Rocker (feedbot)
Gold Member
Saturday at Bloodstock hums with mid-festival energy; campsites buzzing, bars busy, and fans shaking off hangovers or diving straight back into the pit. With Machine Head topping the bill, there’s a restless anticipation in the air from the very first riff.
Kicking things off on the Ronnie James Dio Stage, Cage Fight waste no time setting the tone for the day. Their opener smashes through the tent like a fist, riffs colliding with hardcore fury that instantly sparks a pit. The crowd may still be shaking off the previous night’s excess, but the band’s relentless pace refuses to allow lethargy. Each song bleeds into the next with little respite, vocalist Rachel Aspe commanding the stage with an intensity that keeps the crowd moving. By the time they close, sweat drips from the tent ceiling and the day feels fully ignited.
Next up, The Spirit bring a very different atmosphere. Their opening track sets a cosmic, unsettling tone, all swirling tremolo riffs and cavernous drums, pulling the field into their blackened death vortex. It is a strange but captivating juxtaposition; harsh, frostbitten sounds delivered under a blazing august sun. As the set progresses, their blend of melody and ferocity creates a hypnotic effect, drawing the audience deeper into the haze. When they end with a sprawling, immersive finale, the crowd stands momentarily hushed, as if stepping back into reality after being pulled through a void.
The pits start before Warbringer even hit the first note, bodies colliding in chaotic celebration as anticipation boils over. When they launch into ‘Remain Violent’, it’s bedlam, and the surreal sight of someone in full Shrek costume charging into the melee makes the chaos even more memorable. Frontman John Kevill roars, ‘we are Warbringer from Los Angeles and this is our first time playing Bloodstock in the UK’, and the reception is deafening. Mid-set classics like ‘Living Weapon’ and ‘Severed Reality’ keep the tempo unrelenting, hair and sweat flying as the band thrash through with precision They close with ‘Combat Shock,’ the Dio field a storm of movement, fans drained but grinning from ear to ear at the pure ferocity of the set.
The Sophie tent is heaving long before Pengshui even appear, a noticeably younger crowd buzzing with anticipation. They explode straight into ‘Break the Law,’ frontman/MC Dave Illaman pacing the stage with boundless energy and spitting every bar like rapid-fire. The tent goes off immediately, pits erupting while children on parents shoulders wave along at the back, a perfect snapshot of how welcoming and diverse the Bloodstock community can be.
Between songs, Illaman keeps up a constant rapport: ‘wakey fucking wakey’ sends the crowd into overdrive, ‘battered sausage’ becomes a bizarre but brilliant call-and-response, and the declaration ‘people, music, energy, love, that’s all we need’ draws cheers and raised horns from wall to wall. He shares how they landed the slot through a fan tagging them on TikTok, and explains his own roots in drum and bass and dubstep before praising metal crowds as the best in the world, an admission met with a booming cheer. When they drop their remix of The Prodigy’s ‘Omen,’ the tent erupts, the energy peaking as bodies surge in unison. They close with ‘No Love,’ Illaman’s delivery like bullets from an AK-47, leaving the Sophie tent absolutely electric. For many, this isn’t just a highlight of the day, but of the entire weekend.
Heriot begin their set on the Ronnie James Dio stage with the force of a wrecking ball. They open with material from their 2024 debut album and immediately set off a circle pit that barely lets up for the rest of the set. The sight of a man in full knight armour guiding the chaos in the centre adds a surreal edge, as if the pit itself has a steward. Debbie Gough wields her yellow guitar with venom, her screams slicing through the dense, metallic wall of sound, while bassist Erhan Alman matches her intensity with his own guttural roars.
Songs like ‘Demure’ and ‘Enter the Flesh’ tear through the tent, the crowd moving violently but in unison, embodying the collective release that makes this scene thrive. By the time they reach closer ‘Siege Lord’ (maybe that explains the knight?), the pit has expanded to cover most of the tent, dust and sweat hanging heavy in the air. Heriot leave the stage victorious, cementing their reputation as one of the most vital new forces in UK heavy music.
With all the drama you would expect, Creeper arrive on the Dio Stage looking like rock ‘n’ roll vampires, dressed in black leather, eyeliner heavy, and blood-red makeup smeared across their faces. They launch straight into ‘Cry to Heaven’, the stage erupting in pyro and flames, the crowd roaring back every word. Their set feels less like a performance and more like theatre, with each song delivered as part of a wider narrative of gothic grandeur.
