10 more acts added to Bloodstock Open Air lineup

Canadian prog thrash pioneers, VOIVOD are set to play their only UK show of 2013 at Bloodstock Festival!!  The band’s latest album, ‘Target Earth’ was released in January and marks a landmark 30th anniversary in the band’s illustrious career.  If you’re not up to speed on this legendary band, check out the EPK for ‘Target Earth’ and get yourself educated! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab8Q3bCBxrU

Swedish metallers, SABATON also step up into a main stage slot.  The band are currently on the road in Europe on their Swedish Empire tour and have been making regular video blogs from the road.  Watch the latest episodes at http://www.youtube.com/user/Sabaton?feature=watch, or click on over to Facebook and give them a ‘like’ and catch the updates there: http://www.facebook.com/sabaton.  The band’s current album, ‘Carolus Rex’ was voted the ‘Best Album of 2012’ by Sweden’s biggest metal mag, Sweden Rock.  Prepare to raise your horns aloft!!

WOLFSBANE headline the Sophie Lancaster stage on the final day of the fest.  Guitarist, Jase Edwards comments: “It is an absolute honour and we can't wait to bringing our brand of fuckin’ Howling Mad Lunacy to Bloodstock for the first time!!  To play alongside such bands as ANTHRAX and SLAYER is a huge privilege.  We're really looking forward to catching up with the bands we have played with in the past and we're also very excited to be headlining the Sophie Lancaster stage on the last day as we have been active supporters of the charity and have taken part in fundraising events locally.  We'll close the Sophie Lancaster Stage with full on Wolfsbane Howling Madness!!!  Cum on!!!”

Brit thrash pioneers, XENTRIX join the bill at Catton Park as special guests on the Sophie stage.  Xentrix’s guitarist, Kristian Havard is looking forward to it; "We can't wait to play Bloodstock, this is the first festival for Xentrix for over 20 years. The line-up this year is awesome, so to be included on the bill, is a massive honour.  We're going out with one mission, get the crowd thrashing like it’s 1989!!!!".

Also added to the Sophie stage are POWERQUEST, who play their final show ever at Bloodstock. Steve Williams (keyboards) enthused,  “I’m really thrilled that we will be taking to the stage for the last time at BOA in 2013.  There’s a certain symmetry about it as we played Bloodstock Indoor in 2003 as part of our very first tour. Really looking forward to rounding off 12 years with a bang and also with some very special guests joining us from down the years!  See you there!”

Further additions to the Sophie Stage include Argentinian folk metallers SKILTRON, Celtic doomsters MAEL MORDHA, Nottingham black metal thrashers EVIL SCARECROW, York metal five-piece RSJ, and melodic death metal Swedes GORMATHON.

Slayer confirmed as Sunday headliner for Bloodstock 2013

The Californian four-piece will close the Ronnie James Dio stage on Sunday night at Catton Park, bringing their face-melting, monster riffs to the metal hoards.  Guitarist Kerry King comments; "Can't wait to hit the stage at Bloodstock!  Metal Festival in England?  Fuck yes!!  It's going to be hell on earth and I'm looking forward to having a party with all my British friends."

Check out the stone-cold classic Slayer track ,‘Raining Blood’, over at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgpzLUCY0rU, or this pyro-laden, fan-filmed footage of ‘Hell Awaits’ from this summer’s US Mayhem Festival; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1DhdUIkANw and get ready for the UK's best metal gathering next August.   You can also find out a little info on the new Slayer album (due Autumn 2013), direct from Kerry King, in this chat with Revolver magazine over at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCOcISqU0oU,

Slayer

Meanwhile, if you’re stuck for Xmas pressies for your mates, you can do a lot worse than have a poke around the Slayer Store.  Unfortunately, Satan’s favourite christmas jumper is already sold-out (http://slayer.backstreet-merch.com/stores/slayer/official_slayer_prd_christmas-holidays-jumper_slay246.html), but you can always pick up a bauble or two for your heavy metal Xmas tree (http://slayer.backstreet-merch.com/stores/slayer/official_slayer_christmas-baubles_christmas-bauble_slay247.html).

