Bloodstock 2025, the festival that just kept giving.
Catton Park played host to 20,000 metalheads for a four-day weekend of music and mayhem that many will never forget. From those who had already battled to play at the festival through the Metal to the Masses program to the headline acts, the crowd were treated to some of the best metal has to offer. The acts, much like the audience, were a mix of seasoned veterans and first-timers, and this melting pot just added to the overall feel of the event. I have always been taken aback by how friendly and supportive the festival is—whether it’s the security team handing out water to all the crowd surfers coming over the barrier or the management team allowing a mother and her young children to sit in front of them in the pit for Trivium (even supplying them with ear defenders), Bloodstock is run for the people by those who love live music.
The festival hosted five stages: The Ronnie James Dio Stage, The Sophie Lancaster Stage, The New Blood Stage, The EMP Stage, and The Serpent’s Lair Stage.
Friday
With the music of the Rockfit class wafting over the crowd, Shrapnel took the main stage. Early in the day you may have expected malaise from the tired/hungover audience, but there was no evidence of that from the pit that erupted just two songs in. The band were joined by a second vocalist right out of the gate, setting a breakneck pace. Aarran Turner, bassist and vocalist, was a whirlwind—sprinting across the stage, hair a blur of motion, and rallying the crowd with his passionate interactions. A massive cheer roared before their third song as they teased material from their new album, proving that early-day slots don’t mean a slow start at Bloodstock.
Later, Famyne brought a darker, doom-tinged edge. By the end of their second song, the crowd was chanting their name, feeding off Tom Vane’s wild-eyed intensity. Tom Ross’s hair-swinging became a hypnotic sideshow of its own, each sweep matching the ebb and flow of their crushing riffs.
Over on the Sophie Lancaster Stage, Turin made their third Bloodstock appearance—veterans of the tent stage who’ve clearly built a loyal following. They worked the crowd with the confidence of a band who knows exactly how to pace a festival set.
Lock Horns followed suit with no intention of pacing themselves. After tearing through their opener, they barely paused before the frontman declared, “Let’s go crazy for this next one.” The audience was more than happy to oblige, the tent floor shaking under the impact.
The beauty of Bloodstock is that it has such a wide range of subgenres represented, meaning there is something for everyone. A colleague of mine and I regularly attend the festival and both have very different experiences, with the running joke that if it was a highlight for me, then it wouldn’t be for him and vice versa.
The Dio Stage hosted a mix of old school and rising talent over the next few artists. Konvent opened their set with haunting choral music—the eerie calm before their Danish death-doom storm. Then came Flotsam and Jetsam, thrash veterans who wasted no time unleashing a frenzy of circle pits and crowd surfers. It was pure old-school aggression, the kind that leaves you grinning and slightly winded. Paleface Swiss took that energy and injected it with a fresh shot of youthful chaos. They bounced across the stage with a mix of precision and unfiltered aggression, the air above the crowd a constant stream of bodies as security worked overtime, with some surfers clearly making it their mission to rack up repeat trips during the performance.
And then, Orange Goblin. Their set carried a bittersweet weight—the last-ever UK festival appearance for a band that’s been part of Bloodstock since its earliest days. As they neared the end, the crowd broke into a spontaneous “Orange Goblin” chant, a fitting farewell to a true festival institution after 30 years.
Bloodstock’s smaller stages offered their own goldmines. On the New Blood Stage, Rascal strutted out with a coordinated move straight out of the Iron Maiden playbook—a knowingly clichéd touch that somehow worked and left me walking away with a big grin on my face.
Back on the Sophie Stage, Eihwar brought a stripped-down but visually striking Viking metal performance: a two-piece act with the singer wearing a skull on her head, draped in leather, pounding a drum like a warlord calling ships to shore. High Paradite painted their faces for a heartfelt set, dedicating one song to Sophie Lancaster herself, clearly moved to be performing on that stage.
Belgium’s My Diligence brought their continental stoner metal to the Sophie crowd, while Rough Justine, in their Bloodstock debut, grabbed the mic to declare they were “going to take advantage and give direction”—immediately demanding (and receiving) a circle pit from those assembled.