The middle stretch features fan favourites like ‘Black Rain’, greeted with mass singalongs that carry across the field, and ‘Down Below’, delivered with haunting flair. They close with the anthemic ‘Annabelle’ and the eternal ‘Misery’, the latter sung back long after the band have departed the stage. Creeper’s ability to balance camp, emotion and spectacle makes them unlike anyone else on the bill, and tonight’s show is proof of why their cult keeps growing.
When Kublai Khan TX hit the Ronnie James Dio stage, the floor barely holds steady under the surge of bodies. Opening with ‘Supreme Ruler’, Matt Honeycutt’s roar cuts through the air like a war cry, and the pit explodes instantly. His (in)famous crowd call-outs keeps the audience fuelled; calling them ‘baby girl’ one minute and mocking ‘sweaty nutsacks’ the next, he commands every inch of the tent.
The set escalates with ‘Boomslang’ and ‘Antpile’, each breakdown landing like a hammer blow, the floor a writhing mass of limbs. The wall of death for ‘The Hammer’ is pure chaos, hundreds splitting and colliding with ferocity. They close with ‘Theory of Mind’, the final riffs ringing out as exhausted fans stumble out of the tent grinning, having been put through the wringer by one of hardcore’s most punishing live acts.
Next, Fear Factory deliver mechanical precision and sheer weight. They open with ‘Shock’, the industrial riffs reverberating across the field, instantly locking the crowd into a march. Their signature blend of machine-like groove and soaring choruses feels as potent as ever, even decades on. Mid-set, ‘Edgecrusher’ and ‘Demanufacture’ send waves of fists into the air, their impact amplified by the thunderous rhythm section. Closing with ‘Replica’, the field becomes one seething mass, the refrain screamed back at full volume by thousands of voices. Fear Factory prove themselves masters of controlled chaos, a band whose influence is written across countless acts on the lineup, yet still deliver it with unmatched authority.
When Ministry take the stage, the atmosphere shifts to something far darker. They open with ‘Thieves’, strobes cutting through a wall of distortion as Al Jourgensen spits venom into the mic. The set is a barrage of industrial aggression, each song hitting like a political sermon wrapped in pounding beats. Midway, ‘N.W.O.’ and ‘Just One Fix’ draw the loudest cheers, fans moving like a single entity under the onslaught of riffs and samples.
They finish with ‘Jesus Built My Hotrod’, the festival field bouncing as if the ’90s never ended, nostalgia colliding with raw urgency. Jourgensen looks every inch the apocalyptic preacher, and as they leave the stage it’s clear Ministry remain just as vital and uncompromising as ever.
Breed 77 bring a welcome change of pace. Opening with ‘La Ultima Hora’, they immediately distinguish themselves with their fusion of flamenco flair and heavy riffing. The crowd responds warmly, swaying and moving as much as moshing, caught up in the unique atmosphere. Mid-set tracks ‘Blind’ and ‘World’s on Fire’ highlight the band’s gift for melody, showing just how broad the spectrum of heaviness at Bloodstock can be.
They close with ‘Alive’, fans singing every word back with passion, creating one of the most uplifting moments of the day. For many, this set feels like a triumphant return, a reminder of the rich diversity that has always been part of the Bloodstock spirit.
The main stage anticipation reaches boiling point before Machine Head even appear, and when the opening riff of ‘Imperium’ crashes in, fireworks lighting the sky, the field erupts. Robb Flynn commands the crowd like few others can, every chorus roared back at deafening volume. The set is a career-spanning showcase, from the sledgehammer weight of ‘Ten Ton Hammer’ to the enduring groove of ‘Old’, greeted like the return of an old friend. Pits churn constantly, the sheer size of the crowd moving as one under Machine Head’s command.
As the night deepens, the atmosphere turns euphoric. ‘Halo’ is stretched into a massive singalong, voices echoing across the field like a hymn, before ‘Aesthetics of Hate’ sends the crowd into one final frenzy. They close with the immortal ‘Davidian,’ the cry of ‘let freedom ring with a shotgun blast’ shouted skyward under a shower of fireworks. For Machine Head, this isn’t just a headline set, it’s a coronation, a moment that cements their place in Bloodstock history.
Rounding out the night in the Sophie tent, Static X deliver a nostalgia-drenched victory lap. They kick things off with ‘Push It,’ the tent instantly bouncing as if the late ’90s never ended. The band lean hard on their classics, with ‘I’m With Stupid’ and ‘Cold’ sending waves of joy through the crowd, each chorus screamed back at maximum volume.
They close with ‘Wisconsin Death Trip’, the final riff echoing through a tent that refuses to let the party die. Static X deliver exactly what the audience came for; a high-energy throwback packed with hooks and adrenaline. As fans spill out into the night, the buzz lingers, Saturday sealed as a day of non-stop energy, diversity, and iconic performances.
