Metal 2 The Masses

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 READIES M2TM FINALS AND ANNOUNCES SIX MORE BANDS

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BLOODSTOCK is pleased to reveal another six bands joining the fray at Catton Park this summer, hailing from not just the UK, but also Spain, Finland, and Egypt! The Metal 2 The Masses finals kick off soon too, so make plans to support your local event detailed below and you might even get to win a pair of weekend tickets for just taking a photo!
Appearing on the Sophie Lancaster stage on Sunday are Anglo-Finnish tech progsters WHEEL (https://www.facebook.com/wheelband). Expect to hear some tracks from their recently released debut album ‘Moving Backwards’, including perhaps, their latest single ‘Where The Pieces Lie’ – https://youtu.be/MMe99B0EP94.
Joining them are Preston old school thrashers SOLITARY(https://www.facebook.com/Official.Solitary) recently reunited with guitarist Gaz Harrop after an 18-year gap and celebrating their 25th anniversary in 2019. Pick up their most recent album, ‘The Diseased Heart Of Society here but first listen to ‘Wait’ from that LP at https://youtu.be/U5xMZezsNAY.
Spanish thrash beasts VIOLBLAST (https://www.facebook.com/Violblast) are set to melt faces on Sunday’s Sophie stage, shredding tracks from latest album ‘Theater Of Despair’, which they’ve kindly added to YouTube in full over at: https://youtu.be/QZgO0gfJHPg. Go listen!
Adding to Sunday’s Sophie mayhem are Egyptian blackened death metal outfit,CRESCENT (https://www.facebook.com/Crescentband), who released latest album ‘The Order Of Amenti’ via Listenable Records. Investigate ‘Beyond The Path Of Amenti’ and see if this is what your Sunday at BLOODSTOCK needs at:https://youtu.be/SkZOGD5UHUA.
Finnish metal squad, BLOOD RED HOURGLASS(www.facebook.com/bloodredhourglass) also grab a Sunday slot on the Sophie stage. The band are readying the release of their 4th studio album, ‘Godsend’ for 31st May. While you may be priming your ears for new music at BLOODSTOCK, check out ‘Quiet Complaint’, the opening track from their 2017 album, ‘Heal’ – https://youtu.be/4jSV9h4vvb0.
Joining the Sophie Lancaster stage bill on Saturday are British prog instrumentalists, THE PARALLAX METHOD (www.facebook.com/theparallaxmethod). You may have caught the band live before, as they’ve graced the stage at a previous BLOODSTOCK, as well as slots at Download and Hard Rock Hell. Check out their video for ‘You Gotta Be Squiddin’ Me’ – https://youtu.be/okE2TjKIuYg.
BLOODSTOCK is very proud to support the grass roots scene and its renowned Metal 2 The Masses scheme is now reaching its Finals stage for 2019! Events are listed in full below, so support your local scene and watch one of your local bands win a slot at BLOODSTOCK in August. You also stand a chance of winning a pair of weekend tickets by taking a cool photo at one of the events and posting it to your social media of choice (Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter) using the hashtags #M2TMFinals2019 and #BloodstockFestival, ensuring your post is set to public (so we can find your entry). At the end of the Finals tour, we’ll choose our favourite photo from each platform and that winner will receive a pair of weekend tickets to BLOODSTOCK, so feel free to enter on more than one social platform if you so wish to maximise your chances!
Sat 27 Apr – COVENTRY The Empire
Fri 03 May – GLASGOW Ivory Blacks
Sat 04 May – SHEFFIELD The Mulberry Tavern
Fri 17 May – BELFAST Voodoo
Sat 18 May – DUBLIN Fibber Magees
Thu 23 May – NORWICH Brickmakers
Fri 24 May – OXFORD Wheatsheaf
Sat 25 May – MILTON KEYNES Craufurd Arms
Sat 25 May – LEICESTER The Dryden
Fri 31 May – HITCHIN Club 85
Fri 31 May – STOKE Underground
Sat 01 Jun – WOLVERHAMPTON KK’s Steel Mill
Sat 01 Jun – BURNLEY Sanctuary
Fri 07 Jun – BOURNEMOUTH The Anvil
Fri 07 Jun – WREXHAM Memorial Hall
Sat 08 Jun – CARDIFF Fuel Rock Club
Sat 15 Jun – POLAND Miejsce Rude Boy Club
Sat 15 Jun – NORWAY Oslo Rock In
Fri 21 Jun – LEEDS Wharf Chambers
Sat 22 Jun – MERSEYSIDE Liverpool EBGB’s
Sat 22 Jun – NOTTINGHAM The Maze
Sat 22 Jun – NEWCASTLE Trillians
Sun 23 Jun – MANCHESTER Rebellion
Fri 28 Jun – ESSEX Colchester The Soundhouse
Sat 29 Jun – NORTHANTS Northampton Black Prince
Sun 30 Jun – BRIGHTON Green Door Store
Fri 05 Jul – CHELTENHAM Frog & Fiddle
Sat 06 Jul – BRISTOL The Exchange
Sat 06 Jul – LONDON Nambucca
Sun 07 Jul – BIRMINGHAM Hammer & The Anvil
Sat 13 Jul – SOMERSET Bridgewater Town Hall
Friday night’s headliner SABATON, Saturday’s top dogs PARKWAY DRIVE and Sunday’s bill toppers SCORPIONS, join ANTHRAX, DIMMU BORGIR, CHILDREN OF BODOM, CODE ORANGE, POWERWOLF, SOILWORK, CRADLE OF FILTH, THY ART IS MURDER, TESSERACT, METAL CHURCH, SOULFLY, DEATH ANGEL, DEE SNIDER, QUEENSRYCHE, ELUVEITIE, SWALLOW THE SUN, EVIL SCARECROW, ROSS THE BOSS, GRAND MAGUS, ROTTING CHRIST, ABORTED, SKELETAL REMAINS, ALL HAIL THE YETI, INCITE, HYPOCRISY and many more on the Catton Park stages this August. With more bands to come, stay tuned for even more artists to be announced soon!

