Bloodstock Open Air 2018

2018 shall ever be known as the 'Year of the Festival' for me, as I attended three within the space of a couple of months! The final of the three was the biggest, and saw me once again making the trip from Devon to Catton Hall in Derbyshire for the UK's premier metal weekend - Bloodstock Open Air. While I am no BOA veteran when compared to others who have been going since the weekend's 2001 genesis, this iteration of the festival was my third. I went for the first time back in 2015 because my then-usual festival, the Cambridge Rock Festival, had a year off, and then returned again in 2016 and did CRF and BOA back-to-back - something I vowed to never do again! I decided not to go to last year's BOA because, on the whole, the line-up was not to my taste. I had enjoyed both 2015 and 2016 however, so was always up to returning to the festival in the future if the line-up was right. The bands playing a festival is always the main factor which I consider when deciding whether or not to buy a ticket. Some people like to go regardless as they enjoy the festival experience as a whole but, for me, it is the bands that can really make or break the weekend. This year however, BOA's line-up seemingly continued to improve with each announcement. While there was still a fair bit of the generic death/extreme metal acts that have really started to clog up the BOA line-ups in recent years, there was also a strong contingent of more melodic bands, which was enough to persuade me to purchase a ticket. It was the announcement of Judas Priest as one of the three headliners that really made me want to return to Catton Hall once again. Their presence, as well as that of Nightwish, Kamelot, Orphaned Land, Orden Ogan, and Amaranthe - among others - made the weekend ticket worthy of the it's price, and the festival became something of a big fixture in my year's calendar. My appetite for festivals in general however was severally dented by my recent experience at Steelhouse Festival - which took place a mere two weeks before BOA. The almost-constant rain really limited any true enjoyment of parts of that weekend, and actually forced me to leave early. With the weather forecast for the BOA weekend not looking too great, it was certainly with trepidation that I boarded a train at Plymouth station on the Thursday morning and headed up to Lichfield ready to catch the shuttle bus to the festival site.

Thankfully, it would seem that the weather forecasts I had seen had somewhat overestimated the amount of rain that the area surrounding the festival site would see. When the shuttle bus dropped me off at the site, it looked as if the ground had not seen much rain for quite a while. I joined the long queue to get in, something which seemed to be a real bone of contention for last year's festival goers. I have no memories of any lengthy queues when I arrived at the festival on the Thursday in 2016, but this year it took me around 90 minutes to get into the campsite from joining the back of the queue. It seems that with the festival's recent increase in capacity, the organisers have not seen fit to actually increase the entrance area or work on making the process any more efficient. Standing in the queue for that long was all rather tiresome, but my experience does not seem to have been as bad as some that I read about last year, so maybe some improvements have been made. Once I finally made it into the festival site, I headed straight for Asgard, the campsite I camped in last time. BOA goers tend to camp in similar places each year, so I chose to do the same. Asgard had largely been a quiet and chilled out place in 2016, and for the most part that was also the case this year. I chose a spot towards the back of the campsite and near the lane so I could easily find my tent in the dark. Setting up camp did not take long, as my little tent it very easy to erect, so it was not long before I was heading into the arena for the first time to get a feel for what was on offer. The music had not started yet, so I wandered around to see what food choices were on offer. I opted for a pizza, as I needed something filling as I had not eaten at all that day (I forgot to bring the lunch I had made!). There were a lot of food choices as usual, but the prices were all rather high. Festival food is always fairly expensive, but this year many of the stalls really crept over the acceptable level for me. I appreciate that the traders often have to pay quite hefty fees for their pitches, but by reducing their prices a little I am sure that they would actually shift more food. The price increase was the same for the large CD/LP dealer that is always on site, although a still managed to find a few things to purchase, including a couple of nice AOR LPs that I doubt many who attend BOA would be interested in! By this point the music on the Sophie Lancaster Stage (hereafter called the Second Stage) had started, but openers Hundred Year Old Man were playing some fairly generic death metal to I made no effort to go and see them. I took my LPs and CDs back to the tent, and headed back to the arena for the first band of the weekend that I had planned to check out. On the Thursday night, music only happens on the Second Stage, so there was little to choose from but a few bands sounded promising...

Fire Red Empress:
The first band I made the effort to check out were the five-piece rock band Fire Red Empress, fronted by the charismatic Jennifer Diehl. She certainly made for an engaging presence on stage, but sadly the band really lacked the songs to back this up. As is often the case at festivals the sound mix did little to help Fire Red Empress shine, but I did not get the impression that this hid the band's hooks or melodies in any way. Diehl bounded around the stage with ease, but nothing that she sang stuck. There was not a chorus in the band's set that even remotely caught hold, and crowd (which was not exactly small) rarely seemed to get going. A Beastie Boys cover did get some heads moving, especially down at the front, but the original material really left a lot to be desired. I am happy to say however that the vast majority of the bands I saw at BOA after Fire Red Empress were much better, so it was definitely a case of onwards and upwards as the band left the stage to muted applause at the end of their set.

Skiltron:
Following Fire Red Empress on the Second Stage were Argentinian folk metellers Skiltron, who instantly upped the energy in the tent and delivered around 40 minutes of their bagpipe-drenched music to a receptive crowd. Hailing from Argentina, and currently fronted by a Geordie, it may surprise listeners that tales of Scottish folklore and rebellion fill the band's albums. Skiltron pull it off however, with plenty of folky melodies from both Emilio Souto (guitar/vocals) and Pereg Ar Bagol (bagpipes) helping to bring the stories to life with some authenticity. Bands like this are often fairly one-dimensional, and Skiltron certainly do only one thing, but they do that one thing very well and I enjoyed their entire set despite their songs getting rather samey after a while. Battle hymns like Lion Rampant and Bagpipes of War are real folk metal anthems, and are certainly far more interesting than many other bigger folk metal acts. Unsurprisingly the crowd were much more receptive to Skiltron's set, and the band received a strong reception throughout, helped by frontman Martin McManus' interaction and enthusiasm. The band's set ended on a high with a self-titled song, and Skiltron left the stage having made their mark. They are certainly a band I will make more effort to listen to in future.

I had little interest in the remaining bands of the day, so wandered over the smaller New Blood Stage to see what was going on in there. I found that films were being shown in there, so settled down to watch the first episode of the mockumentary Bad News Tour, featuring the fictional heavy metal band Bad News, which was part of the TV series The Comic Strip Presents... in the 1980s featuring actors like Adrian Edmondson, Dawn French, and Rik Mayall. I, surprisingly, had not seen it before and found it to be pretty funny which helped me to wind down after a long day of travelling. I had contemplated watching the Russian folk metal act Arkona who were headlining over in the other tent, but I decided instead to get an early night as I was pretty tired by this point. Sleep, as was often the case over the weekend, did not come that easily as it was rather cold over the Thursday night. I must have caught patches of sleep however, as I woke up fairly refreshed on Friday morning ready for a fairly full on day of music. After slowly getting ready I headed back into the arena for the first band of the day, which were opening the New Blood Stage - a smaller stage which BOA uses to showcase new talent, most of which are not signed to record labels. Many of the bands playing the New Blood Stage won regional competitions to appear at the festival, and it was great to see bands from all over the UK appearing throughout the weekend. First up was...

