As well as bringing you well established names, the Bloodstock Festival organisers are also renowned for their ongoing support to the unsigned scene. The Bloodstock Unsigned Stage is the ideal place to discover new and untapped talent so that someday you will be able to say “I saw them first!”

12:45pm - 1:15pm Mindflow

Kicking things off on the unsigned stage are Mindflow. All the way from Brazil, these progressive rockers formed in 2003 and shortly after their formation they released their debut album “Just the two of us”. The band embarked on a world tour in support of the album, which sold many copies and received critical acclaim. After jaunts across Asian and European territory as well as playing numerous festivals in South America, Mindflow began recording their follow up album “Mind over Body” which saw the light of day in 2006.



1:30pm - 2:00pm The Omen
Known for their theatrical performance and brutal pits, West Londoners The Omen have been entertaining crowds with their blasphemous brand of death metal since 2004, having shared stages with Trenchead, Forever Never and Mutant. The band has gone through a number of line-up changes, although things are currently looking up for the four piece having had a solid line up for over six months. If you miss these gore fiends at Bloodstock then you really are missing out, although fret not as you can catch them on tour throughout August and September!



2:15pm - 2:45pm Life Denied

Birmingham, UK. 1987. A group by the collective name of Napalm Death release their debut album “Scum” and grindcore is born. Eighteen years later Life Denied emerges to show that Birmingham can still produce bands every bit as brutal as back in the day. Influenced by Napalm Death, Morbid Angel, Extreme Noise Terror and the likes, Life Denied are currently working on a second CD entitled “Hell of your own creation”. Featuring members of Mistress and SLAB, Life Denied are a force to be reckoned with and their live show has won over crowds as they supported the likes of Napalm Death and Krisiun as well as opening the London Deathfest VIII.



3:00pm - 3:30pm The Aftermath

Keighley based sextet The Aftermath formed in 2004 and have rapidly built a following through a vehement gigging schedule both on the Yorkshire scene and further a field. In 2005 these Yorkshire lads entered the studio to record their debut CD and they are currently working on new material which will hopefully be previewed at Bloodstock Open Air. To quote their website, The Aftermath are a pack of wild dogs that eat, drink, shag, smoke and sleep metal, and their dual vocal, twin guitar attack is one worth seeing.



3:45pm - 4:15pm Enemo J
Politically charged hardcore/metallers Enemo J formed in 2000 and began their career playing in battle of the bands contests across the Midlands, winning many of these and carving a name for themselves in the process. After the band managed to raise some cash they recorded an album, which has since received outstanding reviews and seen tracks featured on various compilations. In more recent years the band has supported a number of high profile metal acts including Gutworm, Napalm Death, Viking Skull and Johnny Truant.



4:30pm - 5:00pm Timefall
Having been dubbed the UK’s answer to Dream Theater, Timefall are certainly a band worth looking out for. The band was conceived in 2005 when four experienced musicians came together to make music inspired by the likes of Symphony X, Rush, Angra and Evergrey. Timefall have built up a solid fanbase through playing numerous gigs in London and across the East of England as they continue to win over crowds with their vibrant live performance. Timefall have just released their debut album “In The Shadows”



5:15pm - 5:45pm Cerebral Fix

Cerebral Fix are possibly the band with the greatest amount of experience on the unsigned stage and a band you may remember if you have been into metal for a while. These death/thrash veterans formed in 1986 and released three albums; “Life sucks and then you die” released on Vinyl Solution Records, “Tower of Spite” released on Roadrunner Records and “Death Erotica” was released on Music For Nations. After releasing their debut album the band embarked on a tour with Bolt Thrower and supported Sepultura for two consecutive nights at the famed Marquee club in London. They also toured with Obituary, Paradise Lost and Napalm Death and collaborated with Shane Embury (of Napalm Death) and Andy Pyke (of Marshall Law) on their 1993 album “Death Erotica”. After two of the members left (Frank went on to join Benediction), Cerebral Fix decided it was time to call it a day and played their final gig in 1994 in Walthamstow. Thirteen years later the Fix are back! Earlier in 2007 they played at the London Deathfest and a new album is firmly on the cards.



6:00pm - 6:30pm Forevernever

Fast rising Essex boys Forever Never are bringing their heavy yet melodic brand of metal to BOA after recent jaunts with Corey Taylor’s Stone Sour and Gibraltar metal mongers Breed 77. From the ashes of various other local bands, Forever Never formed in 2004 and since then have played over 150 shows, sharing stages with Stuck Mojo, Caliban and Panic Cell as well as performing on the main stage at Damnation Festival. Currently the band are working on a follow up to their 2006 release “Aphoria” which was produced by Dave Chang (Stampin’ Ground, Earthtone9).