Just ten more weekends before BLOODSTOCK!

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Time is zipping past and there are now just ten more weekends before BLOODSTOCK!  Have you planned your travel and dusted off your tent?  BOA HQ is busy with preparations, site visits are underway and we’ve confirmed nine more bands and a whopping 26 more club nights!

Lining up for a Sunday slot on the Sophie Lancaster stage are PUPPY.  Freshly signed to Spinefarm, the hotly tipped band were recently chosen to open for CKY on their comeback tour.  The band tell us "We're beyond excited to be playing Bloodstock. Every year we're in awe of how good the line up is, so for them to ask us to jump on board is a real privilege.  See you guys in the pit for Megadeth!"  Check out their recent video for ‘Beast’ here – https://youtu.be/r8LvjC26pfw.

Grabbing a Saturday Sophie slot are much lauded Londoners, THE ONE HUNDRED. Their new album ‘Chaos + Bliss’ comes out on 2nd June via Spinefarm.  Watch their latest video for ‘Monster’ at https://youtu.be/hP_nIAVAKbE.  Frontman Jacob tells us, “BLOODSTOCK is one of the finest heavy music festivals on the circuit and we are excited to be joining an already amazing lineup.  See you in August!”  Also appearing on Saturday are Welsh rockers, FLORENCE BLACK.  Get a handle on their sound with the video for ‘The One’ – https://youtu.be/29gpEAHm58E – and check out their new ‘EP II’ at iTunes or Spotify.  Midlands thrash animals, ERADIKATOR also join the Saturday bill.  Check out their lyric video for ‘Astral Body’ – https://youtu.be/iUSQ265xorw – taken from their 2015 album, ‘Edge of Humanity’.  

Last seen at BLOODSTOCK on the Jagermeister stage in 2015, Reading stoner/sludge squad MORASS OF MOLASSES bring their swamp and groove filled riffs to the Sophie stage on Friday.  Get to grips with ‘My Leviathan’ at https://youtu.be/F_cTjECbvZA.   

We’ve also locked down the undercard for Thursday night’s party night bill, below that night’s headliners, BATTLE BEAST.  We welcome back ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ alumni, RAMAGE INC. to open the weekend’s proceedings!  Check out the tech metallers’ ‘Within Circles’ over on their YouTube channel – https://youtu.be/v_bC0L4Lc1g.  Party doomsters, GURT also land a slot.  Get a taste of their sludge via this fan-filmed footage from their Edinburgh show late last year – https://youtu.be/8Zm0qCYCiHs.  THE INFERNAL SEA will bring their black metal noise to the bill.  If you’re not already familiar, watch the ‘Plague Herald’ video over at their record label Cacophonous’s YouTube – https://youtu.be/O4dyiNtIIfA.  Lastly, Italy’s WIND ROSE round out the Thursday bill with their ‘Lord of the Rings’-inspired dwarven folk metal.  Hear their track ‘To Erebor’ here – https://youtu.be/-qF1EQXIG1c.