Turbyne:
The Scottish progressive metal six-piece were the first band of the day, and I have to say that I was totally blown away by their half an hour on stage. I am rarely blown away by an unknown band, but Turnbye's melodic, and mature sound was just the thing I needed to kick start the festival proper. Featuring the dual vocal attack of Keith Fleming (vocals) and Gary Gillespie (vocals/keyboards), the band mixed crushing harsh vocals with soaring cleans to suit the band's varied and dynamic music. Calum Walker (guitar/vocals) was one of the most impressive guitarists of the weekend, laying down plenty of technical riffs as well as soaring solos that really helped to lift the spirits of those gathered in the tent so early. While the band's songs were long and quite complex, they still featured plenty of melodies to latch onto. Gillespie's clean vocals in particular were easy to become engrossed in, but that is taking nothing away from Fleming's screams which really kicked the band into overdrive when he opened his mouth. When the band's half an hour set came to a close at 11am I was in shock at how much the band had impressed me. I have seen so many bands over the past ten or so years, so it is quite rare for me to be quite so bowled over by an act I previously knew nothing about. Turbyne are a band I will follow closely from now on, and I have already ordered a copy of their debut album Origins & Endings which I am sure I will love!

Following Turbyne's excellent set, I had no interest in the generic bellowing of Feed the Rhino who were the weekend's first band on the Ronnie James Dio Stage (hereafter called the Main Stage), so I purchased a delicious paella and ate it while sitting out of the way of the action. After I had eaten, Feed the Rhino had finished the stage crew were setting up the Main Stage's next offering...

Onslaught:
While I am no more than a casual fan of thrash, seeing thrash live is often worthwhile. It tends to be more of an American thing, but there are a few British bands who have been flying the thrash flag over here for quite some time, and one such example is Onslaught. While never really making it big, the band are cult heroes over here, and drew a big crowd despite the fact the weather gradually turned fairly nasty as they played. Throughout their set, the early morning hot sun was replaced by some quite potent rain, which saw me head back to my tent for my coat towards the end of the band's set, causing me to miss the last couple of numbers. What I saw from the band impressed however, with everything stemming from sole-founding member Nige Rockett's (guitar/vocals) chunky riffs. New guitarist Wayne Dorman (formerly of the British power metal act Dakesis) added plenty of fluid solos throughout and often really lit the proceedings up as the rain started lashing down. Long-time frontman Sy Keeler has a great voice for thrash, and snarled his way through the material with that slightly punky feel that often gives thrash its edge. The band debuted a new song too, which will be a part of their first new album for a few years when it arrives, and on the strength of this performance I will probably seek to check it out when it is released.

By the time I got back to my tent, the rain was pretty heavy so I decided to stay in the safety of the tent to remain dry for a while. I had planned to head back an watch hard rockers Fahran on the Second Stage, but the heaviness of the rain had made me loose all enthusiasm for that so I took a little break and waited for it to ease. It did not take too long to for the rain to stop, so when it eased I headed back into the arena (now with my coat!) ready to catch the fourth act of the day on the Main Stage...

Wednesday 13:
The horror punk of Joseph Poole (aka Wednesday 13) might not be the usual sort of thing that Bloodstock books, and a few eyebrows were raised at his inclusion on the bill, but the veteran performer set about showing why he deserved to be at BOA 2018 from the off with his The Shining-inspired opening and a set that was filled with constant theatrics and gimmicks. While not as in-depth as performers like Alice Cooper or Marilyn Manson, Wednesday 13 still puts on a show. His music is pretty basic, but the horror-themes lyrics and crunchy gothic riffs are the perfect backing for his antics - complete with many costume changes and props. I knew little of his material, but he and his band kept me entertained for the duration of their set. There were fire-breathers which sometimes joined him on stage to add an extra visual element, and I think it is fair to say that he managed to win a fair chunk of the crowd around to his side by the time he ended the set with the evergreen I Love to Say Fuck - a song even I knew! I am sure a lot of the metal purists that attend BOA did not enjoy his set, but I think Wednesday 13 was a fun addition to the festival, and added a little flair to the day. He was certainly preferable than yet another generic death metal act at any rate!

Bloodbath:
Talking of death metal, the next band on the Main Stage were Bloodbath - a death metal supergroup made up of famous names from the genre. I am not a big fan of death metal, but thought I would give Bloodbath a go - and they passed the time while never really getting under my skin. The band is currently fronted by Paradise Lost frontman Nick Holmes, who's trademark dry Northern humour was on full display throughout the set. His introductions to the songs were some of the best parts of the set, but the band's music was still impressive despite not really being my thing. Anders Nyström (guitar/vocals) proved himself an excellent guitarist throughout, with some excellent doomy riffs; while long-time Opeth drummer Martin Axenrot really laid into his kit. Despite somewhat enjoying the band's set, I did find my mind wandering as time went on. I find death metal to be quite samey, and Bloodbath certainly did little to change my mind. However, it was great to see some of the legends of the genre playing to a good-sized crowd - and it is good to step out of your comfort zone from time to time.

As Bloodbath finished, it was announced that Suicidal Tendencies, who were due to follow them on the Main Stage, were running late so had swapped places with the band Lovebites on the Second Stage. Lovebites had been one of the bands I had earmarked to check out, so stuck around to see their set...

Lovebites:
The Japanese five-piece are currently making quite a name for themselves in the metal scene, despite only releasing one album, and their hard-hitting power metal sound appealed to me. While their live sound mix was sadly not the best, I still enjoyed their set which was packed with fast, anthemic power metal from five Japanese women who were all true masters of their craft. A lot of metal from Japan is very image-conscious and manufactured (e.g. Babymetal), but Lovebites are the real deal and they really impressed me from the off. The band's two guitarists, Midori and Miyako, are a formidable duo, and really set the Main Stage on fire with their solo trade-offs in each song. Both are masters of melodic shredding, and the two players really impressed. Frontwoman Asami's voice is not quite to my taste, but she still can really deliver and went about delivering the band's anthemic choruses with ease. Comparisons can be made between Lovebites and bands like DragonForce, although Lovebites feel overall heavier due to the lack of overt synths. Like DragonForce however, the vast majority of Lovebites' songs are fast and relentless, which ensured that their set whizzed by and was over before I knew it. I would not have minded if they had played for longer, but it seemed that the last minute change of slots cost them a bit of time as they probably had to really rush to assemble their gear. I will certainly be keeping an eye on them in the future however, and will endeavour to check out their debut album soon.

