Bloodstock Open Air

Bloodstock announce new charity partner & reveal six more acts for 2020

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BLOODSTOCK has another six bands to announce for this summer’s best metal weekender. Not only that, the festival has a brand new charity partner this year. Read on for the latest news…
First of all, BLOODSTOCK is pleased to reveal that Louisville, Kentucky’s SAVAGE MASTER will be opening the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Saturday, waking you up with a concrete slab of traditional heavy metal! The group released their latest record ‘Myth, Magic & Steel’ in October. Check out the title track here.
Jetting in from Italy, blackened-death metal demons BLASPHEMER stride onto Sunday’s Sophie Lancaster stage to unleash unholy hell, no doubt including a few new tunes from their latest opus, ‘The Sixth Hour’, released last month via Candlelight Records. A concept album, themed around ‘The Way of the Cross’, explore ‘The Deposition’ here.
Joining them on Sunday’s Sophie stage, are modern hard rock crew, LIBERTY LIES. Citing influences such as Biffy Clyro, QOTSA, and Coheed & Cambria, this West Midlands squad finally dropped new album ‘It’s The Hope That Kills You’ last November. Have a listen to their latest, chilled-out single ‘Letters’, released on Valentine’s Day, here.
Also performing on the Sophie stage on Sunday, are BLACK TONGUE. Hailing from Hull, and bringing some down-tempo doom, the five-piece have added their most recent album ‘Nadir’ to their YouTube channel in its entirety, so you have until August to make sure you know it back to front, if you don’t already. Get started here.
In addition, Bury based riff juggernaut PIST are added to the Sophie Sunday bill. The band released their latest album ‘Hailz’ last November through APF Records. It’s a record that will grab the attention of fans of Orange Goblin, Kvelertak, Motörhead, Entombed, Uada and Black Breath, elevating PIST to one of the standout bands in the current UK underground heavy scene. Have a listen to ‘Mind Rotter’ here.
If that’s shaping up your Sunday viewing nicely, why not add SHARKS IN YOUR MOUTH to your must-see Sophie list on Saturday. Offering up their take on post-hardcore and djent, the Italian outfit released their second full-length ‘Sacrilegious’ in 2019 and you can watch the video for their newly released single ‘Gone’ here.
BLOODSTOCK is very pleased to share that this year’s charity partner will be the mental health charity Mind. Mind provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem, and campaign to improve services and raise awareness. 1 in 4 of us will experience a mental health problem every year and Mind won’t give up until everyone experiencing a mental health problem gets both support and respect. In addition to guestlist donations, raising funds on behalf of Mind on site at BLOODSTOCK will be festival attendee Michael Lacy, with his PATCH AMNESTY initiative. Bring your old, spare, or new patches to donate, browse patches to buy, or even just stop by for a chat. All proceeds go to Mind. Please look out for PATCH AMNESTY / Mind signage and stop by his stand in the main arena to give your support.
Maria Khosla, Community Fundraising Manager for Mind, says : “We are grateful to the organisers of Bloodstock Festival and to Michael Lacy from Patch Amnesty for choosing to support Mind at this year’s event. One in four of us will experience a mental health problem every year so their support in raising funds and awareness means we can continue to make sure that no one has to face a mental health problem alone.”
BLOODSTOCK’s 2020 main stage headliners are DEVIN TOWNSEND (Friday), BEHEMOTH (Saturday), and JUDAS PRIEST (Sunday). The festival also welcomes HATEBREED, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, SKINDRED, PARADISE LOST, LIFE OF AGONY, BURY TOMORROW, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, DIAMOND HEAD, JINJER, VIO-LENCE, SACRED REICH, GLORYHAMMER, DARK TRANQUILLITY, BUTCHER BABIES, CATTLE DECAPITATION, BLOODYWOOD, MEMORIAM, RAMAGE INC, GREEN LUNG, BOSSK, CONJURER, ORANGE GOBLIN, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS, SAXON, SYLOSIS, TOXIC HOLOCAUST, NECTOR, WINTERFYLLETH, EXHUMED, NEKROGOBLIKON, THE CRAWLING, RAISED BY OWLS, ANAKIM, ACID REIGN, SVALBARD, IDLE HANDS, SOEN, VISCERA, DOG TIRED, & BAILER so far. Many more bands performing over the weekend are still to be announced! Unsure what to expect? Watch a trailer all about BLOODSTOCK here.
BLOODSTOCK 2020 takes place at Catton Park, Derbyshire from 6th-9th August 2020. For more info, click to www.bloodstock.uk.com.