Bloodstock Open Air Festival 2013 Announces DevilDriver & Municipal Waste

DEVILDRIVER are set to release a brand new album in August 2013, so Bloodstock will be your first opportunity to check out a brand new track or two!  DevilDriver’s firebrand frontman, Dez Fafara is looking forward to next year’s fest, commenting; “DevilDriver is fucking stoked to be coming to Bloodstock!!  We are thrilled to playing alongside our good friends in Lamb Of God, and no doubt the weekend is going to be insane!  Grab a ticket and come get in the pit!  DevilDriver won't let ya down!”  Check out this section from the band’s little-seen ‘warts n’ all’ documentary, ‘You May Know Us From The Stage’ (catch up with the remaining parts on YouTube).  This instalment features a cameo appearance from Lamb of God’s Mark Morton:

Die-hard road warriors, MUNICIPAL WASTE are also looking forward to joining their Richmond, VA, hometown buddies & Saturday night headliners, Lamb Of God at Catton Park in August 2013.  Ryan Waste enthused, "We are bloody chuffed to rock the BOA once again.  It was my favourite UK festival to date and now that King Diamond and Accept have been added, I'm more excited than ever!" Check out the band’s first animated video, for the track ‘You’re Cut Off’, taken from their fifth and most recent disc, ‘The Fatal Feast’ at: http://www.youtube.com/municipalwaste.  Released in April through Nuclear Blast, the intergalactic, cannibalistic record is choc-full of ‘Waste trademarks: aggressive headbang-inducing riffs, tongue-in-cheek humour, and meaning extracted from the absurd.  Besides their musical voyage into space, Municipal Waste are currently rippin’ up tarmac across the USA with Napalm Death and Exhumed.

To make life easy getting to the site next year, Big Green Coach are the official and exclusive coach travel partner to Bloodstock Festival.  Sit back, relax, and let their drivers take you, your mates, and your camping gear direct to the festival grounds!  Choose from 26 locations direct to the heart of Bloodstock, from the very reasonable rate of £34: BIRKENHEAD, BOURNEMOUTH, BRIDGEND, BRISTOL, CARDIFF, CARLISLE, CHESTER, GLASGOW, GLOUCESTER, LANCASTER, LEEDS, LIVERPOOL, LONDON, MANCHESTER, MIDDLESBROUGH, NEWCASTLE, NEWPORT, OXFORD, PRESTON, SHEFFIELD, SOUTHAMPTON, STOCKPORT, SUNDERLAND, SWANSEA, WARRINGTON, and WORCESTER.  To guarantee your return seat, click here: www.biggreencoach.co.uk/bloodstock.

New additions DEVILDRIVER and MUNICIPAL WASTE stack up alongside headliners LAMB OF GOD and KING DIAMOND, plus AMORPHIS, DARK FUNERAL, ANTHRAX, ACCEPT, FIREWIND, and FOZZY.  A third, Sunday night headliner and many more bands are still to be revealed!

Bloodstock ‘Early Bird’ tickets are going fast!  Pick yours up at http://www.bloodstock.uk.com/shop/products/3-day-tickets-1-1 for the total bargain price of £100 (plus booking fee) for a four-day weekend pass.  Snap ‘em up, as this limited time offer won’t last forever!!  Look up all the info on Bloodstock 2013 so far, plus check out all kinds of awesome coverage from this year’s festival over at www.bloodstock.uk.com.

Bloodstock takes place at Catton Park in Derbyshire on 8-11th Aug 2013. 

New acts added to Bloodstock 2013 lineup

German metal gods, ACCEPT are excited to bring their classic sound to Bloodstock’s hallowed turf.  ACCEPT’s founder/guitarist, Wolf Hoffmann, is looking forward to his band’s return to our shores, commenting, "Hey Dudes & Dudettes!  It was the UK and Judas Priest who made it possible for ACCEPT, overnight, to be put on the map!!  We believe that without our British fans, the career of ACCEPT would have taken a different turn.  We are honoured and very grateful to be invited to play BLOODSTOCK 2013 – our only show in the UK!  Let's rock together…See ya there!"  ACCEPT’s Andy Sneap-produced ‘Stalingrad’ album hit stores in April; wrap your ears around the title track at http://soundcloud.com/nuclearblastrecords/accept-stalingrad. What is Bloodstock in for? Watch this recent fan-captured clip of classic song ‘Balls To The Wall’ live from New York City… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NzypeXybj4 …and start getting excited!

FOZZY’s frontman, WWE legend Chris Jericho, is similarly enthused.  When asked about FOZZY’s appearance at Bloodstock, he told us; "Next summer, it’s going to be such an honour for FOZZY to be a part of the biggest growing festival in the entire UK!  I've been following the evolution of Bloodstock for years now, and this fest reminds me a lot of FOZZY…getting bigger every year, and poised to take over the world!  I promise that this will be the biggest FOZZY show EVER and we can't wait to tear your f&@king heads off, England!!!!"   Meanwhile, FOZZY released their ‘Sin & Bones’ album through Century Media in August.  Check out an album sampler at the following link, including the track ‘Sandpaper,’ which features a guest appearance from Avenged Sevenfold frontman, M. Shadows: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oo2rdZjDw4.