6:45pm - 7:15pm Sinocense

Hailing from Northern Ireland, Sinocense have managed to develop a loyal fanbase not only in their locality but extending across the United Kingdom. These guys have proved to be 100% dedicated as they regularly venture out of Northern Ireland into mainland UK, having supported such metal stalwarts as Machine Head, Soil and W.A.S.P. In the Battle Of Britain contest judged by Kerrang!, Peaceville Records, Terrorizer and Bloodstock Festivals, Sinocense managed to claim 2nd place out of a total 180 bands. After a number of self released E.P’s, the band released their debut album “Black Still Life Pose” on Casket Records in 2005 and are currently working on a follow up. Sinocense create the perfect blend of power and melody!



7:30pm - 8:00pm King Lizard

The winners of the Bloodstock unsigned competition, King Lizard, will be bringing the sleaze with them all the way from London. These glam rock young guns regularly trash venues in their vicinity and have their sights set on taking Britain by storm. If you don’t fancy shelling out £35 for a ticket to see Motley Crue on their next UK tour then King Lizard are the next best thing, even gaining recognition from the Sixxman himself!



8:15pm - 8:45pm Idiom
All the way from Devon, IDIOM bring the funk as they mix powerful metal grooves with laid back funk beats. With an exciting live show, the band have won over new crowds as they supported the likes of (Hed)PE, OPM, Skindred and Exit Ten venturing out from their hometown of Exeter to walk the stage in cities such as London, Manchester and Bath. Having formed in 2005, IDIOM entered Notting Hill studios in South Wales (Where Funeral For A Friend have also recorded) in 2006 to record their 4 track E.P. “Sideshow”. IDIOM will be joining (Hed)PE for their UK tour later this year.



9:00pm - 9:30pm Hexagram

Hexagram are the winners of the competition held by Total Rock Radio. This three piece band from Portsmouth began life back in 2003 when Aaron Miller, already an experienced musician after spending time playing in other bands from his locale, decided to form his own band where he could play the style of music that he wanted to create. Spending the next three years trying to stabilise a line up whilst focussing his efforts largely on writing, it wasn’t until 2006 that Hexagram became a stable three piece band. Influenced by Pantera, Crowbar, Brutal Truth, Death and Fear Factory just to name a few, Hexagram have a unique sound which combines melody with brutality. You voted for them and now you can watch them!


Saturday



12.00pm -12.30pm Hanging Doll

Birmingham may be best known for bringing us grindcore and Ozzy Osbourne, but Hanging Doll are leaving a separate set of footprints, spreading a trail of gothic romance behind them as they do. Featuring the ethereal vocals of Sally Holliday, this classical metal act is rapidly becoming known in their local area for their beguiling live performance. After putting out an acclaimed three track E.P, Hanging Doll are currently working on a full length album with producer Greg Chandler (Gutworm, Conquest of Steel), expected to be released early 2008.



12:45pm - 1:15pm Kobrakai

Kobrakai is a name you may have heard of, having supported such big acts as The Towers of London and The Inbreds. This post-hardcore fivesome have released three E.P’s, continually growing as a creative force with each record. Kobrakai have encountered many problems along the way and undergone a number of line up changes which would cause many a band to crumble, although such setbacks have never stinted this bands vision. In January 2007, Jack Slade, son of renowned drummer Chris Slade (AC/DC, Jimmy Page and Uriah Heep), joined the band on drums. With a new line up in tow, Kobrakai are currently working on a fourth E.P.




1:30pm - 2:00pm The Apostacy

Originally forming under the moniker “Spiritwalker” at the turn of the millennium, The Apostacy didn’t release their first full length album until 2004. Spending the following two years gigging solidly to promote the record, the band began to make a name for themselves as they became known for their strong political and philosophical messages projected through their intelligent lyrics. After a change of line up in 2006, the band set about working on a second full length album which they are currently in the process of recording. On the matter of their forthcoming release, the band has informed us all to “expect off the chart cosmic prog hippycore mother fuckers!”



2:15pm - 2:45pm Hollow Earth Theory

Having released one full length album and two E.P’s, Hollow Earth Theory have had their fair share of underground success already. Their most recent E.P. “Hanging of the Followers” has helped to push the band further into the limelight, having received regular airplay on radio stations across the world and being named best breakthrough band on Kerrang! FM. The band also filmed a video for the song “Letter to the List”, which has been shown on Scuzz and Redemption TV. Having supported the likes of Skindred, Hundred Reasons, Enter Shakiri and Biomechanical, Hollow Earth Theory are a band to watch out for!



3:00pm - 3:30pm Sinnergod

Shock goth rockers Sinnergod formed in 2001 and have spent the majority of their time building up a loyal fanbase through a rigorous live schedule. These guys know how to get a crowd going and do exactly that though their highly entertaining live show, with their aggressive sound being equally as impressive. After a few line up changes, Sinnergod return stronger than ever before, with a debut album entitled “The Revolution” expected some time in 2007.



3:45pm - 4:15pm Nephwrack

Conceived in 2001, Nephwrack have spent the past six years building up their reputation as a highly respected live band. This Hampshire quintet offer an equal dose of metal, progression and melody, which can be heard on their assortment of E.P’s which they have released over the years. Now ready to take things to the next level, Nephwrack are working on their first full length album entitled “The Once and Future King”.