The second phase of BLOODSTOCK club nights start on 2nd June!  Get along to one of the following events, bang your head to some tunes from BLOODSTOCK bands old and new, and be in with the chance of winning weekend tickets or related giveaways.  Expect fun ways to win – previous year’s events featured the likes of bucking broncos, endurance tests, and air guitaring!  Check your local club for details, as dates may be subject to change.  Events for June/July run as follows:

Fri 2nd Jun – Nottingham – ‘Tactical Assault’ at The Level, NTSU (featuring Evil Scarecrow)
Sat 3rd Jun – Hanley – ‘Devil’s Night’ at JJ’s
Sat 10th Jun – Glasgow The Cathouse
Sat 17th Jun – Coventry – The Phoenix
Sat 24th Jun – Sheffield – The Corporation
Sat 24th Jun – Norwich – ‘Meltdown’ at The Waterfront
Sat 24th Jun – Birmingham – Eddie’s Rock Club
Mon 26th Jun – Reading – Sakura
Thu 29th Jun – Exeter ‘TPT’ at Timepiece
Fri 30th Jun – London ‘Voodoo’ at Elektrowerkz
Fri 30th Jun – Camberley – The Agincourt

Sat 1st Jul- Hanley – ‘Devil’s Night’ at JJ’s
Sat 1st Jul – Brighton ‘Apocalypse’ at Envy
Sat 1st Jul – Wolverhampton Civic Hall
Fri 7th Jul – Leicester ‘Feedback’ at Firebug
Fri 7th Jul – Woking – Schism
Fri 7th Jul – Reading – ‘The Pit’ at Face Bar
Sat 8th Jul – Coventry – The Phoenix
Sat 8th Jul – Southampton – ‘Apocalypse’ at The 1865
Fri 14th Jul – London ‘Project Mayhem Pirate Party’ at Electric Ballroom
Sat 15th Jul – Burnley – Sanctuary
Sat 22nd Jul – Norwich ‘Meltdown’ at The Waterfront
Sat 22nd Jul – Birmingham ‘Uprawr’ at Asylum
Sat 22nd Jul – Middlesbrough ‘SUMO/Holy Shit’ at Medicine Bar
Sat 29th Jul – Birmingham – Eddie’s Rock Club
Sat 29th Jul – Sheffield – The Corporation

BLOODSTOCK announces 10 more, plus the ‘Metal To The Masses’ finals kick off!

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BLOODSTOCK has six more bands lined up for the Sophie Lancaster stage and four lucky bands win slots on the New Blood stage to celebrate the start of the ‘Metal To The Masses’ finals.

 

Landing slots on the Sophie Lancaster stage are Leeds metal trio BLIND HAZE (www.facebook.com/Blindhazeband), Italian power/classic metal outfit, ARTHEMIS (www.facebook.com/arthemis.official/), sludgy groove beasts GODS (www.facebook.com/therealgods), symphonic goth outfit SEASON’S END (www.facebook.com/seasons.end), Bristol progressive rockers ENDEAVOUR (www.facebook.com/EndeavourMetal) and classic rock n’ rollers, BLIND RIVER (www.facebook.com/pg/BlindRiverUK).

 

We’re also thrilled to welcome back Last.fm as sponsors of the Sophie Lancaster stage for 2017.  Check out their Spotify playlist of bands on the Sophie stage and get excited for August!  https://play.spotify.com/user/lastfmofficial/playlist/2mbVU7viKYgRh5CPhhOwl8. 

 

BLOODSTOCK’s ever tenacious search for the best breaking bands culminates soon with the kick off of the ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ finals on 22nd April.  The festival’s incentive to give up-and-coming acts a break by offering slots on the bill at Catton Park has helped give many acts a career launchpad and the finals see the M2TM team narrowing it down and picking their winners for 2017.  This year, M2TM ran in 29 UK regions, plus events in Ireland and Norway to find bands for the New Blood Stage.  Attendees at the finals can also win weekend festival tickets or prizes from our sponsors, Kraken rum and Hobgoblin ale.  The lucky bands winning a slot on the New Blood stage will also be in with a chance of landing extra goodies from our friends at Gibson Guitars, Studiomaster & Carlsbro or recording time with Russ Russell at his Parlour Studios in Northampton (http://www.parlourstudios.co.uk/).