One of the day’s most elaborate sets belonged to Lacuna Coil. Arriving in corpse paint, they rolled out a barrage of visual treats: confetti cannons bursting in the colors of the Italian flag during the third song, T-shirt cannons firing during “I Wish You Were Dead,” and multiple nods to Ozzy Osbourne. Cristina Scabbia dedicated a song to the Prince of Darkness, sparking a crowd-wide Ozzy chant. She reminded everyone of the time Ozzy picked them for Ozzfest back in 2004, before the band slid into “Silence,” the chorus echoing across Catton Park as the crowd sang every word. More shirts launched into the audience before they closed, leaving the Dio Stage coated in paper, smiles, and sweat. The band left their mark not only musically but visually as the streamers hung from the stage rafters and littered the photography pit.
The fans gathered following the set to see the band announcements for the 25th anniversary next year, with each band being displayed individually to cheers from the crowd. Old favorites Lamb of God and Judas Priest were among the announcements.
If Lacuna Coil brought the spectacle, Trivium brought the pure festival chaos. Their set began with a curtain drop and rolled into pyro blasts by the third song. Matt Heafy called for circle pits early and often, urging the crowd to sing along to “Catastrophist” and “The World Goes Cold,” both delivered with the force of a band that knows how to work a festival headliner slot.
The set became a guest-filled celebration. Robb Flynn of Machine Head joined for a Black Sabbath cover, preceded by yet another booming Ozzy chant. Heafy shared that his first-ever metal show was Machine Head, making the moment as personal as it was heavy. Then came bassist III from Sleep Token, adding an extra layer of scene unity before the crowd was led through a Master of Puppets singalong that could probably be heard in the next county.
There was no shortage of theatrics—inflatable props during a drum solo, streams of crowd surfers during “Sin and the Sentence,” and confetti cannons to close. Even Heafy’s knee surgery (he admitted he couldn’t jump after losing 30% of his meniscus) didn’t slow the energy—he simply told the crowd to jump for him. The new track “Bury Me With My Screams” got its live debut, and a run of fan favorites, including “In Waves” (complete with the entire field crouching and exploding upward on cue), cemented the set as one of Bloodstock’s all-timers and the best performance of the seven times I have seen the band perform. A fitting close to Friday on the main stage, and it left me eagerly anticipating more. For those not exhausted after the day’s events, the festival had more to offer with Raise Your Dead Souls on the Sophie stage and L1nkn P4rk on the Serpent’s Lair stage.
Saturday
After the set the previous evening from Trivium, as well as the highlights of bands such as Lacuna Coil, the gauntlet was passed to the artists appearing on Saturday—and they did not disappoint.
The day dawned on the Sophie Stage with Ireosis kicking things off. Animated frontman Chris Bingham led a head-banging affair that served as a high-octane primer, with pyro effects punctuating their set and providing bursts of energy.
Not to be outdone, Cage Fight on the Dio Stage delivered an unrelenting performance—intense and driven by passionate vocalist Rachel Aspe, whose presence seared into the crowd’s memory. Their raw energy threaded through every verse as she exuded a stage presence that enthralled the crowd.
Every so often there is a band that takes you completely by surprise. This was definitely the case for Pengshui. As the three-piece took to the stage, I was taken aback by the lack of a guitarist, with only drums, bass, and vocals being represented. What followed can only be described as a hybrid of grime, metal, and ’90s-era Prodigy—and it was glorious. The genre-bending fusion of hip-hop, metal, and dance was larger than life—animated, playful, and totally unique. The crowd joined in with a finishing chorus line, channeling energy that was both electrifying and contagiously fun.
The other band that really grabbed my attention were second-time Bloodstock performers Phoenix Lake. The band took to the stage flanked by fire dancers, befitting the band’s name. What followed was a high-octane performance that left me and the crowd wanting more. The melodic metallers will definitely be added to my regular playlist, and the band have new music out later this year.
On the main stage, horror rock band Creeper appeared covered in their now-famous face paint. The twin vocals of frontman Will Gould and keyboardist Hannah Hermione had the audience engrossed.
Kublai Khan roared next on the Dio Stage, igniting a circle pit and a wave of crowd surfing—metal and mayhem cascading into one.
Continuing on the Dio Stage, Fear Factory emerged to Terminator-style monologue and music—a dystopian, machine-driven prelude. From the very start, frontman Milo Silvestro demanded and received a circle pit from the crowd before delivering a set based on their 30th-year-old Demanufacture album.
On the New Blood Stage, Unnatural Order garnered early crowd acclaim. Fans chanted the band’s name before they’d even played—a testament to their die-hard following.
