strife
13. Bury Me With My Screams [live debut]
14. Capsizing The Sea
15. In Waves [feat. Ihsahn]
16. The Deceived [feat. Josh Baines]
17. The Heart From Your Hate
18. Down From The Sky
19. The Sin And The Sentence
After a tiring Friday, I ended the night sitting down at camp and having a beer... or two. As tends to happen, night turned into a blazing sun-filled day yet again. Thankfully Saturday was less busy, which meant more breaks were on the cards, giving me the ideal balance between music and mates. While not as packed band-wise, it was definitely more quality than quantity for my tastes.
Adefilion 11:15-11:45, New Blood Stage
Kicking my day off in the cool New Blood Stage was the kind of easing into
things that my aching body needed. Having only recently discovered Adefilion when they were announced a few weeks back, they have become one of my must-sees in a short period of time.
This South Wales crew caught my ear with their mix of blackened prog folk and didn't look back. While it was very much a ‘let the music do the talking’ kind of performance, it held your attention with its wistful and atmospheric sounds. A solid start to the morning.
Exorcism 12:00-12:30, New Blood Stage
More thrash? Don't mind if I do! Birmingham Metal 2 The Masses winners Exorcism upped the intensity as the morning turned to afternoon. With some powerful riff-laced tracks such as "Strike The Match", the future for the band should be bright, as they easily won over the amassed crowd with ease and speed.
Warbringer 12:45-13:25, Ronnie James Dio Stage
Living in a duststorm
After what felt like a taster course at Incineration Festival earlier in the year, today was the main course and then some. How Warbringer had yet to lay waste to Bloodstock is a mystery, for the band easily conquered the stage and the large crowd they amassed. Between nigh-on note-perfect renditions of their best cuts and a mosh-hungry crowd, Warbringer upped one hell of an ante.
From Kevin Kevill crowdsurfing during "Living In A Whirlwind", to the crowd kicking up an ungodly amount of dust for "Woe To The Vanquished", the band and crowd were in sync and feeding off each other, underlining the question of why it had taken this long for the band to finally appear at Bloodstock. The set flew by in a haze of dust, adrenaline and dopamine; this was another personal highlight, and judging by the grinning faces of others in the crowd, the same was probably the case for a score of others.
Warbringer setlist:
01. Firepower Kills
02. Hunter-Seeker
03. Crushed Beneath The Tracks
04. Woe To The Vanquished
05. Living In A Whirlwind
06. The Sword And The Cross
07. Remain Violent
08. Living Weapon
Thrashist Regime 14:30-14:55, EMP Stage
With a short break to empty my now dust-covered lungs, it was time to squeeze back into the EMP stage to catch Thrashist Regieme. This was an enjoyable, if incredibly cramped, show that hopefully highlights the need to move the stage and get a bigger tent, with the rammed crowd demonstrating that the current set-up is no longer really fit for purpose.
Creeper 14:55-15:40, Ronnie James Dio Stage
Given it was only a few steps away, it felt rude not to give Creeper a go, especially as their recent foray into Meatloaf-esque territory had caught my ear. While their announcement raised eyebrows and cries of them not being a real "Bloodstock band", the size of the crowd suggests that there was, at the least, an equal amount wanting to see them as there were looking to complain about them.
Overall, it was an enjoyable set, and one that gradually built until crescendoing with my two favourite tracks by the group; this was a solid showing, and one that showed the band were eager to make the most of this opportunity.
Creeper setlist:
01. Blood Magick (It's A Ritiual)
02. Lovers Led Astray
03. Teenage Sacrifice
04. Sacred Blasphemy
05. Down Below
06. The Ballad Of Spook & Mercy
07. Headstones
08. Cry To Heaven
Fear Factory 17:15-18:15, Ronnie James Dio Stage
C'mon, do Obsolete in full
Retreating to the campsite for shade and beer, I rested until the latest iteration of Fear Factory took to the stage. Oddly enough, the band were going to play the same set as when they were last here, namely Demanufacture in full, so for those with a good memory you could compare the two like for like. A packed arena awaited the new-look group as they ran through a set that was just back-to-back bangers.
The band were in fine form, and Demanufacture guaranteed a good time, with each track hitting that much harder compared to the studio version. While Milo Silvestro might have the edge on Burton C. Bell vocally currently, his lack of stage presence was telling; even after a few years being in the band, he looked an uncomfortable fit up on the stage. Still, it didn't hinder what was an otherwise great show; hopefully the band can find some stability, and start putting out some new music again.
Fear Factory setlist:
01. Demanufacture
02. Self Bias Resistor
03. Zero Signal
04. Replica
05. New Breed
06. Body Hammer
07. Flashpoint
08. H-K (Hunter-Killer)
09. Pisschrist
10. Linchpin
Undeath 18:25-19:10, Sophie Lancaster Stage
Any band mixing old school FPS's has my vote
A quick dash to the Sophie tent was next on the menu to get a prime spot for fast-rising OSDM group Undeath. Between the band's high energy, solid performance and their decision to play videos of old school FPS on the screen behind them (Duke Nukem, Half Life, Doom and Quake), the end result was one that lured me like a moth to flame. With choice cuts "More Insane" and "Necrobionics" peppered into the setlist, the band put on a show that seemed designed to put me into a trance, and that it certainly did; give them longer next time and a gaming arena by the stage so I can immerse myself completely.
