Bloodstock 2025 is shaping up to be an unforgettable year, featuring four stages from August 8th to 10th. The Ronnie James Dio Stage will host titans like Trivium, Machine Head, Ministry, Gojira, and Mastodon, promising a relentless assault of heavy riffs. Meanwhile, the Sophie Lancaster Stage offers established acts and rising stars, including Emperor, Lacuna Coil, Obituary, and Static X, covering everything from black metal to industrial nu-metal.
For those seeking emerging talent and unique sounds, the Timothy Taylor’s New Blood stage will showcase exciting bands like The Machinist, Mantis Defeats Jaguar, and The Cartographer, spanning genres from apocalyptic death metal to djent with emo influences. Finally, the EMP Stage guarantees a high-energy dose of various metal subgenres, with bands like Desolator, Thrashist Regime, and Z Machine delivering everything from thrash to progressive metal with a saxophone! Prepare for a weekend of epic music, intense mosh pits, and a celebration of all things metal at Bloodstock 2025!
Friday, August 8th 2025
Ronnie James Dio Stage
Trivium
Trivium have finished the UK leg of The Poisoned Ascendancy tour with Bullet For My Valentine and they’re on top of the world. Armed with a killer stage show, presence and absolutely eternal bangers like ‘In Waves,’ ‘Rain’ and ‘Pull Harder On The Strings of Your Martyr,’ Trivium are set to end Friday with a bang on the mainstage.
Please don’t bring fleshlights.
Emperor
One of the most influential bands to come out of Norway in the history of music, experience a rare Emperor set at Bloodstock that’s sure to cast an icy chill over the heatwave-stricken fields of Bloodstock. Expect classics from the landmark album, In The Nightshade Eclipse, and perhaps even some tracks from Ihsahn’s solo career.
Lacuna Coil
Lacuna Coil are a household name in the gothic metal sphere and boast one of the strongest discographies in the scene. Led by the dual vocal assault of Cristina Scabbia and Andrea Ferro, Lacuna Coil, bring a 7-string assault of nu metal adjacent bangers like ‘Our Truth,’ ‘Closer’ and ‘Nothing Stands In Our Way’.
Orange Goblin
Orange Goblin have announced that they will be retiring in 2025 and Bloodstock will be their last festival appearance in the UK before their UK tour in December. If you want one last hoorah with Orange Goblin in the hot British sun (fingers crossed) then don’t miss their set full of classics like ‘Red Tide Rising’ and ‘(Not) Rocket Science’ then catch them at Bloodstock for one last thick glob of sludge metal.
Paleface Swiss
Paleface Swiss are the logical bridging point between bands like Slipknot and the modern deathcore scene. Their use of rapping harkens back to the glory days of nu metal and the drop-tuned guitars and breakdowns make for a savage listen. Check out ‘Please End Me’ and start getting nervous about the pits.
Shrapnel
Shrapnel are a thrash metal band from Norwich and have been establishing themselves as the UK’s Premiere thrash metal band. Having supported huge bands like Overkill and boasting a breakneck discography with high-octane thrashers like ‘Palace For The Insane’ and ‘The Virus Conspires,’ Shrapnel are a must see for all thrashers at Bloodstock
Sophie Lancaster Stage
Kataklysm
The inventors of The Northern Hyperblast are returning to the UK armed with an entire war chest of destructive riffs and blast beats. Their set will include anthems like ‘Taking The World By Storm’ and their new Industrial style banger, ‘The Rabbit Hole’. Expect utter insanity once the pits start opening up.
Nailbomb
Nailbomb is perhaps the most famous metal side project to ever put out only one album. The band is fronted by the legendary Max Cavalera, formerly of Sepultura, and features members of Pig Destroyer and in an unexpected move, Igor Cavalera will appear on guitar. Nailbomb have a small discography but their album, Point Blank, is legendary and is just to make an impression amongst people too young to remember it.