4:30pm - 5:00pm Speed Theory

In 2004, four young metalheads from the city of Wolverhampton decided to form a band where they could make music inspired by the likes of Pantera, Lamb of God, Metallica and Machine Head. Having never played a gig before, they entered a battle of the bands contest where they surprisingly reached the semi finals. It wasn’t long after this that they were packing out venues and successfully headlining their own shows. Their first E.P. “Vengeance” was awarded “Demo of the Month” in Metal Hammer (and subsequently was made “Demo of the Year” at the close of 2006). With a distribution deal in place with Casket Music, Speed Theory’s self-produced album “Hit The Dirt” quickly became an underground sensation. Fresh from a tour with American Head Change and Panic Cell, these Wolverhampton boys look set to conquer the world, starting with BOA!



5:15pm - 5:45pm Nemhain

Nemhain are here to win over the crowd at BOA with their infectious blend of punk and metal. Featuring ex. Cradle Of Filth stage performer Morrigan Hel and Adrian Erlandsson, formerly of At The Gates and The Haunted, these dirty London rock ‘n’ rollers are a force to be reckoned with. Since releasing their debut E.P. “Blood Runs Free” in 2006, they have played gigs with Rose Tattoo and Girlschool as well as contributing to the Misfits 30th anniversary tribute album with their version of “Die, Die, My Darling”. As the band are currently putting the final touches to their forthcoming debut album, they are also preparing for a slot at Metal Holocaust where they will perform along side W.A.S.P, Hanoi Rocks and Twisted Sister.




6:00pm - 6:30pm Honey For Christ

Honey For Christ are one of Northern Irelands most unique metal bands. Since forming in 1998, the band have recorded three demos, having each received impressive reviews from the metal press. The band have forged their own sound, rooted firmly in traditional heavy metal while being dark and emotional. In 2005, Honey For Christ became a trio as one member left the band. With a new line up, they recorded “The Darkest Pinnacle of Light” which contains their most potent material yet.



6:45pm - 7:15pm Trigger 9

Trigger 9 was born from the ashes of Memphis Heads in South Africa, who, in 2005, relocated to London in order to unleash their sounds upon a British audience. Originally forming in 1999, these guys are metal through and through, although that doesn’t mean that they don’t know how to incorporate funky, catchy rhythms into their sound. Their unique brand of metal has earned them a loyal fan base and a handful or high profile gigs including Bloodstock Open Air and a support slot with Panic Cell in October 2007.



7:30pm - 8:00pm EXIT Ten
With a diverse range of influence ranging from Emperor to Radiohead, you can be sure that Exit Ten are no copycat band! These dudes started jamming together while still revising for their GCSE’s. All they were missing at the time was a vocalist who they soon found in Ryan Redman, whom impressed the existing band members from the second he opened his mouth. In April 2004 they recorded a self-titled E.P. which demonstrated their technically adept fusion of metal and hardcore comprising melodic vocals. This E.P. lead to an exciting chain of events for the band, as they appeared on “Rebel Billionaire”, a reality TV show hosted by famed entrepreneur Richard Branson, which earned them a slot on the NME stage at V2004 Festival plus an in store appearance at Virgin Megastores. Following this, a support slot with Avenged Sevenfold opened the band up to a whole new audience. In 2005 they recorded a mini album with the aid of producer extraordinaire Andy Sneap, which sold in excess of 3,500 copies in the UK and lead to support slots wit Sikth, Soilwork, Deftones and Every Time I Die.



8:15pm - 8:45pm Axis Of Evil
Axis Of Evil are the final band to be announced as the winners of the Bloodstock Unsigned Competition. If you haven’t heard this band, chances are you will have heard the name, having gained publicity not only in the metal press but in the Sunday Sport, Channel 5 and probably on various “WANTED” posters. Axis Of Evil are one big “FUCK YOU” to society and to clean cut emos’ with freshly styled hair everywhere! They came first in the “Best Unsigned Band” category in the 2005 Terrorizer readers’ poll, although sadly, shortly after that the band split and the members each went their separate ways. Now Axis Of Evil return louder, more obnoxious and more offensive than ever before!



9:00pm - 9:30pm Terrathorn

Southampton quintet Terrathorn formed in late 2005. These guys take inspiration from old school thrash bands such as Metallica, Megadeth and Merciful Fate, and mix it up with more modern influences to create a sound that is fresh and exciting yet brutally heavy. What really sets Terrathorn apart from the rest of the pack is the “fun” element to their live show, something many bands seem to miss the point of entirely. Terrathorn make a worthy addition to the BOA unsigned stage, and should guarantee that those watching will leave the tent on a high.



Luci Herbert

MTUK Metal 'Zine
www.metalteamuk.net

With a grand total of 55 bands, this year sees the most diverse Bloodstock line up to date. From classic rock to death metal, progressive power metal to bay area thrash, there is sure to be something to suit every metal head in attendance.