BLOODSTOCK CONFIRM SEVEN MORE BANDS; ANNOUNCE ON SITE GAMING ARENA & CELEBRATE 100K YOUTUBE SUBSCRIBERS

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As the number of months left to BLOODSTOCK 2020 reaches the half-way point, festival HQ shows no signs of slowing down with booking bands and making plans to make BLOODSTOCK’s 20th anniversary year the biggest and boldest yet! With a YouTube 100k subscriber milestone achieved this month too, there’s a brand new competition you can win weekend tickets in, as well as news about the exciting gaming arena debuting at BLOODSTOCK this year, and go on then, seven more bands to announce as well…
Brit thrash luminaries, ACID REIGN are set for a Friday slot on the Ronnie James Dio main stage!  Having rebooted the band in 2015 after a 24 year hiatus, frontman H tells us, “Anyone who witnessed our 2016 show on the Sophie stage knows exactly how much we love playing BLOODSTOCK.  There is a lot of excitement in the AR camp right now, we finally got a new album out after all these years (29 to be exact) and now we get to put a BLOODSTOCK sized cherry on the top of that cake. Can’t wait to see you all there!”  The band released that long-awaited album, ‘The Age Of Entitlement’ in August last year. Check out the video for ‘The New Low’ from that release here.
Also appearing on Friday’s main stage, are Bristol’s hardcore punk crew SVALBARD. Signed to Holy Roar Records, their topical and furious last album ‘It’s Hard To Have Hope’ surfaced in 2018, and was described by Kerrang! as “a grand declaration of war, on everything wrong with the modern world, set to a truly brilliant, visceral soundtrack.” See if you agree; watch the video for ‘For The Sake Of The Breed’ from that album here.
Goth-soaked metal newcomers, IDLE HANDS will open the main stage on Sunday!  The Portland-based band are hot off their recent US support slot to the mighty King Diamond and the release of debut album, ‘Mana’ via Eisenwald Records.  View the retrotastic video for ‘Give Me To The Night’, taken from that release here.
Swedish progressive rock collective, SOEN crash straight into Friday’s special guest slot on the Sophie Lancaster stage. Reformed by frontman Joel Ekelöf and former Opeth drummer, Martin Lopez back in 2010, SOEN are four albums deep into their career, having released current album, ‘Lotus’ in early 2019.  Investigate the sublime title track from that opus and its accompanying video here.
VISCERA earn themselves a Sophie stage slot on Saturday.  The band, featuring former members of Heart of a Coward, Abhorrent Decimation, Martyr Defiled, Nervecell, and Surfaces, blend their influences (Pantera, Meshuggah, At The Gates, The Black Dahlia Murder and Killswitch Engage) with modern tech/death and deathcore flavours.  They release their debut album, ‘Obsidian’ this Spring via Unique Leader Records, but in the meantime, take a look at the video to ‘Lamb To The Slaughter’ taken from that release here.
Edinburgh’s riff squad and former BLOODSTOCK ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ alumni, DOG TIRED also land a slot on Friday’s Sophie stage. Since landing a slot in the New Blood tent in 2014, the band have been honing their stagecraft, playing with the likes of Skindred and Raging Speedhorn.  We’re happy to welcome them back with step up to the Sophie Stage in 2020. Get a taste for their sound with the video of ‘Dagoth’s Nine’ here.
BAILER join Saturday’s Sophie stage line up.  Metal Hammer inform that “Sometimes you hear a new band that make you want to drive a motorbike through a wall. BAILER are that band.”  Discover something new and make up your own mind by checking out ‘Long Gone’, featuring guest vocals from Adam Carroll here, and catch ‘em at Catton Park in August.
Consider yourself a bit of a gamer, or always fancied a go?  This year, BLOODSTOCK is pleased to introduce the Nordic Spirit Game Arena, where you can try to beat your mates on a range of games on XBox and PS4 consoles. Prefer your games on your PC?  Don’t worry, there’ll be a couple of gaming PCs as well, plus a few arcade machines from Jagermeister and Redbull, for starters. Best of all, play is absolutely free!
There’s just two weeks left to sign up to BLOODSTOCK’s very popular ticket deposit scheme, which allows you to spread your standard weekend ticket purchase over 5 instalments.  Be sure to make your first payment of £29 + booking fees before 28th February, then after that, your instalments break down as follows: Payment 2 – £29 (debits your bank account on 27/03/20), Payment 3 – £29 (debits 27/04/20), Payment 4 – £29 (debits 26/05/20), and then your Final Payment – £29 + postage (debits 26/06/20).  Please note VIP and child tickets are not eligible for the deposit scheme. Sign up at the ticket store.
BLOODSTOCK is also delighted to welcome the 100,000th subscriber to its official YouTube channel! To celebrate the milestone, BLOODSTOCK will randomly select two winners from channel subscribers to receive a pair of weekend tickets to 2020’s event. If you’re already subscribed, you’re already entered to win! If not, head over to the YouTube channel here and sign up! All new subscribers registered before the end of February 16th will also be entered. The lucky winners will be announced on BLOODSTOCK’s Facebook page in due course.
Not visited BLOODSTOCK’s YouTube channel before? You’ll find a host of cool and exclusive content from BLOODSTOCK, including interviews and live songs (or even whole sets) of a wide range of bands throughout the years. Didn’t get to watch Parkway Drive headline the main stage in 2019? Watch it on YouTube! How about Gojira the year before?  Also on BLOODSTOCK’s YouTube! New content is added regularly; make sure you stay subscribed so you don’t miss out and be the first to see brand new, thrilling live clips from classic, explosive, and downright headbangin’ sets at BLOODSTOCK!
BLOODSTOCK’s 2020 main stage headliners are DEVIN TOWNSEND (Friday), BEHEMOTH (Saturday), and JUDAS PRIEST (Sunday). The festival also welcomes HATEBREED, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, SKINDRED, PARADISE LOST, LIFE OF AGONY, BURY TOMORROW, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, DIAMOND HEAD, JINJER, VIO-LENCE, SACRED REICH, GLORYHAMMER, DARK TRANQUILLITY, BUTCHER BABIES, CATTLE DECAPITATION, BLOODYWOOD, MEMORIAM, RAMAGE INC, GREEN LUNG, BOSSK, CONJURER, ORANGE GOBLIN, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS, SAXON, SYLOSIS, TOXIC HOLOCAUST, NECTOR, WINTERFYLLETH, EXHUMED, NEKROGOBLIKON, THE CRAWLING, RAISED BY OWLS, & ANAKIM so far.  Many more bands performing over the weekend are still to be announced! Unsure what to expect? Watch a trailer all about BLOODSTOCK here.

