We’re back at one of our absolute favourite summer festivals, this time to celebrate the monumental 25th anniversary of Bloodstock. From its modest start as an indoor event in 2001, Bloodstock has blossomed into a powerhouse of music and community. With excitement and pride, Devolution returned to Catton Hall to revel in the festivities. Incredible music, passionate people- what more could you wish for? Here’s our celebration of Bloodstock 2026.
Thursday
Mantis Defeats Jaguar
Ordinarily, Mantis Defeats Jaguar would have sole claim to the early-bird crowd at Bloodstock; however, the 25th Anniversary special opened up the Ronnie James Dio Stage, necessitating sharing. Regardless, the band delivered a great opening salvo to the weekend, with “Advantage Mantis” bouncing the Sophie Lancaster Stage ably. The group’s mix of funk, hip-hop and nu-metal certainly got a party atmosphere going and deservedly made the step-up from the New Blood Stage in the 2025 edition. Not sure what the guitarist’s wig and costume were about at the start of the set, but it sure made for a visual spectacle!
Heavysaurus
Over at the Ronnie James Dio Stage, nature found a way to open the weekend with prehistoric panache, with the delightful dino-themed band Heavysaurus. “Like Barney the dinosaur on drugs”, as someone said, the set was a family-friendly and fun-filled frolic of classic heavy metal. Featuring covers of rock and metal classics including “Highway To Hell” and “The Final Countdown” alongside originals like “Patty’s Got Bubblegum” and the terrifically-titled “Laser Ninja”, this was the best possible way to get youngsters into the festival spirit and listening to the good stuff.
The Hell
From the family-friendly nature of Heavysaurus, The Hell brought a sense of threat and danger to the Sophie Lancaster Stage that translated beautifully to an energetic performance. Clad in orange jumpsuits with bandanas across their mouths, the band were aggressive from the outset, with “Best Around” and the gentle “I Don’t Give A Fuck” flat-out assaulting eardrums without care or remorse. The band’s vocalists stalked the stage with menace, with one venturing to scream at the crowd by the barrier before jumping in for a spot of crowd-surfing. The vocal attack may have more in common with an agitated army drill sergeant, but the crowd bloody loved it.
Evil Scarecrow
It’s early in this review, granted, but Evil Scarecrow provided the most fun and hilarity across the weekend. Period. The band are the Monty Python of metal, with gags throughout their set, including a certain presidential look-alike darting across the stage shredding parodied Epstein files, a giant spider prop with pyro through “March Of The Spider God”, and a constant Dave Mustaine reference that ensured a laugh a minute. But what of the riffs? Thankfully, the band are equally good on that front, with “Cosmos Goth Moth Gong”, “Release The Krakhen” and “Hurricando” going down brilliantly (especially the spinning pit during the latter).
Black Spiders
With celebrations abounding for Bloodstock, it seems apt to join in. As it happens, Black Spiders were also celebrating, with their debut album, ‘Sons Of The North’, turning fifteen this year, and the band took the opportunity to play it in full. “Stay Down” kicked things off nicely, and the swagger of “St. Peter” set a baying crowd a-dancing. Still, a pleasant addition to the band’s performance was guest vocalist Maisie Manterfield of Air Drawn Dagger, who provided sterling backing and harmonies to frontman Pete. This was a great party to commemorate the band’s debut.
Saxon
This was a nice touch: Saxon headlined the first incarnation of Bloodstock (as Bloodstock Indoor Festival) back in 2001, and here they were doing so again on its 25th Anniversary as the glorious Bloodstock Open Air in 2026. As a way of Bloodstock’s organisers giving back to the fans who have helped grow the event over the years, this was a supreme move. With the crowd amassed at the Ronnie James Dio Stage (on a Thursday?!), the UK veterans duly delivered on the promise of classic heavy metal. “Hell, Fire & Damnation” raised the curtain on the band’s set, and the rest of their set was a tour of the band’s greatest, including “Power & The Glory”, “Madame Guillotine” and “Heavy Metal Thunder”. The band were on-song throughout and sounded as balanced as ever, though special mention should go to frontman Bill Byford. His vocals remain fantastic, but his persona on stage is one of warmth and gratitude, something which is impossible to find anything but wholly endearing, and a welcome addition to the set. Of course, “Wheels Of Steel” drew too much cheering and ensured a set replete with pyro, smoke machines, and a lit-up eagle delivered the worthy opening-night revelry for the festival’s birthday.