Shade Empire
Shade Empire invokes the frozen tundra of Scandinavia in the same manner as Insomnium and Omnium Gatherum but with a bit more of a power metal leaning. Making use of epic guitar solos, keys, beautiful clean vocals and monstrous growls, Shade Empire are sure to alleviate some of that August heat. Check out ‘Torn Asunder’.
Turin
Flying the flag for British deathcore, Turin has an incredibly dark and almost black metal vibe at times. They’re a perfect pick for early morning as their blend of down tuned guitars, destructive blastbeats and inhuman screaming are sure to wake you up faster than a hot cup of coffee. Check out ‘The Unforgiving Reality’ in Nothing for a true demonstration of their power.
Timothy Taylor’s New Blood
The Machinist
Hailing from Manchester and boasting a vicious sound that mixes some of the most extreme genres in metal, The Machinist are a band that mix in the iconic black metal misanthropy with apocalyptic death metal brutality. As a fellow Manc, I can attest that the heart of the North is blackened and icy, go check out their track, ‘Extinction Event’ for proof.
tealdeer
Tealdeer are one of the weirder bands on the bill, they seem to have all sorts of influences across the landscape of music from System of a Down to Protest the Hero, be sure to check out ‘Stranger’ and ‘Waltz Of The Worthy’. Oh, and they also have Ominous Deer Man with them on guitar, enjoy!
If It Bleeds
If I Bleeds are a metallic hardcore band who are quickly gaining momentum as the go-to hardcore band from Belfast having supported the likes of Party Canon and Gama Bomb. ‘We Can Kill It’ is a track that may sound simple but it packs a hell of a punch.
VMBRA
VMBRA have a bit of an almost funk influence in between the overwhelming progginess and that makes for a bit of a jarring listen at first but once you’ve got your head around it, it’s a really cool experience. Check out the funky fresh track ‘Money Tree’ and the weirdly progressive ‘Echelon’.
EMP Stage
Desolator
Desolator are a meat-and-potatoes pizza thrash metal band. For everyone reading that in abject confusion, that means they’re a straight-up thrash metal band that knows how to party. Check out Accelerator for some ’80s speed metal worship with a modern twang.
Lust Ritual
Lust Ritual are one of the darker doom metal bands on the bill, opting for a more Candlemass interpretation. The Black Sabbath influence is there too with tracks like ‘Babylon Whore’ sounding like something like Electric Funeral or a slowed down Children of the Grave.
Helldown
Helldown are a Welsh thrash metal band from Swansea. They’re more like a Warbringer or Evile-type band with their modern interpretation of the genre. ‘Thrive In Violence’ could have been a death/thrash classic had it come out in the 80s, but now it’s a diamond in the rough waiting for Bloodstockers to discover it.
Shrike
Shrike are a progressive metalcore band from Preston. Lancashire don’t typically give us metal of this magnitude. Shrike have crazy intense tech death guitar riffs and monstrous vocals designed to create a hostile atmosphere. Check out ‘The Riverbank’ and ‘Don’t Back Again’ for a taste of Lancashire death metal.
Insidious Void
Insidious Void is a Belfast-based death metal. Their sound has a bit of a frosty blackened tone to it in their grinding riffing and low growls. Check out their songs ‘On Ruinous Winds’ and ‘Upon A Dead World’.
Saturday, August 9th 2025
Ronnie James Dio stage
Machine Head
Machine Head has been consistently evolving and growing for decades and has finally hit the top of the food chain. Boasting legendary albums like The Blackening and Burn My Eyes, Machine Head are the embodiment of strength beyond strength as their crushing riffs and blistering guitar solos promise to lay waste to the Ronnie James Dio stage on Saturday.
Ministry
Fronted by the inimitable Al Jourgensen, Ministry have influenced countless band names in the industrial metal landscapes with anthems like ‘Thieves,’ ‘Just One Fix’ and ‘So What’. Expect weirdness, heavy guitars and a hell of a lot of samples.
Fear Factory
Modern metal would sound drastically different without the innovations created by Fear Factory. Their rhythmic syncopated drumming and machine gun guitar riffing has become integral to modern metalcore and djent. This set will pay tribute to 30 years of Demanufacture, an album years ahead of its time with its lyrical themes of artificial intelligence and robotics, it’s set to be an absolute barnstormer.
