It’s a day that’s also hampered by some fairly temperamental weather that results in delays and stages closures, the expert handling of which truly demonstrates the quality of this festival and its team. It inevitably leads to a little frustration, but that’s swiftly tempered by some of the most outstanding sets Bloodstock has witnessed so far – controversial headliners and all…

Words: Gem Rogers / Photos: Matt Higgs

At first glance, Cancer Bats are a bit of an oddity this weekend – a hardcore band at a metal festival is definitely unexpected. They’re also a band not used to playing so early in the day, as vocalist Liam Cormier highlights (“did any of you even sleep last night? Because it is early…”), but they are one hell of a wake up call. Pulling out half an hour of raging, heavy hitting tracks, they are the definition of fury and fire, generating plenty of energy in the crowd despite the howling winds and rain. Finishing up with a gigantic singalong rendition of ‘War Pigs’ to keep the metalheads happy, any doubts about their place on this stage can be swiped away – if you love heavy music of any genre, a Cancer Bats show is the place to be.

Glaswegians Lotus Eater were a late addition to the Bloodstock bill after a few last minute dropouts, and what a welcome addition they are. The Sophie tent isn’t the busiest for this set, yet when they beckon everyone forward, it works immediately – whether the crowd are motivated by enthusiasm or mild fear of these ferocious Scots isn’t entirely clear, but they’re definitely worthy of the movement. Best at their weirdest and most technical and with some delectably meaty breakdowns, Lotus Eater aren’t here for hugs and rainbows. They want you to get fucked up, and they’re going to do everything they can to make it happen; it’s brutal in the best way, and Lotus Eater is sure to be a name we hear more of in future.

Over on the main stage, things are getting weird this afternoon. Really, really weird. Once witnessed, Evil Scarecrow are a band that can never be forgotten, with their near annual appearance at Bloodstock earning them the title of house band – and despite grumblings about the regularity of their bookings, it looks like the entire festival has turned out for this absolutely absurd set. The ever increasing wind has taken its toll on their planned stage show – pyro is very much out of the window – and there’s a few sound issues with absent vocals and, well, absent everything at times, but with crowdpleasers like ‘Hurricanado’, ‘Robototron’, and ‘Crabulon’ getting thousands of people participating in ridiculous spins and scuttles, alongside a guest appearance from the spectacular twelve year old Alfie, it barely matters that any kind of musical quality has vanished. It’s utterly fucking ridiculous both on paper and in person, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Ready? Crabulon, crabulon, crabulon…

Australian metalcore mob Thy Art Is Murder bring the rage back to the main stage after the daftness of Evil Scarecrow – though vocalist CJ McMahon still brings plenty of humour into the set, along with criticisms of our “fucking shit weather”. He’s not wrong, to be fair. Despite their incandescent music, the set does lack a little energy and excitement after Evil Scarecrow, and interest tails off a little, but it’s a mercilessly loud set delivered with precision – and when McMahon demands “500 crowdsurfers”, the final tally can’t be too far off it. It’s not the most memorable set of the day, but Thy Art Is Murder have proved their worth nonetheless.

Another last minute addition to the bill, The Wildhearts seemed to have been well received by the masses upon their announcement, but the crowd assembled at the main stage is one of the smallest of the weekend. Granted, this is probably the least ‘metal’ act the main stage has seen across the three days, with their brand being more radio-friendly classic rock – but when it’s a band with such a legendary status as this lot, it’s surprising all the same. The seeming lack of interest in the set – aside from a very enthusiastic front few rows – doesn’t help what turns out to be a proficient and superb quality, yet ultimately underwhelming set for this time of the day. Given a bit of sunshine instead of these howling winds, perhaps things might have gone down a little better – as it is, we can’t blame most of the crowd for having wandered elsewhere.

For a time, it looks as though The Wildhearts may have, by default, gained the title of Saturday night headliners. The weather is no joke – the screens by the main stage have been lowered all day due to the gales, and soon after The Wildhearts’ set, Bloodstock are forced to shut down the main stage entirely. A few reshuffles and a lot of hard work from the festival team later, we’re ecstatic that the festival is able to continue, with Anthrax taking to the stage around an hour late. It is, of course, well worth the wait; the legendary thrash metallers are kings of the stage and the set feels absolutely jubilant (not just because we’re thrilled the main stage’s day isn’t over yet after all). It’s a positive riff-fest from a band who are still on form after nearly 40 years when so many others have faded away – and it seems somehow fitting that this set from old masters should lead into one of metal’s newest headliners.