Words: Kathryn Edwards // Photos: Jez Pennington
Cage Fight
Kicking things off on the Ronnie James Dio Stage, Cage Fight waste no time setting the tone for the day. Their opener smashes through the tent like a fist, riffs colliding with hardcore fury that instantly sparks a pit. The crowd may still be shaking off the previous night’s excess, but the band’s relentless pace refuses to allow lethargy. Each song bleeds into the next with little respite, vocalist Rachel Aspe commanding the stage with an intensity that keeps the crowd moving. By the time they close, sweat drips from the tent ceiling and the day feels fully ignited.
The Spirit
Next up, The Spirit bring a very different atmosphere. Their opening track sets a cosmic, unsettling tone, all swirling tremolo riffs and cavernous drums, pulling the field into their blackened death vortex. It is a strange but captivating juxtaposition; harsh, frostbitten sounds delivered under a blazing august sun. As the set progresses, their blend of melody and ferocity creates a hypnotic effect, drawing the audience deeper into the haze. When they end with a sprawling, immersive finale, the crowd stands momentarily hushed, as if stepping back into reality after being pulled through a void.
Warbringer
The pits start before Warbringer even hit the first note, bodies colliding in chaotic celebration as anticipation boils over. When they launch into ‘Remain Violent’, it’s bedlam, and the surreal sight of someone in full Shrek costume charging into the melee makes the chaos even more memorable. Frontman John Kevill roars, ‘we are Warbringer from Los Angeles and this is our first time playing Bloodstock in the UK’, and the reception is deafening. Mid-set classics like ‘Living Weapon’ and ‘Severed Reality’ keep the tempo unrelenting, hair and sweat flying as the band thrash through with precision They close with ‘Combat Shock,’ the Dio field a storm of movement, fans drained but grinning from ear to ear at the pure ferocity of the set.
Pengshui
The Sophie tent is heaving long before Pengshui even appear, a noticeably younger crowd buzzing with anticipation. They explode straight into ‘Break the Law,’ frontman/MC Dave Illaman pacing the stage with boundless energy and spitting every bar like rapid-fire. The tent goes off immediately, pits erupting while children on parents shoulders wave along at the back, a perfect snapshot of how welcoming and diverse the Bloodstock community can be.
Between songs, Illaman keeps up a constant rapport: ‘wakey fucking wakey’ sends the crowd into overdrive, ‘battered sausage’ becomes a bizarre but brilliant call-and-response, and the declaration ‘people, music, energy, love, that’s all we need’ draws cheers and raised horns from wall to wall. He shares how they landed the slot through a fan tagging them on TikTok, and explains his own roots in drum and bass and dubstep before praising metal crowds as the best in the world, an admission met with a booming cheer. When they drop their remix of The Prodigy’s ‘Omen,’ the tent erupts, the energy peaking as bodies surge in unison. They close with ‘No Love,’ Illaman’s delivery like bullets from an AK-47, leaving the Sophie tent absolutely electric. For many, this isn’t just a highlight of the day, but of the entire weekend.
Heriot
Heriot begin their set on the Ronnie James Dio stage with the force of a wrecking ball. They open with material from their 2024 debut album and immediately set off a circle pit that barely lets up for the rest of the set. The sight of a man in full knight armour guiding the chaos in the centre adds a surreal edge, as if the pit itself has a steward. Debbie Gough wields her yellow guitar with venom, her screams slicing through the dense, metallic wall of sound, while bassist Erhan Alman matches her intensity with his own guttural roars.
Songs like ‘Demure’ and ‘Enter the Flesh’ tear through the tent, the crowd moving violently but in unison, embodying the collective release that makes this scene thrive. By the time they reach closer ‘Siege Lord’ (maybe that explains the knight?), the pit has expanded to cover most of the tent, dust and sweat hanging heavy in the air. Heriot leave the stage victorious, cementing their reputation as one of the most vital new forces in UK heavy music.
Creeper
With all the drama you would expect, Creeper arrive on the Dio Stage looking like rock ‘n’ roll vampires, dressed in black leather, eyeliner heavy, and blood-red makeup smeared across their faces. They launch straight into ‘Cry to Heaven’, the stage erupting in pyro and flames, the crowd roaring back every word. Their set feels less like a performance and more like theatre, with each song delivered as part of a wider narrative of gothic grandeur.
The middle stretch features fan favourites like ‘Black Rain’, greeted with mass singalongs that carry across the field, and ‘Down Below’, delivered with haunting flair. They close with the anthemic ‘Annabelle’ and the eternal ‘Misery’, the latter sung back long after the band have departed the stage. Creeper’s ability to balance camp, emotion and spectacle makes them unlike anyone else on the bill, and tonight’s show is proof of why their cult keeps growing.