Cryptopsy
While not necessarily at the “opposite” end of the metal spectrum, Thursday’s Sophie Lancaster Stage headliners were very much a different gravy. Canada’s Cryptopsy are widely revered for their technical skill amongst the tech death community, and on the evisceration they delivered to the late-night revellers gathered, their powers are as strong as ever. As with Bloodstock itself, the band were celebrating the 30th Anniversary of their sophomore effort, ‘None So Vile’, and the set featured the album in all its brutal, technical glory. Honestly, the unrelenting heaviness, speed and gutturals almost elicited a peal of laughter here at how utterly insane it all was. There was extreme, and then there was Cryptopsy. Yet, for all the amusement at the extremity of their music, it was an example of some of the finest musicianship in the genre. Flo Mournier et al. are true masters of their craft, and not a single note was out of place throughout. As “Orgiastic Disembowelment” ripped everyone a new one, you could not help but feel a certain sense of glee at witnessing death metal played at the very edge of what is possible. While Matt McGachy’s vocals were borderline unintelligible, he and the rest of the band provided an absorbing show that closed Day One in terrifying fashion.
Friday
Gurt
As Friday dawned bright and bloody hot, the job of opening the Sophie Lancaster Stage on Day Two fell to Gurt, who promptly produced a set of sludgy riffs and groove to shake the cobwebs away. Vocalist Gareth Kelly marshalled proceedings excellently, growling throughout crushing riff after crushing riff, as well as bringing some smashing dance moves towards the set’s end. “Live Nation, Dead Scene” roused the crowd with its anti-Live Nation message, while “Rolling Stoned” had the day’s first stank-face riff. Yet it was their cover of 2 Unlimited’s ’93 classic “No Limit” with Black Mist from The Hell that brought the house down tremendous fun.
Battlesnake
The honour of opening the Ronnie James Dio Stage fell to Aussies Battlesnake, and they made a sermon of it. Really, they were dressed in religious garb (and otherwise in just their pants!) and opened, appropriately, with “I Killed Satan” to raise the fun-meter right up. “Mud Apocalypse” received its live debut, and the band demonstrated that their abilities as musicians more than matched their comedic efforts. For example, the breakdown on “Nightmare King” really got the people going with sheer bloody heaviness and provided the pit with a good excuse to let loose.
Temples On Mars
Over on the New Blood Stage, Temples On Mars took their Bloodstock bow to a sizable crowd and ensured that they would have left the stage with a fair few new fans. Frontman James Donaldson’s wit and charm added a layer of warmth (“I’m James, I like poetry…”) that was captivating and only served the band’s music well. Featuring cuts like “Sleepwalking Into Extinction” from their latest album, ‘The Last Ship’, the band’s prog-influenced alternative rock resonated sweetly and hit the mark.
Blood Countess
In contrast, Blood Countess damn-near levelled the Sophie Lancaster Stage with frost-bitten black metal that could seriously be the dictionary definition of the genre. The band provided a veritable maelstrom of frigid riffs and blast beats, the latter of which were incredible – Arctic drilling doesn’t have this much power. Around all of this was vocalist The Countess, who proved the malevolent epicentre: the power of “Chains Of Misdeed” could not be mistaken once The Countess let fly. Bloodstock can be a festival of contrasts, but this was one of the best ones.
Party Cannon
Bonkers. That was the set that Scotland’s Party Cannon delivered, and it was a thrill-ride from start to finish. This was slam death metal done with surgical precision, but the craziness that surrounded the band’s set created a brilliant juxtaposition. There were myriad banana-clad fans in the pit whilst the band ripped through “Improper Use Of A Speculum”, skull-faced extras brandishing signs like “SLAM” and imitating the guitar lines with pink, turgid wangs, all while Joe (“Mr Guinness World Book Of Records” to give him his full title) attempted to measure the chaos for several records. How much more fun could you want?
Regicide
Over at the New Blood Stage, East Anglia Metal 2 The Masses winners Regicide took their bow and made it count with a storming set under the shade of the tent. With a thrashy sound sprinkled with melodicism, the band were rewarded for their tenacious performance with a strong following and excellent interaction from those gathered to witness their Catton Hall debut. More amusing, though, was the gent in the inflatable capybara costume that was bouncing to the band’s groove, before tearing up the pit. You get all kinds at Bloodstock, you really do.
SKYND
If you bore witness to SKYND’s headline set on the Sophie Lancaster Stage in 2023, then it was something magical. Under the cover of darkness, their performance was absorbing, disturbing and thrilling in equal measure, yet their spot on the Ronnie James Dio Stage rather robbed them of that menacing atmosphere. The band were electric, with SKYND herself performing impeccably and using those vocal effects masterfully, yet the mid-afternoon sun rather dulled their effectiveness. Of course, hard-hitting true crime songs like “Michelle Carter”, the new song “Jimmy Saville”, and the classic “Tyler Hadley” all have a harrowing impact given the subject matter, but a bright summer’s day made it harder for the band to realise their true forcefulness.