Kamelot:
Up next on the Main Stage was Kamelot, one of my most-anticipated bands of the weekend. For a couple of years Kamelot were one of my very favourite bands and, while I may not listen to them now as often as I did between around 2010 and 2012, they are still a band that I love. With many power/symphonic metal acts at Bloodstock relegated to early slots, it was great to see Kamelot third from the top of the bill and with an hour to play with. After Lovebites finished I made my way down as close to the front as possible, and had a good vantage point for Kamelot's set, and what a set it was! The band came on stage to a orchestral backing, and immediately went into Phantom Divine (Shadow Empire), the lead single from their latest album The Shadow Theory. Frontman Tommy Karevik took to the stage took to the stage in a somewhat industrial get-up, complete with a hood, and sung the moody verses with his usual expressive croon. He exploded into the powerful chorus too and, despite a slightly muddy sound mix during the first couple of numbers, it was clear that Kamelot meant business. Being a festival set, the band played a good mix of material from their back catalogue, including plenty of old favourites which were gratefully received by the large crowd. Rule the World and the soaring When the Light Are Down saw plenty around me singing along, while newer numbers like Insomnia - with Oliver Palotai's (keyboards) keyboard solo really impressing - showing that the current incarnation of the band can still churn out anthemic pieces. Only two numbers from the new album were included, with Amnesiac being the second. Current touring vocalist Lauren Hart, from Once Human, added some lovely harmonies during the choruses - after already displaying her ferocious growls during the opening number. The middle portion of the set saw the band pull out some of their faster songs, with the perennial favourite Center of the Universe really getting the crowd going. Palotai's keyboard melodies really drive the song, but founding member Thomas Youngblood (guitar/vocals) kept things going with his tough rhythms before launching into a guitar solo to take the song to the next level. A short drum solo from current touring drummer Alex Landenburg followed, before this led into the percussive March of Mephisto - another setlist staple - that was a chance for the crowd to pump their fists to the rhythm. The song has always been a powerful live number, and it was great to see a band like Kamelot getting a strong reaction from a Bloodstock crowd that is often fairly ambivalent to anything remotely considered power metal. There was still time for a couple more, and a short keyboard solo led into Forever, which was another moment for the crowd to shine with a sing-a-long section led by Karevik. The song was a triumph, and it was left to the heavier newer number Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy) to close things out with Karevik and Hart trading vocals. Kamelot took their bows to a huge cheer, and they seemed genuinely surprised by the strong reaction. They certainly put on the performance of the day for me, and I am already looking forward to seeing them again in October when they bring their European tour to London! The setlist was:

Phantom Divine (Shadow Empire)
Rule the World
Insomnia
The Great Pandemonium
When the Lights Are Down
Amnesiac
Veil of Elysium
Center of the Universe
Drum solo
March of Mephisto
Keyboard solo
Forever
Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)

I decided to stick around after Kamelot's set to check out the legendary black metal act Emperor, who were Friday's special guests on the Main Stage. I moved further back to where the sound desk was, and watched the band's first couple of numbers but they did very little for me. Black metal very often leaves me cold, and I wanted to like Emperor but found the very muddy sound a hindrance, as well as the lack of any real melody in their music. I decided to have some dinner and then head back to the tent for an hour or so to rest up a little, and headed back to the arena for the day's headliners...

Judas Priest:
Bloodstock goers have been asking for Judas Priest to be booked as headliners for years now, and this year the festival managed to make it happen and so the Metal Gods descended onto Catton Hall to a heroes welcome and possibly the biggest crowd I have ever seen at the festival. The band are currently promoting their latest album Firepower, so featured a few of their new numbers in the set as well as classics from throughout their career. The band's setlist was a great mix of well-known fan favourites as well as songs that had not been played for quite a few years before this tour. While this may have left some of the more casual fans scratching their heads at times, for those of us who were well-versed in the band's catalogue it was a real treat. Firepower got things off to a great start, with frontman Rob Halford displaying is still-impressive vocal range during the thrashy choruses, and Ritchie Faulkner (guitar/vocals) attacking the guitar solo with glee. With Glenn Tipton's recent retirement from live performances due to his Parkinson's Disease, Faulkner now handles the vast majority of the guitar solos, although touring sideman Andy Sneap (guitar/vocals) also had a few chances to show off. Early highlights for me were the fast 1970s metal of Sinner and the creepy The Ripper with some excellent Halford vocals. While still possessing a great voice, Halford himself looked a little off the pace at times. Sometimes singing the first couple of the lines from the side of the stage while changing his outfits which was a little strange. He is not quite the frontman that he was, but he still can deliver the goods (pun intended). Long-time fans enjoyed hearings songs like Saints in Hell and Tyrant live again, while setlist staples like Turbo Lover really got everyone singing. Towards the end of the set however it was the time for the real classics to shine. Judas Priest are one of the ultimate metal bands of all time, so hearing some of their classics played live at the best metal festival in the country was a real treat. Freewheel Burning was a powerful number, and a short call-and-response vocal section from Halford heralded the introduction of You've Got Another Thing Comin'. A Judas Priest show would not be complete without Halford's bike, and he rode out on it once again before the band launched into Hell Bent for Leather which was greeted with a huge cheer. Scott Travis (drums/vocals) then powered through the iconic drum intro to Painkiller which brought the main set to a close with it's thrashy feel. The band briefly left the stage, and returned with Tipton in tow to huge cheers. Tipton has been joining the band occasionally when he feels well enough to do so, and played the four-song encore with the band which featured three classics from 1980's British Steel as well as another new one. Breaking the Law was sung with glee by all in attendance, before the future classic No Surrender was also well received. It was left to Living After Midnight to bring the set to a close, and I am sure that those in the crowd would agree that the decision to keep asking for Judas Priest to headline had paid off! The setlist was:

Firepower
Grinder
Sinner
The Ripper
Lightning Strike
Bloodstone
Saints in Hell
Turbo Lover
Prelude
Tyrant
Night Comes Down
Freewheel Burning
Guardians
Rising From Ruins
You've Got Another Thing Comin'
Hell Bent for Leather
Painkiller
-
Metal Gods [w/ Glenn Tipton]
Breaking the Law [w/ Glenn Tipton]
No Surrender [w/ Glenn Tipton]
Living After Midnight [w/ Glenn Tipton]

I had thought about checking out Doro's headline set on the Second Stage after Judas Priest had finished, but she was already in full swing by the time I was passing the tent and thought it was probably best that I got some sleep instead. I will be seeing her in November with Saxon, so the draw to see her this time was just not as great as it could have been. I headed back to my tent after a busy day, and luckily found sleep much easier to come by. I slept well enough to have a bit of a lie in in the morning too, which was nice. Saturday started off lovely and sunny, but by the evening the weather had turned quite nasty. This, couple with the fact that the line-up was not as suited to my tastes as the other days, meant that Saturday was the weakest of the three full days for me. There was, however, still plenty to see so I headed into the arena in time to catch the first band on the Main Stage...

