For the 2nd year running, music giants HMV are set to sell tickets for Bloodstock Open Air with 34 stores around the country which have now received their ticket allocation.

HMV are selling Bloodstock Festival tickets two months earlier than last year, and with this years line-up looking so good with bands such as: Nightwish, Dimmu Borgir, Opeth, Helloween, At The Gates and so many more great metal bands to come.

SO WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? – GET TO YOUR LOCAL HMV STORE NOW TO BUY THE BEST VALUE METAL TICKET OF 2008!!!

LIST OF STOCKISTS AS FOLLOWS:

Birmingham High St
Brighton Churchill Sq
Bristol Broadmead
Cardiff
Derby
Doncaster
Edinburgh Princes St
Gateshead
Glasgow Argyle
Hanley
Leeds Headrow
Leicester
Lincoln
Liverpool
Manchester 90 Mkt St
Mansfield
Merry Hill
Middlesbrough
Milton Keynes
Newcastle
Northampton
Norwich
Nottingham Listergate
Oxford
Oxford Circus
Portsmouth
Reading Oracle
Rotherham
Sheffield High St
Sheffield Meadowhall
Southampton
Wakefield
Wolverhampton
York

The Bloodstock team are pleased to announce that Scottish folk/power metallers ALESTORM have been added to the bill for BOA 2008.

Alestorm were formed in Perth in 2004 as a two-piece under the name Battleheart playing self-styled ‘True Scottish Pirate Metal’. After releasing an eponymous EP in 2006, they expanded their line-up in order to play live and subsequently issued a second EP ‘Terror on the High Seas’ as a full band later the same year. Increased interest in the band led to a deal with Napalm Records in 2007 and a name change to Alestorm. Their debut album ‘Captain Morgan’s Revenge’ appeared in January this year and was supported by extensive touring including dates with Turisas and appearances at various European festivals.

Click Here to view the ALESTORM Bloodstock Band Profile Page .

ALESTORM – Wenches & Mead – BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2008.

NIGHTWISH CONFIRMED FOR BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2008!

The Bloodstock team are delighted to announce that Finnish symphonic metallers NIGHTWISH have been confirmed for BOA 2008. Along with fellow headliners Dimmu Borgir and Opeth, the addition of Nightwish is set to help make BOA 2008 the best Bloodstock yet.

From humble beginnings in 1996, Nightwish rapidly rose to prominence and were instrumental in driving the burgeoning popularity of symphonic and gothic metal. Their debut album ‘Angels Fall First’ was an instant success, and was soon followed by ‘Oceanborn’ in 1999 and ‘Wishmaster’ in 2000, which went straight to the top of the Finnish album charts. An EP ‘Over The Hills And Far Away’ – issued in 2001 – bridged the gap to the next album ‘Century Child’, which appeared in 2002 and went gold in Finland within two hours of its release. Extensive touring followed – including their first appearance in the UK at Bloodstock Indoor in 2003 – as the band continued to build their fanbase and rack up impressive sales.

Their increasing international profile led to tensions within the ranks and the recording of 2004’s landmark ‘Once’ album was mentally and physically draining. It was, however, a huge success, selling a million copies, and the ensuing world tour – including their debut trek around the USA - continued right through til the end of 2005. After the final show, singer Tarja Turunen was fired from the band and many feared that the Nightwish fairytale had come to an abrupt end. The rest of the band had other ideas and auditions to find a suitable replacement were carried out in late 2006. Finally, in May 2007, Swedish vocalist Anette Olzon was announced as the new singer for Nightwish, and the band released their latest album ‘Dark Passion Play’ in September.

Far from being the end of the line, the band’s troubled times have given them a new lease of life. ‘Dark Passion Play’ is a worldwide hit and the positive live reviews have already begun to pour in. Female-fronted symphonic metal may now be an entire genre in itself, but nothing beats the original.

Click Here to view the NIGHTWISH Bloodstock Band Profile Page

NIGHTWISH – Power And Passion – BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2008.

Bloodstock searches for a Guitar Hero 3 Star

The Bloodstock team are pleased to announce that uk metal outfit CROWNING GLORY have been added to the bill for Bloodstock Open Air 2008 and will be opening the main stage on Sunday 17TH August .

Forged in the dank, dark taverns of London in April 2005; Crowning Glory deliver a punishing mix of tight riffs, rollercoaster guitar solos and soaring vocals which carve out a sound harking back to the glory days of metal; when Motorhead, Maiden and Priest ruled the world. But don't be deceived; whilst Crowning Glory do their fair share of hat-tipping to the giants of the past they are all too aware that they need to offer something new. And that is exactly what they deliver, after all this is a young band - some of whom were not even born when "Number of The Beast" topped the charts.

"We just wanted to write balls out, straight-up classic metal; the kind of thing that would make us go off if we were in the crowd ourselves"
enthuses guitarist Tom Draper, "we don't let up, we don't do ballads, we play the kind of music that makes you want to bang your head and raise your fists!"