At the Sophie Stage, Breed 77 opened explosively as their singer launched into an aerial leap that was a sign of the energetic performance that was to come. The group’s engagement with the crowd and their flamenco-inspired brand of metal was met with a passionate response from those in attendance.
Bloodstock 2025’s Saturday night climax belonged to Machine Head, who took the Ronnie James Dio Stage by storm with a career-spanning set packed with fire, fury, and heartfelt moments.
They kicked off with “Imperium,” an opening salvo that instantly had the pit surging. “Ten Ton Hammer” and “Choke on the Ashes” followed in quick succession, the sound thick and punishing. “Now We Die” and “Is There Anybody Out There?” showed the band’s melodic edge before “Outsider” and the swarming riffs of “Locust” brought the heaviness roaring back.
The festival field transformed into a chaotic sea of motion during “Bonescraper,” before the night’s emotional high point—“Darkness Within.” Robb Flynn, bathed in a single spotlight, asked the crowd to hold up their phone flashlights. Thousands of tiny lights swayed in the darkness, creating a breathtaking constellation over Catton Park. Flynn dedicated the song to late PR guru Michele Kerr, calling her a “badass bitch” who had been in their corner their entire career. It was a moment of collective stillness amid the chaos.
But Machine Head didn’t stay still for long. “Bulldozer” tore back into the set with pummeling force, “From This Day” unleashed a late-’90s groove assault, and “Davidian” detonated into full-scale mayhem—complete with a record-breaking wave of crowd surfers.
Visually, the show was a feast. Towering pyro blasts, plumes of CO? jets, and bursts of golden confetti punctuated the set, turning the performance into a full-blown sensory assault. When the epic closer “Halo” arrived, stretching beyond nine minutes, the field was a churning, euphoric mass, illuminated by fire and falling confetti.
The band had security on their toes all night with over 1,000 crowd surfers coming over the barrier during the set.
As the set came to a close, there was a significant exodus to the Sophie stage for Static-X. The band, now fronted by Xer0, took to the stage in his now-iconic mask that pays homage to Wayne Static. The glowing red eyes gave an eerie feel, and this combined with the large zombie-style puppet that walked around the stage gave a really entertaining feel to the set. The band finished the day’s live music with fan favorite “Push It.”
Sunday
The simple question was how Sunday was going to compete with the performances on Friday and Saturday. The two previous days had been awash with pyros, crowd surfers, and epic performances, but there was still more to come. By the time Bloodstock’s third and final day rolled around, the sun had baked the Catton Hall site into a dust bowl, and the crowd were starting to feel the effects of heat, lack of sleep, and in some cases too much to drink.
Opening duties on the Sophie stage went to Apathy UK, whose politically charged punk-metal hybrid kicked off the day’s live music. The tent was already filling as their gritty riffs and biting vocals tore through the crowd’s early morning haze.
On the main stage, Ghosts of Atlantis brought a cinematic sweep to their set. Their fusion of melodic death metal and symphonic flourishes felt like a soundtrack to a high-budget dark fantasy film. This started with a monologue-style intro, and the bespoke mic stands and costumes added to their Atlantean theme.
One Machine followed on the Dio stage with a technical display of their thrash prowess. Their set was a lesson in precision with heavy riffs; it was, however, the pyros that truly elevated the set, with jets of flame erupting in time with palm-muted chugs, sending waves of heat through the front rows.
The Sophie tent turned ethereal as Frayle took the stage. Their haunting doomgaze created an almost dreamlike atmosphere—slow and hypnotic. The band’s stage attire had shades of Sleep Token-esque mystique: flowing robes, veiled faces, and a visual aesthetic that matched the music’s eerie beauty and ritualistic appearance.
Rivers of Nihil brought technical death metal precision to the Dio stage, each member weaving intricate rhythms and complex layers into the music. They navigated between brutality and melody seamlessly, their set leading to headbanging all round.
A standout moment of the day came when August Burns Red opened with a cover of System of a Down’s “Chop Suey!” The first verse was played as the audience sang along with gusto before the full band exploded into the second half, injecting it with their signature metalcore ferocity.
