Starting where I left off with the Sophie Stage and a mid-morning start by way of Atmospheric Black Metal band Ofnus who absolutely blew me away. The vocals throughout were absolutely enthralling while the guitars from Hunter and Ponsford were technical and enchanting in equal measures. While the set was a brief encounter the band did everything they could to captivate and charm us with their endearing venomous blackened arts, the luxurious undertone which sat beneath the toxic aural shell was lush, the drums were ritualistic in their beating while the string work from both the thicker and the more delicate camps were entrancing in the dark setting of the Sophie tent. A great success of an opening slot and one which I am keen to relive in the future.
So over to the Main Stage for the first time this weekend and onto some out and out Thrash by way of Shrapnel, and they had drawn a healthy crowd for the opening slot of the day. The vocals from Moran were impressive, commanding the stage with presence and mobility, and the set just seemed to flow with a depth and a maturity which leant itself perfectly to the confines of the cavernous RJD Stage. This had been a fine example of British Thrash at its best, it was sharp and barbed with a bleak undertone of malice which flowed with a natural warmth and smooth unbridled edge to it. The perfect start to the main stage and one that set the tone for all that trod the boards after them.
I headed back to the Sophie Stage for some Blackened Deathcore by way of British stalwarts Turin. This was a set that I was really keen to catch and they did not disappoint. The vocals were powerful and dominant while the strings from Langford and Hayden were mesmeric in their deliverance and serving upon us. Langford managed his side with a natural belonging while the drums were released with a robotic and mechanic beauty which set them free with absolute might and ferocity. The crowd that had congregated to witness this late morning battering was sizeable and they did not disappoint with their response, it was loud and it wasn’t a decibel over what Turin deserved. Another success and another blistering set, this was shaping up to be one hell of a year for Bloodstock.
Time to slow things down a bit back on the Main Stage, it was time for Famyne and their brutal blend of Doom Metal. Vane was like a man possessed from the off, he stalked the stage and delivered his vocals with a chilling menace and terror which carried his vocals out into the midday sun. The string work from the fretboards was acidic and burnt through your being while the drums generated enough of a battering to give some slight respite from the deep and guttural growls from Vane. ‘Sledgehammer’ absolutely battered us from the start and certainly lived up to its name while ‘Dreamweaver’ was a lesson in Doom perfection, built and dispatched with such ferocity I’m sure it made the fields of Catton Hall shake to their cores.
Staying on the main stage and staying with the Doom moniker, this time by way of Danish Doom merchants Konvent and they were heavy. This was a stripped back affair, no theatrics and no flamboyancy it was just out and out heavy Doom. The vocals from Rikke were detonating and bludgeoning, absolutely colossal in their deliverance while the bass lines from Heidi were barbaric and pulverising, this was an out and out wall of sound which just grabbed you and shook you to your core, for anyone still shaking off the cobwebs or hangovers this was a sudden and merciless wake up call. You had been summoned.
So, time to raise the tempo and bring out some American Thrash by way of Flotsam and Jetsam, and with forty years of Thrashing under their denim it was a true masterclass in how to dispatch the faster things in life. Opening with ‘Hammerhead’ we quickly realised that Flotsam and Jetsam weren’t here to take any prisoners, it was out and out Thrash done in the best way possible. The vocals from Eric were mouthwatering, each word spat out with intent and ferocity while the strings from Gilbert and Conley were mesmeric in the way they danced and entwined with each other while the bass and drums worked perfectly as the titanium backbone gelling it all together. ‘Iron Maiden’ was hypnotic and ‘Primal’ was absolutely flawless, both dispatched as if on an archers arrow heading for the bulls eye hundreds of metres away, both true anthems of how Thrash metal should be constructed and dispatched with the energy and passion which was genuinely on show today. A healthy dose of energy which allowed the pits to grow before our very eyes, this was truly the first real example of how the dust of the Catton Park fields can be kicked up into a cloud almost rhythmic in complete sync to the arts being poured out from the stage. It’s been for too long since these Thrashers last graced the Bloodstock line up, please don’t let it be so long until the next time.