THURSDAY

Chris Slade (AC/DC, Damage Control) gets things off to a start on the main stage with a drum solo and following that will be an opening set from one of the lucky winners of the Bloodstock competition. The organisers of Bloodstock have been giving unsigned bands the opportunity to upload their videos onto the official website, where head-banging members of the public are able to vote for their favourite video. The competition is divided into three genre categories, with the overall winner being the band that gets to play the main stage. The competition closes on July 29th so get voting while you can and be sure to get down to BOA early to watch the band you voted for open up in front of a crowd of metal-hungry festival goers.


Bloodstock festival is renowned for bringing bands over to the UK who don’t often play here, and Finland’s Kiuas are one example here as they tread British soil for the first time. After forming in 2000, a number of self-financed EP’s and a brief stint with Rage of Achilles records secured Kiuas an underground following and later landed a record deal with Spinefarm Records, who released their debut album “The Spirit of Ukko” in 2005. Their Finnish pagan themed lyrics and epic metal sound appeared to be a success and in 2006 came the follow up album, “Reformation”, which saw the band take a more technical direction with their music.


Following Kiuas are the UK’s own wrestling obsessed metallers Head On. This Berkshire quartet managed to attract the attention of Grind That Axe Records during their 2005 tour with Fozzy, Stock Mojo and Skid Row. In 2006 they unleashed their debut album “XXL” which featured Rich Ward (Stuck Mojo/Fozzy) on guest vocals. The band recently performed two songs appearing in the movie “Color me Kubrick” which stars John Malkovich and Richard E. Grant. With riffs as muscular as their arms, plenty of Southern groove swagger and meaty vocals Head On are one home grown act not to be missed!


As the evening progresses, Greece’s finest export, Firewind return with their stunning blend of progressive power metal. It seems that Gus G and co. can’t get enough of our isle. In March 2006, Firewind opened the inaugural Prog-Power UK Festival, and since then have returned to support Dragonforce on their successful tour, returning yet again in April 2007 to play three headlining shows. After developing a strong following in the metal underground with “Between Heaven and Hell” and “Burning Earth”, Firewind attracted the attention of Century Media who released “Forged By Fire” in 2005. In 2006 the band returned with “Allegiance” which was their best and most successful effort to date. Evident that the band had matured greatly in terms of song writing, this album saw Firewind attempt more of a traditional heavy metal sound, aided by the additional creative input of new vocalist Apollo Papathanasio (formerly of Majestic and Time Requiem) and drummer Mark Cross (ex. Helloween and Metalium). Allegiance spent 6 weeks in the Greek album charts, reaching its highest position at #10.


FRIDAY

Opening the mainstage Friday are Exploder. The band names Anaal Nathrakh and Mistress are more or less synonymous with the extreme metal genres so it may come as a shock to some that, featuring members of both aforementioned bands, Exploder play a hard rockin’ metal formula described by Kerrang! as “a fantastic collection of impossibly catchy hard rock, fist-pumping riffs and choruses the size of China”. This Midlands band was formed by Dirty Von Donovan and Mick Kenney. Growing tired of playing non-stop extreme stuff, they decided the time had come to find a more cheerful outlet to fulfil their hidden cravings for the less foreboding forms of metal. The self-titled debut album from Exploder is available now through Feto Records.


Second on the bill the Friday night are Swedish progressive death metallers Scar Symmetry. In 2005, this fast rising act released their debut album Symmetric in Design and no less than eight months later, they returned to the studio to record their sophomore album Pitch Black Progress, after securing a record deal with Nuclear Blast Records. Having toured with label mates Communic, disappointment struck their British fans when the band were forced to pull out of the Prog Power UK festival in March 2007 due to other tour commitments. Now Scar Symmetry will make their deferred UK debut at the Bloodstock Open Air festival before they head over to the US with Katatonia, Swallow the Sun and Insomnium.


If all of this modern stuff isn’t quite making your old, worn out engine tick and you’d rather remember the days of yore then Wolf are the nostalgia trip you have been waiting for! Keeping the spirit of the 80’s alive in the 21st century, Wolf play traditional, old school heavy metal which throws elements of thrash and power metal into the mix. Since forming in 1995, the Wolf has unleashed four full length albums as well as a handful of 7” vinyl and singles ignoring all trends along the way. Their latest album “The Black Flame”, which was produced by Fredrik Nordstrom, has acquired some fantastic reviews and earlier this year they embarked on a successful European tour with The Haunted and Municipal Waste. Put on your bullet belt and tattered leather jacket and bang your head like it’s 1985!


From 80’s nostalgia we move on to something a bit more innovative. Hailing from Kristinehamn in Sweden, Memfis have pretty much exploded across the underground metal scene with their outstanding debut album “The Wind Up”. As well as receiving tremendous praise from the press, they were nominated alongside In Flames and Wolverine for the hard rock/punk category at the Swedish Independent Music Awards. Having toured with such metal giants as Satyricon, The Haunted and Entombed, Memfis will now make their UK debut at BOA festival where their unique progressive technical metal should to go down a treat with any fan of bands such as Opeth and The Dillenger Escape Plan.