There can be no doubt about the fact that the announcement of Parkway Drive back in February prompted some fairly heated discussion online. Too young, too trendy, too metalcore; it seemed there were many who not only deemed the Australians unworthy, but they were determined to make it known, too. When it comes to this headline set, then, what of those words of discontent? Well, if indeed any were still floating around by the end of this showstopping, jaw dropping hour and a half, they can only have been used to stoke more of the flames that drenched Bloodstock’s main stage.

Entering through the crowd surrounded by flames and hooded figures, opening track ‘Wishing Wells’ showed not only Parkway Drive’s flare for dramatics, but their stunning musicianship, too. Winston McCall’s ominous vocals cut cleanly through the night air before the track erupts with a furious roar, and the crowd are all too eager to join in – the chaos is immediate and sublime, and every last person with a view of the main stage is lapping up the fury and excitement.

Every moment of this set is as memorable as the one before it, with infectious madness sweeping through the field to the rage of tracks like ‘Vice Grip’, ‘The Void’, and ‘Dedicated’, not to mention the riff-singalongs for ‘Wild Eyes’. When time to breathe finally comes, it’s in the form of the stunning string quartet accompanied ‘Writings On The Wall’ and ‘Shadow Boxing’, no less captivating for their less riotous nature.

If any energy remained in the crowd by the time the flames are fully ignited for the encore, it is surely gone by the end of the double hit of ‘Crushed’ and ‘Bottom Feeder’ – bodies pour over the barrier, and the instruction to “snap your neck to this” taken probably rather too literally. Neck braces for Sunday, anyone?

The flames and the spectacle Parkway Drive bring are stupendous, but what’s clear is that they are only props for a band who could already dominate the largest of stages and crowds with their music alone. We have been witness to something special this evening, and this will by no means be the last time we see this band headlining a festival stage. Parkway Drive are coming for the world, and they will take it.

The final day of any festival is always most notable for crowds that can generally be described as ‘half-dead’, and Download is no exception – it’s definitely easy, by this point, to tell who’s only come in for the day as they bound around with fresh faces and unusually clean shoes. Today’s line-up is one of the most varied of the weekend, as metalcore sits alongside pop-punk, rock ‘n’ roll rubs shoulders with death metal, and thrash takes the crown with one of the festival’s most important performances.

Images: Penny Bennett, Words: Gem Rogers [GR], Dave Stewart [DS]

I Prevail

When it’s the final day of a festival like Download, it really takes something to keep bleary eyes open and weary brains alert – luckily, Michican’s I Prevail are just the band to do it. It takes a song or two for things to get moving, and there’s a few awkward lulls early on as the band disappear wordlessly to the back of the stage between tracks, but their light and melodic metalcore has just the right amount of aggression to open up plenty of pits in front of the main stage and keep the energy on maximum. There can be no doubting their dedication, either, as vocalist Brian Burkheiser sprints around the stage despite a broken foot; this is a band determined to give everything they’ve got. Dominated by tracks from sophomore album ‘Trauma’, incendiary numbers like ‘Gasoline’ and ‘Deadweight’ show just what a strong band they have become – the main stage is where I Prevail belong, and this won’t be the last time we see them on it. [GR]

Dinosaur Pile-Up

One of the first bands to tackle the Zippo Encore stage was the UK’s very own Dinosaur Pile-Up. Currently surfing the waves that their critically acclaimed new record ‘Celebrity Mansions’ has made for them, they came crashing into Download Festival to deliver their ballsy grunge-laced tunes to the early risers. Riffs flew in from every conceivable angle, from the gigantic closing chords of ‘Traynor’, to the infectious hooks of ‘Back Foot’. It started to rain heavily towards the end of their set, but everyone stood their ground and embraced it as front man Matt Bigland yelled “fuck the rain” to the sky. A perfect set from one of the country’s most exciting trios. [DS]

Allusinlove

Leeds four piece Allusinlove – formerly known by the slightly less wholesome name Allusondrugs – are next up in a sparsely populated Avalanche tent. Their indie-infused rock and roll isn’t especially inspired, but it does come with a huge helping of groove and piercingly clear guitar, alongside outstanding vocals from front man Jason Moules. Though the gathered crowd are mostly fairly mellow, they show they aren’t averse to a bit of dancing at the band’s bidding – on the whole though, despite good delivery, it’s an unexciting half hour that struggles to be memorable in a busy weekend.

