Bloodstock Festival 2025! The Saturday Review!

Written by Louise Phillips on August 25, 2025

Saturday afternoon saw Cage Fight unleash a raw hardcore fury onto the hungry crowd!

Saturday afternoon saw Cage Fight tear into the Ronnie James Dio Stage with zero hesitation. From the opening note it was clear this wasn’t going to be a tidy showcase. This was raw, uncompromising hardcore fury unleashed in front of a hungry crowd.

Frontwoman Rachel Aspe roared with venom, her vocals cutting through the air like a buzzsaw, while James Monteith’s riffs landed like hammer blows. The rhythm section drove it home with relentless force, fueling a pit that quickly turned into a whirlpool of bodies feeding off the aggression.

The band’s set was more than just a performance, it felt like a purge. Tackling themes of anger, injustice, and social unrest, Cage Fight offered the audience both a soundtrack for their rage and a chance to let it out. The result was a communal release of energy that left everyone dripping in sweat but grinning wide.

In a weekend stacked with heavyweight names, Cage Fight proved you don’t need decades behind you to command a festival stage. You just need unflinching honesty, searing riffs, and the guts to give everything you’ve got.

Phoenix Lake

Saturday saw Nottingham’s own Phoenix Lake return to the Sophie Lancaster Stage, and from the moment they launched into their set it was clear the band had something to prove. Blending muscular riffs with sweeping melodies, they struck a balance between heaviness and atmosphere that pulled the crowd in instantly.

Tracks from their Beyond the Flames EP hit with both bite and beauty, while the soaring single Fractured Wings became a clear highlight, its chorus ringing out as fans threw their voices back at the band. Frontwoman Lana Phillis commanded the stage with presence and confidence, her vocals gliding from delicate tones to powerful, soaring lines without missing a beat.

Closing with Come Alive, Phoenix Lake left no doubt that they’ve grown into one of the UK’s most exciting young melodic metal outfits. What might once have been seen as potential now feels like fulfilment. Their Bloodstock return wasn’t just triumphant, it was transformative.

Fear Factory

When Fear Factory took over the Ronnie James Dio Stage on Saturday evening, they didn’t just play a set, they unloaded Demanufacture in its entirety, celebrating three decades of one of industrial metal’s most influential albums.

From the first crushing riff of “Shock,” the sound was pure, calibrated chaos. Dino Cazares’s razor sharp guitar work fired like heavy machinery, locking perfectly with Pete Webber’s precise, pneumatic drumming. Every beat landed like a hydraulic press, giving the performance its trademark mechanical weight.

New frontman Milo Silvestro faced the unenviable task of stepping into Burton C. Bell’s shoes, but he handled it with conviction, honouring the album’s iconic delivery while injecting his own urgency into the vocals. The crowd fed off it, heads and fists moving in unison as each track hit harder than the last.

By the time the final notes of Demanufacture roared into the night, it was clear Fear Factory hadn’t just revisited the past, they’d reinforced it, proving the machine is still well oiled, dangerous, and utterly unstoppable.

Ministry

As the sun dipped over Bloodstock’s Ronnie James Dio Stage, Al Jourgensen led Ministry into the fray like a general charging into battle. From the first blast of mechanised beats and serrated riffs, it was clear this wasn’t just a gig, it was an industrial insurrection.

Starting with a simple “Hello” From Al then straight into the fast paced sound of “Thieves”, the set hit like a factory in overdrive: pounding rhythms, acidic guitars, and samples slicing through the evening air. Jourgensen’s voice, a ragged snarl of rebellion, rode over it all, part preacher, part street-corner prophet.

New cuts from their upcoming material, bristling with political venom such as “Goddamn White Trash” and “Alert Level”, slotted seamlessly between the classic anthems like “Jesus Built My Hotrod” and “Just One Fix”, each one sparking mosh-pit mayhem and knowing nods from long time fans. By the time the last distorted note faded, Ministry had left the crowd buzzing, battered, and oddly exhilarated.

It wasn’t tidy. It wasn’t polite. And that’s exactly why it worked, because Ministry aren’t here to comfort you. They’re here to shake your foundations.

Machine Head

Saturday night belonged to Machine Head. Taking command of the Ronnie James Dio Stage, Robb Flynn and company tore through a career spanning set that left Catton Hall scorched and breathless. Backed by a wall of fire and relentless groove, the band reminded everyone why they’ve remained a cornerstone of modern metal for three decades.

The highlight came in the form of a colossal “Halo”, stretching nearly ten minutes and igniting a frenzy of crowd participation. By the end of the night, Bloodstock had witnessed a new festival record with over 1,000 fans surfing across the pit, each carried forward on a tide of pure adrenaline.

This wasn’t just a headline performance, it was a declaration. With Machine Head at full force, Bloodstock 2025 hit its most ferocious peak, and the bar for future headliners has been set sky high.

Static-X

As night fell on Saturday, the Sophie Lancaster Stage was shaken awake by the unmistakable pulse of Static-X. Making their first UK festival appearance in over half a decade, the band wasted no time in reminding Bloodstock why their industrial groove has always hit so hard.

The setlist leaned heavy into fan favourites, with Push It and Cannibal sending shockwaves through the pit. Every riff was a sledgehammer, every beat a call to arms, and the crowd responded with furious energy, mosh pits churning, fists raised high.

At the front, Xer0 stepped confidently into the spotlight. Any doubts about him carrying the legacy dissolved as he commanded the stage with both power and reverence, channelling Wayne Static’s spirit while putting his own stamp on the performance. By the time the mask came off post-set, fans weren’t just satisfied—they were converted.

Static-X didn’t simply revisit their past, they reignited it. Bloodstock 2025 wasn’t just another date on their calendar; it was proof that Evil Disco still has plenty of chaos left to unleash.

Review by Mike P

Photos are owned by Louise Phillips Music Photography

Photos of Cage Fight