The last day saw a huge turnout on the Main Stage and it was all in aid of Raised By Owls and their brand of light hearted Death Metal. From the moment the band kicked into their set the crowd erupted and it was clearly obvious that band and crowd alike were certainly living their best life. With all matter of shenanigans happening on stage it was hard to see how they fitted it all into their forty minute morning slot, they even had time for an appearance from Sams Mum much to the crowds delight. The music was competent and rampaging while the vocals from Sam were delivered with overflowing delight and honour, each word was conveyed with a variety of guttural growls and projected roars. As the set came to a close it was easy to see why these are definitely a fans favourite on any festival bill that is branded with their moniker
Cultura Tres next, and instead of the legendary Paulo taking up the bass duties they had drafted in another legend, the one and only David Ellefson (who needs no introduction). The South Americans wasted no time in showing just why they deserve their place on the billing today, they were uncompromisingly brutal and crushing with the riffs and vocals they dispensed to the bloodstock crowd. Londono spat out his words with a ferocious and untamed power while the drums were beaten to literally within an inch of their life, both combined to sit as a partnership alongside the string work which was intertwining between it all. An all too brief set was over before we knew it, but it had definitely been a set which had leant itself to be a new discovery for a lot of people at Bloodstock.
Next up was Swedish Prog band Soen and with them they brought an arsenal of crunching riffs and delectable bass lines. The vocals from Ekelof were formidable and rousing, emotive at times yet always keeping a constant polished power about them. Former Opeth drummer Lopez manned the drums at the back of the show but this by no means meant that he was kept in the shadows, quite the contrary really, his blistering beats and kicks were mesmerising and hypnotic at times, all building to a cultured and impeccable set from start to finish.
More Power Metal on the Main Stage, this time it was the turn of Finnish crew Beast in Black. Papadopolous as the animated front man, striking rock star poses which sat alongside his elegant and sophisticated vocals. ‘Born Again’ was a crowd pleaser and saw the voices come alive from the assembled masses below while ‘Power Of The Beast’ was absolutely superb in its deliverance, elegant and refined beyond its years. The standout for me, and one which ignited a riotous party from the Bloodstock crowd, was ‘One Night In Tokyo’ which was absolutely next level, an absolute gem, glossy and luxurious in the energy and vigour which it was dispatched with.
Greek Symphonic Death Metal next on the Ronnie James Dio stage must mean only one thing, Septic Flesh were about to carve us open and abstract our very souls. ‘Portrait Of A Headless Man’ opened the proceedings and the intentions of the Greek warriors were laid for us all to see, they were here for total domination and to annihilate anyone that stood in their way. Antoniou was an absolute monster on the vocals while his bass work was victorious with every strike of the thicker strings, the depth he got with his vocal range was one to be admired, his guttural raw was reminiscent of a lion calling out across the savannah and the presence he brought with him was regal and imperial. ‘Neuromancer’ was divine while ‘The Vampire From Nazareth’ was stately and brutal in qual measures. The set progressed with aggression and endearing hostility and delivered a lesson in how modern day savage Death Metal should be delivered, absolutely flawless and accomplished in every sense of the words.
If ever there was a Bloodstock band who could potentially be put forward for Eurovision then The Night Flight Orchestra would be odds on favourite surely. A massive departure from the carnage that had been delivered before them but they drew a sizeable crowd and entertained each and every passenger on their flight with variety, fun and a healthy dose of harmless pomp. The spectacle was only secondary to the music being exuded from the speaker stacks, colourful guitar riffs and chords sat alongside flamboyant drumming, animated vocals from Lundman and Brygard as the ‘air stewardesses’ and the cloaked ostentatious figure of “speed” on the lead vocals who all merged together to create a catchy and headbanging set throughout. ‘Divinyls’ and ‘Gemini’ were absolutely cracking, extravagant and flashy in every sense of the word, the energy the whole band were radiating from every pore of their souls led to a great injection of fun into the Sunday afternoon.
