Red Method
This 6-piece have an energy and atmosphere that commands attention. A chaotic and harrowing medley formed through a spread of metal subgenres. They destroyed the Doghouse stage at Download and won’t be holding back when they take on the Ronnie James Dio stage on Friday at Bloodstock this year. These guys are a sure-fire way to kick off your main stage weekend with brutality and power.
Existentialist
This blackened deathcore outfit stacked with breakdowns and blastbeats are Essex’s Metal 2 The Masses winners. Stepping up to the New Blood stage on Friday only a year after forming, and fresh off the back of main support to Beyond Extinction’s headline tour, this band will have momentum to knock you for six. If you like it heavy, they’re unmissable.
Fyresky
Goth Rock delivered with infectious performance and character that will leave you grinning ear to ear. A stage show that excites and a set that spans melody and classical singing through to heavy, hard-hitting riffage. This 5-piece offer the best in hard rock to jam out to, so catch them on the New Blood stage on Friday.
Cage Fight
The hardcore project of a group of extremely talented musicians making extremely angry music. There are few better ways to release some tension than going primal to some visceral hardcore and if that sounds like an appealing thing to do then get to the Sophie stage on Saturday. Cage Fight will be offering up stone-cold riffs and some massive energy. Get to the front.
Guilt Trip
Manchester crossover hardcore band Guilt Trip are not a happy bunch of lads. In fact they are probably one of the angriest, meanest and rawest bands you’ll be able to see this year at Bloodstock. It’s going to be pretty difficult to walk out of the Sophie tent after their set on Sunday, mainly because the pits should be some of the most brutal of the entire weekend. If you still have energy in the tank and a hunger for riffs on the final day, do yourself a favour and get involved with Guilt Trip.
Heriot
Heriot have swooped into the UK scene with vicious intent over the last couple of years. Seeing young bands with such talent like them is what Bloodstock is all about. Those of you who take pleasure in finding your new favourite bands at Bloodstock every year need to ensure you catch every second of this set. Heriot will be delivering the unnerving and unrelenting fusion of industrial, sludgy metalcore that they have created to the Sophie stage on Sunday.
Collected
Heavy riffs juxtaposed with relaxed musicianship and an original demeanour. These guys will offer you the most upbeat and melodic songs of your weekend while also throwing some crushing downtuned nastiness in too. Dancing shoes and gumshields advised as Collected take over the New Blood stage on Saturday.
Basement Torture Killings
The name of this band is one of those ‘what you see is what you get’ situations. Basement Torture Killings are dishing out grindcore sounds to commit violent crime to, and seeing as they are the Thursday night openers on the Sophie stage there should be thousands of people full of energy ready to release when they hit the stage. An acquired taste? Perhaps, but if you’ve come to Bloodstock and blastbeats aren’t on your agenda then you may be at the wrong festival. Don’t get caught sleeping when Basement Torture Killings hit the stage.
Draconian Reign
Blackened, Symphonic and triumphant death metal coming out of Nottingham – Draconian Reign are fully-loaded in their blasphemous quest to deliver top quality metal to the Bloodstock crowd. Intense and unforgiving, this five-piece will be a band that fits the taste of those who are looking forward to seeing Behemoth, Lorna Shore and Ingested in equal parts. The New Blood stage will be ruled with an iron fist on Saturday as they descend upon Derbyshire.
Cast in Tephra
A successor to the sounds of classic deathcore like Thy Art is Murder’s Hate, Cast in Tephra are a force to be reckoned with. Their set on the New Blood stage on Saturday will be one of the messiest across the whole weekend, slow beatdowns and terrifying riffs will act as a beacon to pull in all deathcore fans as they experience the dismantling of eardrums and witness another of the most exciting underground UK bands lay waste to all in attendance.