The Big Bloodstock Festival 2025 Preview

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! August is nearly upon us, and you know what that means. It’s Bloodstock Festival time!

We can officially say that Bloodstock festival is next month, and we can’t wait. We will be there, as always, ready and willing to bang our heads until it hurts, and so will a whole lot of you too as the festival is almost completely sold-out now (Friday day tickets available only), and why the bloody hell not?! Have you seen the line-up?

We’re going to give you a rundown of the bands playing in a bit. Before that though, particularly if you are a newbie, Bloodstock festival 2025 takes place August 7th to August 10th at Catton Park in Derbyshire.

It is a family friendly event that features four stages of varied music drawn from the worlds of rock and metal. Alongside a ton of fun things to do like bin jousting (now legal), the RAM Gallery, fancy dress, late-night discos, campsite shenanigans, a ton of quality food and drink to consume, and even plenty of stalls to separate your cash from your pocket. You won’t find yourself short of things to do, even more so if you’ve managed to get hold of a VIP ticket.

Still, none of us (I think) go to Bloodstock for the cheesy chips or bin shaped action. We’re there for the bands and the festival has delivered an immense line-up this year across all its stages. We’re going to run down who is playing and what you might be able to expect from them.

Note – As of the time of writing, New Blood isn’t complete yet, there are a few more Metal 2 the Masses events.

Let’s begin with Thursday, a day only available to weekend ticket holders and a day with only one stage open, the Sophie Lancaster stage and it features five bands. Opening the day, and the entire festival, is the deathcore intensity of Dead Flesh. Followed by underground groove favourites Fourwaykill, and stoner rock and metal weirdos, Gnome. Before All for Metal bring the heavy metal anthems ensuring some serious singalongs and Behemoth frontman Nergal’s Me and That Man wraps up the day with what will surely be a unique show.

I love the Thursday of Bloodstock, the feeling of cracking open that first can after a long trip and having stressed setting up a tent, but remember, don’t go too hard, it’s only the first day!

Friday is when things properly kick off as all the stages open and the first bands are plying their trade as early as 11am. One such stage that will be rocking and rolling is Timothy Taylors New Blood stage. Where the likes of tealdeer (alt metal), Rascal (speed metal), Backseat Juliet (rock & roll), LN (pagan metal), If it Bleeds (hardcore metal), Lowdown (riff mongers), Baelfýr (blackened death metal), and The Machinist (industrial extreme metal) will perform, amongst many others who caught the eye (and ear) of Bloodstock organisers and/or won their way here through Metal 2 the Masses.

The smallest of the four stages is the EMP stage, but don’t be under any false Illusions, it plays host to giants and this year is no different. Friday sees Insidious Void deliver death metal noise, followed by melodic death/prog/metalcore band Shrike, melodic metallers Helldown, bewitching doomsters Lust Ritual, and thrashers Desolator.

It’s a short walk over to the Sophie Lancaster stage where the day begins in atmospheric blackened style via Ofnus (don’t miss these guys). Then things get particularly savage with Turin, impressively progressive with Lock Horns, and delightfully psych infused with the stoner rock sound of My Diligence. A varied set of bands, and that continues into the afternoon as Rough Justice bring the hardcore heavy beatdowns, Shade Empire bring the Nordic frost with their brand of symphonic black metal (their only UK show this year), and Eihwar bring forth ‘pagan dancefloor’ music for what might be the most intriguing set of the weekend.

High Parasite, the death and doom popsters that features the iconic Aaron Stainthorpe of My Dying Bride, are one the most exciting bards on the bill. As are Nail Bomb, the iconic industrial thrash band founded and fronted by Max Cavalera. For many, it will be the first and only time they get to see Nail Bomb live, so rare is it for the band to perform.

Finally, it’s the headliners of Friday’s Sophie Lancaster stage, and there are few better ways to end the night then with the iconic melodic death metal sound of Kataklysm.

How about the Ronnie James Dio stage though? There’s plenty to see there too. Starting with the modernised thrashy goodness of Shrapnel. Followed then by the gloriously addictive doomy sound of Famyne (it’s so wonderful to see them on this stage), and the blackened death and doom sound of the mighty Konvent. It’s a very heavy start to the day!

Although that isn’t changing with the old school, no-nonsense thrash of Flotsam and Jetsam. Nor the deathcore savagery of Paleface Swiss (miss this show at your peril). Before iconic rockers, Orange Goblin, continue their long goodbye with their final Bloodstock appearance. It’s going to be emotional.

Speaking of icons though, Lacuna Coil are on spectacular form in recent times and their return to Bloodstock is much anticipated. Whereas the novelty of seeing Emperor might have worn off, the black metal legends are always an absolute treat and the perfect band to perform before the headliners, Trivium, Who, last time they played, were seen as a ‘controversial’ headliner but shut all naysayers up with a stonking set. Since then, they’ve only got better.

To Saturday then! Where over on the New Blood stage, a variety of ‘up and comers’ can be enjoyed. How about a bit of deathcore via the mighty Symbyote, a bit atmospheric folk metal via Adfeilion, some alternative metal with Prodigal, and some doomy gold with Zebulon? But that’s not all! Mantis Defeats Jaguar fuses hiphop, metal, and funk, Mechromorph bring intense deathcore, Head Dent are punk, and Unnatural Order are all about the metalcore. How about some grunge metal via Nothing Speaks, a bit of power metal via Fortune Teller, and a bit of prog metal via HeKz? Metal 2 the Masses always delivers.

