It’s that time of year again where we talk to as many bands as we can who are raring to blow you away at Bloodstock! Aethoria will be rocking the EMP stage on the Sunday…
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We are all from Suffolk in East Anglia!
How long have you been playing together as a band?
The first time we ever had a jam together was around November 2024 I think it was! We quickly wrote a few tracks, launched in May and played our first ever show… funnily enough at Bloodstock VIP stage in August 2025!
Where does the name of the band come from?
We really wanted something ethereal sounding and as you can imagine in 2026, most things are taken already. Myself and Lee were in a band called Circadia that had just fallen apart and then straight off the back of that we started this band. The latest release in Circadia was a song called “Aeternia” (meaning eternal). I really loved this name and wanted to try and bring some kind of similarity to this band, to tell the story and show that sometimes the end of one thing means the great beginning of something new. “Aethoria” is said to be of the divine and spiritual realm, which is pretty cool!
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
I’d love to say we’re completely unique, but the truth is we’re proudly shaped by the bands and music we grew up loving! You can definitely hear our influences throughout our sound. There’s no denying that heavier bands and artists are having a huge moment right now, and we’re big fans ourselves – bands like Poppy, Spiritbox, and Conquer Divide are on a lot of our playlists. That said, I think what sets us apart is that we sit somewhere in the middle. We bring the weight and energy of modern heavy rock, but with a strong dose of early-2000s nostalgia. Think huge guitar riffs (we’re massive Alter Bridge fans), catchy melodies, and plenty of vocal harmonies that sometimes give us that Evanescence-style atmosphere. We love combining heaviness with memorable hooks and emotion, creating something that feels both familiar and fresh at the same time.
What’s your live show like? Why are people going to watch you instead of another band?
Supporting us early in our journey literally means so much to us and I think that comes across when we play. Every show we are just buzzing and Bloodstock we will be even more so, we’ll be sure to put on an epic one!
Have you been to Bloodstock before? What did you think?
Yes! Last year was my first time, some of the boys have been before, it was EPIC! I see now why everyone raves so much about this festival – the crew and the people at the festival, its just the best vibes with incredible music!
When/how did you find out you’d been selected to play at Bloodstock?
An email from the legend Mr Simon Hall himself back in March.
What sort of setlist can we expect?
We’ve been working hard on the new album, so we can’t wait to let loose on some of our new material! Last year we did a cover of Black Sabbath / Dio’s “Neon Knights” – seemed fitting at Bloodstock! This year we just can’t wait to smash out our own songs, lots of big riffs and catchy choruses.
Stage times haven’t been announced yet, so which other band do you most hope you’re not clashing with so you can see them play?
Dream State – absolutely love them and what can I say – I’m a girl’s girl! We are all super excited to see the headliners too!
What are you working on at the moment?
Finalising the album, along with the videos, artwork etc… getting everything ready for Aethoria 2.0!
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
At our very first Aethoria show last year at Bloodstock VIP, we had a guitar string break mid-set. While a replacement was quickly fitted, all I could think to do was launch into an acapella version of “Bohemian Rhapsody” (as you do!). The Bloodstock crowd got fully involved, and what could have been a disaster ended up being one of the coolest highlights of the set for me!
What drink do you throw back to get yourself fired up before going on stage?
Can’t go wrong with a cheeky spiced rum & coke!
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