Sellsword
Metal and sword-and-shield history just works, doesn’t it? There really is something about a band imploring you to take up arms and march into battle for honour and glory that gets the blood pumping. Yorkshire’s finest, Sellsword, were our inspiring generals, and with a stage adorned with shields on the drum riser and a sword mic stand, their show was already compelling before they ripped through “Warwolf” and “Merchants Of Menace”. They even brought along their t-shirt-firing trebuchets, much to the elation of the crowd. Cracking.
Fit For An Autopsy
There is always at least one band across a metal festival weekend that makes the hard-working security staff at the barrier collectively groan. Fit For An Autopsy were Friday’s candidates, as there were pits galore throughout their set on the Ronnie James Dio Stage, and the crowd surfing was like the tide: constant. The one-two of “A Higher Level Of Hate” and “It Comes For You” were utterly brutal, while the cathartic destroyer of “Far From Heaven” brought proceedings to a close with the band on top form. Carnage and brutality are oh-so comfortable bedfellows on this evidence.
Excrementory Grindfuckers
Another band, another milestone celebration. Germany’s Excrementory Grindfuckers were also celebrating their 25th Anniversary, and it was all going so well until the tech gods frowned upon them. One minute the band are barrelling through their set, a whirl of satirical grindcore, then all the power drops and everyone is looking around bemused. The band’s humour remained, cracking a Monty Python “and now for something completely different” reference, as well as a brief playthrough of Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys Are Back In Town” when the power returned. Still, sympathy must go to them for a disrupted set. A pity this happened on their first UK show – hopefully the tech gods smile on them next time.
After Smoke Clears
As mentioned previously, you get all sorts at Bloodstock. Another prime example was shortly after After Smoke Clears finished a crushing song of bludgeoning riffs, an audience member cried out, “That was sick!”… And then promptly walks off from the EMP Stage. Surely if you enjoyed it, you’d stay, no? Crowd oddities aside, the London-based band provided the tiny tent with a recipe for aggression that thundered along at pace. Despite the tent’s size, a hardcore pit erupted, with limbs flying and those in the middle cutting loose to the music. A very enjoyable set, and well worth seeing more than the one riff (looking at you, random audience member!)
Seething Akira
Among Bloodstock’s favourite sons, Seething Akira, returned for another storming set, this time back under the lights of the Sophie Lancaster Stage and, in typical fashion, they delivered the goods in spades. With energy aplenty, Kit Conrad and Charlie Bowes were magnetic as they and the band tore through “Something In The Water”, a new song that was finished merely ten days before their performance, and a ripper cover of “Insomnia”. All went down supremely well, and the on-stage energy was met in kind by those in the pit. The band love playing Catton Hall, and we love them playing – more, please! Also, huge congratulations from all of us at Devo to Charlie and his partner on their engagement at the end of the band’s set – wishing you both all the happiness in your future ahead!
Atarka
Back over at the New Blood Stage, Birmingham’s Atarka brought their brand of melodic death metal to the tent and earned themselves a fabulous response from the gathered crowd. The likes of “The Mountain” landed superbly, and vocalist James Marchant was an expert at working the pit into a frenzy, with appropriate pauses to chant along with choice moments during the band’s set. A triumph by one of the winners of Metal 2 The Masses and an example of the brilliance of the competition.
Soulride
Can there be a better way to conduct your swansong in a band before life takes you in a new direction? That is what Adam “Vrona” Wroniak, guitarist and founder of Coventry’s Soulride, would have enjoyed before he returned to Poland. The band brought a sense of old-school thrash to the EMP Stage for their set in the evening sunshine, and the battle jackets would have been very happy with what they witnessed. The band’s riffage was crisp, and their lead lines would have made any fan of Iron Maiden or Judas Priest very happy, and so the likes of “Lost Land” were lapped up like water in a draught (about that…)
n0trixx
Mental health is of vital importance, and the improving freedom with which it is spoken about is an absolute boon that should be encouraged further. For artists like n0trixx, who live with such conditions, it is paramount, and their performance on the Serpent’s Lair VIP Stage would have gone a long way toward encouraging people to speak about it. With each song concerning a different condition (“Harmless” on bipolar personality disorder, “Hé Toi” on dissociative identity disorder, and “St. Chaos” on ADHD), n0trixx’s performance was raw and unfiltered, right down to their hopping the barrier to dance with everyone in the pit. This was a musical and performative exploration of the human psyche.
