The Bloodstock team are pleased to announce that Scandinavian melodic metallers SAINT DEAMON have been added to the bill for Bloodstock Open Air 2008.

The band were formed in 2006 by ex-Dionysus drummer Ronny Milianowicz who subsequently recruited fellow Dionysus member Nobby Noberg on bass, guitarist Toya Johansson and former Highland Glory/Wild Willy’s Gang frontman Jan Thore Grefstad on vocals. With the line-up complete, the band began work on their debut album ‘In Shadows Lost From The Brave’ which was produced by Jens Bogren (Symphony X, HammerFall) and has just been released on Frontiers Records.

Although new to the scene, members of the band have a host of song writing credits to their name including Ronny who has co-written with both Primal Fear and Cans, and Toya who’s worked with Sinner and Ride The Sky. Their wealth of experience has been put to good use on ‘In Shadows Lost From The Brave’ which combines classy melodic hard rock with touches of power metal and is already receiving great reviews.

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SAINT DEAMON – Out Of The Shadows - BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2008.

OVERKILL CONFIRMED FOR BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2008!

The Bloodstock team are pleased to announce that New York thrash veterans OVERKILL have been added to the bill for Bloodstock Open Air 2008.

Overkill rose to prominence during the 1980s’ thrash boom alongside contemporaries such as Testament, Exodus and the so-called ‘big four’ – Metallica, Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer. After releasing a self-financed EP in 1984, the band – then consisting of vocalist Bobby ‘Blitz’ Ellsworth, bassist D.D. Verni, guitarist Bobby Gustafson and drummer Rat Skates - signed to the legendary Megaforce label, releasing their storming debut ‘Feel The Fire’ in 1985. By 1987’s crushing and anthemic ‘Taking Over’ the band had bagged a prestigious deal with Atlantic Records which would last a further seven years. Sid Falck replaced Rat Skates for 1988’s ‘Under The Influence’ and ‘89’s ‘The Years Of Decay’ and this period saw the band enjoy immense success including exposure on MTV.

1991’s ‘Horrorscope’ saw Gustafson replaced by two guitarists, Rob Cannevino and Merritt Gant as the band faced the challenges of the new decade. 1993’s ‘I Hear Black’ and ‘W.F.O.’ from ’94 brought the Atlantic days to a close but as many old-school outfits went to ground or simply gave up during the difficult mid-to-late ‘90s, Overkill persevered, issuing no less than five albums between 1996-’99. Come the new millennium, they took advantage of the nascent metal resurgence and continued their dogged work ethic with regular tours and releases including ‘Bloodletting’, ‘Killbox 13’, ‘ReliXIV’ and finally in 2007 ‘Immortalis’, which saw them sign with Bodog Music and reunite with Jonny and Marsha Zazula, previously owners of Megaforce.

By staying true to their roots for over twenty years and no less than fourteen albums, Overkill have deservedly earned the most difficult prize of all – respect. They’re ready to thrash the old guard and show the new kids how it's done…

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OVERKILL – Wrecking Your Neck - BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2008.

The Bloodstock team are pleased to announce that Swedish melodic metallers CLOUDSCAPE have been added to the bill for Bloodstock Open Air 2008.

The band originally formed back in 2001 and spent several years honing their style and cutting demos before finally entering the studio to record their self-titled debut album in 2004. The album garnered many positive reviews and in 2005 the band performed their first gig outside Sweden at Progpower Europe in The Netherlands before commencing work on their sophomore effort ‘Crimson Skies’ in ’06. The album was released in June and was followed by an appearance at the prestigious Sweden Rock Festival. ‘Crimson Skies’ showcased even stronger song writing and performances than their debut and has seen the band begin to break out of the underground and achieve international recognition. Combining elements of melodic, progressive and power metal, Cloudscape are rising stars of the prog-power scene.

Cloudscape will release their third album entitled "Global Drama" during spring/early summer and according to the band the new album will show harder, heavier and darker sides of Cloudscape.

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CLOUDSCAPE – Sky High - BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2008.

The Bloodstock team are pleased to announce that Canadian death metal legends KATAKLYSM have been added to the bill for Bloodstock Open Air Metal Festival 2008.

