Bloodstock 2022 Band Feature: Heriot

Bloodstock Open Air 2022 takes place from August 11th and August 14th with a line-up that might be one of the best the festival has ever put on. A wide array of rock and metal acts spread across four stages, it’s looking likely to be a weekend not to be missed. Pick up tickets here.

One morning in 2020, we all woke up, we brushed our teeth, washed, had some coffee or tea and then found out Heriot had released the single ‘Cleansed Existence’. The world was a little better that morning.

For most, this devastating expulsion of metallic hardcore was a revelation. Who was this band and how had they created music that sounded so… filthily appealing?

It might surprise many to know that Heriot actually sprung into existence back in 2015. A sludgy three-piece, they made enough of an impression to garner a ton of fans and even played Bloodstock 2016 on the New Blood stage. However, life just wasn’t going the way Heriot wanted it too and the band went on hiatus at the end of 2016.

… and that was that, until 2019, when Heriot became a four-piece and decided to rise from the ashes as something new. Moving away from their sludgy early sound, the rebirth of Heriot saw them stick elements of death, metalcore, doom, industrial and so much into a blender. Churned up, a small dash of melody, proving to be the golden ingredient for Heriot. They had their sound and now the world was ready to hear their music.

A world that collectively lost their shit with Heriot’s early singles. Leading to the much-anticipated release of their debut EP, Profound Mortality in April of this year. An EP we described as follows:

The sludgy and distorted hardcore metal that Heriot spit out is infinitely listenable, especially if you like your music to sound filthy. Something that this band deliver on across seven short, and to the point, efforts and one meaty, monstrous finale.

How about live though? Heriot also deliver there. We saw them play alongside Pupil Slicer and Rolo Tomassi earlier this year and had this to say:

Those who got down early, are the ones that get to experience Heriot in all their glory as they’re on stage soon after doors open. A slight delay outside and a slow-moving entry system means the venue is barely half-full by time the band take the stage but has filled out nicely by time they reach the end of their set. Part of that crowd-growth comes from just how intensely captivating Heriot are. Delivering a measured and precise expulsion of heaviness that gets a huge reaction.

The sound inside the Oval Space is pretty much spot on and something that is super-important to making Heriot a thrilling listen. The nuances in their music, the shifts and switches, it’s all clear amongst a barrage of heavy noise. They might be the first band on, but they deliver a set that screams headliner. Watch out for Heriot, they looked like they belonged, and you can tell they’re only going to get better and better.

It’s been a good year for Heriot and the continuation of that sees them return to Bloodstock to play the Sophie Lancaster stage. You can experience one of the most talked about bands in metal yourself on the Sunday of the festival. We’re stoked, so are they and they had this to say:

We cannot wait to hit Bloodstock Festival this summer! We were lucky enough to play the New Blood stage back in 2016, so to come back and play the Sophie stage in support of a new record all these years later is huge for us. See you there!

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