Crowning Glory's pedigree is evident with both vocalist Robert Alexander and bassist Nick Smith hailing from the birthplace of metal itself - Birmingham.
A city of bleak structure, and stark down to earth reality, Brum' contains all the ingredients necessary to create the ultimate Metal recipe. When you consider that Robert was born within 3 miles of Robert Plant and Ozzy it's easy to see why more than a little of their presence and unpredictability has rubbed off on him, but whether his Halford-esque range can be put down simply to geographical location is another matter.

In the short time the band have been together they have released a self-financed EP, "Path To Glory", released a 7" single on Rise Above Records, played live on BBC Radio 2, headlined a tour of UK and Ireland as well as sharing the stage with the likes of Orange Goblin, Skindred, Firewind, Grand Magus, Primordial and many others. Having received glowing reviews in all facets of the major UK metal press (including a 4K review in Kerrang), the band are enjoying their new-found status as "rising stars" (Terrorizer, March 2008) and cannot wait to hit the main stage at Bloodstock!


Click Here to view the CROWNING GLORY Bloodstock Band Profile Page .

Regards

Bloodstock Team

www.bloodstock.uk.com
webmaster@bloodstock.uk.com

AS I LAY DYING CONFIRMED FOR BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2008!

The Bloodstock team are pleased to announce that US metalcore outfit AS I LAY DYING have been added to the bill for Bloodstock Open Air 2008.

Formed in 2001, As I Lay Dying are key players in the metalcore scene which fused the sound of melodic death metal bands such as In Flames, Soilwork and At the Gates with the aggression of hardcore, and which has gone on to become one of the most talked-about developments in metal since the early 2000s. After a well-received debut album ‘Beneath The Encasing Of Ashes’ for Pluto Records in 2001 and a split album with American Tragedy the following year, As I Lay Dying came to the attention of Metal Blade Records who issued their second full-length album ‘Frail Words Collapse’ in 2003. The album went on to be a label best-seller, shifting in excess of 210,000 units. The follow up ‘Shadows Are Security’ arrived in 2005, topping the US independent chart and breaking into the Billboard top 200 at no. 35. Tours with Slipknot and Unearth, amongst others, plus an appearance on the Ozzfest bill increased their popularity substantially and by the time their most recent album ‘An Ocean Between Us’ dropped in 2007, the band were big enough for the release to debut at no.8 on the Billboard top 200, selling 39,000 copies in its first week. The album heralds a re-focussing and refining of the core AILD sound and sees them beginning to transcend the genre that they did so much to define.


Click Here to view the AS I LAY DYING Bloodstock Band Profile page .

AS I LAY DYING – Blood And Belief - BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2008.

The Bloodstock team are delighted to announce that US metal titans ICED EARTH have been added to the bill for Bloodstock Open Air 2008.

Formed in the early ‘80s as Purgatory by rhythm guitarist and songwriter Jon Schaffer, the band eventually became Iced Earth following Schaffer’s relocation from Indiana to Florida. Combining traditional heavy metal with elements of thrash and power metal, their first demo ‘Enter The Realm’ secured a deal with Century Media Records who issued the band’s self-titled debut album in 1991. Vocalist Gene Adam was replaced by John Greely for the follow-up ‘Night Of The Stormrider’ which emerged the following year, although Greely himself would soon make way for long-time frontman Matt Barlow who began his tenure with 1995’s ‘Burnt Offerings’, an album which saw Iced Earth take a huge leap forward and solidified their characteristic sound. The subsequent albums ‘The Dark Saga’ and breakthrough effort ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’ established the band at the forefront of the scene just as metal began to assert its presence once more in the wake of the grunge boom. A live album ‘Alive In Athens’ heralded Barlow’s departure to be replaced by former Judas Priest vocalist Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens who had himself left Priest to make way for the return of Rob Halford. Owens debuted on 2004’s ‘The Glorious Burden’, laying down some of the best work of his career and also appeared on last year’s ‘Framing Armageddon’, a continuation of themes first explored on ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’.

Never one to fight shy of controversy, in December 2007 Schaffer announced the return of Matt Barlow, a move which proved popular with many fans who had never fully embraced the undeniably talented Owens. The band are currently working on a new album tentatively titled ‘Revelation Abomination’ and preparing for their first live shows of 2008.

Click Here to View the ICED EARTH Bloodstock bands profile page .


ICED EARTH – Burning Times - BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2008.

Regards

Bloodstock Team

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

Formed in 1994 by vocalist Klaus Dirks, guitarist Matthias Mineur, bassist Thorsten Plorin and drummer Arved Manott, Mob Rules issued their first demo in 1996 with the addition of second guitarist Oliver Fuhlhage and after a series of well-received gigs, secured a deal with Limb Music for the release of their 1999 debut album ‘Savage Land’. After an appearance at the prestigious Wacken Open Air festival in 2000 and dates with the Scorpions and Overkill, the band released follow-up album ‘Temple Of Two Suns’ which was backed-up by extensive touring. A return to Wacken in 2002 preceded third album ‘Hollowed Be Thy Name’ which saw them tour with both Helloween and Rage. ‘Among The Gods’ emerged in 2004 through SPV before the band took a short break from recording and released a live DVD ‘Signs Of The Time’ in 2005. This period also saw the departure of Plorin and Fuhlhage who were replaced by Markus Brinkmann and Sven Lüdke respectively. A new studio album ‘Ethnolution A.D.’ appeared in late 2006, after which the band hit the road with UFO. Numerous gigs and festival appearances later, the band are currently working on their sixth full-length album which is expected just in time for their debut Bloodstock appearance.

