BOA

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON! 85 DAYS TO BLOODSTOCK 2021!!

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Regrettably, due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation, DIMMU BORGIR have been forced to postpone to 2022, but fear not, we welcome CRADLE OF FILTH onto the bill in their wake. Dimmu’s management tell us, “Due to restrictions and uncertainties regarding international travel and logistics, we have to postpone DIMMU BORGIR´s performance at Bloodstock until next year. The band is absolutely gutted about this, having to cancel BLOODSTOCK again, but we have already confirmed with Vicky and the BLOODSTOCK team that the band will be back in the UK for the 2022 edition. Stay safe!”. We look forward to welcoming DIMMU back next year. Besides this killer livestream, CRADLE OF FILTH meanwhile recently collaborated with California merch brand, BlackCraft Cult on an exclusive t-shirt design – get your orders in here, so you can wear yours at Catton Park!
 
BLOODSTOCK is also excited to bring you details for Wednesday, the extra day this year exclusively for weekend ticket holders. Once you’ve arrived and set up your camping area, over in the Sophie stage tent, there’s a fun-packed evening lined up. British thrash legends, ONSLAUGHT are set to headline, with the bill rounded out by underground metal standard bearers, BEHOLDER, who will be playing their farewell show and epic-soundscape painters and M2TM alumni, WARD XVI. In a reshuffle, the ever-entertaining RAISED BY OWLS and progressive death metallers ANAKIM both move across to a Wednesday slot, from their previously announced Thursday.  
 
BLOODSTOCK’s party goblins have also been busy locking in a full range of after-hours fun at Catton Park. Once the bands are done each day, the entertainment in the big top Sophie tent borders on legendary, so be sure to rock up to Catton Park early on Wednesday, pitch your tent and get your beer on in time for the evening’s proceedings. DJs ChunkRock & Miss Abraxas will be hitting the decks, welcoming everyone back ‘home’ for the Metal party of the summer! On Thursday night, there’s a ‘Wrestling’ theme with the whole evening set to be livestreamed on the official BOA Twitch channel. BLOODSTOCK’s ‘Bear Pit’ Twitch host and DJ, Ryan ‘Bear’ Mills will be slamming a wrestling-themed evening where capes, lycra, and war paint are encouraged. Will you be rocking the full Ultimate Warrior or Hulkamaniac look, or prefer the more subdued Road Warriors approach? Either way, prepare to win prizes and power pose to some kick ass tunes. On Friday (13th), naturally it’s Horror Night, so BLOODSTOCK welcomes South coast rock/metal club titans, Apocalypse. Dust off the Elvira, Freddy, and Pinhead costumes and bang, whilst trying not to lose, your head. Saturday celebrates music through the decades, so join DJSoundwave as he celebrates the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and Naughties with a full-on mix of tunes from Abba to Anthrax and Disco to Deathcore. Closing out the 5-day weekend, the Apocalypse crew return with a Pirates Vs Vikings Party, so raise your horns to Odin or for Rum, with Crabulons and Robototrons also welcome. 


If you’ve still not found your tent after 2019’s fest, fear not, Fat Frank’s Camping Store can help! You can pre-order all your gear, or just that one missing item and collect it on-site. You can have them blow up your air bed while you wait, or even ‘rent-a-tent’ from them for the weekend. Not only that, they also solve the problem of towing it all home on the train with their ‘festival bag’ service, where they’ll deliver all your kit back to your home address within 3-5 days post-event. 

NOT 1, NOT 2, BUT 19 BANDS ADDED TO BLOODSTOCK 2021!

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With the weather slowly warming up, we’re counting down the days to BLOODSTOCK.  There’s a veritable feast of new bands to get your ears around before August – some you may know, some you may not (yet), but one thing is for sure – they’re all determined to help make this year’s BLOODSTOCK the absolute best fun you’ve had in over a year. 


