Main Stage

Battlelore certainly enjoy their performance; slotting an additional song into their set. With the warming female vocals of Kaisa Joukhi backed against symphonic power metal, they are a strong choice for Bloodstock. Wolf’s Hammerfall-friendly Swedish metal needs further variation, but the band’s stage presence is enough to retain the attention of the crowd either way. 

The Haunted's set begins in a strangely subdued fashion until their fourth number when Peter Dolving opens his mouth to address the audience to babble on about speed and getting drunk like an incoherent wino. Furthermore the band's more melodic and mid-paced material takes some getting used to in a live setting and it's only on the rousing ‘99’ that they show what they are capable of. Get back to the faster material guys and leave the ‘heartfelt’ choruses to Killswitch Engage and their ilk.

Thankfully Entombed are much better. Even without the presence of a second guitarist since Ulffe Cearland's departure, they remain an untamed and savage beast, and ‘When in Sodom’, ‘Chief Rebel Angel’ and ‘Serpent Saints’ are received with relish.  Similarly, Doom godfathers Candlemass are mind-blowing. Vocal dynamo Rob Lowe has a range that could rival Dio and classic anthems like ‘Solitude’ blend perfectly with the likes of the majestic ‘If I Ever Die’. Much respect is due.

Time for some true Norse BM of a progressive bent and despite the set lacking anything per ‘Isa’-era and Herbrand Larsen’s clean vocals lacking power, Enslaved are simply stunning. Powerful psychedelic melodies combined with Guitarist Ice Dale's majestic stage presence lets you know that you’re in the company of true Metal royalty. If you missed them, you're missing the future of Black Metal.

Kreator deliver a hate-filled set with thrashing amounts of carnage. ‘Pleasure to Kill’, ‘Phobia’ and a merger of ‘Flag of Hate’ and ‘Tormentor’ have all eyes on the band (and Mille Petrozza’s hilarious stage banter). As the evening draws in, Finnish Cello group Apocalyptica bring us their interpretations of Metallica classics. While it's easy to call them a novelty act, there are clearly adept musicians at work here. It’s just disappointing that when they deviate from playing covers to visit their original compositions they are greeted with jeers or utter indifference by some of the more narrow-minded of the crowd.

Co-headlining the Saturday are Blind Guardian who were promised to Bloodstock for two years in a row before pulling out. The set is a typical compilation setlist but rarities in the form of ‘The Quest for Tanelorn’ and ‘Sacred’ appear to the enjoyment of diehard fans. The band are on top form, genuinely enjoying themselves to put on a formidable show.  ‘The Bard’s Song’ makes a vast portion audience unite to sing as one and an optimistic ‘Mirror Mirror’ closes a set of classic power metal excellence.

Headliners Cradle of Filth outgrew their black metal roots many years ago and have become very successful doing it, but there seems to be very little to get excited about if you strip away all the visual aspects of the Suffolk-based mob. Until the airing of “The Principle of Evil Made Flesh” the band appear to have not yet reached top gear. What is more disappointing, however, is the actions of a moron who decides that hurling objects at guitarist Paul Allender is a way to amuse his pathetic tiny mind. The result is that the band curtails their set, leaving fans disappointed and angry and a musician needing hospital treatment, bringing a sour end to a fine day of music with an otherwise wonderfully harmonious atmosphere. [RB] [EF]

Other Stages

Elsewhere, London-based black metallers Abgott rip apart the Sophie Lancaster stage with their blast-beat-driven ‘old school’ approach. Agamoth and company have all the technical ability and theatrical appeal which makes this such a life-affirming genre, and if numbers like “Lustmord” are anything to go by they could be leading a new wave of BM.

This leaves London misfits The Rotted to close the Sophie stage with one-two combos of vicious blast-driven fury and razor sharp lyricism. Featuring former Cradle of Filth guitarist Gian Pyres who brings bags of energy to their already overrunning cup of talent, their transformation from Grind-core nutters with mad song titles to extreme metal powerhouse is complete. [RB]