Hot, Heavy Metal Heaven! Bloodstock Create a Detonation Sensation at Bloodstock 2024!!

Hot, Heavy Metal Heaven! Bloodstock Create a Detonation Sensation at Bloodstock 2024!!

The Bloodstock Festival 2024 as usual did not disappoint! From blisteringly hot festival weather to dinosaur moshpits, Spudman slinging delicious spuds, to legalised bin-jousting, and a beautifully curated gallery celebrating Bloodstock history. From renowned headliners such as Amon Amarth and Opeth, to a fresh new headliner in Architects, this was truly the year of a generational shift within the metal industry with some incredible bands coming through Metal 2 The Masses and onto the New Blood Stage.

But whilst Bloodstock is always a celebration of the true essence of heavy metal and thrash, this year was even more special as it was a celebration of the life of heavy metal maverick and hard rock legend Lemmy Kilmister! Lemmy who’s legacy and heavy metal spirit could be felt throughout every sweat-soaked, leather-clad, hedonism-fuelled moment of this amazing festival, was immortalised in the form of a stunning metal bust made by metal artist and sculptor Alan Williams! The bust which stood within the bloodstock gallery was placed in a re-creation of Lemmy’s dressing room! A setting so authentic that you felt as if Lemmy himself could strut through the door in his signature hat and cowboy boots at any given moment! What made this even more heartwarming was that on the Monday after the festival came to a close, that thirty bikers riding Harley’s took ‘Lemmy’ on a pilgrimage that finished at the iconic Nottingham Rock City! Something to bring a tear to even the most stoic rockers eye! There was a beautiful moment where Lemmy’s bust was presented to Motorhead Legend Phil Campbell on the mainstage. As Phil spoke about what this amazing tribute meant to him, the heavy metal audience were absolutely silent as a sign of respect to their hero, before erupting into the kind of applause that would have had Lemmy himself roaring in appreciation! And all this was after walking through the main entrance to Bloodstock under the Motorhead Bomber which was suspended above the heads of the mesmerised festival goers!

As is customary at Bloodstock, the festival organisers delivered the heavy metal heroes that its fans have come to expect in its usual fast and furious fashion! As a festival renowned for its celebration of some of the heaviest bands in metal this was always a given! Never a festival to play by the rules or walk the commercial path, once again Bloodstock gave so much more, as they delivered a supportive platform for many unsigned bands on the New Blood Stage. New Blood, is a stage dedicated to showcasing emerging talent within the metal scene, providing opportunities for up-and-coming bands to gain exposure and connect with fans. Aiming to align with Bloodstock’s commitment to fostering new talent and ensuring that the future of metal remains vibrant and diverse – and what a delivery that was!

One of the most exciting bands to play the New Blood stage were Worcester breed nu-hardcore aggression driven outfit Convey. Convey set the stage and brought the energy. The tent was packed out and fans were getting into the party spirit, with circle pits forming left, right, and centre. The guitarist, Ollie Miles, continued to perform even after his strings snapped; a true testament to how professional this band are. Tight, polished, and definitely heading towards bigger stages.

Thrash metal outfit Slaughterhead, from Norway who were riding high after their triumphant second place in a competition to win a spot at the Wacken Festival, were an explosive force of nature who had the audience eating out of their hands! Another Thrash metal band that earned their place on the stage were HellBearer, from Manchester who were fired up from their recent win at the Metal To The Masses competition! A band that demanded attention and the audience in the tent, which was ironically as hot as the pits of hell, were only too happy to oblige!!

Alt-metal band Them Bloody Kids were an especially popular choice in the New Blood tent! A tight London based outfit and winners of the Metal 2 The Masses competition! They are fast gaining popularity with their heavy sound and dynamic stage show! At one point they gave out party hats to the audience which raised a few smiles and got them rockin’ even harder! These incredible bands not only highlighted the depth of new blood on the music scene right now but also reflected the evolving nature of heavy metal music and Bloodstocks passion for supporting new music.

Now, whilst the New Blood stage alone was something to get more than a little excited about, lets not forgot the stage blazing legends that created the kind of fire fuelled, adrenaline crammed moments that the audience will take to their graves!! The first of which has to be Friday night Ronnie James Dio mainstage headliners the mighty Opeth! Playing a set chosen by their fans! Their set was visually stunning and their performance absolutely captivating.

Before Opeth delivered their blast your brain into heavy metal euphoria performance, came stoner blues outfit Clutch!! The long-established band who have built a following of meteoric proportions over many years, created an absolute frenzy in the already somewhat wired crowd!! Their dirty rock sound, full of bass heavy grooves had the audience jumping around and singing along at the top of their lungs!

Bloodstock really was the festival that kept on giving, because even before Clutch took to the stage, American metalcore band Hatebreed chose Bloodstock to celebrate their 30^th Anniversary in style!!! Despite having been stomping those heavy metal boards for longer than half the audience had been alive, they were heavier and hotter than ever! They fired the crowd up with so much passion and vibrancy that it could have been their very first time gracing this iconic stage!!

