Bloodstock 2025 Band Feature: Z Machine

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.

Z Machine

Well now, this is going to be quite special now, isn’t it? In a world of ‘seen and heard it all before’ Z Machine legitimately stand out from the crowd.

Why? Z Machine bring together the improvisation of jazz and the complex orchestrated passages of progressive rock to create a mix that’s been likened to King Crimson, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Gong and Dream Theater.

It is as insane as it sounds, but it might also be as brilliant as you would hope it to be. Did I mention that they’re an instrumental band too?

Based in Swansea in South Wales, and active since 2019, Z Machine wear their unorthodox nature proudly like a badge, and for good reason. Their live shows are famously unique, dynamic, thoroughly enjoyable, and mightily weird. Their 2023 album, ‘Merging Worlds’ was much lauded upon release and the band have been out and about nailing it in the live environment.

New music is coming though, but for now, a spot on the EMP stage (having been invited to play) is the focus. It’s going to be… memorable. We asked 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 had to say:

It’s a fantastic opportunity for us – this will almost certainly be the biggest crowd we’ve played to yet, and we can’t wait to bring our special blend of jazz fusion and progressive rock to the ears of a curious crowd. Owen and Gareth are regular attendees of Bloodstock, so it is especially meaningful for them to be playing at a festival they’ve known and loved for over fifteen years!

Bloodstock is a brilliant champion of grassroots music, providing platforms for many relatively unknown bands to reach wider audiences through Metal 2 The Masses, and taking a punt on some of the more unusual music out there. Like us! That and their support for the community, such as their support for the Sophie Lancaster Foundation, means Bloodstock is surely one of the finest festivals around today.

Expect things to get weird! We’re probably the only band this year to have saxophone in the line-up, which works surprisingly well with heavy distorted guitars! We have influences ranging from Mahavishnu Orchestra to Opeth via Gong and King Crimson, with a hefty dose of modern jazz in the mix as well. It’s wonky, it’s strange, it’ll poke holes in your brains…

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