Bloodstock 2025 Band Feature: The Five Hundred
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! It’s Bloodstock time and 2025 is looking to be one of the best events the festival has ever put on, if we’re judging it by bands… which we are, of course.
Taking place at Catton Park, Derbyshire from August 7th to August 10th, Bloodstock Festival 2025 has not only sold out all its weekend tickets, but it also sold out day tickets for the Saturday and the Sunday and it seems likely that Friday will follow suit before the festival actually starts. Boasting a lineup that includes the likes of Emperor, Lacuna Coil, Ministry, Mastodon, Fear Factory, Static-X, Nailbomb, Kataklysm, Obituary, and headliners, Trivium, Machine Head, Gojira, and so much more spread across four stages, it’s going to be one hell of a weekend.
The Five Hundred
The Five Hundred, a formidable force in the British heavy metal scene, hail from the industrial heartland of Nottingham. Emerging in the early 2010s, the band quickly established themselves with a sound that blends the brutal intensity of metalcore with the intricate ferocity of djent and progressive metal. Their name, a symbol of unity and collective strength, mirrors their tightly knit and powerful musical synergy.
The band’s lineup—John Woods-Eley on vocals, Mark Byrne and Paul Doughty on guitars, Andy Crawford on bass, and Kelsey James on drums—unleashes a maelstrom of sound characterized by crushing riffs, haunting melodies, and lyrics that cut deep into the soul. Their debut album, Bleed Red (2018), was a harrowing exploration of personal demons and addiction, laying bare the raw, unflinching struggles of the human condition. This release marked the beginning of their dark descent into the hearts of metal enthusiasts worldwide.
Building on their initial success, The Five Hundred released their second album, A World On Fire (2021), a prophetic narrative set against the backdrop of a climate apocalypse. The album’s relentless energy and poignant themes resonated profoundly, cementing their reputation as visionaries of modern metal.
Earlier this year they returned with their most ambitious work to date, their third full-length album, ‘Ghostwriter’. Exploring themes of societal collapse, human despair, and the fragility of freedom under the crushing weight of oppression.
The Five Hundred’s relentless pursuit of thematic and musical excellence has made them a standout act, pushing the boundaries of heavy metal. With Ghost Writer, they invite their audience to journey into the darkest corners of a shattered world, proving once again their mastery in crafting epic, evocative soundscapes that linger long after the final note has faded.
Exceptionally powerful and eccentrically clever, The Five Hundred’s new album is captivating stuff.
Read our full review here.
The EMP stage plays host to The Five Hundred on the Sunday of the festival and expectations are that they will be one of the weekend’s standout performers. It’s going to be heavy, but it’s also going to be beautiful. There is no stopping this band’s momentum, and we had to ask them what it means to play the festival this year, what Bloodstock overall means to them, and what attendees can expect from their set. This is what they shared in response:
The Five Hundred are headlining the EMP Stage at Bloodstock — and we’re dragging every ounce of fury, weight, and bleak catharsis with us. Bloodstock isn’t just a festival; it’s a proving ground, a sanctuary for the damned, and a home to every outsider who ever found strength in the noise.
Kerrang called us “the greatest band on the planet”, Metal Hammer gave our last record a 10/10, and now we’re filling up venues across the UK and Europe. But this… this is personal.
Expect the heaviest, darkest set we’ve ever unleashed. No light. No compromise. Just five of us, everything we’ve got, and a tent full of chaos.
See you in the shadows — we’re coming for blood.
Find out more about the band via the links below:
LinkTree | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube
