Bloodstock 2023 Review – Part 2: Saturday
What a festival. Bloodstock always delivers. Be it the vibe, be it the bands, be it the people, but this year felt particularly special. Maybe that was us, maybe that was you, or maybe it was just everything. From the super-friendly and warm attendees to the smorgasbord of bands across four stages absolutely killing it (for the most part), Bloodstock Festival 2023 might go down as one of the best years we’ve attended, and we’ve been doing this for a while now.
The entire experience from Thursday through to Sunday can rightfully be called unforgettable, even if the booze made some segments less memorable.
It’s all about the bands though and that is what we’re going to be talking about here. We saw plenty, we also missed plenty (mainly because we were interviewing), but such is life. Please enjoy our thoughts on the bands we saw. This is part two of our review, covering the Saturday of the festival.
Carl
Happy Saturday Bloodstock! The weather is lovely (it won’t quite stay that way) and Ambrius are opening the Sophie stage. How freaking good were these guys? The mish-mash of brutal heaviness, massive melodies, and symphonic infusions sounds immense and it’s genuinely startling that this band has only been around since 2022. The talent in their ranks and the infectious nature of their music made it so clear that there are big things in this band’s future. I loved it.
Brendan
Ambrius (Sophie Lancaster stage) – A festival of new bands for me saw Ambrius take one of the top spots for bands I left most impressed by. I loved their style, sound and energy and was really enjoying it as pretty standard metal and then the vocalist started taking control and hitting some serious highs. I was gobsmacked, the sudden blending of traditional, power and heavy metal all combining gloriously. What a wonderful showing this was. I loved it.
Dan
Skora (New Blood stage) – Really, really enjoyed this band. Loads of fun and good way to wake up in the morning!
Carl
I also really loved the brief bit of Seething Akira on the Ronnie James Dio stage that I saw in between Ambrius and the next band on the Sophie stage. I saw two tracks and Seething Akira were on fire. Bouncing around the stage, encouraging an early morning audience to bounce along too, it’s very hard to deny them their wish when they’ve got such banging tunes to offer.
Brendan
Tortured Demon (Sophie Lancaster stage) – Amazing. A band we think are singlehandedly the reason for Bloodstock having to extend the size of the Jagermeister stage, Tortured Demon are a popular booking, and the tent is heaving and deservedly so. What maybe years back started with intrigue due to the ages of the band members, has turned into appreciation for a collective that release quality metal and are known for intense and energetic live performances. They didn’t disappoint, getting an eager crowd going in a set that will live long in the memory. This band are destined for the very top and I guess seeing as they were too big for the Jager, and you couldn’t move in the Sophie – well, there is just one stage left that might hold their adoring fans.
Dan
Tortured Demon (Sophie Lancaster stage) – After hearing so much about them, I really wanted to love them. But I just don’t. I think they’re exceptionally talented, just the music isn’t for me!
Carl
It’s straight back to the Sophie tent as the thrashcore band that is Tortured Demon are taking to the stage. Remember the last time they played Bloodstock? It has left a lasting impression on everyone who saw them and the packed tent tells you that everyone is excited to see how far they come since then. Which just so happens to be a bloody long way, and looking exceptionally comfortable on this stage. Playing with all the intensity of a band that has eyes on a much bigger stage. Tortured Demon are here to stay and they will be on that main stage next time they play Bloodstock.
Now, I tend to not worry about clashes. It is part of a festival with many stages and inevitably, bands you love will cross over and you’ll have to make some hard choices. Urne clashing partially with Tortured Demon was an absolute b***h of a clash for me and I had to make the hard choice of missing the start of Urne on the Ronnie James Dio stage to see all of Tortured Demon or missing the end of the latter to catch all of the former.
If you know anything about me, you probably know what I chose to do and I don’t regret it for a second. Urne were phenomenal. A day after releasing their album of the year contender, A Feast on Sorrow, they proved why they have moved to the main stage already in their short time appearing at Bloodstock. They are a main stage band and they have main stage songs. They could have played for another hour and I still wouldn’t have been bored. I am not ashamed to admit that they got me a bit emotional at times, such is the power of the new (and old) tracks. I’m so happy to see them doing well and I really hope they continue to rise and rise to the point where they’re higher up the bill. One of the best bands of the entire weekend for me.
