Bloodstock Open Air 2011 - Catton Hall, Derbyshire - 12th-14th July 2011 (Live Review)
Monday, 22 August 2011
Written by Ben Bland
Better organised than many of the larger festivals on the calendar, it’s easy to see why Bloodstock Open Air is the event of the summer calendar for many metalheads. This 10,000 capacity event in the Derbyshire countryside focuses on the underground metal scene in a way that the likes of Sonisphere and Download never will. The atmosphere is also pleasant in a way that, again, many of the larger festivals never are and the layout is rather neat too with the exception of the fact that the acoustic Jagermeister stage is slap bang in front of the main stage, rather limiting its functionality. Over three full days, Bloodstock provides a major highlight for Britain’s metal calendar.
The Defiled may not be the most metal of bands at Bloodstock 2011 but they start off this year’s action in some style. Their industrial tinged approach to groove heavy metalcore is better than many are prepared to give them credit for, with too much attention paid to their look rather than their sound. With keyboardist The AvD in particular putting in an energetic display, The Defiled’s live show competes with some of the very best in intensity.
Swedish quartet Wolf could quite possibly be the best of the current wave of new classic heavy metal bands and in the live arena they bring out some of their finest anthems to a riff-hungry crowd. Forbidden may have been largely forgotten but their first two records remain two of the best thrash metal albums of the genre’s golden era and last year’s comeback album, 'Omega Wave', wasn’t half bad either. With charismatic singer Russ Anderson leading the way, they provoke early mayhem in the main stage pit.
Over on the Sophie Lancaster Stage, Luton alt-metallers Imicus plough through a solid set of material, even if they still have some work to do on getting their own sound. Rannoch may verge on being Opeth clones at times but manage to infuse their songs with enough identity to win over the crowd at the New Blood stage. Tom G. Warrior’s latest project, Triptykon is ridiculously heavy with as dark an atmosphere as any of his previous work. However that doesn’t stop the biggest reactions during the outfit’s inaugural UK set being reserved for Celtic Frost classics 'Circle of the Tyrants' and 'Procreation of the Wicked'.
Progressive thrashers Coroner are better known in Europe than in the UK but that doesn’t stop them appearing high up Friday’s main stage bill and impressing even if the songs aren’t as well known as that of fellow European thrash legends Kreator. The Germans seem determined to emphasise themselves as the best of the genre’s ‘Medium Four’ and the classics in their set provide some of the highlights of the weekend.
October File are one of the angriest-sounding bands you could find and their industrial punk is far more brutal live on the Sophie Lancaster stage than it ever sounds on record. They destroy stages wherever they go. Returning after equipment difficulties in 2010, the Devin Townsend Project is a truly amazing force to have as main stage special guests.
By alternate turns destructively heavy and bizarrely hilarious, this vehicle for Devin’s musical experimentations sees the legendary figure entertain in the way that only he can. Headliners WASP are cheesy as hell and something of an acquired taste but there is no denying that they are good at what they do even if their almost glam sounding hard rock feels a little out of place on this Friday.
Blackened thrash merchants Skeletonwitch seem genuinely delighted to be opening the main stage come Saturday morning. Their template may not be anything new but they do it well enough. Dripback’s grind leanings make them more exciting than any old British hardcore band but Soulsphere’s vaguely technical death metal just screams ‘average’.
One cannot help but feel sorry for Finnish stoner rockers Blake. Despite throwing in a cover of Black Sabbath’s classic 'The Wizard', the quartet are fighting a losing battle in attracting anyone to the Sophie Lancaster stage, where their crowd is modest to say the least. Ex-Emperor man Ihsahn has become a behemoth of progressive metal and his work moves with enormous ease between beauty and brutality. His backing band Leprous are a supremely talented group and the whole thing put together is spectacular.
Hammer Of The Gods dress like Romans whilst Deadly Circus Fire raid the face paint box for their clown like stage demeanour to put in a sadly shortened set of excellent progressive metal. Wintersun would be better if they cut out some of the cheese, TherionN would be better... well, by doing something other than what they are doing. Their army of overdressed singers occasionally seem to be struggling to hold a tune whilst their music lacks even slight bouts of excitement.
The Rotted draw a huge crowd for their ‘British filth’ despite being up against yet more cheesy power metal in Rhapsody Of Fire, who are perhaps the ultimate musical marmite. Heavy metal legends Angel Witch don’t pack out the Sophie Lancaster tent but it doesn’t matter because their classic anthems rock just as hard however many people are present. Headliners Immortal are one of black metal’s less serious bands. The crab walking is hilarious, the facial expressions equally so. Despite coming from the same scene as some of metal’s darkest acts, the trio are actually a little reminiscent of Kiss in terms of stage presence. They are undeniably enjoyable, at least for a time.
Hell are ridiculously good openers on the Sunday morning. With what can easily be seen as the best set of the festival, these returning NWOBH legends have an incredible story and their songs are every bit as good as classics by the likes of Maiden and Priest. Frontman Dave Bower uses his theatrical background to steal the show. 1349’s black metal fury is quelled by a mix that results in their drums being just about the only thing that’s really audible.
Visitor are another sadly very average death metal band on the New Blood stage but Manchester’s Spires are actually pretty exciting. Primordial's main stage set is spoilt by the fact that AA Nemtheanga’s vocals give out halfway through the second song. The imposing frontman is rendered hoarse but the band continues regardless, the crowd do their best to help out and the set is still surprisingly good. Hopefully Ireland’s greatest metal act will be able to return next year to show what they are fully capable of. There’s no doubting the importance and influence of Napalm Death (pictured) to extreme music but that doesn’t change the fact that all their songs do still blend together somewhat after all these years.
Hammerfall bring the cheese but at least have the songs to back it up. Survivors Zero are a fairly decent Finnish band with melodic death metal leanings but attract another tiny crowd to the Sophie Lancaster stage. Exodus sound a bit of a mess, they certainly aren’t anywhere near as good as Friday’s helping of main stage thrash. Folky metallers Northern Oak are a fairly interesting proposition but need a bit more than the occasional random bout of flute to be truly fascinating.
Talanas are a bit better even if their take on progressive death metal isn’t really anything new. Frontman Hal Sinden is an especially engaging talker between songs. The reasons behind another series of shows by At The Gates are still somewhat doubtful but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t excellent. Another highlight of the festival, these Gothenburg veterans were pioneers of melodic death metal and the likes of 'Cold' and 'Blinded by Fear' are still as incredible today as they ever were. No 'Radikult' for Morbid Angel tonight as they plough through classics and less controversial newbies with Dave Vincent’s peculiarly deep voice goading the crowd on. Chilean thrashers Criminal prove themselves worthy of a listen even if they attract a fairly sparse crowd despite their status as Sophie Lancaster stage headliners.
Sadly Motorhead seem a bit disinterested as they close the festival. The biggest band that Bloodstock has ever had, a run through of 'Ace of Spades' fails to precede what should be the usual closing run through of 'Overkill'. Regular disappearances between songs and a short set equals great disappointment to end the weekend.
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Visitor are another sadly very average death metal band on the New Blood stage but Manchester’s Spires are actually pretty exciting. Primordial's main stage set is spoilt by the fact that AA Nemtheanga’s vocals give out halfway through the second song. The imposing frontman is rendered hoarse but the band continues regardless, the crowd do their best to help out and the set is still surprisingly good. Hopefully Ireland’s greatest metal act will be able to return next year to show what they are fully capable of. There’s no doubting the importance and influence of Napalm Death (pictured) to extreme music but that doesn’t change the fact that all their songs do still blend together somewhat after all these years. 