BLOODSTOCK REVEALS MORE THURSDAY ACTS, EXCLUSIVE TO WEEKEND TICKET HOLDERS

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Are you a BLOODSTOCK regular? Perhaps you’re thinking of coming for the first time, or you’ve tested the waters before with a day ticket just to see what you think? BLOODSTOCK weekend ticket holders don’t just get three days of heavy metal glory, they get four!  While day tickets can be purchased closer to the event for Friday, Saturday, and/or Sunday, BLOODSTOCK starts the party on Thursday, exclusively for weekend ticket holders!  Get your tent pitched, grab your mates, and head over to the Planet Rock presents…Sophie Lancaster stage for a jam-packed evening of heavy metal fun.
Back in December, BLOODSTOCK revealed that Swedish hard rockers THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA are set to headline Thursday’s opening night party.  The Nuclear Blast-signed band, who feature members of Soilwork and Arch Enemy in their ranks, are promising new songs in 2020, but meanwhile, check out ‘This Time’ from current release, ‘Sometimes The World Ain’t Enough’ here.
BLOODSTOCK is thrilled to announce that they’ll be joined on the bill by these four bands…
Firstly, the irrepressible goblin kings, NEKROGOBLIKON. Hailing from California, the group released latest album ‘Welcome To Bonkers’ in 2018, featuring the track ‘Dressed As Goblins’ – watch the video for it here. If that’s not enough goblin for you, browse the rest of their Nekrogoblitude, and if you want to dress up especially for their set, who are we to stop you?!  Be sure to get your photo snapped by our roving official photographers if you do!
Northern Irish death/doom merchants THE CRAWLING are also added to Thursday’s line-up. Citing influences such as Paradise Lost, Marduk, Katatonia, and Bolt Thrower, this stripped back, dark three piece will bring all the heavy. Get familiar via the video for ‘Still No Sun’ here, taken from their album ‘Wolves And The Hideous White’.
Derby-based grind squad RAISED BY OWLS are looking forward to adding their brand of extreme metal to Thursday’s headbangin’ shenanigans, promising a no-holds-barred aural assault with a hefty dose of sardonic humour.  You only have to check out the video for their Christmas charity single ‘The Santanist’ here (proceeds going to the Sophie Lancaster Foundation), to get a flavour of what’s in store.
Also joining the fray, are last year’s Bournemouth Metal 2 The Masses victors ANAKIM, offering up a choice blend of progressive black/death metal to get your weekend started. Check out that live set, including the single ‘Born Of The Serpents Tongue’, filmed at BLOODSTOCK, here.  Their album, ‘Monuments To Departed Worlds’, is out now.
And that’s just the bands! There’s a host of other entertainment planned too, sure to kick off your weekend in glorious style. Don’t miss out!
Unsure what to expect? Watch a trailer all about BLOODSTOCK here.
BLOODSTOCK’s 2020 main stage headliners are DEVIN TOWNSEND (Friday), BEHEMOTH (Saturday), and JUDAS PRIEST (Sunday). The festival also welcomes HATEBREED, PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, SKINDRED, PARADISE LOST, LIFE OF AGONY, BURY TOMORROW, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, DIAMOND HEAD, JINJER, VIO-LENCE, SACRED REICH, GLORYHAMMER, DARK TRANQUILLITY, BUTCHER BABIES, CATTLE DECAPITATION, BLOODYWOOD, MEMORIAM, RAMAGE INC, GREEN LUNG, BOSSK, CONJURER, ORANGE GOBLIN, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS, SAXON, SYLOSIS, TOXIC HOLOCAUST, NECTOR, WINTERFYLLETH, & EXHUMED so far. Many more bands performing over the weekend are still to be announced!