Grab yourself a pint from the bar and get ready for Korpiklaani. These forest dwelling, beer swigging Finns make a welcome return to British shores as they bring the spirit of the forest to BOA. After ten years under the moniker of Shaman and releasing albums sung in the traditional Sami language, the band changed their name to Korpiklaani in 2003 when they begun singing in a mixture of English and Finnish in order to appeal to a wider audience. Formed by Jonne Jarvela (vocalist, guitarist), Korpiklaani (which translates in Finnish to Woodland Clan) draw much of their inspiration from their surroundings, and have also become known for their addictive drinking songs. With their energetic combination of metal and folk infused with accordions, violins and flutes, there’s gonna be one hell of a party at Bloodstock (and one hell of a hangover in the morning!)


And now for the band that everyone has been talking about; Damage Control are here to cause some damage to your hearing! You may not yet have heard of this band, but I can guarantee that you will be familiar with some of the musicians that make up this supergroup. Damage Control features the vocal talents of Spike who you may recognise from the Quireboys, Robin George on guitar, known for his work with Thin Lizzy and Robert Plant, legendary UFO bassist Pete Way and Chris Slade the man behind the stool of AC/DC. Each member of the band brings something unique to the table, and what you get is some good old fashioned rock and roll encompassing elements of each of their respective bands. Their self-titled debut album was released earlier this year through Cargo Records and made it to number 22 in the Burrn! album chart. Their BOA appearance will be their exclusive UK debut before they set off on a tour of the US and Japan.


Naming themselves’ after a Kamelot album, Epica emerged in 2003 with their astounding debut “The Phantom Agony”. The band was founded by former After Forever guitarist/vocalist Mark Jansen who wanted to create music that was inspired by his passion for film score composers such as Hans Zimmer and Ennio Morricone. Mixing in orchestral arrangements and with the contrast of Jansen’s death grunts and the mezzo soprano voice of Simone Simons, the band returned in 2005 with their second album “Consign to Oblivion”. Following its release, Epica were invited to tour North America with Kamelot, where Simone Simons also contributed guest vocals on one of the headliners’ songs. Later that year, Epica also recorded an instrumental film score for a Dutch adventure movie called The Joyride. Their third studio album “The Divine Conspiracy” is due for release in September so expect to hear some exclusive new material at BOA!


Emerging from the US city of Seattle, Nevermore proved to be a metal remedy to the apathy drenched grunge cesspool which surrounded them. Since the release of their self titled debut back in 1995, Nevermore have released a total of eight albums, constantly progressing with their stunningly technical and highly unique brand of metal which slowly but surely gained them a solid fan base. With their fourth opus “Dreaming Neon Black” their sound evolved even further as they blended thrash with complexity and incorporated many more mellow moments. As Nevermore experimented with their sound, there was some worry as to how the metal world would react although as their sound developed so did their following. Once the band had recruited guitarist Steve Smyth (ex. Testament, Dragonlord), in 2005 they entered the studio with Andy Sneap to record their highly acclaimed eighth opus “This Godless Endeavor”. With its thought provoking lyrics and combination of progressive melodies and death metal brutality, this is regarded by many as a flawless album. The sheer intensity of their live show makes Nevermore one of the must see bands of the weekend.


Ask any self-respecting metal fan about the Gothenberg sound and you can guarantee that Dark Tranquillity will be one of the band names to be thrown back at you. Initially forming as a thrash metal band under the name Sceptic Broiler, it was in 1991 that they changed their identity. Utilising duel guitar harmonies and complex song structures which combined thrash, heavy metal and melodic death, they defined a whole new style of metal which became known as melodeath. Albums such as 1995’s “The Gallery” and its’ successor “The Mind’s I” received rapturous response, making a firm impact on the underground metal circuit. On their 1999 opus “Projector” the band began to incorporate some electronic elements into their sound, much to the disgruntlement of their die hard followers, although in losing a few fans they managed to gain many more. After a quick shuffle around of band members, they returned in 2000 with “Haven” which saw the band drift further from their melodeath roots as they aimed in a more heavy metal direction. With more complex arrangements, their 2002 record “Damage Done” saw a slight return to their original sound and their 2005 follow up “Character” was devoured by old and new fans alike. Dark Tranquillity have just released their eighth album “Fiction” which is arguably the strongest album of their 15 year career. Dark Tranquillity last toured the UK in 2005 on the “A Show of Character” tour along with Chimaira and Hatesphere.


SATURDAY

Opening up the Saturday are York rockers’ Beyond All Reason. Their energetic live performance that they have become known for is guaranteed to get the crowd warmed up and ready for the days proceedings. Their four track demo earned the Yorkshire lads a couple of fans in Radio 1 DJ’s Zane Lowe and May Ann Hobbs, who both aired their music regularly on their respective radio shows. Their accessible sound has been likened to Lost Prophets and Funeral for a Friend and the release of their debut album “Words of Betrayal” in 2005 gained some fantastic reviews. A passionate live band, 2007 has seen them take their brand of hard rock to Download Festival and on tour in Belgium, Germany and even as far as Los Angeles. Beyond All Reason are one band to look out for in the future!