Kublai Khan TX
When Kublai Khan TX hit the Ronnie James Dio stage, the floor barely holds steady under the surge of bodies. Opening with ‘Supreme Ruler’, Matt Honeycutt’s roar cuts through the air like a war cry, and the pit explodes instantly. His (in)famous crowd call-outs keeps the audience fuelled; calling them ‘baby girl’ one minute and mocking ‘sweaty nutsacks’ the next, he commands every inch of the tent.
The set escalates with ‘Boomslang’ and ‘Antpile’, each breakdown landing like a hammer blow, the floor a writhing mass of limbs. The wall of death for ‘The Hammer’ is pure chaos, hundreds splitting and colliding with ferocity. They close with ‘Theory of Mind’, the final riffs ringing out as exhausted fans stumble out of the tent grinning, having been put through the wringer by one of hardcore’s most punishing live acts.
Fear Factory
Next, Fear Factory deliver mechanical precision and sheer weight. They open with ‘Shock’, the industrial riffs reverberating across the field, instantly locking the crowd into a march. Their signature blend of machine-like groove and soaring choruses feels as potent as ever, even decades on. Mid-set, ‘Edgecrusher’ and ‘Demanufacture’ send waves of fists into the air, their impact amplified by the thunderous rhythm section. Closing with ‘Replica’, the field becomes one seething mass, the refrain screamed back at full volume by thousands of voices. Fear Factory prove themselves masters of controlled chaos, a band whose influence is written across countless acts on the lineup, yet still deliver it with unmatched authority.
Ministry
When Ministry take the stage, the atmosphere shifts to something far darker. They open with ‘Thieves’, strobes cutting through a wall of distortion as Al Jourgensen spits venom into the mic. The set is a barrage of industrial aggression, each song hitting like a political sermon wrapped in pounding beats. Midway, ‘N.W.O.’ and ‘Just One Fix’ draw the loudest cheers, fans moving like a single entity under the onslaught of riffs and samples.
They finish with ‘Jesus Built My Hotrod’, the festival field bouncing as if the ’90s never ended, nostalgia colliding with raw urgency. Jourgensen looks every inch the apocalyptic preacher, and as they leave the stage it’s clear Ministry remain just as vital and uncompromising as ever.
Breed 77
Breed 77 bring a welcome change of pace. Opening with ‘La Ultima Hora’, they immediately distinguish themselves with their fusion of flamenco flair and heavy riffing. The crowd responds warmly, swaying and moving as much as moshing, caught up in the unique atmosphere. Mid-set tracks ‘Blind’ and ‘World’s on Fire’ highlight the band’s gift for melody, showing just how broad the spectrum of heaviness at Bloodstock can be.
They close with ‘Alive’, fans singing every word back with passion, creating one of the most uplifting moments of the day. For many, this set feels like a triumphant return, a reminder of the rich diversity that has always been part of the Bloodstock spirit.
Machine Head
The main stage anticipation reaches boiling point before Machine Head even appear, and when the opening riff of ‘Imperium’ crashes in, fireworks lighting the sky, the field erupts. Robb Flynn commands the crowd like few others can, every chorus roared back at deafening volume. The set is a career-spanning showcase, from the sledgehammer weight of ‘Ten Ton Hammer’ to the enduring groove of ‘Old’, greeted like the return of an old friend. Pits churn constantly, the sheer size of the crowd moving as one under Machine Head’s command.
As the night deepens, the atmosphere turns euphoric. ‘Halo’ is stretched into a massive singalong, voices echoing across the field like a hymn, before ‘Aesthetics of Hate’ sends the crowd into one final frenzy. They close with the immortal ‘Davidian,’ the cry of ‘let freedom ring with a shotgun blast’ shouted skyward under a shower of fireworks. For Machine Head, this isn’t just a headline set, it’s a coronation, a moment that cements their place in Bloodstock history.
Static X
Rounding out the night in the Sophie tent, Static X deliver a nostalgia-drenched victory lap. They kick things off with ‘Push It,’ the tent instantly bouncing as if the late ’90s never ended. The band lean hard on their classics, with ‘I’m With Stupid’ and ‘Cold’ sending waves of joy through the crowd, each chorus screamed back at maximum volume.
They close with ‘Wisconsin Death Trip’, the final riff echoing through a tent that refuses to let the party die. Static X deliver exactly what the audience came for; a high-energy throwback packed with hooks and adrenaline. As fans spill out into the night, the buzz lingers, Saturday sealed as a day of non-stop energy, diversity, and iconic performances.