Other highlights from Friday on the mainstage, were Swedish heavy-metal band Grand Magus whos’ doom metal created a sea of enthusiastic headbangers, London based doom metal band Green Lung whose frontman Tom Templar took his vocals to a whole new level and Brazilian thrash death metal outfit, Nervosa who delivered an unbelievable performance of thrash mastery!

Now whilst many of the best bands on the Friday were on the mainstage, the smaller Sophie Lancaster Stage certainly did not disappoint! One of the best of which were Burner who somehow blended death metal, black metal and hardcore with an explosive performance from vocalist Harry Nott! Certainly a band to watch!!

Saturday at Bloodstock was another high-class affair bursting with the kind of top class acts that anyone who attends this festival has come to expect!! Mainstage headliners Architects were a particular high point!! Their set was bursting with the contemporary anthems for which they are so well known and loved!

Malevolence delighted the crowd prior to Architects triumphant performance with their incendiary top-class tracks that slapped the audience in the face with their metal-core mastery! They were on top form from the very first frenzied roar as were Whitechapel with their chaos inducing death-core madness which led to sea of frenzied crowd surfing!!

But it was not only the mainstage bands that elated the crowds, as on the Sophie stage there were many top-class acts, two of which deserve a special mention in the form of edgy trap-metal artist Mimi Barks and aggrotech industrial metal band Combichrist! Mimi, clad in yellow latex, channelled anger and hate with their vicious screaming vocals interspersed with rap! As the Bloodstock wildcard, Mimi clearly marked their place on the festival circuit as someone well on the way to huge success and notoriety!! Fresh, invigorating, raw and indestructible!!

Combichrist created a sonic inferno of hardcore Norwegian metal blended with electronica that took their music to a fresh new level of vibrancy with an uber cool edge!

By the time Sunday came around, the audience where well and truly in their metal bubble, but never ones to take their finger off the pulse, Bloodstock weren’t about to slow the pace!

The Sunday morning mainstage opening slot is often viewed as the bum slot at festivals as the hungover audience can often to be found feeling more than a little sorry for themselves inside their tents, whilst sleeping off the wild night before! However, when you’re Bloodstock, you do things a little differently!! Because at Bloodstock they brought the ultimate Sunday morning to the weary festival goers in the form of metal band Raised By Owls!!! Dressed in dog collars, preaching the sermon of rock! They were quite possibility the most fun you could have with your clothes on and that was before singer Sam Strachan got a proper dressing down from his Mum dressed as a nun!!! How will Bloodstock out-do this absolutely hysterical and genius performance of heavy metal mayhem at next years festival?? It was something that the audience will never forget and less blew away the cobwebs, more incinerated them!! These are the kind of onstage antics that will go down in festival folk-law in a “if you know, you know” kind of way!!

Whilst the Sunday mainstage produced an array of top-notch musical offerings, the Sophie stage also a delivered in the form of Moldova’s finest, the incredible Infected Rain! Vocalist Lena Scissorhands gave the kind of emotionally driven and absolutely stunning performance which proved exactly why it is that this band are taking the music scene by storm right now!! But whilst Lena’s performance was (make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up) amazing, the entire band are as tight and vivacious as it gets!! Their music is invigorating, exhilarating and absolutely unique and it’s no surprise to hear that Cradle of Filth have snapped them up for their current tour!!

But back to the main stage! Prior to headliners Amon Amarth creating a performance that could only be described as mindblowing!! Two other outstanding bands played the mainstage! They were progressive Swedish metal band Soen and American Celtic punk band Flogging Molly!! Soen were like a collision of emotion and beautifully crafted catchy tracks!! Their performance made it clear from the onset just why they were on the mainstage tonight!! Another favourite with the crowd and it was easy to see why!

Flogging Molly were an explosion of pure joy blended with catchy punk tunes with an enchanting Celtic edge and the audience absolutely loved them! But in all honesty, it was impossible not to, as their vital energy and the fun being had by this vast and lovable band was just contagious!!

Now back to Amon Amarth!! If you’re going to close a festival with a bang then this is the way to do it!!! Viking longboat, check! Biblical explosions of smoke and fire, check!! The kind of drum riser that could give you a nose bleed, check!! An army of Vikings that would impress an audience in a blockbuster movie, check!! Amazing music, check!!! They were mind-blowing, seizure inducing, utterly thrilling perfection!!

Now, the introduction of the New Blood Stage at Bloodstock Festival 24 marks a significant step forward in promoting new talent within the heavy metal community. By providing such a dedicated space for emerging artists to shine alongside established acts, Bloodstock reinforces its reputation as a cornerstone event in the global metal calendar. The combination of quality performances, supportive initiatives, and an inclusive atmosphere has firmly cemented Bloodstock 24 as the festival of the year.

Review by Ellie Archer and Louise Phillips

Photos by Louise Phillips Music Photography

All photos are owned by Louise Phillips Music Photography

www.bloodstock.uk.com