Nailed to Obscurity:
Opening proceedings were the German doom metal act Nailed to Obscurity, who played around half an hour of their slow, ponderous music was fairly well received by a small but appreciative crowd. I am not the biggest fan of doom, but I do enjoy bands like Paradise Lost and there was certainly a hint of Halifax's finest in Nailed to Obscurity's sound, despite a much larger death metal influence. The vocals were largely harsh, but occasional frontman Raimund Ennenga sung clean - which certainly left a lot to be desired. His harsh vocals were powerful however, and fit the slow-moving riffs nicely. Being the first band on their set was short, which ensured that they did not outstay their welcome. Despite the fairly small crowd too, a side-effect of being on so early, the band seemed to be enjoying themselves and those who were present certainly seemed to appreciate the band's efforts. Doom bands will never really be my thing, but I did not dislike Nailed to Obscurity, and they passed half an hour or so quite nicely.

There was time for a bit of lunch (paella again) after Nailed to Obscurity's set finished, and by this point the arena was filling up nicely. There reason was the next band on the Main Stage, who have really been gaining traction of late...

Power Trip:
The Texan five-piece thrash newcomers really are the darlings of the metal world at the moment, and there was certainly a lot of hype surrounding their appearance at the festival. It was probably this hype that ensured that so many people made the effort to check them out, and I doubt many were disappointed. As I said earlier, I am not the biggest fan of thrash but there are some bands that really catch my attention, and Power Trip are one of them. I had been enjoying their second album Nightmare Logic in the run up to the festival, and was looking forward to see if they could deliver live. The answer is that they could, and they proceeded to put on one of the highest energy sets of the weekend and helped to cement their reputation as the next big thing in thrash in the process. A couple of older numbers Divine Apprehension and Suffer No Fool got the set underway, with Blake Ibanez's (guitar/vocals) razor sharp riffs really propelling the band forward. It was drummer Chris Ulsh that really stood out for me however, as he played on one of the smallest kits of the weekend and managed to get through a whole set of break-neck thrash metal without using a double bass pedal! He has a very punky style of drumming, as indeed Power Trip in general clearly has a punk side to them, and it was great to see some good, old-fashioned drumming that did not rely on endless double bass drum rolls. Most of the set came from the latest album, but it was Executioner's Tax (Swing of the Axe) that probably brought the biggest cheer. The gang vocals in the chorus were perfect for a large festival crowd to latch onto, and frontman Riley Gale even went crowd surfing during the song which brought a huge cheer. The more deliberate Crucifixation and the lightning fast Firing Squad were also popular choices, and when the set came to an end with Manifest Decimation it felt as if Power Trip were doing their lap of honour. I think it is fair to say that Power Trip received one of the biggest reactions (outside of the headliners) from the crowd all weekend, and I am sure the organisers will try and book them again in the future - possibly with a longer set! The setlist was:

Divine Apprehension
Suffer No Fool
Soul Sacrifice
Executioner's Tax (Swing of the Axe)
Crucifixation
Nightmare Logic
Firing Squad
Manifest Decimation

Orden Ogan:
The German progressive/power metal four-piece Orden Ogan were up next, and they were one of the bands I had been looking forward to checking out. While they are not one of my favourites of the genre, I own a couple of their albums and have been a casual fan for a while. Sadly, for whatever reason, the band's set just did not really excite me and I was left a little cold by their performance. I feel that the main issue was the fact that, for some reason, they were just so much quieter than everyone else on the Main Stage. The bands either side of them were nice and loud, but Orden Ogan's melodic sound just seemed to lack any real power. This may have been the fact that the band relies on tapes for a lot of their symphonics etc., or maybe it was the lack of bass due to the fact that frontman Seeb Levermann had hurt his hand so bassist Niels Löffler was playing his guitar parts instead. Either way, the band really lacked teeth - which was a shame as I had heard many good things about their live performances previously. I do not think that the issues were really the fault of the band, who seemed to be having fun on stage and elicited a strong reaction from sections of the crowd, but they definitely hampered my enjoyment of their set. Things did seem to improve somewhat towards the end of their set, and the last couple of numbers sounded better. A fairly large sing-a-long was conducted by Levermann during the final number, which raised the energy levels somewhat, but as the band walked off stage afterwards I could not help but feel their set was a missed opportunity. It is always a shame when bands disappoint, and it is worse when the issues are down to something largely outside of the band's control like a really muddy sound mix that really hampered the band's lush and technical music from really showing itself.

Septicflesh:
Things then took a heavier turn on the Main Stage with the Greek symphonic death metal legends Septicflesh taking to the stage to showcase their heavy and dramatic material. The sound issues that hampered Orden Ogan were gone, and Septicflesh sounded nice and loud, with their symphonic backing sitting nicely alongside the band's more traditional instruments. As I have said a few times already, death metal is not something that I usually enjoy a great deal, but Septicflesh are more interesting to me than your average death metal act due to their symphonic backing. The gothic strings really work well with the band's heavy riffs, and Seth Siro Anton's (vocals/bass guitar) primal roars sounded great. I am not that familiar with the band's music, but they kept me interested throughout their 45 minutes on stage, which is quite a rare feat for an extreme metal act. The only thing that was slightly disappointing was the fact that the occasional clean vocals, which are performed in the studio by Sotiris Vayenas (guitar), were part of the backing tracks rather than performed. I can understand why all the symphonic trappings cannot really be recreated live, but lead vocal sections are really something that should not be piped in. That niggle aside, I enjoyed Septicflesh's set, and it is always nice to to impressed by something that it outside of your usual realm of interest.