Meet Your Maker
Coventry’s Metal 2 The Masses winners had the role of closing out the New Blood Stage on the Friday, and they took it with both hands. Big riffs from the likes of “In The Fire” and “False Light” set energy coursing through the crowd and caused a near-workout in the pit (as vocalist Matt McKay is partial to a workout, himself). His venture to mosh in the crowd as the band closed out their set was great to see, and embodied the community spirit the band advocates – the foursome are keen to promote mental health, the NHS and faith, and provided a warm, caring hug to all on a muggy evening.
Vanitas
The longer you continue being involved in rock and metal, the more you come across further niche genres. Vanitas are purveyors of so-called “cinematic djent” but, you know what? It absolutely makes sense, as their set on the EMP Stage confirmed. Broad, sweeping orchestral arrangements met groovy, technical metal that bounced as much as it bloodied. The likes of “Lucid Dreams” and “Behind The Mask” were enthralling, and their amusement was amplified with a spectacular wall of hugs (instead of its more aggressive cousin seen across the weekend).
Shining
Metal and jazz are not the most common associates, but it is safe to say metalheads can often appreciate the intricacies and talent of jazz. None more so than Norway’s Shining, who meld the two together like a fine meal. Their turn under the lights of the Sophie Lancaster Stage saw them perform the “Blackjazz” album in its entirety, complete with saxophone and everything! Much like a jazz band, their talent and togetherness were unsurpassable, and the set moved between groovy, unsettling, and atmospheric, then back again almost on a dime. Your attention was required, and you were rewarded for it.
Lamb Of God
Richmond, Virginia’s favourite sons, Lamb Of God are almost a veritable institution at this point in their career. Every album sticks the landing, and they continue to tour the world successfully. The band returned to the hallowed turf to remind everyone just why they are among the biggest and best now. Randy Blythe and co. know how to put on a headlining festival show, and their set was chock-full of some of the finest material from their career. “Ruin” raised the curtain in thunderous fashion, with “Laid To Rest” and “Now You’ve Got Something To Die For” following for a quick-fire double. The band made full use of pyro and fireworks. At the same time, Blythe was charismatic as ever, goading the crowd good-naturedly and airing his British alter-ego, Roger Brilliant, to humorous effect. It all made for a captivating show that demonstrates just why the band have been chosen to headline the festival a record-equalling three times now. A slick performance by seasoned metal performers that ran the gamut across their career and made it a special occasion, too. Bloody brilliant, mate.
Wednesday 13
Some performers just come alive once they grace the stage boards, and suffice to say that Wednesday 13 is absolutely one of them. The man was born to perform, and his enjoyment and excitement were almost tangible, especially as he was to be celebrating his 50th birthday the week after arguably his biggest UK show. From the tongue-in-cheek outset of “When The Devil Commands”, you got the sense that this was to be a party commemorating the Duke Of Spook’s career thus far. Everything from his solo stuff to Murderdolls (“Summertime Suicide”) and Frankenstein Drag Queens From Planet 13 (“I Love To Say Fuck”) was delivered with zeal and a sense of theatre that was ever so enticing to an already-invested crowd. It was not all straight-up performing, with time for some merriment in the form of Wednesday lobbing sweets from a pumpkin bucket during “Scare Me To Death”, dedicating “Nowhere” to the late Joey Jordison, and Wednesday attempting to detune Troy Doebbler’s bass (he got short shrift with that!) Sometimes all you need is a little fun in your rock show, and if you’re of a horror/macabre persuasion, then Wednesday 13’s headline set under the Sophie Lancaster Stage lights would have set you right.
Saturday
Froglord
A lot can happen in two years, but Froglord, the Great Amphibious One, has big plans for them. Following on from their debut on the New Blood Stage in ’24, the froggy foursome had the privilege of opening the Sophie Lancaster Stage on the Saturday morning. No mean feat considering the heat and hangovers but judging by the numbers in the tent (as well as the inflatable frogs), they were one of the more beloved opening bands. With dancers on stage, and a set littered with Gregorian (Frogorian?) chants, the likes of “They Came From Saturn” and “Swamp Boogie” made starting one’s day with slime a choice of the gods.
Inhuman Nature
While the Sophie Lancaster Stage was in thrall to an amphibious sermon, the Ronnie James Dio Stage played host to just pure rage from London’s crossover noisemakers, Inhuman Nature – no frills; just rip-yer-face-off thrashing riffs and aggression. The furious “Nature Of Steel” kicked the pit up in a cloud of dust and sweat and worked those sore limbs into some form of order to get the day going. If you were hoping for an easier wake-up, this wasn’t the one for you.
Imperial Age
While many bands use visuals to enhance their performance, such as pyro and smoke machines, few make them fit their music. Cue the exception in Imperial Age, whose symphonic metal stylings alongside such visual spectacles caused a young fan to utter aloud, “Wow”, excitedly. With “The Awakening” heralding their entrance in bombastic fashion, the likes of “The Legacy Of Atlantis” maintained that sense of grandiosity, despite some tech troubles with the mics and lead guitar at times. An enjoyable ride, albeit cut short due to timing issues, so you’ll have to catch the band on tour for that rousing closing piece in “re:Born”.