Underoath

Back in the 1970‘s, The Clash fought the law, and the law won. Over on the main stage at Download 2019, Underoath fought the weather, and Underoath won. The weather was dire as the post hardcore legends took to the stage, but their signature brand of raw emotive power forced a gap in the clouds to let the sun beam down on the grounds. They utilised every single inch of the stage, darting around as they performed a nice blend of both older material and cuts from their newest record ‘Erase Me’ – the latter of which fell a bit flat on the crowd. Classic anthems ‘Writing On The Walls’ and ‘It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door’ went down a treat though, as did the surprise inclusion of one of their heaviest songs ‘Breathing In A New Mentality’. A solid performance from one of the genres most adored bands. [DS]

Heart Of A Coward

There’s been a lot of buzz surrounding Heart Of A Coward recently. Ever since the introduction of new vocalist Kaan Tasan and the release of new record ‘The Disconnect’, the metal community has been pining to see them live to see exactly what he can do and, ultimately, whether the band are still a force to be reckoned with. Not even halfway through the first song of their set, it became very clear that Heart Of A Coward are just as devastating as ever, if not more so. Every single song connected like a wrecking ball to a crumbling building, leaving nothing but dust clouds and astounded faces behind. Classic songs like ‘Shade’ and ‘Hollow’ completely filled the Avalanche tent with their fierce tones, and new material like ‘Drown In Ruin’ and ‘Collapse’ saw them confidently prove that they’re not a band to be forgotten about. A triumphant return to the big leagues for one of British metals finest. [DS]

Black Peaks

Black Peaks are one of the most unique and exciting bands to have emerged in recent years, and the number of people that were tightly packed into the Avalanche stage to witness their performance was testament to their popularity. Full of big hitters from their last two records, they stunned and amazed onlookers with ballsy performances of tracks like ‘Can’t Sleep’, ‘Say You Will’, and the riff-heavy rager ‘Glass Built Castles’, the latter of which caused the crowd to stir themselves into a frenzy. A lot of the intricacies of their music seemed to get a little lost in the tent, but it didn’t matter to anybody that was watching. Black Peaks really know how to put on a show – whatever may have been missing aurally, they more than made up for with an adrenaline-fuelled storm of a performance. [DS]

State Champs

It is an irrefutable truth that pop punk is made for sunshine, and sunshine is made for pop punk. It’s no wonder, then, that our glowing sky orb friend has come out to play for a set from reigning kings of the genre State Champs, and the Zippo Encore stage becomes one hell of a glorious place to be this afternoon. It’s not just their back catalogue of sensationally catchy, high quality songs that make this set beautifully enjoyable from start to finish; State Champs are also outstanding performers, never putting a foot wrong and infusing the area with enough energy to power a small county. Some bold attempts at circle pits on a muddy slope ensue, along with huge singalongs to the likes of ‘Secrets’ and ‘Dead And Gone’ – State Champs are nothing short of masterful throughout. Long live pop punk. [GR]

Crystal Lake

Japanese quintet Crystal Lake released their album ‘Helix’ earlier this year to rave reviews, and their live show has a reputation for being complete chaos – as a result, it was no surprise to see that the Dogtooth tent was overflowing with people for their set. Without warning the band launched into ‘Agony’, putting on an unenthusiastic performance that still managed to turn the tent into a giant whirlpool, but as it turned out, they were still only soundchecking. That’s right, folks – they had circle pits and crowd surfers before they’d even started their set. When they did start though, the carnage that ensued was utterly relentless. The band transformed from quiet and reserved, becoming enigmatic bundles of energy, exerting electricity with every step. Bodies flew over the barrier from all directions as they smashed through gigantic songs like the groovy nu-metal smash ‘Hail To The Fire’, the gigantic ‘Apollo’ and the raw and unpredictable ‘Aeon’. Technically brilliant, musically intense, and physically impressive, Crystal Lake are completely unstoppable. [DS]

Toska

Prog fans have been spoilt for choice over this weekend, with numerous progressive and instrumental acts spread across all three days of the festival. Sunday was no different, seeing British trio Toska claim the Dogtooth stage as their own. Another unfortunately short set due to the sheer length and complexity of the bands songs made it feel like the performance was already over before it’d gotten into full swing, but the crowd lapped up every note nonetheless. Front man and lead guitarist Rabea Massaad was genuinely taken aback and stunned by the number of people in the tent as they gracefully danced through their technically impressive set, accompanied by deafening cheers and applause from fans both in and out of the tent. Stunning prog wizardry performed with absolute passion and precision. [DS]

Beartooth

It might be the ongoing sun going to everyone’s heads that causes the crowd at the Zippo Encore stage to drop everything in favour of colossal moshpits and a general descent into chaos – but, more likely, it’s a sign that Beartooth have taken to the stage. “I’ll be banging my head ‘til my brain rots” couldn’t be more appropriate lyrics as the five piece go full force with opener ‘Bad Listener’, blending utterly delicious melodies with passion, fire, and plenty of thrashing guitar.With enough bite to appease even those down the front waiting for Slayer, nobody could leave this set feeling unsatisfied, and the feel-good vibes are undeniable. Beartooth are, without a doubt, on their way to a headline slot on the main stage, and it won’t be long before they’re there. [GR]