 

Having won a slot on BLOODSTOCK’s New Blood stage in 2016, the Northern Irish band, THE CRAWLING are announced as winners of Metal 2 The Masses’ prize of a slot at the Slovenian festival, Metaldays.  Congratulations to them!

 

BLOODSTOCK is also proud to announce the first bands landing a slot on the Hobgoblin New Blood stage, hand picked from CD and online applications.  Hailing from Beirut, Lebanon are BLAAKYUM (www.facebook.com/blaakyum).  The band’s blend of thrash & groove metal is infused with crushing Middle Eastern percussion and oriental guitars.  Check out ‘Baal Adon’ live – https://youtu.be/6KwsoLIHKVE.  British power-proggers DAKESIS (www.facebook.com/dakesis) also land a slot.  The band’s sound ranges from powerful metal anthems to expansive, progressive instrumental and orchestral soundscapes.  Check out ‘The Great Insurrection’ here – https://youtu.be/a_rcIORrxFo.  Norway’s NORDJEVEL (www.facebook.com/nordjevelofficial) will bring some black metal to the New Blood bill.  Featuring ex-Ragnarok and Marduk members in their ranks, their pedigree is second to none.  Check out their video for ‘Djevelen I Nord’ here – https://youtu.be/zS1YAM7KdvQ.  Lastly, British groove metal animals, TORQUED (www.facebook.com/Torquedband) also win a slot.  They claim they’re here to ‘rip faces and blow gauges’.  Decide for yourself by checking out their set at in August!

 

Bands still wanting to throw their hat in the ring for a New Blood slot can apply via the Hobgoblin video upload platform – https://www.wychwood.co.uk, or by contacting [email protected] for further details.

 

Already announced for 2017 are our three headliners AMON AMARTH, GHOST, and MEGADETH, plus ARCH ENEMY, KREATOR, BLIND GUARDIAN, HATEBREED, TESTAMENT, OBITUARY, KING 810, BRUJERIA, WHITECHAPEL, SKINDRED, POSSESSED, ANNIHILATOR, MUNICIPAL WASTE, HELL, DECAPITATED, SOILWORK, CHELSEA GRIN, MACABRE, INQUISITION, KING PARROT, SCARAB, WINTERSUN, ONI, DENDERA, KROH, ABHORRENT DECIMATION, COURTESANS, WRETCHED SOUL, BOSSK, and WINTERFYLLETH.  Many more are still be announced!  Stay tuned to BLOODSTOCK’s social media at https://www.facebook.com/bloodstock and https://twitter.com/bloodstockfest for the latest!

New bands announced for Bloodstock 2016

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There’s just 48 days until your wait is over for BLOODSTOCK – the biggest heavy metal party weekender of the year!  BLOODSTOCK HQ is a hive of activity; the sunshine is on pre-order and there are still more bands being confirmed!

Added for an early afternoon main stage slot on Sunday are rising, home-grown Century Media metalheads, HEART OF A COWARD (https://www.facebook.com/heartofacoward). Check out the video for ‘Hollow’ from last album ‘Deliverance’ at: https://youtu.be/C-h3c2VnA7A.

Joining Friday’s Sophie Stage bill are German symphonic metal outfit BEYOND THE BLACK (https://www.facebook.com/beyondtheblackofficial), Wigan’s own progressive sludgelords BOSS KELOID (https://www.facebook.com/bosskeloidband), and self-described ‘epic fantasycore’ group FURY from Worcester (https://www.facebook.com/furyofficial).   

Meanwhile, snagging a Sophie Stage slot on Saturday are heavy psych merchants VODUN (https://www.facebook.com/VODUNBAND) fresh from Stone Free festival last weekend and fast-rising London melodic metallers, THE RAVEN AGE (https://www.facebook.com/TheRavenAge).

BLOODSTOCK is very pleased to welcome back TEENAGE CANCER TRUST as their official charity partner once again.  After shattering all previous fundraising records in 2015 with a colossal total in excess of £13.5K, BLOODSTOCK hopes you’ll join them to raise even more cash in 2016 to help TEENAGE CANCER TRUST support young people with cancer all over the UK.