My first entry into the New Blood stage saw me getting excited for some Blackened Death Metal by way of Baelfyr and they were simply immense. The tent was packed and quite rightly so, the vocals were caustic and married perfectly to the crunching and claustrophobic melodies and riffs. The set was absolutely crushing and obliterating and annihilated pretty much all that stood in its way. An absolutely immense set and one which surely will propel the band onto bigger stages in the not too distant future.
Another first for me and this time I had a date with the EMP Stage and some Speed Metal. The time had come for Desolator to destroy their modest surroundings, and that they did without compromise. The set was aggressive and fast, piled high with catchy riffs and melodies and above all it was overflowing with enthusiasm from the fans and band alike which all added to a party atmosphere which was delivered and absorbed without any question. The gathered masses lapped up the Thrash which was resonating from the speakers and went absolutely crazy for the southern Speed Metallers, another stellar performance from a well oiled and genuine UK band.
Next on the Main Stage were a band who were joining us for their first ever UK summer festival performance, Paleface Swiss, and they certainly brought the energy and excitement with them. The appreciation that these guys had for this opportunity was clearly evident and they absolutely launched themselves into their set, it had it all. There was aggression in spades and this helped deliver the vocals which were spat out with a toxic violence and an aggressive spite which all wrapped itself up to be endearing to all in attendance. Zelli stalked and prowled around the stage with meticulous hunting, detonating all of the words he dispatched with a robust and iron clad anger while Lehmann worked his strings and fretboard and an antagonistic offensive which for many would have left their fingers bloodied and shredded but not for this six string sorcerer. ‘Hatred’ got the set off to a flying start and the show just naturally developed and evolved from there. ‘I Am The Cursed One’ was absolutely crunching while ‘Please End Me’ was fantastic and precision led from the front. Closing out with ‘Love Burns’ was enchanting and it led a friendly hostility which was charming and appealing on multiple levels. This had indeed been the band’s first UK festival performance but based on their time with us today I am fairly certain in saying that it most definitely will not be the last time that they touch down on our shores for another festival appearance.
Back to the shade of the Sophie Tent and it was time for the brutality of Shade Empire. The Finns hit the ground running for this one and they didn’t let up one iota. Hamalainen dispatched his vocals with accuracy and a decadent ruthlessness while the strings swathed around him with an extreme Industrial undertone to the Blackened Death Metal. The drums bore a resemblance to a rumbling avalanche and the bass score which sat alongside it only seemed to exaggerate all of the heavy bulldozing which added the muscle to the tracks which we were truly absorbing. Again the tent was packed for this set and quite rightly so too, Shade Empire were on my radar before I had even set foot onto the Bloodstock turf but after that set there certainly is a pin firmly pressed into their name and I’ve even gone as far as to bold and underline it, they were simply that good.
So earlier in the day we had the first festival appearance courtesy of Paleface Swiss, this time on the Main Stage we were getting a final ever appearance courtesy of Orange Goblin. This was a set that would go down in Bloodstock folklore. From the battering opening of ‘Solarisphere’ to the groove heavy ‘Made Of Rats’ it was colossal from the first beat to the closing chord. The vocals were absolutely awe inspiring, especially on ‘The Devils Whip’ and the guitars were absolutely enthralling, each track was launched into the atmosphere with pride and passion which all made for an emotive set on so many different levels.
Time for something slightly different on the Sophie Stage, and a performance I had been excited for for many a week leading up to the festival, it was time to embrace some Viking War Trance and the enigmatic Eihwar. From the moment we caught a glimpse of the illustrious duo they absolutely battered our senses, the prominent drum beats attacked our soul and pulled us into the world of the unknown, using their mysterious aura to attract us and then invite us to become addicted to their distinctive blend of pagan and Nordic folk they were an absolutely mesmerising subject to be enthralled and captivated by. Were they the Band of the day for me ?? they weren’t far off!