BLOODSTOCK KICKS OFF 2020 BY ANNOUNCING SEVEN BANDS INCLUDING HATEBREED, BURY TOMORROW, SYLOSIS, AND MORE

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What better than some line-up news from BLOODSTOCK, to banish your January blues and help pass the time to pay day! As we boldly go into 2020, here are seven more bands to whet your appetite for the UK’s best metal weekender.
BLOODSTOCK is delighted to announce that Sunday’s headliner on the Sophie Lancaster stage will be none other than Connecticut bruisers HATEBREED. Jamey Jasta & crew certainly know how to get a pit going and are sure to round out the weekend in pulverising fashion! The group spent the latter part of 2019 working on new music for the follow-up to their crushing 2016 album ‘The Concrete Confessional’ and are promising a new album via Nuclear Blast in the spring! While you’re waiting, warm up your neck with this 2016 banger, ‘Looking Down The Barrel Of Today’, here.
Performing at BLOODSTOCK for the very first time, are BURY TOMORROW. The British metalheads release new album ‘Cannibal’ via Music For Nations in April, so you have ‘til August to learn the new songs to bang your head to! Get started with its title track here. They said, “We’re really excited! BLOODSTOCK are known for showcasing the best bands in the genre, so we’re genuinely honoured to be involved in 2020, see you in August!” The group will be appearing on the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Saturday, promoting the previously announced PARADISE LOST with their ‘Draconian Times’ set to special guests that day.
Also landing a spot on the main stage on Saturday, are home-grown, heavy metal beasts SYLOSIS, last setting foot on BLOODSTOCK’s hallowed ground way back in 2010. The Nuclear Blast signed group drop their long awaited new album ‘Cycle Of Suffering’ next month. Wrap your eyes and ears around the lead track ‘I Sever’ here (and if that’s not enough, head over to their Facebook for another new track they debuted just last week).
Joining them, BLOODSTOCK welcomes Portland, Oregon thrashers TOXIC HOLOCAUST. After a six year wait, patient fans were rewarded with new album ‘Primal Future: 2019’ last October, with the band’s frontman Grind recording all the instruments on it harking back to their early days. Watch the lyric video for ‘Chemical Warfare’ from that album here.
Over on the Sophie Lancaster stage on Saturday, don’t miss the return of atmospheric black metal squad WINTERFYLLETH. While they’ve been working on new material, in September they released live CD/DVD ‘The Siege Of Mercia’, for which the DVD footage was filmed at BLOODSTOCK in 2017! They add, “We have been fortunate enough to have been asked back to perform at the festival on a number of occasions since our early days, and it has always felt like ‘coming home’ when we do.” See the video for ’The Swart Raven (Live At Bloodstock) here.
Californian deathgrind merchants EXHUMED will also appear on Sophie Lancaster stage this year. Formed way back in 1990, the band now have eight albums under their belt to choose the set list from! Watch the video for the song ‘Naked, Screaming, And Covered In Blood’ from their latest Relapse Records album ‘Horror’ here. The song title is not a suggestion of how to watch their set.
Last but certainly not least, Californian three-piece NECROT will be bringing their blend of death metal/punk to the Sophie stage. The group closed out 2019 on a 6-week tour of the USA with EXHUMED! Not familiar with NECROT yet? Courtesy of record label Tankcrimes, you can play their latest album ‘Blood Offerings’ in its entirety here.
Just for a bit of fun to help any of you with January gym resolutions, BLOODSTOCK alumni Venom Prison have created BLOODSTOCK and Heavy Metal Lifting Club a special workout playlist on Spotify. Blast it out here.
BLOODSTOCK’s very popular ticket deposit scheme is now up and running, allowing you to spread your standard weekend ticket purchase over 5 instalments. You can sign up at any time until February 28th and will make your first payment of £29 + booking fees straight away. After that, payments break down as follows: Payment 2 – £29.00 (debited on 27/03/20), Payment 3 – £29.00 (debited on 27/04/20), Payment 4 – £29.00 (debited on 26/05/20), and then your Final Payment – £29.00 + postage (debited on 26/06/20). Please note VIP and child tickets are not eligible for the deposit scheme. Get tickets at the ticket store.
Unsure what to expect? Watch a trailer all about BLOODSTOCK here.
BLOODSTOCK’s 2020 main stage headliners are DEVIN TOWNSEND (Friday), BEHEMOTH (Saturday), and JUDAS PRIEST (Sunday). The festival also welcomes PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, SKINDRED, PARADISE LOST, LIFE OF AGONY, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, DIAMOND HEAD, JINJER, VIO-LENCE, SACRED REICH, GLORYHAMMER, DARK TRANQUILITY, BUTCHER BABIES, CATTLE DECAPITATION, BLOODYWOOD, MEMORIAM, RAMAGE INC, GREEN LUNG, BOSSK, CONJURER, ORANGE GOBLIN, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS, and SAXON so far. Many more bands performing over the weekend will be announced in due course.