Vampyra
There are plenty of bands that come up with personas for their members and onstage antics, but if you are going to do so, commit to the bit. Thankfully, that’s what Kent Metal 2 The Masses winners Vampyra did, with the band distributing small car horns to the crowd and creating a carnival atmosphere over at the New Blood Stage. Madame Hex and co. were madcap marvels as they cracked out the likes of “It Ain’t Easy Being Scary”, with the crowd responding in kind as the set wore on. Look out for them in future – you will know them by the ominous sound of squeaking car horns.
Wailing Banshee
In an age where metal splinters off ever further into those aforementioned niche genres, it is nice to return to the tried-and-true stuff now and again. Cue Wailing Banshee, who peddle a magnificent take on traditional heavy metal, and were adored over at the Serpent’s Lair VIP Stage. With rousers such as “Wild Child” and “Worlds Apart”, the band excelled in front of a generous crowd, while their rendition of Heaven & Hell’s “Bible Black” allowed for a tent-wide appreciation of one of the genre’s finest. Expect to hear more Wailing in future.
Vended
Gracing the Ronnie James Dio Stage for the second time, Vended produced yet another energetic showing that proves they mean business. Frontman Griffin Taylor quite simply never stops moving or cajoling the crowd for more – and for the most part, he gets his wish. “Serenity”, “The Far Side” and closer “Asylum” are delivered with venom which is matched by the ferocity of the pits. In one of the more heartwarming moments of the weekend, it was wonderful to note a dad and daughter tearing around in the pit, with the youngster atop his shoulders and sporting bright pink ear defenders – educating the next generation well, sir.
Inscape
The jokes wrote themselves, though the comperes on the New Blood Stage told them anyway, but South Wales’ Inscape’s debut set was delayed for three-quarters of an hour due to a power failure. What could the jokes be about? Their latest EP, “C.I.T.R.U.S.”, is about a rogue AI plotting to kill all humans. Yeah. When the band were eventually allowed to go about their business, they delivered on their promise as winners of the South Wales Metal 2 The Masses regional with commendable professionalism. Just don’t go annoying the AI overlords again, chaps!
Withdrawn
As a knock-on effect, the rest of the New Blood Stage’s schedule was pushed back somewhat, but major kudos needs to go to the tech team behind the scenes for bringing it up to full working order for Withdrawn’s turn on the boards. Their brand of alternative metal made for a pleasant change-up from the colossally heavy stuff up until this point, and the vocal harmonies between the band’s three singers – Niamh Crawford, Samual Fitzjohn and Luke Schilling – were sublime. “Ghost” and, in particular, “Scared” injected some much-needed melodicism into the day and proved the band earned that Metal 2 The Masses win in Bedfordshire.
Nevermore
Nevermore last played these shores sixteen years ago, and graced Bloodstock even longer before then, back in 2007. In the intervening time, a lot has changed, not least the tragic loss of iconic singer Warrel Dane. Nevertheless, the reformed titans gave as good an account of themselves as any fan could ask, blasting through among the band’s classics with renewed vigour. “The Heart Collector”, majestic “This Godless Endeavour” and the crushing curtain call of “Enemies Of Reality” showed that Jeff Loomis and co. are determined to make up for lost time and honour the legacy of their late vocalist – a welcome feat, judging by the sizable crowd’s reaction to their set.
Imperial Demonic
A bit of theatrics with your black metal? Oh, go on then. Imperial Demonic took their bow on the New Blood Stage with vocalist Andy “Heathen” Ennis emerging with a steaming incense pot (looked a bit like it could be filled with hot Vicks?) before launching into a blistering set that savaged the ears of those under the tent. Elements of melody wove through the pandemonium, giving the crowd a touch of respite at times, but the set ended triumphantly with the warped “For Those Who Serve”. Blind fury sounded great.
Bleed From Within
You want riffs? Bleed From Within will give you riffs, and you will absolutely like them. With over twenty years of grafting, the band know how to put on a killer performance and with bruisers such as “Levitate”, “God Complex” and “I Am Damnation”, they crushed the Ronnie James Dio Stage long before they took their leave. The circle pits were frenzied and the wall of death violent, but that’s the way Scott Kennedy et al. like it. A punishing set, sweetened with the addition of Hannah Boulton on backing vocals, culminated in “In Place Of Your Halo”, where the band rounded off their show with a breakdown that damn-near snapped necks.