Venom Inc.:
Venom Inc. were the fifth band in a row which I saw on the Main Stage, and brought an end to a pretty impressive run of performances on the Saturday afternoon. Venom Inc. Venom Inc. were formed in 2014 by two founding members of the NWOBHM band Venom - Jeffrey 'Mantas' Dunn (guitar/vocals) and Anthony 'Abaddon' Bray (drums) - as well as another former member of the band Tony 'Demolition Man' Dolan (vocals/bass guitar). BOA booked the 'real' version of a Venom a couple of years ago, so I was interested to see how this incarnation of the band compared. I remember the 'real' Venom not sounding the best at BOA 2016, but Venom Inc. were a different story and put on a high-energy set filled with classics from the Venom catalogue, as well as cuts from their first album Avé. Dolan's voice is not as harsh as Venom frontman Cronos', so his more traditional take on the vocals made Venom Inc. sound more like a proper heavy metal act rather than a thrash/pseudo-extreme metal band that the original Venom were back in the early 1980s. While the live sound mix was not the best, the band's energy and power still came across well, and they made a lot of noise for a three piece. I am not that well versed in Venom's catalogue, but I really enjoyed Venom Inc.'s set. It was great to hear some back-to-basics metal after a run of more involved bands, and the fact that Mantas suffered a heart attack earlier in the year and still managed to get up on stage and perform with the energy that he did is a real testament to his spirit, and the spirit of metal in general. The crowd seemed to enjoy them too, with a large sing-a-long erupting during Black Metal. Their set was over very quickly, which is always a sign of having had a good time, and I have made a mental note to expand my knowledge of Venom's catalogue in the future.

My legs were feeling it after spending a few hours in more or less the same place, so I headed back to the tent for a bit of a rest as I had an hour or so before the next band I wanted to check out. I find that taking little breaks at festivals is important, as otherwise your legs and feet just start to really hurt! I appreciated the lie down, and headed back into the arena and over to the New Blood Stage to catch the next band I thought sounded interesting...

Aonia:
Aonia are a seven-piece symphonic metal act from Sheffield, and I had seen a lot of people wearing their t-shirts throughout the weekend. I am quite a fan of symphonic metal, so was looking forward to checking them out, but I have to say I was not as impressed by the band as I hoped I would be. The band certainly were not bad, but their songs were mostly in that mid-paced, plodding symphonic metal territory that lacks the dynamism and power of the genre's best examples. The live sound mix was not that great either sadly, which often meant that the vocals were buried beneath a wall of guitar and drums. Aonia have two frontwomen, who both have excellent voices, but they were extremely similar. I like bands with multiple singers, especially when those singers each bring something different to the table, but Aonia's two singers pretty much sounded the same. When they sung together however it created a very powerful sound, but the constant operatics became a bit much after a while. I like the pseudo-classical vocal style that many of the early symphonic metal bands used (although many have largely abandoned it now), but it does begin to grate after a while when it is used exclusively. I would have liked to have seen some more 'traditional' vocals used in places, so that the operatic vocals would have had more of an impact when they were used. That being said, I did not dislike Aonia's set, and they managed to pull quite a crowd which was great to see.

I hot-footed it over to the Second Stage after Aonia finished, ready to catch Voyager's set. Luckily for me there were no major clashes at BOA 2018, with the exception of Voyager clashing with Alestorm. It took me a while to decide who to watch, but I opted for the techy prog metal of Voyager over Alestorm, simply as I had seen Alestorm before a couple of times and Voyager do not make it over to the UK that often...

Voyager:
The Australian five-piece definitely suffered from being put on at the same time as Alestorm, who almost certainly pulled a massive crowd, but those of us who opted for Voyager instead were treated to an excellent show by one of the most original bands on display at the festival. Voyager's particular brand of progressive metal is unlike anything else, with hints of traditional metal, modern djent, fulfilling pop, and even electronica. The band's two guitarists drive the songs with their angular riffing, but frontman Daniel Estrin's (vocals/keyboards) synth patterns often added playful melodies atop the low-end assault. Djent music on the whole does little for me, but the way Voyager mix the mechanical sound with more melodic elements make it extremely interesting. Estrin is definitely the band's secret weapon however, with a unique soaring voice that is instantly him the moment he opens his mouth. Occasional passages of harsh vocals add colour here and there, but he largely sings clean which often provides a nice contrast with the heavy riffs. He often sung in harmony with Alex Canion (bass guitar/vocals) too, which added some real meat to many of the songs' melodies. I am only casually familiar with the band's work, but the song Misery is Only Company really stood out early on, with the aforementioned harmonies really playing a big part. Another highlight was when one of the songs descended into a full-on techno assault, with synths flying everywhere - something that prompted many in the tent to break into a dance. This was certainly something that is not seen too often at BOA, and I am sure those who made the effort to check out Voyager's set appreciated the diversity on offer. I will have to get myself some more of the band's albums in future, and I will be keeping an eye out for any future UK tours.

During Voyager's set the rain had started to come down quite heavily again so, as I had little interest in any of the bands on for the next hour or so, I decided to head back to the tent. The death metal legends Cannibal Corpse really did not appeal, so went to seek shelter instead. The weekend was starting to catch up with me and I actually ended up having a nap. This was not planned, but it was obviously needed and I woke up just before 9pm feeling fresher. The Main Stage headliners Gojira were about to start their set, so I sorted myself out and headed back to the arena - the entrance of which was now pretty muddy! By the time I had gotten ready and walked in, I had missed the band's first few numbers, but settled myself near the back of the large crowd to catch Saturday's headliners...

Gojira:
The French four-piece metal band were a band I first saw back in 2007 when they supported Trivium, and I have had a bit of an on-and-off relationship with them since. On the whole, Gojira's music does not really do a whole lot for me, but I find the band to be extremely interesting none-the-less. I think it is fair to say that Gojira are a unique band, with a sound quite unlike anyone else's, so I appreciate the band's efforts and respect their status even though I would not call myself a true fan. I saw a couple of numbers of theirs at BOA 2016, where they were the Saturday's special guests, before wondering off and I also saw them later that year supporting Alter Bridge where they impressed. Of the four times I have now seen Gojira live, this was by far the best occasion and the band put on a show worthy of their headline slot with a fantastic light show and visual spectacle to go with their visceral and heavy music. There was talk of Gojira being a small headliner by the festival's standards, but the size of the crowd showed that this certainly was not the case. I am casually familiar with the band's catalogue, so recognised some of the songs played. L'Enfant Sauvage was a personal highlight for me, with Joe Duplantier (vocals/guitar) and Christian Andreu (guitar) teaming up to nail the complex tapping riff. Gojira have a really unique approach to melody, with off-kilter guitar leads often sitting atop really bass-heavy rhythms, all driven by Mario Duplantier's precise drumming. I always love watching him play, as he has such a heavy, yet mechanical style that really suits the band's music. His drum solo was fun to watch, which led into The Shooting Star with it's big, discordant riff. The main set came to an end with a powerful version of The Gift of Guilt which brought a huge reaction from the crowd, who called the band back for an encore. Fireworks heralded the end of the band's set, and I think it is fair to say that Gojira had totally triumphed. While I doubt I will ever become a true fan of the band, this was a masterful performance from a band that seem finally ready to really launch themselves into the big time.