Lamb Of God

Virginian metal outfit Lamb Of God are a band who’ve truly earned their slot at the top end of the main stage, and the gigantic crowd they’ve amassed seem to agree. Their instantly recognisable groove metal sounds fill the air as they thunder through tracks from across an impressive and expansive career so far; opener ‘Omerta’ destroys everything in its path with crushingly furious riffs, and the scene is set for an hour that metalhead dreams are made of. Front man Randy Blythe is as intense and captivating as vocalists come, his snarling vocals utterly faultless as he stalks the stage like a predator; and though the band are missing drummer Chris Adler as he recovers from injuries sustained in an accident, replacement Art Cruz is more than capable of filling the gigantic shoes Adler left with effortless style. The pit is little more than a writhing mass of bodies as circles form and merge constantly to the thunderous sounds of songs like ‘Walk With Me In Hell’ and set closer ‘Redneck’, and if anyone had any energy left on this Sunday afternoon, it’s surely spent by the end of this set. Lamb Of God are an imposing force, and though they sit among some of the biggest names in metal on today’s line-up, they easily hold their own and dominate the stage – the future of heavy metal is in safe hands with the likes of them to carry it. [GR]

Anthrax

This weekend has been graced by some true legends of the metal and rock world, but few were able to bring out the party quite like Anthrax. Most bands that have been going for as long as they have tend to show signs of their age in their performances, but not these thrash metal monsters – they were so energetic that they put the majority of younger bands on the bill to shame. The band are incredible entertainers, starting their set at full throttle and not letting up until the very last note had faded away. Cramming their set full of all their biggest and best hits caused smiles and good vibes to spread throughout the crowd, with songs like ‘Madhouse’, ‘I Am The Law’, and the mosh-tastic ‘Indians’ providing punch after punch. They didn’t miss a note, they didn’t stop moving, and they didn’t let a single person in the audience leave without a smile on their face. To top it all off, the sun got even sunnier during their set – it wouldn’t be surprising if their positive, feel good attitude made its way skyward. Thrash metal kings proving exactly why they’re still deserving of the crown. [DS]

Whitechapel

To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Whitechapel brought the heaviest set of the weekend to the Dogtooth stage. Moodily stepping out onto a eerily lit stage, Phil Bozeman and crew wasted no time opening the gates of hell, tearing straight into the disgustingly powerful ‘Brimstone’ as the crowd turned the tent into a warzone. The short set spent most of its time flaunting the band’s new material, showcasing cuts like the brutal ‘Forgiveness Is Weakness’ and the haunting black metal-tinged ‘When A Demon Defiles A Witch’ – but they also reached deep into their back catalogue as a respectful nod to their long term fans. The biggest throwback they played was 2008‘s ‘Father Of Lies’, which caused one of the most aggressive pits the tent saw all weekend. The entire performance was pure evil, almost like Whitechapel had signed a deal with Devil himself to create sounds so dark and unnerving. Absolute carnage from beginning to end. [DS]

Dream Theater

Back over on the Zippo Encore stage, prog metal lovers flocked around the stage to witness Dream Theater melt some minds with their undeniable talent. Every single member of the band is a true virtuoso at their instrument, particularly guitarist John Petrucci and bassist John Myung who are both hugely respected throughout the music world. Aurally they were flawless, each member of the band performing a note perfect set with absolute precision and ease. Songs like the 9 minute epic ‘In The Presence Of Enemies Pt 1’ and the stunning ‘Dance Of Eternity’ were completely faultless, causing many jaws in the audience to drop, eyes gazing forwards in both amazement and disbelief. It was incredible to listen to – just very boring to watch. The only member of the band that actually did some moving was vocalist James LaBrie, and that was mostly walking on and off stage to avoid him standing around during the lengthy solos. They were musically incredible, but visually underwhelming. (DS)