Dan
Urne (Ronnie James Dio stage) – I like Urne, it was very cool to finally see them after being told quite so much!
Brendan
Urne (Ronnie James Dio stage) – Immense performance from Urne. It really was, and they just impress me more and more with each time I see them. The three piece manage to create a huge and powerful wall of sound that is supremely heavy, dark and emotional. The new stuff from A Feast On Sorrow sounds charged and hits with a hammer fist of emotional heaviness while songs from Serpent & Spirit have real impact, as they always do. Urne delivered one of the most memorable sets across the whole of the weekend and should be immensely proud of themselves and the impression they left on many people we spoke to.
Tribe of Ghosts (Sophie Lancaster stage) – One of the most accessible and talented up and coming bands in the UK, Tribe of Ghosts showed exactly why they are the name on so many lips. They are a treat to watch, really sounding very good despite fighting against some more Sophie stage second microphone issues. The lights are great, blending and capture the spirit of their sound and adding to the atmosphere already formed from the synth. Vocally strong and musically captivating, they put on a superb show.
Carl
Interview commitments were calling us away again, but not before I made sure to catch half of Tribe of Ghosts set on the Sophie stage. There aren’t many bands that play the New Blood one year then are asked back the year after to play the Sophie stage. That should tell you everything you need to know about Tribe of Ghosts and their immensely impressive rise. How f**king good does Sunburner (Deny the Rot) and Hive sound live? This band are on such form, they seem unstoppable and while I do regret not seeing the full thing, I was so pleased to hear so many positive things said about the band over the weekend from others we spoke to. They deserve their success and I can not wait to see what the future holds for them next. Two stages down at Bloodstock, the target is clear. We will be cheering you on as much as we can.
Interviews, interviews, and more interviews with a brief respite to watch Crowbar do their Crowbar thing on the Ronnie James Dio stage. Which is heavy stoner and sludge metal, NOLA style. Riffs and more riffs, Crowbar have never disappointed me and this is another stellar showcase from the legends.
Brendan
Crowbar (Ronnie James Dio stage) – What can I say about Crowbar that you don’t already know? They were as good as they always are just hitting us with wave after wave of heavy riffs. Heads were banging, people were smiling. Crowbar aren’t the sort of band looking to change the world, they just deliver time and time again and this was no different.
Dan
Knocked Loose (Ronnie James Dio stage) – KL are one of my favourite bands in the world, but this set ended up not being particularly fun. I’m not gonna start an argument here about what is the ‘correct’ way to pit for Knocked Loose but it was troublesome. Combined with the fact I lost my glasses after being punched in the head – and then 2 minutes after, it started pissing it down. Leaving me blind and wet, sort of put a dampener on the whole thing? The songs they played were great and they sounded great though.
Brendan
Abbath (Ronnie James Dio stage) – Bloodstock skimp a bit on Black Metal these days so there was no way I was missing one of the very few on the line up, even more so when it is the great man himself, Abbath. You get what you get with Abbath with no surprises. He is a professional, they sound great and he rattles through tracks across his impressive back catalogue. For me personally, I am more in tune with his more modern releases, but it is great to see him enjoying himself and clearing playing up to the almost cartoon like character he has created.
Carl
Back to interviews which took us up to Abbath screaming and screeching on the Ronnie James Dio stage. Well, the last part of Abbath, but I was fine with that. I don’t rate him as highly as some but I was glad I watched some of it as Bloodstock really needs more black metal and that’s exactly what Abbath brings. Extremely talented and a showman as well. Entertaining stuff even if it didn’t blow me away.
Speaking of not being blown away… Triptykon performing Celtic Frost on the Ronnie James Dio stage. Is it controversial if I say that I would have preferred Triptykon and not a Celtic Frost performance? If so, sorry, I don’t really care for Celtic Frost but I get a serious kick out of Triptykon. I watched simply to say I had seen it but I was left underwhelmed. Which is probably a bit blasphemous for many, but I’m glad you loved it.
