THURSDAY
It”s August and raining, but nobody cares because we’re home again. Yes, for the next few days (and for some early birds, the previous 24hrs), Catton Hall in Derbyshire has become the focal point of the true metal community as fans converge on Bloodstock Open Air for their annual dose of hard drinking and unholy hangovers.Continue reading
Hellripper have steadily been growing in esteem over the past several years, and today they are playing the small stage in 013, just like they did Roadburn 2019. The tour has been on for about a week, but is full steam ahead. Contending with the massive fun fair in Tilburg, makes this week’s shows a little tough. The time schedule had all bands set to play 45-minute sets, with Sarcator entering the stage just 15 minutes after doors open, with 15-minute changeovers. This seems like a Formula 1-level time window, so let’s see if they fully pull it off. It’s speed metal, but this is very tight planning. All of this so the show can end at the timely hour of 10 at night so a party can be held for the fun fair after. Talk about flipping venues!Continue reading
Bloodstock Open Air 2024 is a month away! Headlined by Architects, Opeth, and Amon Amarth, get tickets and the full festival information at the links below. Bloodstock will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 8th-11th August 2024.Continue reading
There’s just 65 days – or 9 weekends – ‘til your heavy metal brethren thunder their way onto Catton Park’s hallowed turf. As the days count down, Bloodstock has the next phase of Metal 2 The Masses winners to reveal, as well as a new batch of club nights for June and July, plus news about the gaming arena this year, Vikings, and more!
First up then, the bands… Grabbing a Friday slot on the Hopical Storm New Blood stage are Nottingham alt-rock trio Sleep In Motion, Belfast metallers Nihilanth, Newcastle riff merchants Kraken Waker, and Edinburgh heavyists Hammer.
In a new partnership, Bloodstock is excited to announce the line-up for its 2024 EMP Stage (formerly the Jagermeister Stage)! Friday’s bill will include tech/death squad Lost Brethren, thrash/death trio Lethal Evil, occult rockers Crowley, heavy blues rockers King Kraken, and goth metal outfit Mab. Saturday’s line up features grindcore/hardcore outfit Public Execution, metalcore beasts Parting With Origin, doom-fused heavyists Flamebearer, high octane fusionists Rupcha Farms and alt metal band Lurcher. Coming up on Sunday will be ‘fantasy space metal riff machine’ Warpstormer, celtic punk troupe The Callowgate Murders, fuzz-soaked riffmeisters of the Toad King Goblin Smoker, the 3-man noise machine Yersin and heavy blues rockers Loyds Trip.Continue reading
Atlanta, Georgia-based black metal outfit, Cloak, have just joined the roster at Metal Blade Records. The band also recently announced new live dates on The Holy Dark Over Europe tour this Summer, with Hellripper and High Command, as well as an appearance at Milwaukee Metal Fest. Keep reading below for more information.
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The Metal 2 The Masses tour returns in 2024! Bloodstock’ initiative to give emerging bands a step up and also support grassroots venues, kicks off on 10th May, with 30 regions and 6 countries participating. The fun begins in Belfast and rolls down through Dublin and back to England, Scotland, and Wales, taking in Norway and Poland along the way. The tour wraps up in Coventry on 15th July, with all the regional winners from the finals being revealed in due course. Check out the local events below and get along to your nearest event to support the headliners of tomorrow!Continue reading
As we barrel down towards the end of the year, we are sharing End of Year lists from staff, bands, and some friends in the business. Check out our Senior Editor Steve Tovey’s picks for his Top Albums of 2023!Continue reading
Bloodstock Open Air has added Grand Magus, Whitechapel, Deicide, Desert Storm, The Vintage Caravan, Exist Immortal Eternal Champion, Mimi Barks, and Grove Street for 2024. See the new poster for the fest, a new trailer, and ticket links below. The fest is headlined by Amon Amarth, Opeth, and Architects, all with exclusive UK festival performances. Bloodstock will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 8th-11th August 2024.
Hellripper is the one-man retro Blackened Thrash metal project from Scotland’s James McBain, who has been purveying his retro sounds since 2014, releasing a number of EPs including debut The Manifestation Of Evil (2015) and Complete And Total Fucking Mayhem (2016) before dropping the full-length Coagulating Darkness in 2017.