BLOODSTOCK reveals Devin Townsend setlist plans; adds 5 bands & more

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As Winter rolls in and Christmas approaches, BLOODSTOCK has been busy confirming yet more bands for 2020’s best heavy metal weekender, plotting daily festive competitions, preparing to launch this year’s deposit scheme, and even devising an early Christmas present, with a little help from Friday headliner, DEVIN TOWNSEND…
Back in September, BLOODSTOCK announced that DEVIN TOWNSEND would headline the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Friday with a very special, UK exclusive set. BLOODSTOCK can now reveal more details about that setlist… it’s down to you, the fans, to help decide it! Dying to hear a deep cut of STRAPPING YOUNG LAD? What about a favourite DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT classic?! Now’s your chance to have your say! We’ve added a huge list of songs from throughout DEVIN’s career for you to vote on, via a dedicated thread on BLOODSTOCK’s Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/bloodstock/. DEVIN will be watching and we’ll update in due course…
Not only that, BLOODSTOCK is very pleased to announce that the mighty SAXON will be special guests on the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Sunday! The NWOBHM legends recently released live album ‘The Eagle Has Landed 40 (Live)’ to celebrate 40 head-bangin’ years and word has it, have been in the studio with Andy Sneap working on new music too. Watch a clip of classic track ‘747 Strangers In The Night (Live)’ from the new live release at: https://youtu.be/Gq6VhHTYGq0. In this, the band have said to expect their biggest, boldest show yet.
Also joining the Sunday main stage line up, are ORANGE GOBLIN with their unmistakable heavy metal blend of stoner, doom, black, crust, and southern rock. After a 4 year wait, the London-based group released latest album ‘The Wolf Bites Back’ last year, and are revving up to celebrate their 25th anniversary in 2020. Treat yourself and hear the whole album on Spotify.
Fast-rising British metal beasts CONJURER join the main stage fun on Saturday. Described as “ultra-gnarly, monstrously heavy” by Metal Hammer, record label Holy Roar released their debut album ‘Mire’ to vast praise in 2018. See the video for ‘Thankless’ from that record at:  https://youtu.be/Ogjc5DzIRHE or hear it in its entirety at: https://youtu.be/anXfPhYjb9E.
BLOODSTOCK can also reveal that Thursday’s Sophie Lancaster stage headliners will be none other than Swedish hard rockers THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA! The Nuclear Blast signed band, who boast members of Soilwork and Arch Enemy amidst their line-up, are promising a new album for 2020 but if you’re not familiar with them yet, make time to check out ‘This Time’ from their current release ‘Sometimes The World Ain’t Enough’ at https://youtu.be/9QdHI0if_xk.
On Sunday, the Sophie stage welcomes Canadian power metal squad UNLEASH THE ARCHERS. Have a listen to ‘The Matriarch’ at https://youtu.be/fs8RUFS18g0, from their acclaimed last album ‘Apex’, or pick up their new limited edition ‘Explorers’ EP which includes two special cover songs and was released by Napalm Records in October.
Don’t forget!! Sunday 15th December is the last day to snap up standard weekend tickets with early bird discount, if stocks last until then! On Monday 16th December, standard weekend tickets will move from £130 to £145; keeping the price the same as 2019’s event. A very limited number of VIP ticket upgrades will also go on sale on the 16th. Don’t hang about if you want to grab these!! Get tickets at the ticket store.
BLOODSTOCK’s ever popular ticket deposit scheme kicks off at 9am on December 20th, allowing you to spread your standard weekend ticket purchase over 5 instalments. You can sign up at any time until February 28th and will make your first payment of £29 + booking fees straight away. After that, payments break down as follows: Payment 2 – £29.00 (debited on 27/03/20), Payment 3 – £29.00 (debited on 27/04/20), Payment 4 – £29.00 (debited on 26/05/20), and then your Final Payment – £29.00 + postage (debited on 26/06/20). Please note VIP and child tickets are not eligible for the deposit scheme.
Unsure what to expect? Watch the brand new BLOODSTOCK trailer here.
In other BLOODSTOCK fun, as 2020 marks 20 years of BLOODSTOCK, instead of ‘12 Days Of Christmas’ competitions, BLOODSTOCK is having 20 and they’re already underway! Don’t miss out – visit https://www.facebook.com/bloodstock/ every morning for details of each one-day-only competition, and be in with a chance to win all sorts of prizes from BLOODSTOCK bands past and present, festival sponsors, and of course BLOODSTOCK!
BLOODSTOCK’s 2020 main stage headliners are DEVIN TOWNSEND (Friday), BEHEMOTH (Saturday), and JUDAS PRIEST (Sunday). The festival also welcomes PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, SKINDRED, PARADISE LOST, LIFE OF AGONY, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, DIAMOND HEAD, JINJER, VIO-LENCE, SACRED REICH, GLORYHAMMER, DARK TRANQUILITY, BUTCHER BABIES, CATTLE DECAPITATION, BLOODYWOOD, MEMORIAM, RAMAGE INC, GREEN LUNG, & BOSSK so far. Many more bands performing over the weekend will be announced in due course.