Landing the Sunday night Sophie stage headline slot are festival favourites, EVIL SCARECROW.  With some of our overseas bands having to cancel, many of our UK friends are heroically saving the day.  We asked SCARECROW to come join the fun and they said, “So, we haven’t played as a band for a year. Not even a practice! We closed and abandoned our rehearsal room. Our van is gathering moss on a driveway. We have 2 new members who we have never played with. One of them was our main stagehand and we have not replaced that position. Basically, EVIL SCARECROW are, in reality, unconscious in stasis, floating through the void of space until we clear the disease-ridden Van Allen radiation belt.  Along came the good ship BLOODSTOCK, who nudged us awake to see if we will come and play with them. “No”, we mumble, “No band yet.  More sleep”. They return with a cup of tea and a bacon sandwich. “It’s headlining the Sophie Stage” they whisper.  Shit.  So, we’ve sprung back into life!  We are dusting off our props and may even have a band practice or two. So, if you want to see the most shambolic, unpracticed, unprepared EVIL SCARECROW show ever, then join us!  We can’t promise our usual super-polished -ahem- performance. But we promise to bring the biggest, messiest, stupidest party yet.”  We believe them and we’re all about it!  Remind yourself of their skills via their one-take video for ‘Hurricanado’ and get ready to close out the festival with a Scarecrow party! 

With the Metal 2 The Masses events happening soon, as well as the winners from that initiative, the New Blood bill is rounded out with a number of bands selected from online applications and we’re happy to give these additional bands the opportunity to showcase their wares at BLOODSTOCK.  We had over 600 applications and these lucky acts get a slot on the New Blood stage.  Grabbing a Friday slot are Gloucester metal squad BROKEN JAW and Liverpool death metallers COLPOCLEISIS.  Saturday’s bill will feature Brummie rockers DEVILFIRE, Irish sludgemeisters GREY STAG and purveyors of ‘true metal’, HANOWAR (yes, they are what you think they are)! 

Sunday’s bill features a swathe of fresh blood, including mask-wearing, theatrical noiseniks THE INJESTER, classic rockers SOUTH OF SALEM, stoner/doom squad SON OF BOAR, Midlands thrashers WIRED, THIS IS ENDLESS (featuring members of Onslaught/Ted Maul), power metallers FELLOWSHIP and SORCERESS OF SIN, melodic death metal outfit FROZEN IN SHADOWS, southwest metal 5-piece HYBRIDIZE, psychological death metallers STRANGLE WIRE, Irish modern metal outfit WORDS THAT BURN, black metal sonic terrorists DEITUS, and GHOSTS OF ATLANTIS (featuring members of Devilment). The remaining New Blood bands will be announced after the M2TM events in July, so stay tuned for more additions then.

SIXTEEN WEEKENDS ‘TIL BLOODSTOCK…

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Hot on the heels of JUDAS PRIEST confirming that their Sunday headline slot at BLOODSTOCK this summer will now be their only European performance this year, let the excitement for the metal party of the year continue to rev up with another 7 bands joining them on the bill… 

 VENOM PRISON are set to crush a Friday slot on the Ronnie James Dio main stage.  The band tell us, “Venom Prison are honoured to be invited to play at the legendary Bloodstock Festival again, having first appeared at the 2017 edition. This will be our first show in nearly two years since the world was shut down by the pandemic. We can’t wait to step out on stage again and cause utter destruction. See you in the pit.” The group are hard at work on their next studio album, the first for new label Century Media. For a hint of what’s to come, watch ‘Slayer Of Holofernes’, from their recent ‘Primeval’ release. 

New UK hardcore squad, BORSTAL, featuring Nick Barker (ex-Cradle of Filth, Brujeria) on drums, promise a punishing opening to proceedings on Saturday’s main stage.  Just the thing to sort out your Friday night bangover! The band released their debut EP, ‘At Her Majesty’s Pleasure’ just two weeks ago via 4Family Records.  Check out the video for ‘Vicious Circles’, taken from that EP, here.  

On the Sophie Lancaster stage front, BLOODYWOOD have unfortunately had to postpone their appearance at BLOODSTOCK, but we look forward to welcoming them in 2022!  As such, their Friday night headline slot will be filled by the mighty NAPALM DEATH!  Having recently renewed their record deal with Century Media, the grindcore legends are set to see some of their ample catalogue re-released on vinyl.  Check out their social media for details and warm your necks up with some classic Napalm noise via the video for ‘Time Waits For No Slave’.  