Greece’s biggest metal exports, FIREWIND are also exclusives at Catton Park this year.  FIREWIND’s leader, guitar maestro Gus G states; “We are very excited to be returning to the Bloodstock Festival next summer!  This will be an exclusive UK gig for us, so you can count on a very special FIREWIND show!  See you there!”  The band are celebrating their 10th anniversary this year in grand style, with a #1 album in their home country (the first metal band to ever hit #1 in Greece), and are ready to bring Bloodstock a taster of their current ‘Few Against Many’ album, which is out now via Century Media.  Feast your eyes on the official video for ‘Wall Of Sound’ at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aihNvw4b8bE – and see what they have in store for Bloodstock 2013.

Bloodstock ‘Early Bird’ tickets are available for online purchase now at http://www.bloodstock.uk.com/shop/products/3-day-tickets-1-1 for the frankly bargain price of £100 (plus booking fee) for a four-day weekend pass.  Snap ‘em up quick, as this limited time offer won’t last forever!  Look up all the info on Bloodstock 2013 so far, plus check out all kinds of awesome coverage from this year’s festival over at www.bloodstock.uk.com.

BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR FESTIVAL, CATTON PARK, DERBYSHIRE – 8th-11th August 2013. 

Bloodstock Open Air to stream on Dailymotion

The annual event, staged at Catton Park, Derbyshire in the UK, is one of the leading outdoor metal music festivals in the summer calendar. Bloodstock will feature performances by artists and bands such as Alice Cooper, Machine Head, Sepultura, Paradise Lost, Anvil, Orange Goblin and Dreamcatcher.
The festival has been running since 2001, originating from an indoor festival. It now boasts three stages of cutting edge metal performance, with an attending audience of over 10,000.
Building on a diverse range of entertainment screened live, Dailymotion’s streaming of BOA will allow thousands of metal music fans to watch all the action from the comfort of their armchairs for the first time.
Daniel Adams, VP International Content at Dailymotion, commented: “We’re keen to showcase a variety of live music gigs and festivals to ensure we’re catering for the widest possible audience. Bloodstock Open Air is a well respected metal music event and we’re delighted to be able to screen it live for those unable to make the event in person.”
Dailymotion’s live feed of Bloodstock Open Air can be viewed athttp://www.dailymotion.com/video/xsj4h5_bloodstock-festival-2012_music

BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2012 takes place at Catton Hall August 9th – 12th. VIP Tickets are now all sold out, but regular weekend and day tickets are still available from www.bloodstock.uk.com

Bloodstock Open Air Fancy Dress theme

After MACHINE HEAD’s historic set on Saturday night, it’s time to get spooky, ugly and evil, to party the night away, as well as win one of three great prizes on offer. There’s also the small matter of some serious fun-times, with the 4 DJs of The Apocalypse and the infamous metal karaoke to entertain the morbid masses til the early hours.

The first prize for the most gloriously dressed is a pair of weekend tickets for next year’s festival, as well as a £100 cash prize. Second prize is £50 cash and a BLOODSTOCK goody bag, with the bronze medal earning you a goody bag.

Whether you’re a Goblin from middle earth, Errormon, the Nibenay Basin, the Green Goblin of New York or even Wychwood’s own Hobgoblin, Abaddon, Beelzebub, Mephistopheles or some other nefarious Demon or just an ugly, hairy Troll, there’s ample opportunity to get creative and take home the grand prize.

What’s more, anyone who purchases a weekend ticket between now and the 31st July (including anyone who has already purchased a ticket), will automatically be entered into a prize draw to win one of 25 pairs of tickets for BLOODSTOCK 2013 – for which one awesome headliner has already been confirmed.

Don’t forget – headliners MACHINE HEAD are letting fans pick five songs from Burn My Eyes – head to http://www.facebook.com/Bloodstock now to cast your vote.

15 more bands for Bloodstock

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Line Up So Far:

RONNIE JAMES DIO STAGE

ALICE COOPER

MACHINE HEAD

BEHEMOTH

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

SOPHIE LANCASTER STAGE in association with Last.FM

ALCEST – ORANGE GOBLIN – ANAAL NATHRAKH

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

PRITCHARD Vs DAINTON – STEVE HUGHES

NEW BLOOD STAGE

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

Bloodstock Open Air Day Splits revealed!

As always, the Thursday night kicks off the BLOODSTOCK party on the SOPHIE stage. Symphonic extreme metallers SATURNIAN open proceedings with BLOODSHOT DAWN and MARIONETTE warming the crowd up for headliners VIKING SKULL, before metal funnyman Steve Hughes takes to the stage to split sides. Of course, it wouldn’t be BLOODSTOCK without the infamous metal Karaoke, and once you’ve sung your tonsils raw the 4 DJS Of The Apocalypse take over til the early hours of Friday morning.