I stayed near the back as I wanted to make sure I could make it over to the Second Stage in time for that stage's Saturday night headliner. Luckily Gojira finished a little early so I had plenty of time to walk over to the tent and make my way down towards the the front for my most-anticipated act of the day...

Orphaned Land:
The Israeli five-piece Orphaned Land are a band that I have really grown to love over the past year or so. I first saw the band supporting Blind Guardian back in 2015, and since then my opinion of them has slowly risen. Their latest album Unsung Prophets & Dead Messiahs is one of my favourite albums of the year so far, so seeing a good-length set from the band was something I was really looking forward to. While I sure many were still on a high from Gojira's set to check out what Orphaned Land had to offer, there was still a pretty large crowd crammed into the tent by the time the band started their set and those who stuck it out until the end witnessed 75 minutes of masterful progressive metal with a strong Middle Eastern flavour. The band took to the stage in darkness, and proceeded to play The Cave, the lengthy opening number from the new album. The sound of strings filled the tent, while the band's two guitarists drove the song with their interlocking, snaking riffs. Frontman Kobi Farhi is a real presence, and pretty much had the whole crowd following his lead from the off. He had the crowd clapping the strange rhythm to All Is One early on, and unleashed his powerful growls during the mid-paced atmospheric metal piece The Kiss of Babylon (The Sins). Farhi's vocal talents are something special, with his rich lower clean vocals really hitting the spot throughout. His Middle Eastern accent gives his voice a unique sound, and he often sounds as if he is calling his fans to prayer with his music. The more straight ahead power metal of the new single Like Orpheus showcased this, and the chorus was picked up by those of us in the crowd who were familiar with it, while the heavier We Do Not Resist was a chance to headbang. There were lots of highlights in the band's set, but to me it was mostly the newer songs that stood out. Let the Truce Be Known, from the band's 2013 effort All Is One, is a peace song for the ages and the message seemed to resonate with those present strongly. This was followed up with the double billing of In Propaganda and All Knowing Eye - the second of which had some gorgeous flowing guitar solos for both Chen Balbus and Idan Amsalem to impress the crowd with. The main set came to an end with In Thy Never Ending Way, a song which featured one more soaring Middle Eastern melody for Fahri to encourage the crowd to sing. The crowd obliged, and coaxed the band out for a couple more. The furious Only the Dead Have Seen the End of War allowed the crowd to once more let themselves go with an all-out metal assault, before the band's more atmospheric closing piece Norra el Norra (Entering the Ark) (with the Ornaments of Gold outro) brought Saturday's music to a close with a triumphant rally of strings. Orphaned Land definitely put on the set of the day for me, and it was great to finally see a full length set from this challenging and original band. The setlist was:

The Cave
All Is One
Ocean Land (The Revelation)
The Kiss of Babylon (The Sins)
Like Orpheus
We Do Not Resist
Sapari
Let the Truce Be Known
In Propaganda
All Knowing Eye
In Thy Never Ending Way
-
Only the Dead Have Seen the End of War
Norra el Norra (Entering the Ark)/Ornaments of Gold

The rain had been falling fairly persistently during Orphaned Land's set. so when they left the stage just before midnight I trudged back through the muddy pathways to my tent and hunkered down for the night. My little tent, which is quite old now and was only cheap, has definitely seen better days and there are parts which now let water in. Thankfully this was only a small amount, but it was enough to cause concern, so toilet roll was laid down to soak up any excess water! The rain continued all through the night, but luckily when I woke up in the morning everything inside was still mostly dry. Sleep had not come too easily, as someone camped near me decided to start shouting at around 3am and did not let up for an hour or so. Even so, I still woke up on Sunday morning feeling fairly fresh and was ready for one more day of music. It was still raining lightly as I was getting ready, and I headed into the main arena to catch the first band on the Main Stage...

Monument:
It had taken me a little longer to get ready than I had realised, so by the time I reached the Main Stage they had already started playing. Despite the rain however, there was still a decent-sized crowd gathered who were enjoying the band's traditional heavy metal sound. Monument contain three ex-members of the excellent, but hilariously unstable White Wizzard, so those familiar with that American band's sound will understand exactly what Monument are about. This was Iron Maiden worship of the highest order, but done really well with a singer (Peter Ellis) who could hit some impressive high notes. Most of the band's songs were based around fast-paced twin-guitar melodies, which helped to shake some of those early morning cobwebs off of those who were still feeling the effects of the lack of sleep. Despite being pretty unoriginal, Monument were an easy band to enjoy. Their melodic approach to songwriting made their material easy on the ear, and a high-energy stage presence certainly helped them stand out early on on a day that was packed full of highlights.

Evergrey:
Up next on the Main Stage were the Swedish dark prog metal masters Evergrey, a band that certainly deserved a higher slot. They made their 40 minutes count however, and were blessed with the rain easing off somewhat and a good-sized crowd venturing out to catch their show. I have been a fan of Evergrey for years, but I still feel like their is a lot for me to discover in their music. I had seen them once previously, which was a support slot with Delain a couple of years ago, and their set at BOA was very similar to the one they played then. Tom S. Englund (vocals/guitar) and co. kicked off their seven song set with the heavy Passing Through, from their latest album The Storm Within, which is based around a deep guitar riff and a big atmosphere from Rikard Zander's synths. The band's newer material dominated the set, with the brooding Black Undertow being a highlight. What makes Evergrey truly stand out from the crowd is Englund's vocals, which are more haunting and emotionally-charged than many others in the progressive metal world. He does not reach for high notes and showcase his power, but instead lets the lyrics really dictate his delivery, which gives the band's songs real staying power. He is the band's only founding member left, but Evergrey is still a real team effort with long-time guitarist Henrik Danhage really pulling his weight too with some excellent solos throughout. It was the last two songs in their set that impressed the most however, with the piano-driven A Touch of Blessing turning the clock back to the band's successful mid-period, while Jonas Ekdahl's marching drum intro heralded the closing number King of Errors which is one of my favourite Evergrey songs. The chorus is so memorable, and Danhage's excellent guitar solo ensured that the band finished on a high. This was one of the performances of the day, and it was a shame that Evergrey did not have more time to play with, as a band of their stature really deserved more of an outing. The setlist was:

Passing Through
The Fire
Leave it Behind Us
My Allied Ocean
Black Undertow
A Touch of Blessing
King of Errors

