Tag Archives: Metal 2 The Masses

FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Open Air Part 2 – Live at Catton Hall

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SATURDAY:

After I visit the bust of Lemmy in the RAM Gallery, Brazilian death metallers Crypta are in full flow on the main stage, tearing through the likes of “Lift the Blindfold” and “From the Ashes”, casually stripping away any vestiges of third-day fatigue. And if that wasn’t the perfect wake-up call, then there”s always Bay Area thrashers Forbidden who blast through the likes of “Forbidden Evil,” “Twisted Into Form,” and “Step By Step” aided by summer recruit Dan “Chewy” Mongrain of Voivod. A great show, although a time overrun means we are deprived of the classic “Chalice of Blood.”Continue reading →


FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Festival 2023 Part 3 

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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 →


REVIEW: Manchester Metal 2 the Masses – Heats 1-7 – Rebellion Manchester 

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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. 

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FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Open Air 2019

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Now in its nineteenth year, the annual metal pilgrimage to Bloodstock Open Air at Catton Hall in Derbyshire was joined this year by a very special, but highly unstable, guest.

The weather.

Yes, I know it’s England in August, and we should be more than accustomed to inconsistent weather conditions, but this really was something else. Tents too hot to be inside one moment were waterlogged the next. People soaked to the skin by sudden, torrential downpours were suffering sunburn minutes later. Grass turned to mud, mud became rivers, and the unprecedented winds would go on to cause problems all of their own.Continue reading →


FESTIVAL PREVIEW: Bloodstock Open Air 2019

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The time is nigh! Bloodstock 2019, the best major independent music festival in the world is here! Ghost Cult’s crack team will be on-site as we have been every year in our existence, bringing you this vital heavy music event and experience! Featuring Sabaton, Parkway Drive and Scorpions, along with Anthrax, Batushka, Children Of Bodom, Code Orange, Cancer Bats, 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, Krysthla, Rotting Christ, Aborted, Skeletal Remains, All Hail The Yeti, Incite, Hypocrisy, Taake, The Lazys, Xentrix, and many more on the Catton Park stages this August. More bands are still being announced, but see the line-up so far here. Check out our day by day list must-see list below and everything else you need to know! Continue reading →


Bloodstock Announces Final Acts Including KK Downing and The Wildhearts

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Bloodstock Open Air 2019 takes flight in three weeks and the fest just dropped their final addtions to the bill. KK Downing (performing with Ross The Boss) The Wildhearts (replacing Code Orange), Lotus Eater (replacing Shvpes), Pemphigoid, Black Falcon, Crimson Tusk, Jackals Backbone who fill out Sunday’s line-up. Other additions to the bill and ticket buy links are listed below. Continue reading →


Bloodstock Open Air is in 8 Weeks, Adds More Jager Stage Bands

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Bloodstock Open Air, the best independent Metalfest in the world has added two more bands to its 2019 bill. Skypilot, Graves, Beggar, Black Shuck, Foul Body Autopsy, Jailbirds and Womanowar have all been added. More Jager stage bands will be announced next month. BOA also announces more Metal 2 the Masses winners: Grand Elder, Blind Divide, Scars of Remembrance, Elyrean, Fear Bound, Lost in Lavendar Town have all joined the fest. Bloodstock boasts headline bands Sabaton, Parkway Drive and Scorpions, along with Anthrax, Dimmu Borgir, Children Of Bodom, Code Orange, Cancer Bats, 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, Krysthla, Rotting Christ, Aborted, Skeletal Remains, All Hail The Yeti, Incite, Hypocrisy, Taake, The Lazys, Xentrix, and many more on the Catton Park stages this August. More bands are still being announced, but see the line-up so far here.Continue reading →


Bloodstock Announces First Metal 2 The Masses Winners, Day Tickets on Sale This Week

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Gojira, photo credit Bloodstock Open Air on Facebook

Blood Stock Open Air will release their day tickets this week. A limited amount of day tickets for 2019’s event go on sale at 9.00am this Thursday 30th May, priced at £65 (+ fees) for adults and £20 (+ fees) for children aged 4-11. Children under 4 go free! Head here to snap them up! You can still also pick up 4-day ‘weekend tickets with camping’, priced £145 (+ fees) and children’s weekend tickets at just £35 (+ fees). VIP tickets are expected to sell out shortly, including limited Podpads, Bellepads and Octopads, plus limited remaining VIP upgrades (for those who’ve already purchased a standard ticket). Camper van plots & Luxpads are already sold out. Links below for more details. BOA also announces the first batch of New Blood winners from their ‘Metal 2 The Masses’ finals, who all bag a slot to perform on the Hobgoblin New Blood stage! The finals are still taking place around the country. Saturday’s New Blood stage bill welcomes Coventry winners Djinova, Glasgow victors Inferiem, and Deformation Of Man, who took top prize in the Sheffield heat. They’ll be joined by Belfast top dogs, Lock Horns. Black Country band Masters Call also win a New Blood slot after impressing the booking team via their CD submission. Sunday brings Dublin champions Aesect, Norwich leaders Bastard, and Take Refuge, having clinched first place in the Milton Keynes final. You’ll also get to see 28 Double, who took Leicester’s gold medal! Continue reading →


Devil’s Playground – The Collector

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Within just a few months of forming in late 2015, Birmingham act Devil’s Playground had already released a self-titled EP and built up a busy touring schedule. By winning the final of the Coventry Metal 2 the Masses competition in 2017, the Brummie sextet earnt themselves a coveted place on the New Blood Stage at that year’s sold out Bloodstock Open Air Festival, playing to a packed out tent and gaining plenty of new fans in the process.Continue reading →


FESTIVAL PREVIEW: Bloodstock Open Air 2018

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The heshers and hesherettes are already in line at Bloodstock Open Air for the start of this years’ festival. Get set for the fest with the top bands to watch with our preview. Continue reading →