The gates to the main arena open on the Friday as the festival proper swings into action with over one hundred bands spread across four stages with all manner of mighty metal majesty on offer. Dozens of exclusive appearances from some of metals heaviest hitters, hilarious comedic offerings from top alternative comedians and white knuckle rides are all on offer across the weekend. If that’s not enough, the metal market offers stalls from across the world bringing their wares to the UK for one weekend, and there is an acoustic stage still to be announced with performances from bands on the line up courtesy of Jagermeister.

The day splits for what is set to be BLOODSTOCK’s biggest year is as follows:

Thursday 9th August

Sophie Stage

Saturnian

Bloodshot Dawn

Marionette

Viking Skull

Steve Hughes

Metal Karaoke

4 Dj's

Friday 10th August

Ronnie James Dio Stage

Freedom Call

Grand Magus

Moonsorrow

Iced Earth

Sepultura

Watain

Dio Disciples

Behemoth

Sophie Stage

Commander In Chief

Gonoreas

Primitai

Sweet Savage

Derision

Death Valley Knights

Pythia

Eastern Front

Alcest

Dirty Sanchez

Newblood Stage

Warhorse

Cambion

Infernal Creation 

Fallen Fate

Saturday 11th August

Ronnie James Dio Stage

Benediction

I Am I

Cthonic

Crowbar

Mayhem

Sanctuary

Hatebreed

Testament

Machine Head

Sophie Stage

Savage Messiah

Dripback

Infernal Tenebra

Rising Dream

Furyon

Winterfylleth

Witchsorrow

Sight Of Emptiness

Orange Goblin

Newblood

Merciless Fail

Stormborn

Wretched Soul

Tempus Fusion

Reflections In Exile

Doomed (Slov)

Gone Til Winter

Sunday 12th August

Ronnie James Dio Stage

Kobra And The Lotus

Corrosion Of Conformity

Nile

Black Dahlia Murder

Evile

Paradise Lost

Dimmu Borgir

Alice Cooper

Sun – Sophie Stage

Re Armed

Flayed Disciple

Battalion

Crimes Of Passion

Ancient Ascendent

Noctiferia

Demonic Ressurection

Headcharger

Anaal Nathrakh

Newblood – Sunday

Dream Catcher

Reign Of Fury

Huron

A Thousand Enemies

Shattered Skies

In other news, DEICIDE have been forced to cancel their scheduled appearance, and after heeding the call of the fans, EVILE will be bumped up to the main stage, with a new act to be revealed for the SOPHIE stage shortly.

Fans to select tunes for Machine Head’s set at Bloodstock 2012

If you head to http://www.facebook.com/Bloodstock you can submit your suggestions via a poll. Each fan can pick five songs fromMACHINE HEAD’s incredible debut “Burn My Eyes”, and the five most popular tracks will be performed at CATTON HALL this summer.

BLOODSTOCK can also reveal a further three acts for the Sophie Stage and one for the Ronnie James Dio Stage.  Headlining the Sophie Stage on Thursday night, raucous rockers VIKING SKULL bring their loud and proud metal to BLOODSTOCK, alongside Belfast metalheads SWEET SAVAGE.  Hotly tipped newcomers DEATH VALLEY KNIGHTS show why in just a few short months their powerful metal has earned them a much coveted spot at Britain’s most metal festival, and finally Canada’s KOBRA & THE LOTUS make their BLOODSTOCK debut opening the Ronnie James Dio Stage on Sunday.

Machine Head confirmed for Bloodstock 2012

MACHINE HEAD first graced UK shores in the wake of their landmark debut album “Burn My Eyes” in 1994 as main support to Slayer.  Fan reaction to MACHINE HEAD’s signature brand of crushing metal was so intense that the band would return immediately afterward to headline their own sold-out shows at many of the same venues, launching a massive swell of passionate fan support that continues to this day.

Machine Head

Seven albums, a Grammy nomination and countless tours later, UK fans continue to champion and support MACHINE HEAD as feverishly as they did at those first shows, and this year, at BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2012, they will be given the unprecedented opportunity to influence MACHINE HEAD’s set list!

Commemorating the 20th anniversary of MACHINE HEAD’s first-ever live performance at their roadie Mike “Scum”’s getting-evicted-from-his-house party – for which they performed five songs – ticket holders will be given the opportunity to vote for the five “Burn My Eyes” songs they most want to hear MACHINE HEAD play during their headline set Saturday night, with the five that receive the most votes included in the set list (details to follow)!

Anyone that’s ever witnessed MACHINE HEAD live will attest to the fact that the raw, unbridled energy of their performance is unlike anything else you’ll ever see.  With countless legendary UK performances already on record, and a first-ever fan-influenced setlist, it goes without saying that MACHINE HEAD’s headline set at BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2012 is going to go down in metal history as one of those festival performances that you’ll forever be glad you got to see.