Time for some Italian Goths and that could mean only one thing, Lacuna Coil were in town. With the ever-impressive dual vocal attack of Marco and Christina leading the charge Lacuna Coil attacked us from the start with ‘Layers Of Time’ and they just didn’t relent one little bit. ‘I Wish You Were Dead’ was absolutely phenomenal and ‘Heavens A Lie’ was absolutely flawless, a beast of an anthem and absolutely mesmeric when ever it is dispatched upon us. Other highlights for me included ‘Our Truth’, ‘Hosting The Shadow’ and the Depeche Mode cover (which is pretty much a Lacuna Coil staple, a song that they have well and truly made their own) ‘Enjoy The Silence’. Not long into the set they lit the fuse and invoked the party vibe by letting off a wall of confetti canons which formed the Italian flag high in the bloodstock sky, and pretty much left their mark on the stage for the rest of the day, a visual delight and one which only helped to elevate the performance, not that it needed any help by any means. Lacuna Coil headlined my very first Bloodstock back in 2008 and I feel grateful and honoured every time I get to stand in front of them and become enveloped by their gothic art. Grazie, Grazie Mille
Onto a legend on the Sophie Stage next and High Parasite with the icon that is Aaron Stainthorpe. As the lights dimmed and the maestros graced the stage we were hit with a wall of Gothic Metal which was colossal and enthralling from the off. Stainthorpe was a monster on each of the vocal lines he launched onto us and they were colossal in each lyric that we were mauled by. The workmanship of the axes was maniacal from both flanks with the muscular and brawny bass and drum kit adding the physique to the model all which formed and created a fiend of a set. It was a genuine privilege to see a band dispatch a set with such professionalism, enthusiasm and pride.
The legends just kept rolling in and back on the Main Stage we are in the presence of absolute royalty, and Black Metal royalty doesn’t get any more regal than Emperor. With the sun blazing down the Black Metal Uber Gods dispatched their brand of technical Norwegian Black Metal. The vocals from Ihsahn were absolutely caustic and the fretwork from Samoth, which aligned with Ihsahn’s fretwork effortlessly, was engaging and beautiful. ‘Into The Infinity Of Thoughts’ from the magnificent ‘In The Nightside Eclipse’ was decadent while ‘Inno A Satana’ was lavish and sumptuous. My personal highlight was ‘I Am The Black Wizards’ which was malevolent and opulent and really saw Ihsahn spit his vocals out reminiscent of a rabid dog ravishing its prey.
With the tent rammed and the crowds spilling out around the outskirts of the Sophie Tent for pretty much as far as the eye could see, the anticipation for Nailbomb was astronomical. When Max et al walked out into view the whole place just erupted, we were in the presence of something very special, ‘Point Blank’ in full is not something you see every day. From the off Max looked hungry and thirsty for this, he looked lean and had a twinkle in his eye and a strut in his step, he was a man on a mission and that very mission was to destroy this place. The vocals were intimidating and lethal, each word spat out with a toxicity which was palpable and noxious. As the set progressed the crowd got rowdier and rowdier which just seemed to spur the band on even further, more and more surfers came over the top and each and every one of them was high on elation, elation from being a witness to a performance which was very special, very special indeed. As the band signed off with a cover of the Dead Kennedy classic ‘Police Truck’ and then the Nailbomb anthem ‘Sick Life’ it was time to get some air, recalibrate and pretty much process what we had just been a witness to.
Main stage for the final time and this time it was for Trivium, and this was something truly epic. From the moment they opened with ‘Rain’ it was obvious that there was a desire from the Floridians to tear this place down, and that didn’t falter when they embraced ‘Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr’ which they carved open with a real appetite for aggression. Now, headliner sets are supposed to be special and stamp a bands name down in the history books and this set from trivium certainly did that. They injected a cover of the Black Sabbath classic ‘Symptom Of The Universe’ into the set with the masterful Robb Flynn joining them, they pulled out a thrashy ‘Throes Of Perdition’ with III from Sleep Token making an appearance, they threw us a crushing ‘In Waves’ with Ihsahn also joining the party and they unleashed ‘The Deceived’ with Josh Baines also lending a helping hand. Now if that wasn’t enough they also gave us their rendition of ‘Master Of Puppets’ and they also gave us a live debut of ‘Bury Me With My Screams’. Corey and Paulo looked very hungry for this evening and looked more savage with each song that progressed through the set while Matt conducted from every corner of the stage with an eternal obvious delight. Trivium pulled out all the stops and made that a memorable headliner performance for so many reasons.
So, that had been day two, a beauty of a day but having caught 17 bands I was leaving the site weary but oh so happy, I just can’t wait to see what delights day three has in store.
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