Fever 333

If Fever 333 aren’t a familiar name yet, it’s definitely fair at this point to ask where you’ve been for the last year. Their secret set here in 2018 was one of the hottest topics of the weekend (and beyond), so their promotion to sub-headliners on the Avalanche Stage seems only right – word has definitely spread far and wide, and the tent is rammed long before the set begins. The Fever’s fiery brand of empowering rock music hits hard, and their message of social justice spills over into every crevice of their performance as enigmatic front man Jason Aalon Butler speaks out to the underrepresented, and to those who can make a difference. Unfortunately, the sound in the Avalanche Tent is once again frustratingly poor; Butler’s vocals are frequently far too low in the mix, and the backing track overpowers just about everything else. It takes nothing away from their overall performance and message, but it’s difficult to enjoy the set as much as we should be able to – fortunately, they’re going nowhere anytime soon, and we’ll have plenty of opportunities to enjoy them when they inevitably ascend to bigger stages in future. [GR]

Enter Shikari

Following a band with a growing reputation for one of the best live performances on the scene would be a difficult feat for some – but when you’re Enter Shikari, and you’ve spent more than ten years building your own fearsome reputation for destroying every venue in sight, there’s very little to worry about. From the second Shikari take to the stage, it’s a toss-up as to who’s loudest out of the band on stage, and the thousands of people spilling from the Avalanche tent for the stage’s final set of the weekend.  Dazzling light shows, confetti aplenty, and a good helping of pyro come together to support their unique, genre-defying music; the infusion of drum and bass, techno, and just about anything else they fancy with rock absolutely shouldn’t work, but in their enthusiastic and talented hands it results in nothing short of the best party you’ll ever attend. The passion on stage is reflected in the non-stop movement in the crowd – including a pair of fans managing the impressive feat of climbing one of the tent supports, threatening to bring the show to an abrupt halt (boo, health and safety) – and it’s easy to see how this band inspire such a joyous reaction with their flawless performance and strong beliefs in a better world. It may not be the end of our weekend just yet, but if it was, this hour with Enter Shikari would be a perfect way to finish it. [GR]

Slayer

It’s difficult to know what to say when faced with the final UK set from a band who, over a nearly forty year career, came to be the defining face of an entire subculture. Say “I like metal” to anyone outside our world, and the first question you’ll probably get back is “oh, so like, Slayer?” This is a band who paved the way for hundreds of bands to follow, and not just for thrash. Sticking two fingers up to the establishment, Slayer ploughed forward with their satanic hymns and brought generations of metalheads along for the ride – and now, on this final night at Donington, we must say goodbye.

It’s not too surprising that the Zippo Encore stage has never seen a crowd the like of this one, reaching back to every corner and food van that surrounds it. Though those at the back of this mass of people may be quietly absorbing every moment of the set, the pit at the front is living up to every bit of the mad reputation Slayer shows have earned as they plough through decades-worth of utterly unforgiving thrash, packing no less than twenty tracks into their 90 minutes. It goes without saying that they are nothing short of flawless from the very first notes of ‘Repentless’, followed by the likes of ‘Evil Has No Boundaries’, ‘South of Heaven’, and ‘Chemical Warfare’. It’s frustrating that, towards of the end of the set, the sounds of an overly loud Tool on the main stage make their way over to the back corner of the field; for those on the right hand side, it becomes instantly difficult to focus and feels like an injustice for a set as momentous as this.

When the time comes and the final notes of ‘Angel Of Death’ ring out across the field, it’s an end that feels almost too abrupt. In reality, it’s an ending that nobody could ever have been ready for. It speaks to the impact of this band that a significant percentage of this audience weren’t even born when their first album was released, yet Slayer’s music has been woven into their lives and taken root in their hearts. Few words are spoken, but as the band look out on the crowd and take their time to soak in these final moments, the heartfelt love and respect is clear and mutual. There will never be another Slayer, and their presence is something we will never cease to be grateful for.

Tool

Recorded at the band’s sold out show at Barrowlands in February earlier this year, the release also comes with behind the scenes footage, interviews and more. It will be released in April 2018 and can be pre-ordered here.

Last year Anthrax released their eleventh album ‘For All Kings’ on Megaforce and Nuclear Blast Records.

The former was the last to feature vocalist John Bush, whilst the latter consists of songs released between 1984 and 1990, originally sung by Neil Turbin and Joey Belladonna, that were re-recorded with John Bush on vocals.

Both records will come with additional previously unreleased content and will be released on the 22nd December via Nuclear Blast Records. The CD version can be pre-ordered here, whilst pre-orders for the vinyl formats can be found here and here.

Last year Anthrax released their eleventh album ‘For All Kings’ on Megaforce and Nuclear Blast Records.

Sonisphere Festival will be releasing a series of playlist leading up to the event on the 4th until the 6th July. Each playlist is compiled by band members on this year’s line-up, and predominately feature artists on the bill.

For the first playlist, Scott Ian of Anthrax has chosen his 10 favourite Iron Maiden tracks.

Expect more playlists in the near future.