BLOODSTOCK reveal Sophie Lancaster stage headliners & more

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BLOODSTOCK is delighted to share that New Delhi’s BLOODYWOOD will headline the Sophie Lancaster stage on Friday, in a UK festival exclusive. Blending Indian folk instruments and heavy metal, this is sure to be a unique set you won’t want to miss! Check out their most recent single (closing on 1.4 million views), ‘Machi Bhasad (Expect A Riot)’ at https://youtu.be/Gsy5sJy5_34.
Saturday’s Sophie Lancaster stage headliners are none other than extreme metal miscreants CATTLE DECAPITATION. Hailing from California, the Metal Blade signed group release their crushing new album ‘Death Atlas’ this Friday, November 29th! Not familiar? Listen to ‘Bring Back The Plague’ from the new LP at https://youtu.be/BBy4gn8VBMo. Head here to pre-order all manner of cool formats.
Birmingham death metal brutes MEMORIAM will be Saturday’s special guests on the Sophie Lancaster stage. The band’s third album, ‘Requiem For Mankind’ was released by Nuclear Blast in June. Watch the video for ‘The Veteran’, taken from that album, at https://youtu.be/_uTsdsc3cys.
Also joining the Sophie bill on Saturday, are Edinburgh-based prog experimentalists RAMAGE INC. With five albums under their belt now, they’ve plenty of songs to choose from! You can explore their latest record, ‘Under The Skin’, in its entirety over on their Bandcamp page at: https://ramageinc.bandcamp.com/.
Have you discovered London’s psych-doom crew GREEN LUNG yet? Appearing on the Sophie stage on Sunday, Metal Hammer described them as, “a fantastic mix of stoner rock, hard rock, and psychedelic rock laden with harmonies,” with further praise heaped on them by Kerrang!, The Guardian, and BBC Radio 1 Rock Show host Daniel P. Carter. Play their latest album, ‘Woodland Rites’ on Bandcamp at https://greenlung.bandcamp.com/.
BLOODSTOCK is pleased to welcome back post-metal squad BOSSK, joining the Sophie stage line-up on Friday. Following on from 2016’s well received ‘Audio Noir’ album, the band’s Facebook page was recently teasing new music is coming in 2020. Here’s hoping it’s out in time for BLOODSTOCK! Watch the full set of their 2017 performance at https://youtu.be/PLNpbvyUzQw.
Filled with questions about BLOODSTOCK? Put them to festival directors ADAM GREGORY and VICKY HUNGERFORD in a Facebook Live Q&A tonight! Head over to BLOODSTOCK’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/bloodstock/ for a 7pm start! Can’t make it? Don’t worry, you’ll be able to replay it later on the page too.
In other BLOODSTOCK fun, as 2020 marks 20 years of BLOODSTOCK, instead of ‘12 Days Of Christmas’ competitions, BLOODSTOCK is going to have 20! Be sure to check  Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bloodstock/ every morning from December 5th for details of each one-day-only competition, and be in with a chance to win all sorts of prizes from BLOODSTOCK bands past and present, festival sponsors, and of course BLOODSTOCK!
BLOODSTOCK’s 2020 main stage headliners are DEVIN TOWNSEND (Friday), BEHEMOTH (Saturday), and JUDAS PRIEST (Sunday). The festival also welcomes PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, SKINDRED, PARADISE LOST, LIFE OF AGONY, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, DIAMOND HEAD, JINJER, VIO-LENCE, SACRED REICH, GLORYHAMMER, DARK TRANQUILITY, and BUTCHER BABIES so far. Many more bands performing over the weekend will be announced in due course.

BLOODSTOCK announce final main stage headliners for 2020

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If you tuned into Planet Rock Radio this morning, you’ll have been amongst the first to hear BLOODSTOCK’s hotly anticipated news, revealing the final two Ronnie James Dio main stage headliners for 2020’s event. DEVIN TOWNSEND was announced as Friday night’s headliner last month. Without further ado…

 

Metal legends JUDAS PRIEST will headline Sunday night. In a year when BLOODSTOCK celebrates 20 years, we can think of no better place to also celebrate JUDAS PRIEST’s 50 Heavy Metal Years!  The Grammy Award-winning British icons were recently nominated again for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame and to date have sold over 50 million albums. Their latest release, 2018’s ‘Firepower’, saw the band return all guns blazing, earning the accolade Best British Album at the Planet Rock Awards. JUDAS PRIEST enthuse, “Horns up BLOODSTOCK – the PRIEST is back to headline the 20th year of BLOODSTOCK with our 50 Heavy Metal Years anniversary show!! A double barrel, once in a lifetime, blast of metal mania 2020….!!”  You can watch a special message from the inimitable Rob Halford at: https://youtu.be/2VJIsrJf_Mc.