Creeper
Creeper comes from a new wave of horror-inspired shock rock, it’s easy to compare them to the likes of Ghost but Creeper have a more Rockabilly sound similar to The Misfits or The Cramps, albeit a bit heavier. Check out their latest single, ‘Headstones,’ as well as their older tracks like ‘Black Rain’ and ‘Midnight’. They had zombie cheerleaders on stage at Download so who knows what they’ll do at Bloodstock.
Heriot
Heriot are on a massive winning streak following the release of their debut album, Devoured By The Mouth of Hell, last year. Heriot are known for their abrasive metallic/hardcore adjacent sound along with the demonic vocals of Debbie Gough and Jake Packer. Check out ‘Coalescence’ and ‘Profound Morality’.
Warbringer
Warbringer are the future of thrash, with their razor-sharp riffs, pounding drums and furious aggression portrayed through rebellious lyrics that are critical of a broken system; they show no signs of slowing down. Tracks like ‘Remain Violent’ and ‘A Better World’ are songs that speak to a world full of disillusionment and righteous indignation, i.e A Bloodstock audience.
Sophie Lancaster Stage
Static X
Industrial nu-metal band Static X continue playing live shows in loving tribute to Wayne Static, who sadly passed away in 2014. Their sets contain all the same attention to detail and aggression that they did back with Wayne and they do so much work to help keep his memory alive as they rip through bangers like ‘Push It’ and ‘Cannibal’. We’ll never have his input on these new shows but it’s comforting to think that he’d approve of Static X as it exists today.
Breed 77
Breed 77 are a nu metal band from Gibraltar who include elements from Latino culture including Flamenco guitar work. Their contributions to multiculturalism in the nu metal scene can’t be understated and it’s wonderful to see them celebrating 10 years since their reunion in 2015 at Bloodstock. Be sure to check out ‘La Ultima Hora’ and ‘Blind’.
Neonfly
Neonfly are a British metal band that leans fairly close to power metal. They favour big vocals and memorable guitar melodies accompanied by ethereal synthwork. Having personally met Neonfly while opening for Dragonforce back in 2014, I can comfortably vouch for them as brilliant musicians and a good bunch of people. Check out their amazing debut, ‘Outshine The Sun,’ as well their more recent tracks like ‘The World Is Burning’ and ‘The Future, Tonight’ which features Speed from Soilwork.
Under A Crvmbling Moon
Under A Crvmbling Moon is a dark band, you can tell because they’ve got a V instead of a U. They have long passages of bleak droning drop tuned guitars that make an unmistakably dark and crushing atmosphere of pure dread. Check out ‘The Watcher’ for a massive chunk of undulating darkness
Timothy Taylor’s New Blood
Adfeilion
Adfeilion blends post-hardcore with folk elements and creates this gorgeous ethereal atmosphere. Perhaps a bit of a wild card but considering how well Heilung went down at Download last year, it’s worth a go, right? Check out their debut album, Hela, as well as their brand new single, ‘Hallowed Glade’.
Mantis Defeats Jaguar
Mantis Defeats Jaguar are from the Midlands and they have a bit of a nu metal sound. You can easily pick up on the Limp Bizkit influence on tracks like ‘Luci’ through the riffing and rapping. There’s more to them than just Wes and Fred worship, there’s a lot of hip-hop influence and creative riffing going on, ‘Dirty Knees’ even has a bit of a ska influence going on.
Mecromorph
Mechromorph come from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, a part of the UK that isn’t well known for having a thriving metal scene. Mechromorph are sure to become the biggest name in deathcore to come out of Essex once they’ve delivered their grinding breakdowns at Bloodstock. ‘Murderous Incursion’ and ‘Lunar Psychosis’ are tracks to immediately add to your heaviest playlists.
EMP Stage
Thrashist Regime
Thrashist Regime are a thrash metal band (obviously) from Aberdeen, Scotland. They came from the late 2000s wave of thrash revival bands and they’ve survived ever since with unbridled speed and fury. Look up their tracks ‘Vengeful Knights’ and The A Team-inspired banger ‘Soldier of Fortune’.
