FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Open Air, Catton Hall, Derbyshire 08/08/24 - 11/08/24

This is not a comprehensive review of the weekend from a team of media savvy writers and togs. It’s a collective of fans who were at the festival and who have spent time reflecting on their favourite performances over a stacked and packed weekend.  We move onto some favourite sets from Saturday. 

It had been a long time since Bay area thrash legends Forbidden had graced UK shores and with a new revamped line up expectations were high amongst the thrashing hordes at Bloodstock.  Thankfully the band did not disappoint; in fact I think there was an air of disbelief at just how damn good Forbidden were.  With a set purely comprising material from their two classic albums Forbidden Evil and Twisted Into Form it took no time at all for pits to start swirling, hair to start flying around (mainly mine) and necks to be given a severe workout.  Former frontman Russ Anderson is a tough one to replace so all eyes and ears were on Norman Skinner who delivered on all fronts and wowed the old school thrash maniacs with perfect renditions of songs such as Step By Step, Forbidden Evil and Through Eyes Of Glass.  

Equally, guitarists Craig Locicero and Daniel Mongrain (who had only joined the band two weeks prior to this show) wowed with a barrage of savage thrash riffage and a bevy of delicious lead solos whilst drummer Chris Kontos battered his kit into absolute oblivion.  Unfortunately, technical issues meant a late start and the set had to be cut short a song meaning we were deprived of Chalice Of Blood but what we got was a masterclass in old school thrash metal and proof that Bay Area thrash is just as potent now as it was in the 1980’s.

Deicide have a reputation amongst UK audiences for cancelling shows and with prior tours and festival appearances getting axed, there was an air of trepidation over whether this set would actually happen.  Thankfully and extremely overdue, Deicide made their Bloodstock debut with a ferocious set of Satanic old school death metal.  There was little in the way of interaction with only a few words from the band’s infamous frontman Glen Benton with the music very much being the focus and despite the band dropping a new album this year, this set was very much an old school one. Once Upon The Cross, Sacrificial Suicide, Satan Spawn, The Caco-Daemon and Dead By Dawn ensuring old school death metal fans had an all you can eat buffet of blasphemous ferocity.  Razor sharp riffage, guttural roars and the quite frankly insane drumming of Steve Asheim really ensured that this short but sweet Deicide set was well worth the wait.

I had been looking forward to watching Combichrist again. I love dark wave industrial bands and was intrigued how they would go down at a metal festival. After the inevitable intro track the band bounded on stage in their industrial uniforms and makeup. The tent was only half full at this stage but that didn't matter as the brutal dance beat live drums by Dane White, over laden with drum loops and keyboards and bass by Elliot Berlin came crashing in. Heavy Guitars from Eric 13 and Jamie Cronander completing the band's intensive industrial sound.

Opener Planet Doom is as heavy as anything else over the weekend, one of several taken from the band's new album CMBCRST. It is a more metal sound than previous albums with the addition of a bigger guitar sound and less electro than previous gigs I have seen. Andy LaPlegua's vocals are harsh with a slight distortion. The heavy industrial beats carry on throughout this brutal set which has hints of Ministry.  Tracks Compliance and Children of Violence bounce along with LaPlegua's swaggering around the stage, allowing Eric 13 and Cronander room to throw all the shapes. Three songs in and I look around to see the tent is packed, the pit is bouncing and the skipping ring is on overdrive. Bloodstock seem to be loving the first appearance by the band since 2018. 

The set continues with Sonic Witch and Heads Off, with Modern Demon bringing a hint of the electronica side of Combichrist with more driving dance beats and those Ministry style guitars. D for Demonic blisters through and closes the show, leaving the front part of the audience in a frenzy, dripping wet in sweat and cheering for more. Hopefully more of this type of industrial metal will be added to the bloodstock family. 

Wooden Pints and Man with A Plan opened Korpiklanni’s headline set in the Sophie Tent to a stoked and packed crowd. Gotta Go Home, the Boney M tune brings more party joy and creates an awesome atmosphere. The Finns fun drinking songs have the crowd jumping around and they probably will be fighting and dancing 'til the morning. Beer Beer closes the set to a very full and happy Sophie tent.

Reviews:

Forbidden & Deicide by Richard Oliver

Combichrist by John Caffrey

Korpiklanni by Dez Coley

Photo:

Korpiklanni - Des Coley

Forbidden, Deicide & Combichrist by Hutch