 

The mighty BEHEMOTH are set to headline Saturday in a UK festival exclusive for 2020. Having wowed fans across the globe with their phenomenal set on both Slayer’s final US tour and Slipknot’s current Knotfest Roadshow, the Polish metal heavyweights will be upping the stakes by bringing their biggest and best production to date.  Don’t miss the spectacle of them closing out the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Saturday night! Charismatic frontman Nergal tells us, “BLOODSTOCK! The hallowed lands of Catton Park will once again host our Fiendish Festivities. This is BEHEMOTH’s first UK festival headline and that will be celebrated in the only way we know how; Hell will be raised, blood will be shed, and magick will descend! We shall see you there Legions!”  Hear it straight from BEHEMOTH themselves at: https://youtu.be/oe_1eQyZpXY.

 

BLOODSTOCK will be headlined on Friday by DEVIN TOWNSEND and also welcomes PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, SKINDRED, PARADISE LOST, LIFE OF AGONY, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, DIAMOND HEAD, JINJER, VIO-LENCE, SACRED REICH, GLORYHAMMER, DARK TRANQUILITY, and BUTCHER BABIES so far. Many more bands performing over the weekend will be announced in due course.

BLOODSTOCK reveal four more for Ronnie James Dio main stage

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As Halloween approaches and Autumn rolls in, BLOODSTOCK is delighted to reveal four more amazing bands joining the heavy metal shenanigans in Catton Park next August as well as details of this year’s Rock Society memberships.

PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS will be bringing their much lauded ‘A Vulgar Display of Pantera’ set to the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Friday. Bound to be one of the ‘Do Not Miss’ sets of the weekend, performing a slew of Pantera classics, we suggest you grab your mates and get down the front early.  For a taste of what’s to come, check out this clip of a similar set earlier this year, in Brooklyn, NY’s famous St Vitus bar – https://youtu.be/Mx2VIEGeWRQ.

On Saturday, PARADISE LOST fans are in for a treat, as the gothic-doom overlords will be performing their much loved fifth album ‘Draconian Times’ in full!  Released in 1995, it spawned singles ‘The Last Time’ (https://youtu.be/uuh-Ui_ZKTk) and ‘Forever Failure’ (https://youtu.be/gVgIW_pBcdI).  Now signed to Nuclear Blast, the band unveiled their fifteenth studio album, ‘Medusa’ in 2017 and hit the studio at the end of October to record the follow up.

BLOODSTOCK is pleased to share that LIFE OF AGONY will be joining us on the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Sunday. New album ‘The Sound Of Scars’, released by Napalm Records just 11 days ago, serves as a sequel to their seminal 1993 debut ‘River Runs Red’. Watch the video for new song ‘Scars’ at https://youtu.be/Z0hyh0yTdaU.

When legends like Metallica and Megadeth cite them as an influence, you know they’ve earned their spot.  DIAMOND HEAD pick up a slot on Sunday’s main stage bill and will show exactly why they’re considered one of the leaders of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Formed back in 1976, but still creating new music, their latest album ‘The Coffin Train’ dropped in May. Get into the title track at: https://youtu.be/YFsC6M7x32g.

Finally, BLOODSTOCK’s Rock Society memberships go on general sale at 9am on Thursday 31st October.  The Rock Society is effectively BLOODSTOCK’s ‘Members Club’, offering not only a 10% discount on your weekend ticket (on top of the early bird discount when you purchase the ‘Rock Society membership + ticket bundle’ option), but all sorts of other cool benefits like priority signing tent access, access to the VIP Serpents Lair bar, special tours of the backstage & production areas seeing ‘behind the scenes’, a Rock Society laminate, a dedicated hangout area in the Rock Society tent on site and plenty more besides.  Full details can be found at http://www.bloodstock.uk.com/pages/rock-society.  Memberships are limited to just 300 and sell out almost immediately.  Priced at £75, memberships are available on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, so be ready in the ticket store at 9am on Halloween if you want to join this exclusive club!

BLOODSTOCK will be headlined on Friday by DEVIN TOWNSEND and is also set to welcome SKINDRED, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, JINJER, VIO-LENCE, SACRED REICH, GLORYHAMMER, DARK TRANQUILITY, and BUTCHER BABIES so far.  BLOODSTOCK’s remaining two headline acts and many more bands performing over the weekend will be announced in due course.

BLOODSTOCK Festival launches 2020’s regional Metal 2 The Masses Programme

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BLOODSTOCK’s hugely popular, grass roots-supporting ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ scheme gives unsigned and DIY bands the chance of being part of the BLOODSTOCK Festival experience.  

