With 4 months still to go before you can shout Bloodstock is next week, festival HQ has got all the details of some raucous nights out to help you pass the time and get a sneak peek at some of the freshest talent to perform at Bloodstock this August, in rock clubs around the country and at the Metal 2 The Masses tour dates which kick off imminently! Plus, even if you can’t make any of those events, read on for the low down on 8 hellacious acts who’ve already seen off all the challengers to claim spots on the Timothy Taylor New Blood stage, so you can discover your new favourite band right now.Continue reading
Tag Archives: Bloodstock
ALBUM REVIEW: Heriot – Devoured By The Mouth Of Hell
Heriot have been flying the flag for the UK’s underground Metal scene over the last few years. Really coming to prominence in the post-pandemic era, as they’ve toured relentlessly across the UK and Europe with bands such as Zeal & Ardor, Rolo Tomassi and Architects, while also gracing the stages of festivals such as Download, Bloodstock, Rock Am Ring and Hellfest. Continue reading
Sadus Drop Their New Single and Video “The Devil In Me” – European Festival Appearances Incoming
East Bay thrash metal legends, Sadus, have revealed a new lyric video for their track, “The Devil In Me.” It comes from their latest album, The Shadow Inside, available from Nuclear Blast Records. This comes just before the band head across the Atlantic for a run of European festivals, starting with Party San and ending with Bloodstock. Check out the new lyric video and more below.
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FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Festival 2023 Part 3
Friday:
A challenge of being a concert photographer is seldom experiencing a full set. Often, I dash between stages, trying to capture each band as if on a Pokémon quest – though “gotta shoot ’em all” has a different ring to it. Nonetheless, the silver lining is I often witness a good portion of every set over the weekend. Here are my top picks and suggestions from Bloodstock’s two smaller stages, showcasing their stellar support for the underground scene and nurturing emerging metal talent in the UK and beyond.Continue reading
FESTIVAL REVIEW: Download Festival 2022 Part II
My Saturday at Download began over at the main stage where I caught the retro new wave of classic rock act Those Damn Crows, a band who have amassed a significant following in Wales thanks to appearances at the likes of Steelhouse Festival and other rock-oriented affairs. Possibly one of the smallest acts to perform on the main stage this year, the band spared no expense offering a fantastic wake-up call with some unremarkable if solid hard rock tunes. The day’s proceedings then continued firmly in the rocky territory with a southern, slightly heavier twang with Black Label Society, in their first festival appearance on UK soil since 2015, and with less of Zakk Wylde’s expectedly lengthy and tiresome soloing. Don’t get me wrong, Zakk was still doing his usual thing, but with a much-needed addition of percussion, making the moments of instrumental wankery much more palatable than usual.
FESTIVAL REVIEW: Download Festival 2022 Part I
After a prolonged absence from the British metal scene courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic (save for a scaled-back pilot event in 2021), Leicestershire’s iconic summer rock, punk, and metal weekender, Download Festival returned to Castle Donnington in a maximalist blaze of glory, packing in a full-scale 5-day experience with some familiar favorites, hotly tipped up-and-comers and some of the best international acts that rock and metal scene has to offer.
REVIEW: Manchester Metal 2 the Masses – Heats 1-7 – Rebellion Manchester
After the last few years of false starts and other covid related shenanigans the Manchester Metal 2 the Masses is once again underway. You probably know the drill, across the UK and slightly further afield, there are competitions held by Bloodstock festival. Unsigned bands compete in a battle of the bands format across the regions, and the winners get to play on the New Blood stage at the festival itself.
CONCERT REVIEW: Dawn Ray’d – Agvirre – Underdark – Gospelheim – Live at FAC251, Manchester UK
First time at FAC 251 and it was a little strange. First impressions, it’s a strange little venue, steeped in Manchester history. This is the building that New Order famously built, and the Happy Mondays infamously destroyed. Being largely at the heart of the Manchester party scene it’s not exactly noted for hosting many metal gigs, but with Manchester still in the process of re-opening some of the regular places aren’t quite open yet. Continue reading
The European Metal Festival Alliance to Host Streaming Events This Summer
A consortium of European Metal Festivals, hurt by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic have banded together to do some good and to create a unique online event for both bands and fans! Continue reading
CONCERT REVIEW: Insomnium – Conjurer UK: Live at Manchester Academy 3
I think it goes without saying at this point that Finish melodeath collective Insomnium is one of the most respected and consistent names in their genre. While Scandinavia is no stranger to exports of high-quality melodic death metal, many of the genre’s biggest names like In Flames and Children of Bodom have either compromised their distinctive sound in favour of more accessible elements, or in some cases, no longer exist. Insomnium however, has continued to fine-tune the gloomy atmosphere they first presented almost two decades ago in 2002’s In The Halls of Awaiting. Now, boasting a total of eight melancholic yet undeniably gorgeous releases under their belt, the band has done the UK and Ireland the honour of a nationwide tour in support of their latest opus, Heart Like a Grave (Century Media). An album that is less sprawling and proggy than Winter’s Gate (Century Media), but is an equally if not more epic and melodic record, packed with more guitar leads and solos than anything they have released to date. Certainly, it is the kind of material that you would expect to excel in the live environment, and so on a bleak Monday night in winter, I ventured out to Manchester Academy 3 for a necessary dose of metalised depression.Continue reading