Click Here to View the MOB RULES Bloodstock Profile Page .

MOB RULES – Fuel To The Fire - BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2008.

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.

Click Here to View the SAINT DEAMON Bloodstock Profile Page .

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…

Click Here to View the OVERKILL Bloodstock Profile Page .


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.

Click Here to View the CLOUDSCAPE Bloodstock Profile Page .

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.

Click Here to view the KATAKLYSM bloodstock profile page .

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.

Click Here to view the HELLOWEEN bloodstock profile page .


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

The Bloodstock team are pleased to announce that TYR has been confirmed for Bloodstock Open Air 2008.

The one-armed God of War—the bravest of all—became the eponym of the Nordic quartet. Yet Joensen is no war monger in disguise and points out that Týr (also known as the God of Justice) is also revered for first seeking the avenues of diplomacy — an attribute that does not take away from this God Of War’s drive.

The band’s musical direction followed an unrelenting campaign of tempestuous perseverance. After six years of innumerable gigs (Iceland, Denmark, Russia, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Finland, Russia, Germany, and of course, the Faroe Islands) and several domestic television appearances, Eric the Red became the island’s best-selling album, coming to the attention of Napalm Records, the Austrian label that finally made the album available worldwide.

Eric the Red followed the style dictated by the old religion. Almost every song is based on Faroese or Nordic lore, and is revetted in the garb of the Folk Metal genre. Its approach unmistakably creates a very true Viking Metal. Tracks with such sonorous and powerful titles as "Regin Smiður" (Regin, the Blacksmith), "Stýrisvølurin" (The Tiller), or "Ólavur Riddararós" (Olaf, Knight of the Rose), all reminiscent of other disparate, yet genre specific, bands like Otyg, Glittertind, Ensiferum, Moonsorrow, old Vintersorg, and last but not least Solstice’s doom/folk cult album New Dark Age, are catchy reminders of the good ol’ days of the Viking era.

In 2006, TYR once again entered the Studio with engineer Jacob Hansen to record their new album. Ragnarok was also mixed by Jacob Hansen, produced by TYR, mastered by Lehnert Kjeldsen at Mastertouch in Copenhagen, and features the band stronger than ever before. Hymns of nordic Folk and pounding Metal summon the ghosts of TYR's ancestors. Scandinavian mythology, Viking warriors, and heroic battles become the lyrical backdrop that accompany powerful Viking choruses, traditional melodies, and timeless Heavy Metal. TYR have refined their trademark sound in their latest work, Ragnarok. Technically brilliant and 100 percent authentic, Ragnarok emerges as a masterpiece within the true Viking Metal genre!



Click Here to view the TYR Bloodstock Festival Band Profile page .


Regards


Bloodstock Team

www.bloodstock.uk.com

The Bloodstock team are pleased to announce that Swedish melodic death metallers SOILWORK have been confirmed for BOA 2008.

Along with fellow countrymen At The Gates, In Flames, Arch Enemy, Dark Tranquillity and The Haunted, Soilwork have earned a formidable reputation for taking the aggressive sound of 1990’s Swedish metal around the world and bravely forward into the new millennium. Forget the latest half-baked metalcore trend-hoppers - Soilwork did it first and did it better.

Formed in 1995 as Inferior Breed, the band switched to the name Soilwork (not a gardening reference but rather to working their way up from the ground!) the following year and cut their first demo ‘In Dreams We Fall Into The Eternal Lake’ in 1997. Their debut album ‘Steelbath Suicide’ was released in 1998 and caused a major stir within the underground. 2000’s follow up ‘The Chainheart Machine’ won them a deal with Nuclear Blast records for whom they recorded their breakthrough album ‘A Predator's Portrait’ which catapulted the band to the forefront of the melodic death metal scene.

The band worked with Strapping Young Lad mainman Devin Townsend on the recording of their next album, 2002’s ‘Natural Born Chaos’; another notable success which saw them mount their first American tour. ‘Figure Number Five’ soon followed and the band supported it with their biggest bout of touring to date, including dates with many newer bands drawing influence from the Swedish sound including Killswitch Engage, Chimaira, Unearth, As I Lay Dying and Bleeding Through. 2005’s ‘Stabbing The Drama’ continued their phenomenal run as the band cracked the US independent charts with their most successful record and secured a slot on Ozzfest’s second stage. The band’s latest offering ‘Sworn To A Great Divide’ emerged in October and sees them striving as hard as ever to push modern metal to the next level.

Click Here to view the SOILWORK Bloodstock Festival Band Profile page .


SOILWORK – Swedish Necrotica – BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2008.



Bloodstock Team