FESTIVAL REVIEW: Bloodstock Festival 2023 – Part 1


 

A lot has changed in the twenty years since my first Bloodstock. What began as a relatively small indoor gathering in the middle of Derby city centre now welcomes around fifteen thousand metal fans from around the world annually. From two days, two halls, a signing room, and a “Metal Market” to four days, four stages, a signing tent, art gallery, gaming zone, and curiosities such as Viking battles and even early morning Heavy Metal Aerobics sessions, the changes to Bloodstock have been gradual but necessary.

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KK’s Priest Replaces Helloween for Bloodstock Open Air, Festival Kicks Off Today


 

Final preparations are ready for this weekend’s Bloodstock Open Air, kicking off today, the 10th of August through the 14th at Catton Park, Derbyshire. Sad news as Helloween has been forced out of the fest due to a last-minute illness. They are being replaced by KK’s Priest, led by former Judas Priest guitarist KK Downing. BOA ‘s2023 Ronnie James Dio Main Stage Headliners are Killswitch Engage, Meshuggah, and Megadeth. with the full band list below.

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Bloodstock Open Air Sells Out Day Tickets For Sunday, Announces Ten More Metal To The Masses Winners


As this year’s event gets ever nearer, Bloodstock is thrilled to announce that Sunday day tickets for 2023 are now SOLD OUT!! Standard weekend tickets remain available but are going quickly, plus a limited day allocation for Friday and Saturday. Read on for more band news, plus all the details on the RAM Gallery exhibitors, the return of the T-Shirt/CD Amnesty and Planet Rock Signing Tent, plus how to do a one-stop-shop for all your festival essentials.

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EP REVIEWS ROUND-UP- ft. Black Coast – Halocene – Tokky Horror – Loud As Giants – Swollen Teeth – Spinebreaker


 

Bursting onto the scene, as Potteries pounders Black Coast did with Outworld their 2021 debut, is one thing, keeping the momentum going is another, and from the onset of the raging ‘REAL (Are You Listening)?’, it’s clear the five-piece contemporary metal outfit are not just looking to do that, but they intend not to waste the opportunity this five-song offering gives to remind people just how good and how potent they are ahead of any subsequent longer releases.

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Black Coast – Ill Minds Vol.2


Rather than release a full album straight off the bat after their debut EP, Stoke-On-Trent based Metalcore act, Black Coast decided to go down a different route, by releasing two connected EPs. The first part arrived last year and demonstrated their pure rage and potential to become one of the subgenres next big-hitters. All that remains on the quintet’s shoulders is being able to follow-up with the same amount of passion.Continue reading