Bad Smell
Bad Smell are a Leeds-based Hard Rock band with a kick ass collection of riffs. Check out their tracks ‘Burn It Down’ and ‘Forever Dying’. It’s all no-frills rock that wastes no time with fancy pants descriptions and flowery language; it just melts your face.
Rites To Ruin
Rites To Ruin are a traditional heavy metal band from South Wales and their commitment to sounding like an authentic 80s heavy metal band is admirable. Their harmonised guitars, double bass drumming and soaring vocals from vocalist Krissie Kirkby show that they’ve done their homework on heavy metal history. ‘Prevail’ needs to go on your heavy metal playlist now.
Tiberius
Tiberius are a 4-piece prog metal band designed for people who want prog but don’t make a habit of sniffing their own farts and acting superior to other people because an album they like has weird time signatures and uses the Fibonacci sequence. Tracks like ‘Juggernaut’ and ‘Mosaic’ tow the line of progressive and accessible beautifully and still pack quite a punch, think Protest The Hero and you’re in the right ballpark.
Crown Solace
Crown Solace are a Scottish Symphonic Metal band who are set to make their live debut at Bloodstock this year. Their sound has all the grandeur and pomp and circumstance and other words that mean big that you’d expect from a band with a borderline opera singer. Be sure to check out their singles ‘Rise Up’ and ‘Horizons’.
Sunday, August 10th 2025
Gojira
Perhaps the most successful extreme metal band of all time and reaching lofty heights like performing at the Olympics, Gojira are masters of rhythmic complexity and devastating riffing while still being able to surprise and evolve. Expect masterpieces like ‘Flying Whales,’ ‘Toxic Garbage Island’ and a contender for the greatest breakdown ever made, ‘L’Enfant Sauvage’.
Mastodon
Mastodon are one of the most prolific progressive metal bands of the 21st century, from the landmark album concept album Leviathan to the grandiose prog epics of ‘Crack The Skye,’ Mastodon are overflowing with masterful tracks. Get ready to split your lungs with ‘Blood and Thunder’ with tracks like ‘Colony of Birchmen’ and ‘Oblivion’.
The Black Dahlia Murder
The Black Dahlia Murder are a collection of some of the greatest songwriters and instrumentalists in death metal. Their discography is full of all-time classics like ‘What a Horrible Night to Have a Curse,’ ‘Deathmask Divine’ and ‘Into the Everblack.’ The Black Dahlia Murder are a band that exists to do damage with some of the most extreme riffing you can find at Bloodstock 2025.
Feurschwanz
Eurovision has given us some of the greatest cultural exports in music since its inception in 1956 and some of those examples have been heavy metal bands. Germany has been on a roll recently as they helped introduce the world to Feurschwanz this year, a medieval-themed metal band that are sure to cause ye olde moshpits and all sorts of insanity when tracks like ‘Knightclub’ and ‘Berzerkermode’.
August Burns Red
August Burns Red are one of the most influential metalcore bands of all time. Their use of Gothenburg death metal-style riffing is legendary and their skills as musicians has rarely been matched since their inception. Tracks like ‘Composure’ and ‘Marianas Trench’ are landmark metalcore tracks that need to be experienced live.
Rivers of Nihil
If you were to make up a list of game-changing death metal albums, you’d have to include most of Rivers of Nihil’s discography. The title track of ‘Where Owls Know My Name’ is a masterpiece in itself and their back catalogue is full of other anthems like ‘Clean’ and ‘Sub Orbital Blues’.
Sophie Lancaster Stage
Obituary
Obituary are Florida death metal legends who will be headlining the Sophie Lancaster stage in celebration of 35 years of their gore-fueled masterpiece, Cause of Death. There will be chaos as they unleash a flurry of violence with tracks like ‘Slowly We Rot,’ ‘Chopped In Half’ and the mighty ‘Redneck Stomp’.