Amaranthe:
Following Evergrey were fellow Swedes Amaranthe, and their set turned out to be the most chaotic of the weekend. The band were plagued with technical issues, so much so that they started around 20 minutes late and only had time for six songs. The band seemed to be delayed in starting in the first place, but then the intro tape started playing and the band started to make their way onto the stage before the drummer made some kind of signal and everything stopped. I assume there were issues with the click tracks, or his ability to hear them, but the musicians were left on stage in front of an expectant crowd with no way of being able to play. To fill the void, bassist Johan Andreassen took to the stage with a microphone and attempted a bit of a stand up routine to keep the crowd entertained. In fairness, he did fairly well given the circumstances but his jokes wore thin after a while - especially when he resorted to (probably) mildly offensive impressions of the Scottish and the Irish which I am sure did not go down well with certain portions of the crowd. Frontwoman Elize Ryd then took to the stage to apologise for the delay and announced that they would be starting soon, and a few minutes later Amaranthe took to the stage again - and this time managed to play a few songs! Despite this however, the sound mix was awful. The person on the desk clearly had no idea how to manage the band's three lead vocalists, and their technique seemed to be muting microphones at different times and guess when each vocalist was going to sing. This meant that the vocals kept dropping in and out, giving the set a very disjointed and amateurish feel. That being said, the band soldiered on through and managed to put on something of a show for the good-sized crowd. Maximize opened the show, but it was not until the tougher Dynamite that things seemed to fall into place somewhat. The last couple of numbers were the best, and suffered from fewer sound issues, which allowed the band some room to breathe. New clean male singer Nils Molin proved himself to be a good fit, and reworked his parts on Hunger and The Nexus to suit his voice. Ryd is still the star of the show however, and displayed some impressive vocals and good humour despite all of the technical issues. I doubt that the band endeared themselves much to the on stage crew however, as I saw the stage manager give Olof Mörck (guitar) the signal that they had to finish, which he promptly ignored and headed straight into The Nexus! After all the issues they faced I think they deserved that last song, and I would like to see Amaranthe back at the festival in the future to make up for the missed opportunities faced here! This was a set that definitely did not reach it's full potential, but not really down to any fault from the band. The setlist was:

Maximize
On the Rocks
Dynamite
Call Out My Name
Hunger
The Nexus

Something I have not mentioned so far is that Bloodstock always runs a signing tent, with some of the bands agreeing to meet fans and sign autographs for a limited period of time each day. Evergrey's signing session followed Amaranthe's set, so I joined the small queue to meet the band. I had brought my CD copy of The Storm Within to be signed, and the band were all very gracious and seemed to enjoy meeting all the fans who had enjoyed their set. It is always good to see bands that seem genuinely grateful for the support, and I was happy to meet a band who I have liked for quite a while. I took my CD back to the tent following the signing session, and made my way back into the arena in time for...

Fozzy:
The American five-piece hard rock band Fozzy have been around for nearly 20 years now, and were formed by professional wrestler Chris Jericho (vocals) as an additional creative outlet. Despite Jericho's fame from him lengthy WWE career, it is fair to say that Fozzy have long established themselves as a successful entity in their own right, and have quite a large fan base all over the world. The band's fairly generic radio rock was definitely a bit of a strange fit for a metal festival like BOA, and there were a few eyebrows raised when they were announced. Despite a potentially hostile crowd, Jericho and co. hit the stage like they meant business, and steamed through around 45 minutes of their riff-heavy alternative rock which seemed to go down well with portions of the crowd. Jericho himself was a very captivating presence on stage, and really worked for the crowd's reactions. He did not let up throughout the band's set, even taking himself into the crowd for one of the songs and partying with the fans down at the front. Despite his strong presence, I could not help feeling that, for part of the band's set at least, Jericho was miming. Regardless of whether or not he was, as the rest of the band seemed to be picking up a lot of the vocal slack, there was something about the way Jericho's voice sounded pre-recorded. I have since seen lots of people online who were wondering the same thing, so I am glad it was not just me who was having these thoughts! If he was miming, then that is inexcusable for a live performer. It is a shame because he is genuinely a captivating presence on stage, but his performance was cheapened by the thought that he could be miming. Fozzy's music is very bland for my taste anyway, so if he was miming it would not really upset me, but that is the sort of thing that should not be happening at BOA - or anywhere for that matter!

I headed back to the tent for a short break after Fozzy's set, and prepared myself for the last run of bands. I headed back to the arena for an anticipated set on the Main Stage...

Mr. Big:
Like Fozzy, Mr. Big's announcement raised a few eyebrows from the 'tru metulz' crowd who would love to see the festival packed with wall-to-wall extreme metal - but for those of us who love more melodic music Mr. Big's inclusion in the line-up was a treat. While they are more of a melodic 1980s hard rock band that a real metal act, they are an extremely influential band and are made up of some of the most respected musicians in the business. I had not had the opportunity to see the band live before so this set, despite only being 45 minutes, was a real treat. Knowing the BOA crowd might not be the sort of people that they usually play to, the band decided to only play songs from their first three albums - which are all packed with sleazy, hard rock grooves that really seemed to win most of the large crowd over. Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy (The Electric Drill Song) started things off in style, with Paul Gilbert (guitar/vocals) launching into the bluesy riff and frontman Eric Martin strutting his quirky moves all over the front of the stage. Gilbert and Billy Sheehan (bass guitar/harmonica/vocals) are known for both two total masters of their craft, and showcased this early on by bringing out electric drills with guitar pics on to play the song's fast-paced solo with. They have been pulling this stunt for years, but it still impresses and from this point on they had everyone's attention. Alive and Kickin' was an early highlight for me, with Martin belting out the anthemic chorus and drummer Matt Starr locking in fantastically well with Sheehan for the song's trademark groove. More jaws dropped during Gilbert's tapped intro riff to Green-Tinted Sixties Mind, and the heavy blues of Price You Gotta Pay certainly saw plenty of heads nodding. I had wondered whether the band would drop the ballads at a metal festival, but acoustic guitars were soon strapped on for their cover of Cat Stevens' Wild World, which prompted a bit of a sing-a-long with the crowd, before the rest of the jaws hit the floor during Gilbert and Sheehan's trade-off intro to Addicted to that Rush, one of the band's oldest songs. Both are masters of tapping and shredding, and the two traded licks and riffs at lightning speed, before joining together to play the song's opening. It was probably the song of the set, as was filled with constant instrumental pyrotechnics from them both. Martin got to shine on his acoustic ballad To Be With You, the band's biggest hit, which also prompted lots of the crowd to sing along. It was probably the most chilled out song played on the Main Stage all weekend, and it was great to see lots of metal fans singing along to a gentle acoustic ballad. There was still time for one more however, and the heavy, fast-paced Colorado Bulldog was the fitting end to a masterful set. If it was not for a certain headliner who I will get to, Mr. Big would have been the band of the day. They seem to be entering into a big of a hiatus now, after fulfilling all of their previously-booked shows following the death of drummer Pat Torpey, so I am glad that I got a chance to see them before they go back into hiding. The setlist was:

Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy (The Electric Drill Song)
Rock & Roll Over
Alive and Kickin'
Green-Tinted Sixties Mind
Guitar solo
Price You Gotta Pay
Wild World [Cat Stevens cover]
Addicted to that Rush
To Be With You
Colorado Bulldog

I had another little break after Mr. Big's excellent set and came back into the arena in time to catch the start of Act of Defiance's set on the Second Stage. I had planned to watch the band's whole set, but after catching a couple of songs I decided that their extremely generic and tuneless modern metal was just not for me, so I headed over to the Main Stage in time to catch the entirety of the evening's special guest...