Sanguisugabogg
Honestly? This was a gnarly, disgusting hour of death metal. Just straight-up ripping faces off (see the appropriately titled “Face Ripped Off”) with utterly violent lyrics and riffage. Hell, this was the set where you left your thinking brain at the door and just got stuck into moshing, headbanging and going bananas whilst screaming along about an “Abhorrent Contraception”, or being “Dragged By A Truck”. The highlight, however, was the Sophie Lancaster Stage singing along to the harmonic-laden intro riff to “Dead As Shit” – what a contrast to the mindless savagery! Despite the filth from the riffs, this was good, clean fun.
Slaughter To Prevail
If you had followed the band announcements for Bloodstock over the past year, then you will have been aware that Slaughter To Prevail’s inclusion as a headliner raised some eyebrows. There were several reasons for this; however, as the band took to the stage, proceedings were kept as simple as possible, and they utterly laid the place flat. With the heat of the weekend, the band did not shy away from using as much pyro as possible, punctuating choice breakdowns with flames. The band’s tightness and the production were nothing short of perfection, with everything dialled in to maximum to truly pulverise everyone’s ears. “Viking”, “Bratva” and “Baba Yaga” were an aural assault in the best possible way, and it was all headed up by the engrossing Alex Terrible. Beyond the inhuman gutturals – and the “no mic” scream – he showed the man behind the mask in a literal sense at one point, talking about his gratitude for the opportunity, expressing his nervousness, and his love and yearning for his wife and son. How sweet. Yet it was business as usual shortly after, with the rest of the band crashing through to “Behelit”, which prompted guitarist Jack Simmons to take an adventure to the barrier and play to the crowd there before crowd surfing. Were there any lingering doubts about the band’s suitability as a headliner, then they were absolutely crushed and burned after this.
Leprous
In contrast to their mainstage headliners, the Sophie Lancaster Stage headliners, Leprous, offered something a little more cerebral. Proggy and with an almost regal quality, the Norwegians were spellbinding from start to finish. While their set drew from across their catalogue, it focused more on ‘Pitfalls’ and their most recent record, ‘Melodies Of Atonement’, but all were very well received. You do not often associate these words with metal in general. Still, an understated but undeniable beauty and fragility in Leprous’ music reveals itself the more you delve into it. The fact that the oddball-aggro “Like A Sunken Ship” can segue effortlessly into the tumbling “The Price” without feeling jarring is a testament to the band’s songwriting. The mixture of light and heavy across emotive passages made for an almost spiritual experience when you just submitted to the music around you. While the band’s forced abandonment of “Below” due to an apparent medical issue in the crowd showed that they are human (frontman Einar Solberg admitted that they needed to remember where they were!), it was on gorgeous tracks like “Alleviate” and the haunting “Slave” where the band really found their strong suit. Closing out with “The Sky Is Red”, a beautiful set descended into a sense of ominousness: like a cosmic calamity we can all see coming but can do nothing to stop. Resplendent and foreboding all at once: Leprous at Bloodstock ’26.
Sunday
Acid Throne
Cure for a heatwave hangover? More music, obviously, and Norwich’s Acid Throne were only too obliging to provide. If there were any sore heads under the tent by the Sophie Lancaster Stage, then a half-hour of doom will have either blown it away, or caved them in. The trio’s brand of doom was caustic and groaning with gargantuan weight that begged for headbanging. As they themselves have said, their music “makes you wanna bludgeon an orc to death” – a great Sunday morning tonic, and a question for the chaps dressed as characters from Lord Of The Rings to achieve the latter.
Bootyard Bandits
If having your head caved in by heaviness was not quite your bag, then a trip to the Wild West with Bootyard Bandits may have been more your speed. Equal parts funny and bouncy, the “UK’s most wanted country metal band” delivered a riotous set of toe-tappin’ hits ripe for a barn dance, including the joyous “Jesse James Denver” and violin-laden “Disco Cowboy”. It’s great seeing a crowd of moshers pivoting to put on their metaphorical boots and spurs, and none more so than during the ace “Hoedown Showdown”, with its Lego backdrop adding to the fun. Bloodstock needs more country metal!
Alunah
Another band celebrating an anniversary, ploughing the furrow now for twenty years and still going strong. Their set under the lights of the Sophie Lancaster Stage was groove-laden, and showcased vocalist Daisy Savage’s supreme talent throughout. Songs like “La Pucelle” and “On Blacklow Hill” got the crowd animated, and the tribute to the stage’s namesake was appreciated as well as ever. There is just something about the stoner/doom sound that hits just right on a Sunday, and Alunah more than hit the mark. Here’s to twenty more years.