Do you know what else always delivers? the EMP stage with Crown Solace (symphonic metal), Tiberius (anthemic progressive metal), Rites to Ruin (heavy freaking metal), Bad Smell (raw metal) and Thrashist Regime (punk infused thrash metal). It’s going to be a very good day.

Over on the Sophie stage, Ireosis make their grand return (2022 – New Blood). Followed by the post metal grandeur of Vnder A Crvmbling Moon, the beautiful blackened post metal sound of Ba’al (a personal must see), and the punk/ grime infused metallic sound of Pengshui, Freaking variety! There is no other stage like it!

Having delivered one of the most talked about sets of 2023 on the EMP stage, those lovable and anthemic Northern dirtbags Waterlines are back. Do not miss them. Nor should you miss the melodic metal brilliance of Phoenix Lake, the hard rocking Neon Fly, and the unrelenting death metal brutality of Undeath. All before things get ‘old school’ with Breed 77‘s flamenco rock and metal fusion and Static X, who continue to pay tribute to Wayne Static with their industrialised nu-metal sound. I suspect many a 90’s kid will be grinning from ear to ear here.

Over to the Dio stage now and Saturday’s line-up is very strong too. Beginning with the ‘in your face’ aggressive hardcore sound of Cage Fight. Then cosmic horror descends from above with The Spirit‘s brand of black and death, and Warbringer deliver thrashy goodness.

What a moment this is for Heriot though, who are rising high at a rapid pace and their main stage appearance is hotly anticipated. Whereas for the Bloodstock faithful, Creeper might be an odd booking, but will surprise many with their anthemic ways.

Another band on the rise is Texas metalcore/hardcore bard Kublai Khan TX and they will certainly get a pit or two going. Before Fear Factory, the first time the new look of the band has played here, brings mechanized metal via some of the most iconic heavy songs ever and Ministry bring industrial chaos, as only they can.

Finally capping off the Dio stage and making their grand return to the festival, it’s Machine fucking Head. It’s been far too long and love ‘em or loathe ‘em, no-one can deny that it’s going to be very special. Let freedom ring with a Bloodstock blast!

Which brings us to Sunday where Cypriot progressive groove metal band, Speak in Whispers and genre-defying heavy band, The Cartographer, will perform. Alongside alternative rockers Preyrs, thrash crossover maniacs Theocracide, rock and rollers Rizen, techy, progressive, and metalcore band Ocean Planet, post metallers KOBA, hardcore groove monsters Headcount, the excitable punk-metal/post-hardcore noise that Ruled By Raptors creates, and rockcore band Bad Earth. If all of that wasn’t enough though, there is the hardcore/deathcore band, Spitting Teeth, who might very well live up to their name if you get in their guaranteed pits.

Over on the EMP stage, The Five Hundred (melodic metalcore), Phon (sludge/grunge), Orme (drone/sludge/noise), Maatkare (death metal), and Z Machine (Jazz-rock fusion) complete one of the strongest days of this stage.

Whereas Apathy gets the Sophie stage off to a psychedelic start, albeit one based in high energy modern metal. Before along comes two of the festival’s nosiest bands, Barbarian Hermit and Wall. The former, a metalised and groove laden stoner/doom band. The latter, a sludge/doom metal instrumental duo that bring the riffs.

It’s then time to repent as the anthemic rock and metal ways of Dogma will tempt many into the tent. Which is perfect as no-one will want to leave when the heavy metal head banging ways of Spirit Adrift follows, and the industrial extreme sounds of Siglos arrives with heft. Still looking pretty damn varied, isn’t it!?

It’s Sunday evening at this stage though, and maybe you need a bit more pep in your step, maybe you need to get a bit crazy, and let off some steam in a wild pit or two. Good news, here’s the mighty thrown to cause some carnage with their addictive metalcore/hardcore ways. Followed by the return of 3 Inches of Blood and some straight-forward heavy metal heaviness. Before the Sophie stage closes out with one the most legendary death metal bands in the world, Obituary. Do I really need to say anything more?

Over to the Dio stage now where the day begins in epic fashion. It’s Ghosts of Atlantis, and the dark richness of their cinematic and symphonic heavy sound will go down so well here. This has the potential to be one of the sets of the weekend, so get your ass up for it.

Thrashing head banging maniacs One Machine have to follow them, but they’re more than up to the task. Whereas the progressive death metal sound of Rivers of Nihil could steal the entire weekend, such is the form this band is currently on.

It’s time for some metalcore though with August Burns Red, which should be an energetic show. Followed by the epic metal ways of Feuerschwanz, the blistering melodic death metal sound of The Black Dahlia Murder, the dark rock sound of Lord of the Lost (this should be sexy and fun), and the big and heavy sound of Mastodon. Who, under most circumstances (and previously have) could have headlined, but that space has been reserved for the iconic Gojira. Progressive, groove, death, call ‘em what you want, they rock and every time they’ve played Bloodstock, they’ve delivered. This should be very special, and cap off one hell of a weekend.

It’s f**king Bloodstock next month, and we can’t wait.