Bloodstock 2026 Band Feature: WREX
Where does the time go!? Once again, Bloodstock is right around the corner, and once again, it is shaping up to be one the best festivals of the year. Not just because there are a variety of bands spread across its main two stages, not just because it is packed with fun things to do, great food and drink to enjoy, and tons of likeminded people to experience it all with, but because it champions the future of the scene with its New Blood and EMP stages. Where unsigned bands, some handpicked, but most coming through the Metal 2 the Masses events, get to play the festival.
It can be an absolute gamechanger for a band to play the New Blood or EMP stages and plenty have gone on to bigger and brighter things. We know, we’ve been paying a lot of attention to that side of things for a long time now, and every year, tried to feature as many bands playing as we could. While we can’t promise that we will see all these bands at the festival, we can promise that you will find a wealth of talent should you wander over to either.
Who knows, you may even end up finding your new favourite band.
It’s almost time for BOA 2026, so it’s time to get to know some of bands who will be playing the New Blood Stage or the EMP stage. This is WREX!
First things first, tell us a little bit about yourself. How and when did you get started?
We’re WREX, an alternative rock band from Brighton. We started writing music together back in 2021, purely because we loved creating and expressing ourselves. There was never a grand plan to start a band—it was just two people and a laptop seeing where the songs would take us.
In 2022 we decided to put those songs out into the world, and before we’d even played a single show we were lucky enough to receive support from Kerrang! Radio, Planet Rock and BBC Radio. It was incredible, but it definitely set the bar pretty high.
Later that year we released our debut EP, Paradise, pulled together a live band and hit the road. We spent 2023 and 2024 figuring out who WREX really was on stage, playing everywhere we possibly could. Since then we’ve barely stopped. We played 52 shows in 2025, and by the end of 2026 we’ll have added another 60+ dates across the UK and Europe. It’s been a relentless but amazing journey.
Someone comes to you and asks you to sum up what kind of music you play – what do you tell them?
We usually call it Nu-Punk.
It’s got the emotional weight and huge hooks of nu-metal, the energy and attitude of punk, all glued together with a healthy dose of ’90s electronic music.
We grew up listening to everything from Linkin Park and NOFX to Faithless, so somewhere in the middle of all that is WREX.
How has playing Bloodstock 2026 come about?
Honestly? We just sent an email.
About four months later, completely out of the blue, we got a reply saying we’d been offered a slot. We’d written it off by that point and never expected to hear back.
As a completely DIY band with no manager, no booking agent and no label, opportunities like this mean the world. We’re incredibly grateful that Bloodstock have taken a chance on us.
What does it mean for you to play the festival this year?
It’s a massive milestone for us.
Bloodstock has such an incredible history, and the fact it’s celebrating its 25th anniversary makes it even more special. It’ll also be our first major outdoor UK festival, which feels like a huge step forward for the band.
For a DIY act that’s built everything ourselves, being invited onto a stage like this is something we’re genuinely proud of.
What’s the setlist looking like and can we expect any surprises?
The set pulls songs from our last three releases, so hopefully there’ll be plenty people already know and want to scream back at us.
As for surprises… if we told you, they wouldn’t be surprises anymore. You’ll just have to come down and find out.
Who are you looking forward to seeing, provided they don’t clash with your set?
The list is honestly ridiculous. Judas Priest, Dream State, Bleed From Within, Black Label Society, Seething Akira, Graphic Nature, Slaughter to Prevail, Wednesday 13… and of course Lamb of God.
We’re going to spend half the weekend sprinting between stages.
Ignoring the obvious (tent, sleeping bag, toilet roll, etc.) what’s one thing you should always take with you to a festival and why?
Something fun for camp.
A frisbee, Connect 4, a deck of cards—anything that gets everyone together in the downtime. Some of our favourite festival memories have happened back at camp with the people you meet and connect with.
It’s post-set, you’re packed away and your press is all done. It’s finally time to kick back and relax, what are you drinking and what are you eating?
Give us a proper chilli or curry with rice and an ice-cold cider and we’ll be very happy.
After throwing ourselves around on stage, simple food and a cold drink are all we need.
WREX play the EMP stage on the Sunday of the festival. Limited Bloodstock tickets are on sale now and you pick them up here.