In between Abbath and Triptykon performing Celtic Frost, I did also check out a little bit of Muddibrooke on the Jager stage. I really like them on record, I love that Bloodstock book bands like this, and it was fantastic to see the stage so busy. They sounded great from far back where I was stood, but I didn’t see enough to offer long-winded words here.
Brendan
Trollfest (Sophie Lancaster stage) – I knew what I was getting with Trollfest and in that they delivered. Comedy, silliness and the odd catchy track. A cover of Britney Spears Toxic in their style, a huge “conga line” and silly outfits everywhere, including the ones worn onstage all should have made for a wonderful showing but it lacked a little for me. A large part of that was due to some pretty terrible audio off to the right of the stage where a lot of the accordion melody was lost and vocals were very muted. This meant that I could mostly only ever hear drums, bass and backing vocals with occasional melody and vocals to make me at least be able to guess what song was playing. Fun to watch but not a great listen.
Dan
Waterlines (Jager stage) – These guys were super fun and had loads of bass drops, I didn’t think you could crowdsurf at the Jager tent but I made it happen.
Carl
I didn’t spend too much time at the Jager stage this year overall but it was back there after Triptykon performing Celtic Frost to watch Waterlines. The idea initially being to watch a couple of tracks, then grab a drink and get myself ready for Drownd on the New Blood stage. I ended up watching, headbanging, linking arms and bouncing back and forth with others to the surprise set of the weekend. Not because I was unaware of Waterlines’ quality, they’re a banging band, but because they brought everything to this show and then some more. This was star-making stuff and there is no way the Bloodstock organisers couldn’t have noticed what they did on this stage. Waterlines made an impact and left a big impression, one of the best shows of the entire weekend.
So, those that follow us and watch our YouTube content might have seen me do a solo reaction to Drownd’s song, Sinner, a few weeks before the festival started. I knew nothing about the band and was left mouth agape by what I heard. It made them a ‘must see’ at Bloodstock, and they were a sight to behold on the New Blood stage. I freaking loved this, weird and wonderful industrial metal that is surprisingly heavy at times. It was one of the highlights of the New Blood stage over the weekend and I’ll remember ‘Daniel Garcia dancing’ (look it up) with my wife to their music for some time yet.
Brendan
Drownd (New Blood stage) – Well here is another new band for me and what an impression they left. I tend to hide away a little bit from anything overly industrial but went to check Drownd out and was blown away but their quality and especially the atmosphere they created. They are clearly a band with a vision and their image, the lights, the darkness in the songs, energy on stage – everything just came together perfectly and I won’t be forgetting them any time soon.
Meshuggah (Ronnie James Dio stage) – I struggle with Meshuggah on record. I’m not a fan of overly technical music and while I appreciate their immense talent as musicians, the songs don’t vibe with me so having an opportunity to see them live, see them headline a festival was great for me to make my mind up once and for all. Unfortunately, it didn’t work for me. It did for loads of people so that shows they deserved their slot but for me, being impressed by a band’s skill isn’t enough to make a headline performance. There was no flair, no crowd interaction, nothing memorable aside from a decent light show and the skill on show. Probably unfairly, I get it, but I was hoping for more.
Carl
Which brings me to the headliner of Saturday night, Meshuggah, and one of the most underwhelming headliners I have seen at Bloodstock in my years of attendance. Hold your boos. I hear you, and I completely understand why you’d think I was crazy for saying that, but I just don’t enjoy them and I watched the entire thing. I get it, they’re brutal, they’re fast, they’re complex, and extremely tight. All things I love and all things I can enjoy about Meshuggah, in doses. An hour and a half of it and I was well and truly sick of it by the end.
Not only that, and this might be more controversial, but I want my headliners to feel like a headline act and this just felt like another show. For all my issues with Killswitch Engage, at least it felt like they were stepping up and bringing more to their show because they were headlining. It is beyond impressive that Meshuggah can do what they do but I now know that I’m just never going to be a fan.
That’s our roundup of Saturday at Bloodstock 2023!