Rise to Addiction is a name that has steadily been getting around over the past couple of years. After forming in 2004 by ex-Blaze guitarists Steve Wray and John Slater, the band entered the studio with famed producer Andy Sneap to record a three track demo. Impressed by their modern sound which combined melody with heavy riffing, UK record label Madman Records offered to distribute the demo via Plastichead Distribution. Following the success of their demo, they appeared at the Rock and Blues fest and Bloodstock Open Air where they went down a storm! Now in 2007, Rise to Addiction have inked a deal with Mausoleum Records who put out their debut album “A New Shade of Black for the Soul”. This also took them out on a European jaunt supporting doom legends Trouble. Rise to Addiction are looking forward to their return to BOA.


Freedom Call came together in 1998, when after ten years of jamming together in various cover bands, Chris Bay and Dan Zimmerman decided to form something a little more serious. At the time, Zimmerman’s main band Gamma Ray were on a hiatus, leaving him with plenty of time to devote to the new project and in 1999 they put out their first record “Stairway to Fairyland”. Following the release of their debut, they went out on tour with NWOBHM legends Saxon and in 2001 the band toured with Hammerfall and Virgin Steele on their Renegade World Crusade Tour. Almost a decade since their inception, Freedom Call have released their fifth studio album “Dimensions” on SPV records. This will be Freedom Call’s second visit to Bloodstock after their appearance back in 2002.


Benediction have been around since the early beginnings of death metal. Forming in 1989, the Birmingham quartet soon signed to a relatively young Nuclear Blast after releasing their first demo “The Dreams You Dread”. The band was originally fronted by Mark “Barney” Greenway, who went on to front British grindcore legends Napalm Death shortly after the release of their debut album “Subconscious Terror”. With the burgeoning death metal scene now gaining notoriety, their second release “The Grand Leveller” was well received and following its’ release they set off on tour with Dismember and Bolt Thrower. The word quickly spread about their impressive live shows and soon the band found themselves’ playing to sold out audiences. After a six year break from the studio, the death metal veterans are set to release their new album “Killing Music” in September 2007.



If you bought your ticket mainly to watch Testament and Sabbat then one band you need to check out at BOA are Netherlands quartet Legion of the Damned. LOTD emerged in early 2006 with their crushing debut album “Malevolent Rapture” and following its’ release the band prepared for a fairly heavy touring schedule as they supported gore mongers Cannibal Corpse and thrash legends Destruction and Sodom, as well as performing at a number of festivals including Summerbreeze and No Mercy Fest. Their second album “Sons of the Jackal” was released in January 2007 and saw them push their death infused thrash metal sound to the next level in terms of production, musicianship and aggression. Legion of the Damned return to the UK for a one off appearance so if you missed them supporting Kreator and Celtic Frost earlier in the year then make sure you watch them at Bloodstock!


Finntroll are back following a hugely successful UK jaunt earlier in 2007, when they played to sold out crowds together with Viking metallists Amon Amarth. Finntroll released their debut album “Midnattens Windunder” in 1999 after their demo worked its’ way into the hands of Spinefarm Records. Two years later the band released their second album “Jakten’s Tid” which landed at number 20 in the Finnish album charts. Problems began to surface when vocalist Katla discovered that he had damaged his vocal chords, and after a farewell appearance on the acoustic album “Visor Om Slutet”, a replacement was found in Wilska. The untimely demise of guitarist Somnium dampened spirits in the Finntroll camp, although following a short break he was replaced by Routa. The band toured with Katatonia and subsequently began work on their third studio album “Nattfodd”. With a punkier vibe than on previous works, this album was their biggest success although seemed to alienate some of their core fan base with the more upbeat approach. After a four year hiatus, the ‘trolls have returned with a new album, a new singer and a harsher sound.


Named after the renowned Dio song, Dream Evil are a fine modern example of what heavy metal should be. Founded by producer extraordinaire Fredrik Nordstrom and guitar whiz Gus G, Dream Evil first came to the public attention in 2002 when they released their debut album Dragon Slayer, and despite a hurried writing and recording process their sophomore album Evilized was equally well received well by fans and press alike. With a growing fan base and two albums now to their name, they embarked on a European tour with Hammerfall. In 2004 the band released “The Book of Heavy Metal”, which has become something of an essential metal album, and was this biggest seller for Dream Evil. Following a European tour with Saxon in 2004, Gus G left to focus on his other band Firewind, although they would continue with Mark Black as his replacement to record their fourth album “United”.



Unhappy with the state of the British metal scene, Sabbat formed in 1985 in Nottingham, UK. They combined the velocity of bay area thrash with a certain amount of influence from Venom and Mercyful Fate, creating a style of metal that couldn’t be pigeonholed. Their first demo “Fragments of the faith” was released in May 1986 and after touring the UK extensively, they caught the attention of Noise International. Sabbat released two full length albums “History of a time to come” in 1988 and “Dreamweaver” which was a lyrical interpretation of the Brian Bates novel “The Way of the Wyrd” and gained the band a reputation for being an intelligent metal band. Sadly that seemed to mark the end of the line for Sabbat as Martin Walkier left to form Skyclad in 1990, while Andy Sneap chose to focus his energies on production. Sixteen years on, Sabbat was resurrected from the dead when they supported Cradle of Filth late 2006. Sabbat will play their exclusive UK festival appearance at BOA before heading over to the continent.




