Words: Dan Barnes, Tim Finch, Paul Hutchings
Photos: Tim Finch
It was a strange road to Bloodstock for many bands on the New Blood stage this year. For Telford blackend death metal outfit Blood Church the usual Metal 2 The Masses competition was replaced by a judge vote in Wolverhampton without any live shows. Eventually they won out amongst stiff competition and got their chance to shine.
No band is more suited to an indoor show at Bloodstock than Winterfylleth. Probably the most exciting and organically evolving UK black metal band, this was a show that displayed their class and quality. Opening with the intro to ‘Absolved in Fire’, the band stormed through a five-song set that comprised three tracks from 2020’s fine’ A Reckoning Dawn’ as well as a couple of special tracks in ‘A Valley Thick with Oaks’ and ‘Ensigns of Victory’ from 2016’s ‘The Dark Hereafter’. Playing at their usual blistering pace, Winterfylleth rarely paused for breath although they always retain a melody and harmony that works on every level. Chris Naughton’s ferocious roars soar above the frantic tremolo riffing, whilst drummer Simon Lucas is surely one of the most underrated drummers in the UK.
You want riffs? Look no further than Old School Death Metal from Birmingham’s Memoriam whose last show at BOA in 2019 was in the pouring rain. This time with no rain in sight, Karl Willetts, Scott Fairfax, Frank Healy, and Spikey T Smith brought their muscular death metal to the tent in one of the sets of the weekend. Opening with the roar of ‘Undefeated’ from 2019’s ‘Requiem for Mankind’, Memoriam were in bruising form. Willetts was ecstatic to be back on a stage and demonstrated this with some cheerful banter between songs, dedicated songs to those that had died during the pandemic. The setlist was immense, with new songs from this year’s magnificent ‘To the End’ mixed with songs from the band’s other three albums.
In 2017 headliners Ghost had been unable to follow the set that German Thrash legends Kreator has delivered as special guests, so it was with a real sense of anticipation that we waited for them to provide a true headline set in 2021. Not only did they deliver, but they brought a set crammed full of classics and more recent music in a manner that got the whole arena losing it in every corner.
It may be four years since ‘Gods of Violence’ was released but Kreator haven’t been inactive with plenty of music since then. This set featured the first UK outing for new bassist Frederic leclercq who looked confident and comfortable alongside Mille Petrozza and Sami Yli-Sirniö amidst a stage set of some magnitude. Walkways flanked each side of the stage, there was enough pyro to burn down every church in Norway and an incredible lightshow that was backed up by ever changing images on the back screen.
Saturday evening hadn’t finished though and a rush to the Sophie Tent was worth it for a spot down the front for a raucous set from Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons. I’ve seen these boys twice recently at Steelhouse Festival and The Yard in Cornwall and they continue to deliver stellar performances which demand applause. A similar set to the previous two, with ‘Rock Out’ and ‘These Old Boots’ the main changes from The Yard. Andrew Hunt continues to grow in the frontman role, looking more confident and comfortable with every show. He’s ably supported by the legend that is Phil Campbell, who remains an ace guitarist whose mere presence is coolness personified.
Wednesday/Thursday Review [here]Friday Review [here]
Saturday Review [here]
Sunday Review [here]
Bloodstock Photo Gallery [here]
Band Interviews [here]
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