With 2020 marking 20 years of Bloodstock, plans are already well underway for the festival’s biggest and best year yet and BLOODSTOCK along with our favourite ale, Hobgoblin, are aiming once again to track down the best, hot new metal talent to win slots to perform on the New Blood stage.  All bands chosen to play via the M2TM scheme will also be included on a free compilation CD courtesy of CRAM Duplication given away to fans at the festival next summer.

M2TM 2020 will take place in 28 regions across the UK, Ireland, Poland, and Norway. See the full list of participating areas below, and then if you’re in a self-released or unsigned band and want to try out for a slot on the BLOODSTOCK bill, get in touch with the event nearest you and get yourselves involved!!  One winner from each region will win a slot on the New Blood stage. In August 2020,  YOU could be stepping on stage at BLOODSTOCK!

Full details including who to contact to enter can be found at https://www.bloodstock.uk.com/events/boa-2020/venues and also via https://www.facebook.com/groups/m2tmofficial. 

 

The regions are:

BIRMINGHAM

BRIGHTON

BRISTOL

CHELTENHAM

CHESTERFIELD

DEVON & CORNWALL

ESSEX

HITCHIN

LEEDS

LONDON

MANCHESTER

MERSEYSIDE

MILTON KEYNES

NEWCASTLE

NORTHERN IRELAND

NORTH WALES

NOTTINGHAM

NORWAY

NORWICH

OXFORD

POLAND

REPUBLIC OF IRELAND

SCOTLAND

SHEFFIELD

SOMERSET

SOUTH WALES

STOKE ON TRENT

WOLVERHAMPTON

 

BLOODSTOCK 2020 is set to welcome Friday night headliner DEVIN TOWNSEND, plus JINJER, GLORYHAMMER, SKINDRED, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, VIO-LENCE, SACRED REICH, DARK TRANQUILLITY, and BUTCHER BABIES announced to date.  BLOODSTOCK’s remaining two headline acts and many more bands, including the eventual M2TM winners will be announced in due course. 

BLOODSTOCK reveals first headliner and more…

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BLOODSTOCK HQ is a hive of activity as a slew of bands confirm slots for the 2020 event.  2020 also sees the festival celebrating 20 years of BLOODSTOCK, so expect some special treats to celebrate at Catton Park next August.

Without further ado, coming to us with an exclusive UK show for 2020, DEVIN TOWNSEND is set to headline Friday on BLOODSTOCK’s Ronnie James Dio main stage!  The show will be a very special set for fans, with more detail on the nature of the set to be revealed in due course!  Here’s Devin to tell you the news: https://youtu.be/noN0RK4LedA.  He also tells us: “OK, folks…wow.  So where should I begin?  Ever since I was a kid, being able to headline a festival as fantastic and forward thinking as Bloodstock has been a dream of mine.  As some of you may know, I’ve been working on several live ‘bands’ lately, from acoustic, to prog and orchestral, with some really artistic and improvisational aspects.  However for Bloodstock, my intention is to do something quite different, and consequently kick ass in every possible way. I am putting together a VERY SPECIAL one-off show for Bloodstock, with a heavy band, playing the very best material for an outdoor festival from my entire catalogue, from SYL up to Empath.  I have always felt that if I was given one shot to knock it out of the park, I wouldn’t hesitate. And my friends, this is the shot! I have listened to what people have been asking for from my catalogue, and with a show like this, a production like we are planning, and the players who have agreed to be involved, this will surely be one of the pinnacle moments in my career.  My intention over the past few years has been to find ways to use different aspects of my work (that fall on opposite ends of the creative spectrum), to ultimately make something really beautiful. Something unified. This show is meant to bring it all together after 25 years of doing this.  Thanks Bloodstock for choosing to rock with me. I can’t wait to see you all there!”

JINJER are also set to make their BLOODSTOCK debut with a slot on Saturday’s main stage.  The Ukrainian metal squad, fronted by Tatiana Shmailyuk, have been making waves in recent years with their heavy progressive sound.  Check out them razing Wacken to the ground earlier this year with ‘Perennial’, a track taken from their recent ‘Micro’ EP; https://youtu.be/bxi3i9wzQBk.  The band are currently readying their brand new studio album, ‘Macro’ for release late October.

Power metallers GLORYHAMMER land a Sunday spot on the Ronnie James Dio main stage.  The band’s current album, ‘Legends From Beyond The Galactic Terrorvortex‘ is out now via Napalm Records.  Remind yourself of their maximum power metal points by watching the video for ‘Gloryhammer’; https://youtu.be/tKlVYJTSzuU.

BLOODSTOCK is also set to welcome the previously announced SKINDRED, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, VIO-LENCE, SACRED REICH, DARK TRANQUILLITY, and BUTCHER BABIES.  BLOODSTOCK’s remaining two headline acts and many more bands performing over the weekend will be announced in due course.