Meantime, the ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ finals continue around the UK through to 10th July (remaining dates below).  BLOODSTOCK’s ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ judging squad have been searching hard for hot new talent and these lucky bands have won slots on the Hobgoblin New Blood stage!

Friday welcomes Mansfield stoner/groove rock trio WITCHTRIPPER (https://www.facebook.com/witchtripperuk) and Leicester’s melodic doomsters GARGANJUA (https://www.facebook.com/Garganjua). On Saturday, Leicester M2TM winners CONJURER (https://www.facebook.com/conjureruk) bring their blend of progressive post-metal sludge/groove, plus Norwich M2TM finalists VENDETTA (https://www.facebook.com/VendettaUKHC) offer up a slice of pure British hardcore aggression.  Joining Sunday’s New Blood mayhem are Luton’s FAR FROM HISTORY (https://www.facebook.com/farfromhistoryuk), mixing chugging groove and hardcore riffs to round out your weekend.

There’s also a chance for punters at each M2TM event to win weekend tickets to BLOODSTOCK, a case of Hobgoblin Ale to take home, or various other BLOODSTOCK related prizes.  You can even shake hands with BLOODSTOCK’s ‘M2TM’ mainman, Simon Hall.  Remaining finals run as follows so get out, support, and win those festival tickets for yourself!

 

24th Jun – SWINDON – The Victoria

24th Jun – DEWSBURY – The Old Turk

25th Jun – MERSEYSIDE / LIVERPOOL – Bumper

1st Jul – LINCOLNSHIRE / LINCOLN – The Lincoln Imp

2nd Jul – READING – Facebar

9th Jul – BURNLEY – Sanctuary

9th Jul – BOURNEMOUTH – The Anvil

9th Jul – POLAND / BIELSKO-BIALA – The Rude Boy Club

10th Jul – BIRMINGHAM – The Roadhouse

 

Already announced for 2016 are our three headliners, TWISTED SISTER (in their last ever UK show), MASTODON and SLAYER, plus special guests BEHEMOTH, GOJIRA and ANTHRAX.  Also on the bill are FEAR FACTORY, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, SYMPHONY X, SATYRICON, PARADISE LOST, DRAGONFORCE, METAL ALLEGIANCE, STUCK MOJO, ROTTING CHRIST, MISERY LOVES CO, AKERCOCKE, GHOST BATH, VENOM, UNEARTH, DIAMOND HEAD, GOATWHORE, ACID REIGN and many more.  Additional bands are still to be announced.

Bloodstock’s first M2TM Finals winners announced

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There’s a wealth of exciting news from BLOODSTOCK HQ in regard to their grass-roots-metal-supporting ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ scheme!  Coming on board as a premier sponsor is the newly resurrected, iconic metal label, MUSIC FOR NATIONS!  Also two more exciting prizes have been thrown into the hat for one of the lucky bands on the Hobgoblin New Blood bill.  

All those winning a slot on the Hobgoblin New Blood stage via the ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ initiative will already be in the running for the chance to receive endorsement deals from gear manufacturers and professional PR advice, but are also now eligible for these additional prizes.  One winner will get recording time with renowned producer, Jaime Gomez Arellano (Ghost, Angel Witch, Cathedral & many more) at his residential Orgone Studios in Woburn, Beds.  Metal Hammer have also pledged to support one winning band with exposure on Metal Hammer’s website and invite them to the magazine offices for a feature photoshoot and interview, plus a radio interview for Team Rock Radio.

Meantime, the ‘M2TM’ finals are already under way and continue through to 10th July (remaining dates below).  BLOODSTOCK’s ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ judging squad have been clocking up the miles (1800 to date!) and many lucky bands have won slots on the Hobgoblin New Blood stage!  Check out this lot for starters.  

 

Joining Friday’s bill are;

SEED OF SORROW (www.facebook.com/seedofsorrow), melodic death metallers from the Inverness final.  Five piece from the Scottish highlands, dedicated to producing the angriest metal possible!  

HUSK (www.facebook.com/HUSKUKMETAL), death metal from the Wolverhampton final.  With many of their dark, groove based tracks being built around bass player/vocalist Bob Taylor’s infectious bass playing, introducing elements of slap bass in death metal shouldn’t even be a thing …. But it really is.