Undeath setlist:
01. Dead From Beyond
02. Rise From The Grave
03. Necrobionics
04. More Insane
05. Cramped Caskets (Necrology)
06. Bounty Hunter
07. Enter Patient
08. Human Chandelier
09. Chained To A Reeking Rotted Body
10. Lesions Of A Different Kind
11. Brandish The Blade
Ministry 18:55-20:10, Ronnie James Dio Stage
Having completely forgotten to leave Undeath early to get a good spot for Ministry, I instead wondered out of the Sophie tent and hung around the back for Al Jourgensen's industrial metal offerings. While the band has a well-earned reputation for either being crap or great, it seems age has mellowed the group out, and they sat in a happy median of enjoyable. However, I wasn't as invested in watching them as I could have been, as I was near the back and being enticed to grab a late dinner by the smell of the nearby fried chicken stall.
Ministry setlist:
01. Thieves
02. The Missing
03. Deity
04. Rio Grande Blood
05. LiesLiesLies
06. Goddamn White Trash
07. Alert Level
08. Burning Inside
09. Stigmata
10. N.W.O.
11. Just One Fix
12. Jesus Built My Hotrod
13. So What
Machine Head 21:10-23:00, Ronnie James Dio Stage
Machine head(lining)
Back after their self-imposed exile from festivals, and not too far removed from their secret set in the Sophie tent that should have come with a health warning, Machine Head were returning heroes who drew the hordes to the mainstage like a light to flies. While Trivium made their set feel like an event, Flynn & Co's show felt like another Machine Head set, just dialled up a bit more than usual: highly enjoyable all the same, however. With the crowd hanging on their every note, Machine Head blew Catton Park away and left their mark scorched Earth-style.
Except for Unto The Locust and their latest record, Unatøned, (which seems to be largely disliked by all but me; the crushing performances of "Øutsider" and "Bønescraper" give the songs an extra dimension live), it was a mixed decision to play just one song per record. While classics like "Halo" and "Imperium" got airings, it meant so many other classics were dropped in favour of "Bulldozer". Add to this Flynn's tendency to overdo the between-song chatter (tribute to his recently deceased friend aside, don't begrudge him that), and you felt the band could have added an extra song or two in. Also, I also don't know what's happened to Jared MacEachern since they last played, but the man looks more like Danny Trejo by the year.
Machine Head setlist:
01. Imperium
02. Ten Ton Hammer
03. CHØKE ØN THE ASHES ØF YØUR HATE
04. Now We Die
05. Is There Anybody Out There?
06. ØUTSIDER
07. Locust
08. BØNESCRAPER
09. Darkness Within
10. Bulldozer
11. From This Day
12. Davidian
13. Halo
Static-X 23:00-00:00, Sophie Lancaster Stage
Worth it for the stage show alone
Tearing myself away early from Machine Head should have been harder than it was, but their decision to play "Bulldozer" made it easy to tap out. Making my way to the front of a quickly filling tent, it seems I was not the only one eager to see the kings of evil disco. After a false dawn back in 2022, Static-X finally made it to Bloodstock, and the three-year wait was certainly worth it; closing out the Saturday night with a heaping dose of evil disco was just what I needed.
The crowd was treated to a stage show far beyond the usual lights and posturing I was expecting; a giant hulking zombie, a crowdsurfing evil disco scarecrow and a giant tablet were just some of the wild things that comprised their stage show. Add into this that the band were performing solid renditions of some of the most overlooked nu industrial metal classics you could listen to, and you had the perfect end to a Saturday night.
This needs to be seen to be believed, so get going.
Static-X setlist:
01. Bled For Days
02. Wisconsin Death Trip
03. Fix
04. Sweat Of The Bud
05. Cannibal
06. Terminator Oscillator
07. Love Dump
08. I Am
09. Otsegolation
10. The Trance Is The Motion
11. Black And White
12. Bien Venidos
13. Get To The Gone
14. Dirthouse
15. Destroy All
16. Cold
17. I'm With Stupid
18. Push It
As night turned to day again (absolutely amazing how this happens), the final day was already upon us, and as is almost fate by now, it was the hottest day of the festival. With the Sunday being the weakest day in terms of bands for me, I decided that packing up my gear in the morning and leaving early that night to avoid traffic and give me the home comfort of a decent bed, would be my plan of action.
One Machine 11:45-12:25, Ronnie James Dio Stage
Ah, just what I need in 30-degree sun, flame pot pyro
With the sun already making existence painful (not helped by doing a car run earlier in the morning), One Machine took to the stage and played to perhaps the most sparse crowd I've seen at the mainstage yet. though given the amount of people seeking shade and also making car runs before the temperature peaked, I suspect it was more for those reasons than actively avoiding the band.