Chekhov’s Gun
If there were an award for most unique act of the weekend, then Scotland’s Chekhov’s Gun would likely be the leading contender. What other band can you name that dons corpse paint, utilises a violinist and cellist, as well as has a frontman who opens the show with a ballroom dance? That is what the patrons of the New Blood Stage were treated to, with the commitment impressive, whilst the music was a melting pot of prog, thrash and wicked melodies. The word “eclectic” almost does not quite do them justice – a striking performance, for sure.
Castle Rat
For storytelling, you couldn’t do much better than Castle Rat’s turn on Stage. A set that was equal parts doom metal show and theatrical retelling of the story of The Castle Rat, songs like “Wizard”, “Wolf I” and “Dragon” were rightly applauded for their riffage when considering the former. Of the latter, what other show includes a sword fight between the band’s frontwoman, Riley Pinkerton, and “The Rat Reaperess”, and Pinkerton pulling double-duty as narrator? It was certainly a change from the “heads down and riff” of the rest of the weekend, and all the more welcome for it.
Kittie
As long-overdue debuts go, Kittie’s at Bloodstock was among the most eagerly anticipated. Back from hiatus and tragedy, the band made quite the impression before a strong crowd who could not wait to get stuck into the band’s thrashing anthems. “Brackish” was screamed back with plenty of heart by their fans, whilst ’24’s “We Are Shadows” hit exceptionally hard. It may have taken some time and circumstance for the band to grace Catton Hall, but it was truly worth it in the end.
Bad Earth
Back under the shade of the Serpent’s Lair VIP Bar were North Wales’ Bad Earth, who provided the gathered denizens with a riff-fest that proved thoroughly entertaining in the early afternoon. For a power trio, they packed a mighty punch, and their variety made for a splendid listen – see the speedy “Southern Gold” versus the rowdy “Shallow Man”. The crowd certainly enjoyed themselves, in particular a distinct trio in the pit consisting of a runner, wizard and black metal musician (sounds like the start of a naff joke…)
Orbit Culture
How does some of the chunkiest melodic death metal in blazing hot heat sound to you to keep your Sunday progressing along nicely? Good? You and thousands of others, who turned out to see Sweden’s Orbit Culture tear the Ronnie James Dio Stage a new one with practised ease. There is just something about their hefty riffs and anthems such as “The North Start Of Nija” and the hooky “From The Inside” that just resonated perfectly well and encouraged feverish pits and headbanging. Don’t be surprised to see the band creep ever higher up festival billing in future.
WREX
If you were feeling tired from the weekend up until the point WREX took to the EMP Stage, then their punkish energy will have either revitalised you or caused your collapse from exhaustion. Their set was raw but vibrant, with “Consume” and “This Hell Goes A Long Way Down” shaking the tent to the rafters, with the band a whirl of movement on stage. The crowd loved it, and especially loved the appearance of vocalist and guitarist George Donoghue in the pit to hash out some riffs amongst them. A performance full of spirit from everyone gathered and something to behold.
Testament
While the supposed Big Four of Thrash do Big Four things and hog the limelight, Testament will always be there. Never wavering in their consistency of excellence, their performance on the Ronnie James Dio Stage was no different. The setlist itself could pass for a greatest hits album, with “More Than Meets The Eye”, “Electric Crown” and “The Nature Of The Beast” doing the business for the, frankly, huge crowd. The band’s draw is still strong, and they gave an outstanding account of themselves. But then what else would you expect from a band of such magnitude?
Dream State
Dream State’s Jessie Powell probably gets this all the time, but switching from those nasty, harsh vocals to the cleans is remarkable enough to begin with. When you then add in the sweet, bubbly personality between songs, it really ingratiates you with the crowd. The band were also sporting a sizable following under the tent by the Sophie Lancaster Stage, which shows she and her bandmates are onto a good thing. “Hand In Hand” was an aural treat, whilst classic “Primrose” brought bedlam, and this was after Powell’s “pit of hugs”. Other highlights include Powell singing at the barrier and the witch crowd surfing an inflatable flamingo. Truly, a winner of a set.
Black Label Society
The world lost an icon in Ozzy Osbourne in ’25, and outside his family, one could argue that long-time guitarist Zakk Wylde would have felt his loss most. Back in the UK again, Black Label Society’s set was equal parts a reminder of their rocking power and a tribute to the late Prince of Darkness. A stirring cover of “No More Tears” brought on loud cheers from the crowd, as did the various images of Ozzy throughout. Still, Wylde and co. were also on-song for their own material, with “Destroy & Conquer” and the anthemic “Stillborn” kicking it very well, indeed. Hell, Wylde and Dario Lorina’s solo trade-offs were enough to inspire another of the nearby next generation to air guitar. Needless to say, rock and our heroes will never truly die.