BURNING THE DREAM (www.facebook.com/burningthedream), progressive death metal from Glasgow’s final.  Venomous groove-laden death with hooks galore!  

VEHEMENT (www.facebook.com/officialvehement), extreme/black metal from Brighton’s final.  Black clothes?  Black face masks?!  Check!  An unrelenting smoke machine and a bone fide MMA fighter on drums?!  Check, check!!  Extreme metal with real strength!  

TRIVERSE MASSACRE (www.facebook.com/triversemassacre), groove/thrash metal from Carlisle’s final.  “…like standing naked in a hurricane, or diving head-first into a nest of pissed-off hornets!”  Heavy as fuck!!

THE CRAWLING (https://www.facebook.com/thecrawlingband), down-tempo death from Belfast’s final.  When a band has the ability to set a scene in a mere 30mins, you’re on to a winner.  The Crawling say little between tracks allowing the sample of flies to draw the audience into an uneasy feeling of melancholy.  A grim blend of doom and death that’ll hve you scratching and questioning your own mortality.

TEN TON SLUG (www.facebook.com/tentonslug), stoner sludge doom from Dublin’s final.  Like being reverse kicked in the knackers by a disgruntled rhino!  These lads are not for those of a weak disposition.

 

Winning a Saturday slot:

BEARFIST (www.facebook.com/bearfistuk), metal from London!  It’s all about the riffs and these guys have ‘em in spades.  So much so, the guitarist won the handmade custom guitar from local sponsors, Empire Guitars!  Congrats lads!

RAMAGE INC (www.facebook.com/ramageinc), ambient prog metal from Glasgow’s final.  Already well established with prog/tech metal fans, these guys deliver with comparisons to the Devin Townsend writing style but with the Ramage stamp.  Tech bliss.

FAMYNE (www.facebook.com/famyneuk), doom from Kent’s final.  A young band with an old school sound, remiscent of Chronicles’-era Hawkwind mixed up with the epic sound of Candlemass.  An obligatory oversized gong and a rolling smoke machine were in full effect!

 

And the first one for Sunday:

ART OF DECEPTION (www.facebook.com/ArtofDeceptionofficial), melodic death from Norway’s final.  With frontman Sindre Johnsen having direct family ties to Kvelertak, his pedigree points to his ferocious vocal delivery and no shortage of notable twin lead skills.  These guys were a stand out choice.

As well as the fresh blood, sliding in to a Sophie stage slot are BEHOLDER (www.facebook.com/beholderuk)!  Fronted by M2TM Head Honcho, Simon Hall, he’ll be leading the way where many of his charges will hope to follow.  With a recently lauded new album…

There’s also a chance for punters at each event to win weekend tickets to BLOODSTOCK, a case of Hobgoblin Ale to take home, or various other BLOODSTOCK related prizes.  You can even shake hands with BLOODSTOCK’s ‘M2TM’ mainman, Simon Hall.  Remaining finals run as follows so get out, support and win those festival tickets for yourself!

 

17th Jun – NEWCASTLE – The Cluny

18th Jun – SOUTH WALES / CARDIFF – Fuel Club

19th Jun – MANCHESTER – Grand Central

24th Jun – SWINDON – The Victoria

24th Jun – DEWSBURY – The Old Turk

25th Jun – MERSEYSIDE / LIVERPOOL – Bumper

1st Jul – LINCOLNSHIRE / LINCOLN – The Lincoln Imp

2nd Jul – READING – Facebar

9th Jul – BURNLEY – Sanctuary

9th Jul – BOURNEMOUTH – The Anvil

9th Jul – POLAND / BIELSKO-BIALA – The Rude Boy Club

10th Jul – BIRMINGHAM – The Roadhouse

 

Already announced for 2016 are our three headliners, TWISTED SISTER (in their last ever UK show), MASTODON and SLAYER, plus special guests BEHEMOTH, GOJIRA and ANTHRAX.  Also on the bill are FEAR FACTORY, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY, SYMPHONY X, SATYRICON, PARADISE LOST, DRAGONFORCE, METAL ALLEGIANCE, STUCK MOJO, ROTTING CHRIST, MISERY LOVES CO, GHOST BATH, VENOM, UNEARTH, DIAMOND HEAD, GOATWHORE, ACID REIGN and many more.  Additional bands are still to be announced.