Luci Herbert

MTUK Metal 'Zine
www.metalteamuk.net

On the 16th – 18th August 2007, Catton Hall will be home to the UK’s premier metal festival as Bloodstock Open Air returns for its’ third year. With a highly prestigious and diverse showcase of metal bands spread out over three days and across two stages, this year promises to be the biggest and best Bloodstock since its inception.

The festival began as an indoor event back in 2001, when two metal fans noticed that since the termination of the Donnington Monsters of Rock, the true metal heads in the UK had nowhere to go. In subsequent years the festival has continuously grown, bringing to the UK audience many metal bands that would otherwise never get the opportunity to play in the country.

As the word of Bloodstock was spreading and the festival was now attracting a bigger audience, the organisers decided that it was time for expansion. In addition to the traditional indoor Bloodstock festival, 2005 marked the inaugural Bloodstock Open Air festival.

The organisers of Bloodstock festivals have always strived to bring their audience bigger and better bands year upon year although the line up for BOA 2007 pushes the festival into a whole new league, as we are brought such high profile acts as Lacuna Coil, In Flames, Testament and Arch Enemy while they still continue to bring us the best in underground metal. This goes to prove that Bloodstock really is the festival for the fans, by the fans!

TESTAMENT















Testament are one of the pioneering bands of the original Bay Area thrash movement and are regarded by many as the greatest thrash band outside of the big 4 (Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax). Originally forming in 1983 under the moniker “The Legacy”, it wasn’t until four years later in 1987 that they would release their debut album of the same name through Megaforce Records. During the remainder of the 80’s Testament pumped out another two albums and while their second studio album “The New Order” reinforced the bands standing as a premier thrash metal band, their subsequent release “Practise what you preach” propelled them to almost mainstream recognition, even resulting in regular video rotation on MTV. To this date this album is regarded by many as Testament’s quintessential album.

For these Bay Area stalwarts, the 1990’s spelled change on the horizon. Their fourth album “Souls of Black” was received with divided opinions as it appeared in the heart of the incipient grunge scene, while record company pressures impacted their following release “The Ritual” which saw the band attempt a much more commercialized, radio friendly album culminating in a more traditional heavy metal sound and increased number of ballads. The band even began to incorporate elements of death metal into the mix towards the close of the decade on “The Gathering”.

Meanwhile, guitarist Alex Skolnick, feeling frustrated with the current situation decided to pursue his interest in jazz music, parting ways with Testament and forming the Alex Skolnick trio. This lead to a series of line-up changes for the band.

Now Testament are back to their original line up and a new album is expected to surface at some point in 2007. Nick Barker will be joining the band on drums for their tour.


LACUNA COIL


















Since their 1997 formation, Lacuna Coil have proved to be one of the most influential bands of the past decade and have achieved global mainstream success which can only be attributed to their unyielding work ethic combined with remarkable musicianship and let’s not forget their unique brand of melodic metal featuring a contrast of male and female vocals which intertwine with gothic elegance.

Upon signing to Century Media in 1998, the band released a self-titled E.P. and have since recorded four full length studio albums although it wasn’t really until their the release of Comalies in 2002 that the metal world really stood up and took note and the gap that separated Lacuna Coil from the mainstream began to diminish.

“Heaven’s a Lie” was the first single to be lifted from the Comalies album and was warmly embraced by the media receiving rave reviews and radio airplay. A video was shot for the follow up single “Swamped”, which garnered heavy rotation on music channels Scuzz and Kerrang! The track also featured on the soundtrack to video game “Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines". Comalies has sold in excess of 500,000 copies and the band are well on their way to topping these sales figures with their 2006 opus Karmacode. The band managed to break into the UK top 40 with their recent single “Our Truth”, also worming its way into other worldwide charts; a sure sign that Lacuna Coil are treading along the golden path to greatness.

So far 2007 has mostly been a year of touring for Lacuna Coil. In March the band teamed up with Stone Sour and Shadows fall for the Jagermeister Music Tour and in May they headlined the aptly named “Hottest Chicks in Metal” tour along with Within Temptation, The Gathering and Stolen Babies. Front woman Christina Scabbia also lent her voice to a re-recording of Megadeth classic “A Tout Le Monde” on the new album from Dave Mustaine and co; “United Abominations”.


IN FLAMES

















In Flames are one of the originators of the Gothenburg Sound together with Dark Tranquillity and At the Gates. In Flames was founded in 1990 by Jesper Stromblad, at the time a member of death metal band Ceremonial Oath. With a desire to create music of a more melodic nature than he could with his then current band, Jesper teamed up with Johan Larsson and Glenn Ljungstrom who became the core members of In Flames.

After being offered a deal by Wrong Again records the band entered Studio Fredman where they self produced their debut album Lunar Strain. This was released in 1994 and during that same year the band returned to Studio Fredman to record an EP entitled Subterranean, which quickly caught the attention of Nuclear Blast Records.

