Bloodstock 2026 – Thursday/Friday
Catton Hall, Derbyshire
6th-9th August 2026
Bloodstock’s 25th anniversary gathering; a celebration of all things metal. A weekend for savouring the past, of sometimes brutal sounds and brutal heat, of tongue in cheek theatricality, great community spirit, . . . and dinosaurs.
Let’s begin with a spoiler. Your reviewer’s a Bloodstock virgin. As for metal sub genres, he struggles to differentiate thrash and death metal. Doom, he’d recognise, but as for metalcore, grindcore and beyond, well he’s little idea. A handful of bands he’s seen before but mostly this is an outsider’s take on this gathering of metal clans.
Extended for the first time to four days, Thursday’s main stage opens with Heavysaurus. They’re great fun with a sub-genre all of their own; Dinometal. With big riffs and big choruses, musically they’re like something from mainstream 1980s rock. But of course they’re dinosaurs. I’m sure there are a few scowls from metal purists, but for the many children, and young at heart parents, they’re perfect family entertainment. I’m surrounded by smiling faces in the friendliest circle pit imaginable. Before long a herd of dinosaurs turn up to join the fun. There’s a minor altercation when a dragon appears in their midst, but differences soon resolved, it’s time to party on.
Bloodstock veterans Evil Scarecrow follow. Mixing thrash metal, melody, facepaint and comedy, they’re another act not to be taken too seriously, bringing a smile to all our faces. Black balloons are released for a metal rendition of Happy Birthday Bloodstock and there’s even an on stage appearance from a giant cockerel.
Black Spiders bring a touch of gravitas to the Sophie Lancaster tent after the frivolity of the main stage, . They may lack the stage presence of what’s gone before but there’s no doubting their talent as they slow the pace for some hard edged stoner rock. Very much in the vein of QOTSA, they’re an enjoyable watch.
Thursday night headliners Saxon aren’t here by chance. They graced the first Bloodstock in 2001 and now they’re back to celebrate the event’s 25th anniversary. They say time flies as you grow older so we’ll forgive singer Bill Byford telling us it was 35 years ago. That aside, the band deliver a headline worthy performance. Essentially it’s a greatest hits set where Wheels Of Steel, Heavy Metal Thunder, Denim and Leather and so many more are all rolled out. It’s a fitting way to close a first day and no surprise that they receive a great response.
Friday turns up the heat. The sun’s out, the temperature’s rising and the masses are out early. Scottish death metallers Party Cannon are on the Ronnie James Dio stage. Where black’s usually de rigueur, the stage is awash with dayglow colour. It’s only midday but out among the crowd there’s mayhem. Surfers are riding inflatables and dozens of bananas have turned up to watch. Watching from the safety of the stage pit, it’s quite a spectacle.
The pace slows for Skynd. She’s something quite different. Blessed with a great vocal range, a theatrical presence, with her face painted with a mime artist effect, she makes quite an impression, at least for your reviewer. And yes, her lyrics display an unhealthy obsession with murder and serial killers. She’s as impressive as always but her set draws a limited response from the crowd. I can’t help thinking she would have gone down better in the Sophie Lancaster tent with a performance enhanced by lighting. Mass murder and midday sun perhaps aren’t the most comfortable bedfellows.
Over in the tent, Sellsword are delivering their brand of melodic, medieval, symphonic rock. The songs gallop along (there are echoes of Iron Maiden here) and, perhaps inevitably, the vocalist makes much of drawing his sword/mic from a symbolic stone. Where Sellsword sell subtlety, Fit For An Autopsy thrive on raw brutality. There are no theatrical frills here, just unfettered intensity and power. And this afternoon it proves the perfect match for the Bloodstock crowd’s needs.
Seeking an escape from the heat, I head for some cover at the tented fight club. So, I hear you musing; violent, aggressive music and a fight club for violent, aggressive people. If so, you couldn’t be more wrong. The Bloodstock Fight Club is actually a pillow fight contest and it’s great fun to watch . . . and much cooler in the shade.
With my mood lightened, I head for Life oO Agony, who fuse metal with hard rock and a rock ‘n’ roll sensibility. There’s a variety in pace in their music and real stage presence here, and in Keith Caputo they’ve also got a bona fide rock frontman. For your reviewer, their performance is the highlight of the afternoon.
Back in the Sophie Lancaster tent there’s more variety with Seething Akira. Live, they’re akin to watching a supercharged Skindred; an ever moving energetic spectacle fusing rock, hip hop, dance beats, and ska. If you’re unbound by prejudices of genre and love high octane live music, check them out.
Taking another break from the music, I wander around the site. Now all festivals have a merch stall selling band and festival lineup T shirts etc. But the Bloodstock merch outlet is overwhelming, as are the queues to buy. There must be over a dozen different anniversary T shirt designs, plus patches, badges, and other ephemora. And of course rock and metal fans don’t just wear their favouites on their sleeves, they adorn their torsos like badges of honour. It’s a goldmine opportunity for the festival, and sure enough, new 2026 designs soon emerge upon thousands of punters. Of course, whatever the design logo, black’s the defining colour.
But it’s not just official band and festival regalia in evidence at Bloodstock. T shirt and clothing stalls proliferate across the arena, offering customers an almost endless choice, ranging from the frankly infantile and comic, to the highly artistic. All this sits alongside so many other outlets ripe for browsing. Designer jewelry sellers seem particularly popular, a few with workshops featuring artisans at work.
Before departing for the festival, a metal fan from home said, “Don’t bother watching Sepulura. They’re just a tribute band with no original members.” He couldn’t have more wrong. Apparently on a farewell tour, Bloodstock’s their final UK performance. They deliver a spectacular hour-long set focusing chiefly on their 1990s output, and for your reviewer, their performance is up there with today’s best.
The day holds one further surprise when I wander into the Sophie Lancaster tent. I’ve never heard of Shining but I’m intrigued by their bio and the prospect hearing of a band melding metal and free jazz. The intense, pummelling sound, discordant time changes played under constant strobing is ferocious and when the sax kicks in, everything hits another level. Without doubt they’re my find of the day and utterly intoxicating.
As night draws in it’s time for Friday night headliners, Lamb of God. There are pummelling beats, pyro and yet more pyro, and a band playing mostly silhouetted by backlighting. They deliver a set of savage intensity where there’s no place for subtlety or sensitivity. Metal horns are raised en masse by the seemingly delirious crowd. This is metal at its most raw, its most uncompromising, and it’s exactly what most in the audience have been craving.
It’s a brutal and fitting finale to a brutal day under the sun.
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Words and photos by Trev Eales. More work by Trev on Louder Than War can be found at his author’sprofile. His photography portfolio ishere
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