Snagging Friday spots on the Sophie stage are Cornish rockers KING CREATURE and melodic/power metal beasts, PRIMITAI.  Adding to the Saturday Sophie affray are Southampton crew TERRA IV and steamrolling in to Sunday’s lineup are Leicester metal five piece, INTERNAL CONFLICT.

BLOODSTOCK’s 2021 main stage headliners are DEVIN TOWNSEND (Friday), KREATOR (Saturday), and JUDAS PRIEST (Sunday).  The festival will also feature sets from DIMMU BORGIR, SKINDRED, PARADISE LOST, BURY TOMORROW, DIAMOND HEAD, THERAPY?, JINJER, VIO-LENCE, SAXON, THE WILDHEARTS, GLORYHAMMER, DARK TRANQUILLITY, BLEED FROM WITHIN, PHIL CAMPBELL & THE BASTARD SONS, MEMORIAM, RAMAGE INC., GREEN LUNG, CONJURER, ORANGE GOBLIN, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA, RAGING SPEEDHORN, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS, SYLOSIS, WINTERFYLLETH, HACKTIVIST, THE CRAWLING, RAISED BY OWLS, ACID REIGN, SVALBARD, SOEN, BLASPHEMER, PIST, SHARKS IN YOUR MOUTH, SEIDRBLOT, NOCTEM, MOTHER VULTURE, BLOODSHOT DAWN, & EVILE and many more.  Even more bands performing across the long weekend are still to be announced.

BLOODSTOCK FORGE AHEAD, ANNOUNCING 11 MORE BANDS FOR 2021!

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We’re full speed ahead with plans for this year’s event and are excited to announce a string of new bands to the 2021 bill at Catton Park!


THE WILDHEARTS romp into a main stage slot on Friday! Having been a big hit in 2019 when they stepped up last minute to fill in a cancellation, we’re happy to welcome the band back to Catton Park this year. With 2019’s ‘Renaissance Men’ album being deemed a huge return to form (as well as a return to the ranks for original bassist, Danny McCormack), the band also very recently dropped the ‘The Wildhearts, Live: 30 Year Itch’ via Round Records. 


Grabbing a Sophie Lancaster stage slot on Friday are Corby’s finest, the mighty RAGING SPEEDHORN! Having impressed many with their ‘Hard To Kill’ comeback album in October 2020, we’re thrilled to see they’re back and bringing their delicious noise to BLOODSTOCK. 


Moving into Saturday’s headline position on the Sophie stage are PHIL CAMPBELL & THE BASTARD SONS. The band unveiled their splendid new album ‘We’re The Bastards’ in November via Nuclear Blast, having recorded it in Wales during the lockdown.


Also grabbing Thursday spots on the Sophie stage are HACKTIVIST, THUNDEROUS JONES, ASHEN CROWN, LUNA’S CALL, URNE, FORLORN WORLD, SEETHING AKIRA, and KING WITCH. 


BLOODSTOCK’s 2021 main stage headliners are DEVIN TOWNSEND (Friday), KREATOR (Saturday), and JUDAS PRIEST (Sunday). The festival will also feature sets from DIMMU BORGIR, SKINDRED, PARADISE LOST, BURY TOMORROW, DIAMOND HEAD, JINJER, VIO-LENCE, SAXON, GLORYHAMMER, DARK TRANQUILLITY, BLOODYWOOD, MEMORIAM, RAMAGE INC., GREEN LUNG, CONJURER, ORANGE GOBLIN, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS, SYLOSIS, WINTERFYLLETH, THE CRAWLING, RAISED BY OWLS, ANAKIM, ACID REIGN, SVALBARD, SOEN, DOG TIRED, BAILER, BLASPHEMER, BLACK TONGUE, LIBERTY LIES, PIST, SHARKS IN YOUR MOUTH, SEIDRBLOT, BLOODSHOT DAWN, & EVILE so far. More bands performing across the long weekend are still to be announced.