If anyone needed a lesson in how to work a crowd and a camera, they found it with Dogma. From the moment they stepped on stage, the whole band’s unbelievable stage presence was undeniable—every pose a photographer’s dream, every glare and gesture perfectly timed. Musically, they matched their charisma with sharp, pounding riffs and hooks that stuck long after the set ended. The combination of costumes, stage makeup, interactions, and stage movement delivered a memorable show that left the audience clamoring for more.
Now, what festival would be complete without a dose of medieval German metal complete with lute, bagpipes, and violin? Feuerschwanz brought a medieval rock carnival to the main stage. Think raucous folk metal meets a Monty Python sense of humor, all performed with medieval-style costumes and tongue-in-cheek swagger. Their comedic timing was as tight as their musicianship, and their ability to get thousands of metalheads singing, clapping, and dancing under the midday sun was nothing short of magical. I particularly enjoyed hearing “Knightclub” live, having discovered the video only a few months back.
Later on, Lord of the Lost brought a theatrical, industrial-infused rock show to the Dio stage. Dressed in elaborate, almost gothic attire, they delivered anthemic choruses and bombastic arrangements that felt tailor-made for a massive festival stage. The former Eurovision contestants were entertaining a thoroughly different audience.
However, one of the other standout performances of the day belonged to Mastodon. This was the first time seeing the band since the departure of longtime guitarist Brent Hinds. The band delivered what one festival-goer described as “the set of the weekend,” and so impressed was he that he would have to go and purchase their entire back catalog. The band delivered a masterclass in progressive sludge metal, their intertwining riffs and complex rhythms sounding as colossal live as they do on record, with “The Motherload” being a particular highlight.
Last to the Dio stage were Gojira. Judging by the line at the signing tent, they were a popular choice to headline, having to extend their time signing to meet as many of their fans as possible.
As the daylight faded, the Catton Hall faithful gathered and were treated to a video tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne. This set the tone, and the atmosphere across Catton Hall shifted. Thousands of voices roared as the French titans emerged from the shadows, launching straight into a set that was less a concert and more a controlled detonation of sound and spectacle.
From the first crushing notes of “Ocean Planet,” it was clear Gojira weren’t here to simply play songs—they were here to own the night. Mario Duplantier’s drumming thundered like artillery fire while Joe Duplantier’s riffs cut through the night air. Each track was huge, from the relentless chug of “Backbone” to the seismic grooves of “Stranded,” and the crowd responded with a mix of headbanging, moshing, and awe-struck appreciation.
The light show was an event in itself. Crisp beams sliced through the night sky, perfectly synced to the band’s polyrhythms. Floods of deep blues and greens evoked the band’s oceanic themes, while bursts of white light mimicked lightning strikes, punctuating breakdowns with blinding ferocity. The lights didn’t just illuminate the stage—they created a living, breathing visual narrative that matched the music’s ebb and flow.
Then came the pyros. Flames erupted in towering jets from the stage’s edge, their heat washing over the front rows. Timed to the beat, the fire created a coherent connection between sound and sensation, with every blast felt like an exclamation point. It wasn’t overused; rather, it was deployed with the precision of a well-placed drum fill, making each eruption feel earned.
The staging was monumental, with walkways leading to the drums, a towering screen backdrop, and an open space that gave the musicians room to command the entire platform. This uncluttered design made every movement from the band members stand out, whether it was Joe stepping to the mic to address the crowd or Christian Andreu stalking the stage during a solo.
As the set built toward its finale, the fireworks began. The first explosion drew a gasp, but soon the sky was alive with color, each burst timed to the climactic moments of “The Gift of Guilt.” It was a rare marriage of musical and visual peaks, each amplifying the other.
And then—the streamers. As the last crushing riff rang out, a wave of metallic ribbons burst over the crowd, glittering in the stage lights. People caught them mid-air, wrapped them around shoulders, or simply watched them drift to the ground, knowing the festival was ending in a moment of shared celebration.
Gojira’s Bloodstock 2025 headline set was more than just a performance—it was an experience. Every aspect, from the musicianship to the staging, the lights to the pyros, the fireworks to the final streamers, added to the weight of the performance. It was the sound of a band etching themselves into Bloodstock history.
As the event came to a close, the crowd were left with their memories of epic performances, both musically and visually. Never before have next year’s early tickets sold out before the close of play, but this year they have, with many a punter driving to the box office to get their tickets in advance.
After nearly a quarter of a decade, Bloodstock has firmly established itself as one of the best festivals in the country, and like many others, I cannot wait for next year.
About Author