Celtic Punk next, Flogging Molly were in town and from the off it was evident that they were here to party and bring their infectious Punk to the Bloodstock masses. Dave king was the loveable character front and centre, acoustic guitar in hand he served up his lyrics with a cheeky contagious love for the art that the American brand of Celtic Punk were delivering to us. ‘A Song Of Liberty’ was absolutely colossal and delivered with perfect precision and energy, allowing Casey to tame his six strings and manipulate them to create a compelling set of chords and riffs which embedded themselves deep into your very being. Hensley showcased his skills on the accordion while Regan was a firm constant on the violin, each injecting an unusual flare to the musical compendiums that the Catton Hall denim battle jackets are usually akin to. By the time the Flogging Molly set was drawing to a close the floor had become more accustomed to random jigs and Irish dancing rather than the circle pits and moshing repertoire it is normally familiar with, but the set had certainly won over a new contingency of headbangers and welcomed them into the Flogging Molly family with open arms.
My first trip over to the Sophie Stage for the day and for some pure British Thrash by way of Xentrix and ‘Shattered Existence’ in full. From the moment Walsh unbridled his vocals there was an obvious intent to create absolute mayhem, subliminally antagonising the crowd to become more active with each moment that passed. With the album being aired in full it was simply a steam train which was bulldozing its way through the crowd with no let up on the speed or sheer power we were subjected to. ‘No Compromise’ opened the set with pinpoint accuracy and ‘Bad Blood’ was the perfect lesson in how Thrash should be delivered, unadulterated and complex in its make up and structure. The whole band worked as one entity and it wasn’t long before the crowd had climbed on board and joined the revelry, a fantastic set built and deployed by one of the greatest Thrash bands our small isle has ever had the honour of calling our own.
Back across the field for the penultimate Main Stage band of the fest, and these gentlemen need no introduction, the Death Metal and Grind Core institute that is none other than the legendary Carcass, and they wasted no time in absolutely battering us senseless. Carcass are the true definition of a quintessentially aggressive and barbaric blitzkrieg, Walker commanded from the front, utilising his bass as a firearm with which to infiltrate the frontline and beyond with his crunching and battling bass lines while barking out his vocals with malicious and vindictive venom. Steer, the other mainstay who has survived from the initial incarnation of the carcass beast was enthralling and captivating on his fretboard and strings. ‘Corporal Jigsore Quandry’ was absolutely monumental and ‘Exhume To Consume’ was absolutely perfect, an absolute mammoth of a track and nailed with a passion and intensity which saw the pits turn up the aggression and intensity to a whopping eleven and maintain that level throughout until the set finally signed off and we were left melting in the early evening sun, clinging onto the carnage that just went before us, another successful outing for these Bloodstock veterans.
Next was a band that I had been hyped to see all weekend and the time had finally come, Infected Rain were up on the Sophie Stage and it saw another impressive turnout for these Moldovan Metallers. Lena Scissorhands was the depiction of a vocalist with overflowing passion and ability, her vocal range was more than impressive and all while taming her mane which resembled a raging inferno, flinging from front to back, side to side in perfect rhythm to the controlled mayhem that was emanating from the amps residing in the background. Infected Rain are a band who always amaze me live, total brutality mixed with delicate angelic harmonious vocals which switch to vicious and venomous ranges at the flick of a switch, while the guitar work and drum skill was chaotic yet compulsive and visually addictive in equal measures. Another huge set from the Sophie special guests and one which left me with the urge to catch them again in Manchester at the end of the month. Not soon enough in my books.
So, to my finale for the fest (unfortunately, due to those damn logistics again, I’m unable to return to the Sophie Stage to catch the Black Metal legends Satyricon, absolutely gutted is an understatement), the mighty Vikings that are Amon Amarth. As the set opened up and the Swedish Death Metal giants took our breath away with ‘Ravens Flight’ the whole place just ignited with enough pyro and fire to make the Main Stage visible from the moon. The pyros continued as ‘Guardians Of Asgaard’ ripped our face off before ‘The Pursuit Of Vikings’ absolutely obliterated us. The vocals from Hegg were riveting and alluring, powerful and absolutely behemothic with the guttural roars that he possesses. ‘Put Your Back Into The Oar’ saw a massive attempt to break the rowing record while ‘Under The Northern Star’ was absolutely sublime and the absolute depiction of how a headliner slot should be attacked at a Metal festival. As the band signed off with an absolutely overwhelming and slaughtering ‘Twilight Of The Thunder Gods’ it’s hard not to walk away with a huge grin upon your face and a well and truly beaten soul.
So, that was the end of my Bloodstock, my eighteenth Bloodstock and they just keep getting better and better. Bloodstock you have been absolute blast and I simply cannot wait for next year ………………….. Bring it on !!