BLOODSTOCK ANNOUNCE REPLACEMENT SATURDAY NIGHT HEADLINER; DETAIL THREE MORE BANDS

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BLOODSTOCK is working to bring you the very best metal party possible this August, but due to the ongoing issues and restrictions surrounding Covid-19, a number of overseas bands are no longer able to be at Catton Park with us this Summer.  MERCYFUL FATE sadly have to postpone their headline slot until 2022. Their iconic frontman, King Diamond tells us, “Due to the uncertainties of international touring logistics, health, and safety issues, MERCYFUL FATE are unable to perform at this Summer’s BLOODSTOCK. Unfortunately, most of our Summer routing is already postponed or postponing soon. Like many others in our position we’re amending our plans to get back on the road as soon as possible. We’re gutted. However, we are happy to say that we’ve worked with the BLOODSTOCK organisers and report that we will be back to headline the festival in Summer ‘22. Until then, stay heavy and stay safe.”


As such, pioneers of heavy, KREATOR will replace MERCYFUL FATE as Saturday’s Ronnie James Dio main stage headliner, in a UK festival exclusive. Frontman Mille Petrozza says, “We are very excited to headline the BLOODSTOCK festival for the first time! This means a lot to KREATOR since all the previous shows we have played there were exceptional! We promise you the most brutal show BLOODSTOCK has ever seen! Be prepared!” The much lauded German thrashers just released the deluxe ‘Under The Guillotine’ box set, celebrating their classic early Noise Records years. Fans are eagerly awaiting the group’s fifteenth studio album – the follow up to 2017’s ‘Gods Of Violence’ – due out later this year via Nuclear Blast. Check out this clip of ‘Violent Revolution’ taken from their 2017 set. 


Also having to cancel plans to be at Catton Park are PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, BUTCHER BABIES, LIFE OF AGONY, SACRED REICH, NECROT, EXHUMED, and UNTO OTHERS. While fans of these acts may be disappointed, BLOODSTOCK knows everyone appreciates the exceptional challenges right now and we hope to welcome these bands to Catton Park before too long. BLOODSTOCK remains as keen as you to be reunited with our metal brethren this summer and is determined to make it a most excellent time for all, with more bands and on-site fun still to be revealed.


Without further ado, picking up a Ronnie James Dio main stage slot on Sunday are Norse shamans, SEIDRBLOT. If you haven’t discovered them yet, check out this video for single ‘Skeggold’, shot in stunning Iceland. The band are promising a new song imminently and plan to resume making their new album as soon as lockdown lifts.
Joining them are UK-based melodic death bruisers, BLOODSHOT DAWN, who first appeared at BLOODSTOCK many moons ago as METAL 2 THE MASSES winners! The group have been teasing a new album on social media, so BLOODSTOCK looks forward to the possibility of hearing new headbanging tunes in August! Get familiar over on their Bandcamp.

BLOODSTOCK is also pleased to reveal that Brit thrash beasts, EVILE will be adding to Friday’s mayhem on the Sophie Lancaster stage. The band’s hotly anticipated and long awaited fifth album ‘Hell Unleashed’ lands April 30th via Napalm Records and while you’re waiting, check out the title track here. Keep an eye out for another new track at the end of next week…


Stay tuned for more news soon, with plans underway for a re-jigged version of the 2021 METAL 2 THE MASSES scheme, as BLOODSTOCK continues to champion grassroots metal, bringing the best of upcoming talent to the New Blood stage.  BLOODSTOCK’s other two 2021 main stage headliners are DEVIN TOWNSEND (Friday) and JUDAS PRIEST (Sunday). The festival will also feature sets from DIMMU BORGIR, SKINDRED, PARADISE LOST, BURY TOMORROW, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, DIAMOND HEAD, JINJER, VIO-LENCE, SAXON, GLORYHAMMER, DARK TRANQUILLITY, CATTLE DECAPITATION, BLOODYWOOD, MEMORIAM, RAMAGE INC., GREEN LUNG, CONJURER, ORANGE GOBLIN, THE NIGHT FLIGHT ORCHESTRA, UNLEASH THE ARCHERS, SYLOSIS, TOXIC HOLOCAUST, WINTERFYLLETH, NEKROGOBLIKON, THE CRAWLING, RAISED BY OWLS, ANAKIM, ACID REIGN, SVALBARD, SOEN, DOG TIRED, BAILER, BLASPHEMER, BLACK TONGUE, LIBERTY LIES, PIST, & SHARKS IN YOUR MOUTH so far. More bands performing across the long weekend are still to be announced. 

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.