At the Gates:
The penultimate band of my weekend was At the Gates, the legendary Swedish melodic death metal band who helped to pioneer what became known as the 'Gothenburg Sound' back in the early 1990s. Mixing traditional death metal with more melodic elements became the band's trademark, and their classic 1995 release Slaughter of the Soul is one of the best examples of the genre. I made quite an effort to get back into At the Gates a few years ago, and even went up to Birmingham to see them in 2014, but since then my interest in the band has waned. There is no doubt that the band is great at what they do, but it does all begin to sound the same after a while. The majority of the band's hour long set came from material from their most recent two albums, and I was able to recognise a few of the tracks from 2014's At War With Reality. The rest of the set came from Slaughter of the Soul, with lots of true Gothenburg classics making an appearance. I would imagine long-time fans would not have been happy at the lack of any early material in the set, but this was probably the best set for a festival crowd. Frontman Tomas Lindberg still has his distinctive screaming voice intact, and drummer Adrian Erlandsson put in a masterful performance behind the kit. Highlights of the set for me were the songs from Slaughter of the Soul, including the title track which came early on in the evening and anthems like Nausea and Suicide Nation. New guitarist Jonas Stålhammar handled the leads well, and overall the band turned in a high-energy performance. At the Gates will never be a true favourite of mine, but they are a band of real stature and they well deserved their special guest slot - and seemed to relish the opportunity to play to a large, appreciative crowd in the UK.

Nightwish:
After a fairly lengthy 45 minute change over, it was time for the Main Stage headliners, the Finnish symphonic metal act Nightwish. Nightwish have always been one of my favourite bands, so they were probably my most-anticipated act of the weekend. The band are currently celebrating their 20th anniversary, and are doing this by pulling a lot of rarely-played songs out of the vaults and wowing crowds with career-spanning setlists that showcase just why they are so well respected. The set started with a bang, with End of all Hope proving to be a powerful opening number. Frontwoman Floor Jansen has the operatic voice for the old songs, and she belted out the staccato choruses with real power while the band powered behind her. While the sound mix was a little off for the first couple of numbers, which meant some of the early orchestral arrangements were lost, this was still a powerful opening - full of pyro and true vocal talent. Fan favouite Wish I Had an Angel got everyone singing early on, before the die-hard fans screamed with delight as the band launched into 10th Man Down from an old EP. Marco Hietala (vocals/bass guitar) sung the parts originally sung by session man Tapio Wilska, with his trademark howls giving the song a different feel due to the lack of the deep gothic tones of the original. Some of the songs were rearranged slightly, with Troy Donockley (guitar/uilleann pipes/whistles/vocals) taking to the stage during the fourth song Come Cover Me, which now has a gorgeous woodwind intro that mimics Jansen's chorus vocal line. Donockley's role in the band seems to be expanding all the time, and he added some extra weight to the power metal workout Gethsemane, with his heavy riffing allowing Emppu Vuorinen (guitar) to tackle the neo-classical leads and duel with band-leader Tuomas Holopainen (keyboards) in a flashy solo section. Some newer numbers, such as the folky Élan and the stadium pop metal of Amaranth were included, but it was the rarely-played classics that unsurprisingly got the biggest reactions.

One of the highlights of the set for me was the heavy, gothic Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean which again featured lots of excellent vocals from Hietala in place of Wilska. Hietala has such an instantly-recognisable voice, and it was strange hearing him something that was originally sung a lot lower. I really liked his interpretations of the parts however, and it was great to hear these songs live - songs which Nightwish have not performed live for many years. The hit single Nemo unsurprisingly received a big cheer, with the crowd singing the chorus back at the band and, as with the previous tour, Donockley shining at the end with a beautiful e-bow solo. Donockley's addition to the band has really allowed Nightwish to widen their musical palette, and it is these little flourishes that show exactly what he brings. The tough metal of Slaying the Dreamer provided a chance to headbang, before the band used two of their epics to close out the festival. The lengthy The Greatest Show on Earth was first and, although somewhat abridged compared to the full version that was played on the last tour, still really hit home. Donockley's folky pipe melodies, Holopainen's orchestrations, and Jansen's full-bodied vocals really make the song come to life, with the images filling the big screens providing a visual feast. Parts II and III of the piece were played, before everything went black and the instantly-recognisable intro to Ghost Love Score started and the crowd showed their appreciation. I had thought on the last tour that this song was sounding a little tired from over-exposure, but it really hit the spot this time and allowed Jansen to show off her operatic vocal side one last time, while the full extent of the band's power and diversity poured out of the BOA PA system. It was a real triumph and the crowds reaction told you all you needed to know. Parts IV and V of The Greatest Show on Earth were used as a sort of extended outro tape while the band were taking their bows, which gave the set gentle and calming end, while Richard Dawkins' narration washed over the crowd. This was easily my favourite set of the weekend, and was probably the second best Nightwish show I have seen. I was not planning on going to see the band on their short UK tour in December as I was seeing them at BOA, but this set was so powerful that I have already bought a ticket to their Birmingham show so it will not be long before I get the chance to see them again! The setlist was:

End of all Hope
Wish I Had an Angel
10th Man Down
Come Cover Me
Gethsemane
Élan
Sacrament of Wilderness
Amaranth
I Want My Tears Back
Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean
Nemo
Slaying the Dreamer
The Greatest Show on Earth - Parts II & III
Ghost Love Score
The Greatest Show on Earth - Parts IV & V

As I walked back to my tent for the final sleep, I reflected on what had been a great festival. The weather did dampen spirits at times, but on the whole BOA was an excellent experience. It was probably the busiest I had been out of all of the BOA iterations that I have now experienced, and I managed to catch a good range of different bands - most of whom impressed at least somewhat. There have been no announcements for next year's festival, but if the line-up is strong I shall once again consider returning. BOA is certainly the best metal festival in the UK, and it is great to see it still continuing to grow. I feel they may struggle to top the pull that Judas Priest inevitably had on 2018's festival, but I am sure the organisers are already working hard on putting together a quality bill for next year.