Kataklysm formed in Montreal in late 1991, releasing a demo entitled ‘Death Gate Cycle Of Reincarnation’ the following year which secured them a deal with Germany's Nuclear Blast records. The demo was issued on CD in ’93 as ‘The Mystical Gate Of Reincarnation’ with the band finally releasing their debut full-length ‘Sorcery’ in 1995. Even amid the burgeoning early ‘90s death metal scene, Kataklysm managed to secure a reputation as one of the fastest, most brutal bands around. ‘Temple Of Knowledge’ followed in ’96 and heralded more rave reviews and successful touring. 1998’s ‘Victims Of This Fallen World’ marked an experimental change of pace but the band were soon back to brutal basics in 2000 with ‘The Prophecy (Stigmata Of The Immaculate)’. A further four albums emerged between 2001 and 2006, including their most recent effort, the crushing ‘In the Arms of Devastation’ which proved that even after fifteen years the band have lost none of their edge or extremity and continue to drive death metal forward. A new album entitled ‘Prevail’ is due in May and Kataklysm’s devastating Bloodstock set will be UK fans’ first chance to check it out.

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KATAKLYSM – Northern Hyperblast - BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2008.

The Bloodstock team are proud to announce that German power metal pioneers HELLOWEEN have been confirmed for Bloodstock Open Air 2008.

Helloween’s legendary history stretches right back to 1978 when vocalist/guitarist Kai Hansen formed a band called Gentry. Six years and several name changes later, Helloween – by then also featuring drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg, bassist Markus Großkopf and lead guitarist Michael Weikath - got their first exposure recording two tracks for Noise Records’ ‘Death Metal’ compilation album. In early 1985, the band entered the studio with producer Harris Johns to cut a self-titled five track EP which was followed in October by their spectacular debut full-length ‘Walls Of Jericho’. The album’s dynamic blend of melodic thrash and traditional metal garnered rave reviews across the board and the band soon found themselves touring worldwide. As their new material grew increasingly complex, Kai Hansen began to experience difficulties singing and playing guitar at the same time and so at the conclusion of their 1986 tour, the decision was taken to search for a new singer. A young vocalist named Michael Kiske was duly recruited and the band began work on what would become their magnum opus.

1987’s ‘Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part 1’ and ‘Keeper Of The Seven Keys Part II’ – released the following year – catapulted Helloween into the mainstream and formed the template for what many fans and media alike would later dub ‘power metal’. A major world tour ensued, including a trek around the US and a slot at the 1988 Donington ‘Monsters Of Rock’ festival with KISS and Iron Maiden in front of over 100,000 people. Growing dissatisfaction with touring led Hansen to quit the band at the end of ’88. He was replaced the following year by Roland Grapow and the touring continued unabated.

Legal wrangles with their former label tied the band up until 1991 when their next album, the lightweight ‘Pink Bubbles Go Ape’, was finally released on EMI. A commercial and critical failure, it marked the beginning of tensions within the band which would affect their future for several years to come. 1993’s ‘Chameleon’ was even slicker but this stab at pop-rock acceptability merely weakened the band further leading to the sacking of Michael Kiske and an abrupt end to their contract with EMI.
“The idea of 'Chameleon' was to make a Beatles record and we failed,” said Michael Weikath later.

Following this period of creative and personal upheaval, the band refocused and went back to basics, employing ex-Pink Cream 69 singer Andi Deris and ex-Gamma Ray drummer Uli Kusch for 1994’s comeback effort ‘Master Of The Rings’ which began a new phase for the classic Helloween sound, continuing with 1996’s ‘The Time Of The Oath’ and 1998’s ‘Better Than Raw’. 2000’s ‘The Dark Ride’ sparked fresh controversy as the band took a darker and more contemporary approach which ultimately failed and led to the departure of both Grapow and Kusch. Believing in the need for Helloween to be both positive and entertaining, Weikath quickly returned the band to the straight and narrow, cutting the more successful ‘Rabbit Don’t Come Easy’ in 2003, and in 2005, the follow-up to their legendary ‘Keeper…’ albums entitled ‘Keeper Of The Seven Keys - The Legacy’. This latest ‘Keeper…’ instalment was so well received that a double live CD and DVD were culled from the subsequent tour and it was from this high point that the band once again returned to the studio to lay down their current album ‘Gambling With The Devil’, a scintillating set of classic power metal in the grand Helloween tradition.

From HammerFall to DragonForce and from Sonata Arctica to Blind Guardian, Helloween helped spawn an entire genre and their debut Bloodstock show will be a feast for fans of melodic metal the way it was meant to be.

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HELLOWEEN – Heavy Metal Is The Law – BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2008.