Still without a permanent vocalist or drummer, the band managed to complete their line up in 1995 when Anders Friden and Bjorn Anders entered the fold. Shortly after the recording of their third album Whoracle, original members Johan and Glenn left the band and were replaced by Peter Iwers and Niklas Engelin on bass and guitar respectively. Niklas didn’t last very long in the band, as not long after their successful tour of Japan and Europe, he left to focus on his other band Gardenian. At this point Bjorn climbed out from behind the drumkit and switched to playing guitar, and replacing him on drums was Daniel Svensson formerly of the band Sacrilege. With a new line up in tow the band recorded Colony. This was their biggest release and soon after embarked on a world tour where they played to sold out crowds most nights.

The turn of the millennium saw the band release their sixth studio album, Clayman, which in a matter of months exceeded all previous sales figures, reaching #17 in the Swedish charts and also landing in a number of magazine polls worldwide. The following year the band decided to end their collaboration with long standing producer Fredrik Nordstrom and instead entered Dug out Studios with producer Daniel Bergstrand to record Reroute to Remain. With a more accessible sound coming to the fore this would become the album to really thrust In Flames under the mainstream spotlight. This followed with another tour including a highly coveted support slot with Metallica where In Flames performed in front of a crowd 30,000 strong.

The band have since released two more albums; Soundtrack to your Escape and Come Clarity. A more accessible sound utilising more clean vocals could be heard as the band eschewed much of the death metal influence observable on earlier releases. This has seen a rapid ascendancy in popularity for In Flames, as they have won themselves a loyal army of fans as well as influencing a new generation of bands.

In Flames are scheduled to release their 10th studio album in 2008, which will be recorded in the newly built In Flames studios.


ARCH ENEMY

















Arch Enemy have become a formidable force in the metal world. The brainchild of Michael Amott, previously of Carcass and founding member of death metal act Carnage, Arch Enemy was born when he got together with his brother Christopher Amott, and ex. Carnage band mate Johan Liiva, with the purpose of making music which combined melody with aggression.

The band initially signed to Wrong Again Records and subsequently released their debut album Black Earth. Michael Amott was the sole songwriter for this album and is considered by many as their most aggressive effort throughout their career. Not long after its release, Arch Enemy came to the attention of Century Media records, who put out the bands sophomore album Stigmata, placing the band in the hands of a worldwide audience for the first time.

The band recruited bassist Martin Bengsston and drummer Peter Wildoer, neither whom lasted and the following year Sharlee D’Angelo took over on bass while Daniel Erlandsson, initially a session musician, was brought back to play the drums, this time on a permanent basis. With this line up Arch Enemy entered the studio for a third time to record Burning Bridges, the album which would see the band attempt a more melodic sound than was present on the first two records.

Michael Amott was beginning to notice that the live performance of Johan Liiva wasn’t quite upto scratch and realising that he was holding them back from their full potential, Johan Liiva was asked to quit and filling his shoes was amateur music journalist Angela Gossow, who Michael had met previously during an interview where the vocalist had handed him a demo. At the time, for a band within the death metal genre to be fronted by a woman was virtually unthinkable and when Angela first appeared on Wages of Sin in 2001, Arch Enemy created a huge tidal wave on the underground metal radar. While her glass-gurgling growl was anything but feminine, her natural beauty was to add a whole new level of appeal to their live performance. The album was received exceptionally well by the critics and made it’s way into numerous “best of” polls. A sold out tour of Europe followed before the band embarked on a tour of the US supporting Nile. Not long after the band returned to the States, this time headlining.

The follow up album entitled Anthems of Rebellion, released in 2003, was instantly deemed a metal masterpiece. The album received outstanding critical praise and was awarded “album of the month” in various publications. This album also proved to be quite the success story for Century Media, as Anthems of Rebellion would bring them the highest first week UK Soundscan sales up to that point. Following the success of the album, the band headed a massive touring campaign across the United States and Europe, sharing stages with metal giants Iron Maiden, Slayer and Nevermore and in the same year making appearances at Download, Graspop and Tuska festivals to name only a few. 2005 saw Arch Enemy release their sixth studio album Doomsday Machine, which has been dubbed by some as the pinnacle of their career. With this album came some commercial success for Arch Enemy as Doomsday Machine reached #87 on the Billboard top 200.

Arch Enemy is currently in the process of recording a new album which is due for release later in 2007. Arch Enemy will join forces with Trivium, Dragonforce and Machine Head for The Black Crusade tour which comes to the UK in November.

Tickets to Bloodstock Open Air have already proved to be in massive demand, so much that the festival organisers have had to limit the amount of attendees, thus announcing their decision to cap the festival at 7000 tickets. This target is already over half way to being met and with the additional sales avenues including the option to purchase mobile tickets from www.tixmob.com and from selected HMV outlets, it is anticipated that tickets will sell out prior to the event.




Luci Herbert

MTUK Metal 'Zine
www.metalteamuk.net