Mushroomhead
Who doesn’t love a masked band coming out to the theme tune of SpongeBob SquarePants before attempting to destroy the tent keeping the Sophie Lancaster Stage in shade? Such was Mushroomhead’s opening gambit; it upped the ante somewhat before they emerged and knocked all and sundry down with all-swingin’ “Eye To Eye”. The water drums were a visual treat as ever, and classics like “Sun Doesn’t Rise” and “Qwerty” were welcomed with open arms. Proof, then, that some bands and music can stay the course through all trends given time.
Body Count
At long last, everyone’s prayers have been answered, and the widely-lauded Body Count were able to grace Bloodstock with their presence. Ice-T commanded the pits with consummate ease, and his between-song banter triggered a few wry smiles about the place. While “Psychopath” zipped past in a bloody haze, “Talk Shit Get Shot” generated a wholesome moment when Uncle Ice-T drafted two of the youngest audience members up to sing along (cue a chant for the youngest, Harrison). But it was “Cop Killer” that caused havoc in the pits, so much so that Little Ice got involved! Delight all-round, then, all the way up to the poignant closer “This Is Why We Ride” that certainly got people thinking more deeply about the themes the band perpetuated.
Aethoria
Over at the EMP Stage, Suffolk’s Aethoria set about finely closing the stage, with something of a party atmosphere. Vocalist Mecia-Jade Holden claimed to be struggling with her voice during the band’s set, but as they rattled through “Tamed” and new songs “Eden” and “Fool’s Gold”, you’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise. Holden sounded on-point throughout, and like this was the best of times – “Popcorn” was even prefaced with an imploration to “shake your booty, get your tits out – have fun!” Kudos to the lucky recipient of the free shirt for their dance moves (only!) Thoroughly enjoyable, this was.
Judas Priest
It’s the one everyone was waiting for. A full weekend of metal came to this, with the Ronnie James Dio Stage packed in eager anticipation for one of the gods of metal to emerge and round off the weekend. As the curtain fell to herald the beginning of “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin'”, the crowd roared their approval of Rob Halford et al. and the band themselves clicked into gear without blinking. “Breaking The Law” featured early and brought the first true sing-along, whilst “The Sentinel” and “Lightning Strike” sparked some furious headbanging and air guitaring nearby. The band’s visuals were stripped down – certainly in comparison to the previous two headliners – with no pyro, but some choice lasers and a disco ball for variety. However, the beauty of such a catalogue means you can let the music do all the talking. Halford himself sounded in top form, whilst the rest of the band killed it behind him, although the slightly high mix/artificiality of Scott Travis’ toms was a little distracting! Halford, in congratulating Bloodstock on its anniversary, joked about there being “one hundred years of Judas fucking Priest!”, but you got the sense from the crowd that that would be a blessing. Finishing on the ripping trio of “Painkiller”, “Hell Bent For Leather” and “Living After Midnight”, the band took their bow on a job well done and could look forward to a future release that is already eagerly anticipated.
Carpenter Brut
After all the weekend’s riffs and mosh pits, it came as almost a relief to have something a little lighter to let the hair down with. Synthwave is not something most commonly associated with Bloodstock (obviously). Still, Carpenter Brut toes that line neatly in a live setting with guitar and drums courtesy of Hacride’s Adrien Grousset and Florent Marcadet, respectively. It is surprising what power is behind it all when Brut gets the synths chirping live. With the crowd singing along to the main melody line for each track, it was very hard not to get taken in by it all and bop away to oneself. The lighting manager deserves a raise for an exemplary sync job, whilst the video backdrop worked very nicely alongside each track – see the anime-style visual for “She Rules The Ruins”.
Along with Brut’s pre-programmed voice to “talk” with the audience between songs, it gave a very movie-esque vibe, particularly something with a dystopian cyberpunk bend. “Disco Zombie Italia” was another highlight, whilst Brut managed to curate a synthwave wall of death during the hyper “Turbo Killer” – some metal bands cannot achieve that! Yet this was all ultimately preamble to the night’s pinnacle: a loud, excitable rendition of Michael Sembello’s 1983 smash, “Maniac”. You would have needed extensive joy bypass surgery not to enjoy yourself here, as the good mood and music were completely infectious. If it’s not metal, then this is how you round off the night and, ultimately, the weekend.
As we bid farewell to Bloodstock 2026, our annual pilgrimage draws to a close for another year. Twenty-five years marks an extraordinary legacy, and being part of this ever-evolving festival is something truly worth celebrating. The 2026 edition stood out as one of the most exciting yet, and we eagerly await what 2027 will bring. Catton Hall – until next August, we’ll be counting the days.
Words By Lee Carter
All Photos By Rebecca Bush – https://www.instagram.com/beckybphoto/