Still, the band seemed unfazed by the lack of attendance, putting in a good showing and one that highlighted their potential, especially on their latest release "A New Plane Of Existence" [sic]. The one thing that did put me off was the band's use of flame pots; given how bright it was, it was a wasted effect that only served to make the audience even hotter, so thanks for that.
One Machine setlist:
01. The Grand Design (Intro)
02. Forewarning
03. The Distortion Of Lies And The Overdriven Truth
04. Screaming For Light
05. The Final Cull
06. New Plane Of Existence
07. Armchair Warriors
08. Crossed Over
09. Into My World
The Black Dahlia Murder 16:00-16:45, Ronnie James Dio Stage
What A Horrible Day To Have Technical Difficulties
It was back into the arena after a long break in the shade trying to stay hydrated, venturing back for the long-awaited return of The Black Dahlia Murder. Originally slated for 2020, tragedy and circumstance had delayed their eventual appearance several times, so when the band stepped out onto a sun-drenched stage, it felt a long time coming had finally come full circle.
While the band is a different looking beast to what was offered five years ago (R.I.P. Trevor Strnad), they certainly hit as hard as they used to, with Eschbach taking up the front man role with aplomb. Sticking to the hits, the band gave the audience a healthy dose of melodeath classics, including "Kings Of The Nightworld" and "On Stirring Seas Of Salted Blood".
Thanks to a short stoppage due to technical difficulties, it meant the band ran out of time just as they were to launch into "What A Horrible Night To Have A Curse", a bait and switch that ended the set with disappointment rather than what was likely to be a highlight.
The Black Dahlia Murder setlist:
01. Miasma
02. Contagion
03. Cursed Creator
04. Kings Of The Nightworld
05. A Vulgar Picture
06. Statutory Ape
07. Mammoth's Hand
08. Nightbringers
09. On Stirring Seas Of Salted Blood
10. Everything Went Black
11. Warborn
Lord Of The Lost 17:15-18:15, Ronnie James Dio Stage
It's not everyday that I get a chance to combine my love of festivals and Eurovision (cheesy music and beer, what's not to like?), so I found some shade and took my spot for that band that finished Letzter Platz. Between the sun, spectacle and solid performance, Lord Of The Lost did not finish Letzter Platz in my rankings of performances over the weekend.
Lord Of The Lost setlist:
01. Intro OPVS NOIR
02. Moonstruck
03. I Will Die In It
04. We're All Created Evil
05. The Love Of God
06. Smalltown Boy [Bronski Beat cover]
07. Bazaar Bizzare
08. Intro Drag Me To Hell
09. Drag Me To Hell
10. Morgana
11. Die Tomorrow
12. Blood For Blood
13. Loreley
14. Light Can Only Shine In The Darkness
15. Blood & Glitter
3 Inches Of Blood 20:00-21:00, Sophie Lancaster Stage
The sound engineer's weekend must have finished early
Perhaps my most anticipated band of the weekend, the reunited 3 Inches Of Blood were the reason I hung around this long. With the tent packing out and AC/DC's "If You Want Blood (You Got It)" drawing to a close (great choice in walk-on song), the band strode on stage, and almost immediately the sound problems were evident; from Cam Pipes being totally inaudible for large sections of the set to the drums being way too high up at the expense of everything else, a year of anticipation went out of the window and was instead replaced by frustration, and eventually, boredom.
While I can say I've finally heard "Destroy The Orcs" live, it's more that I've strained my ears to hear an instrumental version of it.
3 Inches Of Blood setlist:
01. Upon the Boiling Sea I: Fear On The Bridge
02. Wykydtron
03. God Of The Cold White Silence
04. Destroy The Orcs
05. Call Of The Hammer
06. Leather Lord
07. Night Marauders
08. Trial Of Champions
09. Forest King
10. Battles And Brotherhood
11. Deadly Sinners
12. The Goatriders Horde
With tiredness starting to make itself felt, I decided it was best to get out before the car park became a mad scramble post-headliner and get moving. With Obituary touring later in the year, it made the decision easier, though I do have some regrets missing Gojira play probably their last show on a stage this small, given their career trajectory.
Conclusion
As I pulled out the car park with Bloodstock number eleven under my belt, the post-festival blues hit hard and near-instantly. Even though I'd seen fewer acts than I normally would, and I think the most I'd ever seen in one weekend on the New Blood stage, I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend, and had seen some sets that will rumble around my memory for years to come.
While the line-ups are slowly ebbing away in quality and interest to me, the festival experience is still as good as it has been (though a tad too hot), and the changes made this year only improved it for me. One thing that did stick out to me was the amount of vloggers I bumped into over the course of the weekend (some of whom I watch and said hello to, and others who, from watching their videos, dislike metal music but went to the festival for "content"), it appears Bloodstock is slowly moving away from a festival that largely only appeals to those who like the music, to becoming another event to mine for content. It will be interesting seeing Bloodstock's changing demographic and atmosphere going forward.
Now to re-adjust to the real world again... OH LORD IT’S AWFUL.
