But of course, you don’t need to be told to go and break your neck in the circle pits to the likes of Megadeth, Meshuggah and Triptykon. There truly is more than meets the eye at this years festival. From the main stage to the Jagermeister stage, here’s our picks for the bands not to miss this year.
Lokust
London based grove metal squad, Lokust, appear on the festivals best kept secret area, the New Blood Stage. With their debut album, titled Infidel along with their blend of groove/death/thrash metal, you know they’ve got big things coming when they release the album. First stop is their spot on the New Blood Stage, which will see them lay waste to the stage with their razor-sharp riffs and breakneck speed. Second stop, touring the world with every waking breath they have for domination. A band that truly needs to be discovered and experienced at this year’s Bloodstock.
Gaerea
The Portugal based black metal quintet made waves in 2022 with their fourth studio album Mirage and have been touring and growing their fan base ever since. With their aggressive distorted sound, they’ve taken the black metal world by storm and are coming to unleash their blast beats, fiery riffs and feral vocals to the Sophie Lancaster stage on the Friday. With an impressive back catalogue of raw and grisly black metal behind them, they’ll no doubt bring the Sophie stage to rubble.
Embodiment
Bristolian death metal 4-piece Embodiment are taking a leap from supporting bands such as The Black Dhalia Murder and Cattle Decapitation to taking the stage before Zeal & Ardor with an impressive slot on the Sophie Lancaster Stage on the Sunday at Bloodstock to inject the tired and sleep deprived crowd with a much-needed adrenaline boost. Although they’ve only released two albums, they’ve got plenty of riffs and headbanging moments to propel them to this much needed spot they’ve worked so hard for since winning the Metal 2 The Masses many years ago. Along with being the nicest bunch of people you’ve ever met, they’ll blow you away with their pure ferocity and stage presence.
Urne
The London based metal trio released 2021’s Serpent & Spirit to critical acclaim. And now two years later they have A Feast On Sorrow releasing on the horizon. Their appearance on the main stage at Bloodstock has been a long time coming and rightly deserved as their mix of droning riffs, speed influenced drums and everchanging vocals will ring out across the festival. You could argue that their genre twisting metal would be best experienced on the Sophie stage, but when they play that first note, you’ll be pulled into their world of mind melting songwriting and be an instant fan.
Killswitch Engage
Metalcore legends, Killswitch Engage, make their first appearance at Bloodstock and have the honor of headlining the Friday. Some may say that they wouldn’t be able to headline such a festival, but those people are dead wrong. Their catalogue is filled with more hits that you count, and many more that you will find yourself singing along to that you’ll had forgotten about. The riffs, singalongs and circle pits will be out in force when the band hits the stage. And with their first major UK headline slot, you know they’re going to pull out a few tricks from their sleeves to make a bang.
Torchbearer
Winner of the South Wales Metal 2 The Masses competition & rising through the ranks of the underground, Torchbearer has a blend of metalcore with arena rock that will not be out of place on the New Blood stage. Their choppy riffs and guttural/clean vocals aren’t to be brushed aside but embraced. And with a new EP not long released the band will have plenty of material to keep your eyes and ears glued as they decimate the New Blood stage with every fiber of their being, just as they do in the smaller clubs that they’re accustomed to normally leveling.
Tribulation
You may think that having a gothic metal band on Bloodstocks main stage may be an odd choice as it loses its ‘edge’ in the sunlight, but Tribulation are more than capable of bringing their gothic riffs to the masses and standing their ground to give the Bloodstock crowd an extra gloomy feeling. With their unique mixture of The Cure type instrumentals along with their blood curdling black metal wails, Tribulation have turned more heads and broke more necks than you could even believe. Sunday. Main stage. Be there.
Frozen Soul
Texas death metal outfit have only been active since 2018, but in that time they’ve hit the death metal scene hard. Their second album Glacial Domination hit our ear drums this year to critical acclaim. Crunchy riffs, incomprehensible vocals and double bass kicks invade Bloodstock on the Thursday pre-party to get the festival goers ready for the weekend ahead of non-stop metal madness. Frozen Soul aren’t one to be missed. Even if you’re not attending Bloodstock they’re playing a few dates in London, Cardiff & Southampton if you need your fix of death metal.
Wild Heat
They won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but Wild Heat playing the Jägermeister stage with their 80’s glam rock hooks will chew you up and spit you back out. Fierce riffs and vocals that Vince Neil dreams of make Wild Heat one of the bands to watch out for over the weekend. With a stage as tiny as the Jägermeister stage is, they’ll be cramped and up close and personal with the crowd. But Wild Heat wouldn’t have it any other way. They’ll work the small tent like it’s their bread and butter.
Candlemass
One of the most influential doom metal bands of all time that needs no introduction. They infiltrate Bloodstock to play the Sophie Lancaster stage on the Friday to lay down grooves, slow moving circle pits and epic melodies that no other band could even try to replicate. One of the biggest picks to see for the weekend as they rarely tour the UK, and Bloodstock have picked them up. With their impressive catalogue spanning 13 albums across nearly 40 years, the band will have a few surprises to pick their set list from.
Royal Republic
Possibly the oddest edition to 2023 is Royal Republic. The Swedish rockers aren’t strangers to UK festivals, but with their first time at Bloodstock they can win the crowd over with their electric energy like it’s not an issue for them. Hooks, riffs, chorus’ and crown banter aplenty will be on show from the Swedish four-piece as they take on the crowd. And you never know, they might play that promised cover of ‘I Cum Blood’ on their Saturday main stage slot which would make the crowd gleam with smiles and circle pits aplenty.
All Hail The Yeti
The LA four piece hit Bloodstock with their mighty catalogue of riffs and chorus’ to make any stubborn metal head headbang with content. With their last output being an EP in 2021 we may or may not be treated to a new song, but either way they have enough to make new fans and old fans engaged. They’ll be setting up shop at the main stage on Sunday to deliver grooves, singalongs and heavy hitting genre switching speed riffs & slow beat-down drum hits. They may not be for everyone, but they’re here to make you turn your head from your usual taste.
Visions Of Atlantis
The Austrian quintet bring their energetic symphonic power metal stylings to Bloodstocks pre-show party on the Thursday. Duel vocals, powerful riffs and breakneck drums all combined create Visions Of Atlantis‘ show that’s not to be missed. Guaranteed to wake the crowd up and hype them ready for the weekend ahead, Visions Of Atlantis are the band to lift the atmosphere to the stratosphere and get everyone moving. Although not for all, the band have some songs that will make everyone bop their heads at least one during their set.
Abbath
Once the frontman of legendary black metal band Immortal, Abbath has since gained a bigger following with his self-titled solo project. The tongue-in-cheek self-aware demon isn’t one that plays the UK that much, but with his Saturday spot on Bloodstocks main stage you’re going to get vicious black metal and laughs aplenty when Abbath comes to town. With a set full of his solo material spliced with some Immortal tracks Abbath will have you gripped from start to finish with his furious riffs and putrid vocals.
Cobra The Impaler
Following their debut album last year, Cobra The Impaler have begun making a name for themselves. Their progressive metalcore outfit have some star power behind them with Dirk Verbeuren of Megadeth & Thijs De Cloedt previously of Aborted’s early days. But forget that as the band can hold their own with their crunchy guitars and funky beats that will ignite the Sophie Lancaster stage on Sunday with the interchanging metal. Another band that hasn’t really toured much since their debut but are now non-stop with many other Europe festival appearances under their belt as they swarm the metal landscape.
Bloodstock Festival 2023 takes place this week at Catton Hall, Walton On Trent. Find tickets and additional information here.