3 Inches of Blood
3 Inches of Blood are a power metal band with lightning-fast riffing and stratospheric falsettos and Bloodstock is going to be their first UK show since their reunion back in 2023. Advance and Vanquish is a legendary album from the glory days of 2000s heavy metal and their set is going to be full of tracks from it like ‘Destroy the Orcs’ and ‘Deadly Sinners,’ which was on the Tony Hawks Underground 2 soundtrack.
Thrown
Thrown are a Swedish beatdown/hardcore/nu metal/core band and whatever other genres you want to call them. To save time, we just call them extremely heavy. Tracks like ‘Guilt’ and ‘Backfire’ may be short but there’s a lot of wild flailing aggression in those tracks.
Wall
Wall is a sludgy heavy metal project from brothers Elliott and Ryan Cole formed during the pandemic. There may only be two members but there’s a hell of a lot of killer riffing and syrupy slow parts that make you feel like you’re wading through a swamp. Their debut EP, Wall, is a breezy 22 minutes and well worth your time.
Barbarian Hermit
2025 is the year Black Sabbath played their final show (allegedly) so it makes sense that Bloodstock 2025 would be full of bands clearly influenced by Sabbath. Barbarian Hermit is a sludgy doom metal band that have that Master of Reality guitar tone mixed in with modern stoner metal like Corrosion of Conformity and Clutch. Check out ‘Mean Sugar’ and ‘Stitched Up’ for some bluesy yet crunchy riffs.
Timothy Taylor’s New Blood
The Cartographer
The Cartographer are a British band that combines djent with emo influences. Tracks like ‘Vices’ are full of bendy downtuned guitar riffs and roaring vocals. ‘Red Tape’ even has a bit of drum n bass influence in between the bedlam.
Spitting Teeth
Spitting Teeth are a hardcore band with downtuned extended range guitars, punishing drums and a bit of a nasty streak. There’s also a bit of a Prodigy vibe thrown in for good measure. Look up their song ‘Empathy’ for a better understanding and a bit of a battering.
Ruled By Raptors
Ruled By Raptors give a bit of an Enter Shikari vibe with their humanitarian and political lyrical themes mixed in with the progressive technical abilities of a band like Sikth. There’s a dour, introspective feeling in their almost doom metal tracks like Waves and Oxy’s Moron
Bad Earth
One of many bands that emulate Black Sabbath’s bluesy heaviness, Bad Earth are a brilliant example of something you should only listen to sober (wink). ‘Wheels of War’ has that sloppy guitar tone that’s sure to win over fans of bands like Sleep.
EMP Stage
Z Machine
Z Machine are a British progressive metal band that features a saxophone playe,r bringing the grand total of saxophonists on at Bloodstock up to 2. There’s plenty to appease the fans of instrumental avant-garde jazz prog this year. Check out ‘Big Old Hen’ for a bit of Ozric Tentacles worship mixed in with some metal riffing.
Phon
Phon are a hard rock/sludge metal band from Worcester, UK. The first thing you may notice on a track like ‘R U About’ is how high the bass is and that helps give a brilliant groove and considering there are only three people in the band, they make an incredible racket.
Orm
Continuing the great British tradition of dreary, gloomy drone metal in the same vein as bands like Bossk, Orm are a Hertfordshire-based trio that manages to capture that British in the same way the Scandinavians did with their frozen tundra. ‘No Serpents, No Saviours’ may be a gigantic track but it’s worth your time.
Maatkare
Maatkare are an all-female death metal band that makes use of lyrical themes of ancient Egypt in a similar style to bands like Nile and Scarab. The band creates powerful and vivid soundscapes of a hostile desert in a place lost to time. Look up ‘War Before Peace’ and ‘Rise to Power’ and pay homage to your new pharaohs.
The Five Hundred
The Five Hundred are a Nottingham-based Industrial band. Their new album, Ghostwriter, is out now and features synth-rich bangers like ‘The Death Of All We Know’ and ‘New World’. Perfect for the fans of bleepy bloopy industrial, but needs a bit more heavy guitar work.
