The UK summer might be unpredictable, but the underground metal scene is absolutely scorching. The latest round of Metal 2 The Masses finals has wrapped up, unleashing twelve incredible new bands onto the Stowford Press New Blood Stage for Bloodstock’s massive 25th-anniversary edition at Catton Park this August.
Kicking off the action on Friday are Coventry nu-metalcore monsters Meet Your Maker, known for their high-octane live presence. Saturday’s bill leans heavy and eclectic, featuring Northeast groove-thrashers Redscar, Kent horror-punks Vampyra, and Guernsey deathcore hybrid Apothis. They will be joined by East Lancashire’s riff-heavy Shadow Company, electronic alt-rockers Inscape showcasing their new conceptual EP C.I.T.R.U.S., Bedfordshire’s aggressive alt-metal outfit Withdrawn, and Norwegian thrash duo Lektagon making the trip from Scandinavia.
Sunday promises zero respite with Cheltenham hardcore powerhouse Chug, Sheffield/Nottingham melodic deathcore crew Arkdown, North Wales wizard-grunge merchants Groom the Giant, and Somerset blackened death metal outfit Death Brigade completing the latest announcement.
This massive influx of underground talent follows this previous massive Bloodstock 25th anniversary announcement, which already locked in standard-bearers like Judas Priest, Lamb of God, and Saxon. Weekend tickets are completely sold out, but a limited number of day tickets are still available via the official festival site.
To streamline arrival, Bloodstock’s click-and-collect Preo store is live, allowing fans to pre-order cold drinks, exclusive merchandise, and essential camping gear for pickup straight from the Midgard campsite bar. This includes a limited-edition sun hat from Fat Franks, with all proceeds donated directly to the Samaritans.
For sustainable travel options, official travel partner Big Green Coach has added carbon-neutral routes arriving on Wednesday to accommodate early-bird campers. The Tamworth railway station shuttle bus service will similarly expand operations to run on Wednesday. Additionally, attendees can utilize the Liftshare network to split travel costs and minimize vehicular carbon emissions on the road to the festival.
Bloodstock Open Air 2026 takes place at Catton Park, Derbyshire from 6th–9th August 2026. While full weekend passes are completely sold out, a limited number of individual day tickets remain available for £99 plus fees.
