Blaze Bayley - Plymouth Review

Blaze Bayley is a true survivor. As he eluded to many times throughout his recent headline show in Plymouth, his career has been full of ups and downs. Despite being a well-respected singer and songwriter, Bayley has perhaps never truly received the recognition he deserves. Disappointments, management issues, and label drama have never been too far from Bayley's career, but it seems the Bayley of 2019 is one that is well and truly now on the right track. The last few years have seen Bayley once again embracing his solo career, and the three-album conceptual trilogy that he has written and released since 2016 are some of the best works of his long career. In truth though, the vast majority of albums that Bayley has been involved with over the years have been very strong, and it is a real shame that his stock is not higher than it is. Despite this however, he has a very loyal and dedicated fan base. Every time I have seen him, whether it be at a solo show or at one of the occasional shows he still does with his original band Wolfsbane, his fans turn out in force and create an electric atmosphere. Unfortunately however, I have not been able to see Bayley live for quite a few years. I last saw him back in 2012, when Wolfsbane played The Musician in Leicester - and I have sadly not been able to make any plan to see him since work. You can imagine the joy I felt then when last year he announced a string of UK headline solo shows and a rare Plymouth date was included. My first two experiences of seeing Bayley live were in Plymouth, at the now-demolished White Rabbit. I believe the second of the two shows that I saw was in 2009, meaning that it had been ten years since I last saw him in Plymouth! The venue this time however was the much smaller Junction on Mutley Plain - which conveniently is only a few minutes walk from my house. The Junction is probably the city's best small venue now that both the White Rabbit and The Hub are gone - and every so often they manage to attract an act that are really far too big to be playing there. Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons crammed in there last year and, while he did not draw a crowd of quite the same size, Bayley packed the place out. The atmosphere throughout the evening was fantastic, and it shows that Plymouth has the potential to be a much larger player on the live circuit than it currently is - which is probably largely due to a lack of decent gigging infrastructure.

Before Bayley's set however, the growing crowd was treated to 40 minutes or so from Manchester's Vice, a three-piece heavy metal act who certainly had a lot of power in their sound. The band's sound was fairly traditional, with lots of influences taken from classic heavy metal bands from throughout the years, but there were a few modern twists such as the occasional burst of harsh vocals. I enjoyed the band's set, but I did feel that they still seemed like a bit of a work in progress. Some of the songs really stood out, and a couple had pretty memorable choruses that made them stick, but a few did not really seem to have many hooks - at least vocally. Musically however the band were extremely tight, with Tom Atkinson (vocals/guitar) churning out a number of strong riffs and Connor Summers (drums) particularly impressing with some great old-school metal drumming. In fact I enjoyed the band very much from a musical standpoint, but I just feel that some improvements are needed in the vocal department. Hookier vocal melodies and more of a vocal presence would definitely help the band to reach the next level in my opinion, as all the rest of the ingredients seem to be in place. If the band develop in the right way I feel that they could be ones to watch out for in the future, so I will be keeping an eye on their progress to see in which direction they go.

After a fairly short changeover and a very low-key entrance to the stage, Bayley and his band launched into the anthemic The Dark Side of Black and the place went wild. Bayley always inspires devotion from his fans, but I do not think he or his band - which is made up of members of the band Absolva - were quite prepared for their Plymouth welcome. Throughout Bayley's 90 minute set, the venue was full of atmosphere, with nearly everyone singing nearly every world of every song - and needing very little encouragement to do so and make plenty of noise. This was despite a very forward-looking setlist from the band that omitted many of the more famous songs that Bayley has been associated with throughout his career. A few were saved for the end, but by enlarge the setlist was made up of songs from Bayley's excellent recent trilogy of albums. There are very few weak songs between the three albums, and the best of the bunch filled Plymouth's setlist, with the strong chorus of A Thousand Years hitting the spot early on and the fast-paced Dark Energy 256 saw Bayley's rich, deep voice belting out atop Chris Appleton's (guitar/vocals) snaking main riff. Unlike some of his peers, Bayley's voice sounds as good now as it did in the 1990s. He still has a huge amount of vocal power and his booming, deep delivery is a big part of what has made him a compelling vocalist over the years. Many of his songs include slow build ups to make the most of his vocal style, and the epic Together We Can Move the Sun showcased this perfectly with a gentle intro that soon exploded in a slow-burning chug to allow Bayley to dramatically croon above it.

It was not until the set's mid-point that an older song was played, when the somewhat-forgotten Iron Maiden tune Virus was dusted off. Bayley has often included the song in his sets, and it is one that really showcases his vocal talents. Again the song starts slowly, before exploding in a galloping romp in a way that only Iron Maiden have truly mastered. Bayley's band, despite only having one guitarist, did the older material justice however - and songs from both Bayley's Iron Maiden days and his Blaze band years sounded fresh and exciting. They fit in well alongside the newer material also, but never outshone Bayley's current work - which is a testament to the strength of his newer albums. As the set moved on, the energy levels only increased. Songs like the fast and punchy Fight Back certainly whipped up a storm, before a trip back to the Blaze band and the pseudo-ballad Silicon Messiah saw everyone in the venue singing the dramatic chorus back at the band. By this point the four on stage could do no wrong, and an extended version of the oldie The Day I Fell to Earth, which saw a drum solo from Martin McNee and a bass solo from Karl Schramm, allowed Bayley to take a bit of a break and let his band shine. The lengthy, progressive Eagle Spirit and the huge chorus of Calling You Home saw the main set rounded off in style, before a fake encore break followed where Bayley joked about not being bothered to leave the stage and come back - although in truth there is not really anywhere for him to go in The Junction! The three-song encore was made up of some golden oldies, where the old Blaze tune Stare at the Sun sounded extremely epic, before a couple of Iron Maiden singles in the form of Man on the Edge and Futureal brought the evening to an end. It was a treat to hear those old Iron Maiden classics live again, and Bayley seems to still enjoy playing them after all these years! The setlist was:

The Dark Side of Black
A Thousand Years
Dark Energy 256
The World is Turning the Wrong Way
Human
Together We Can Move the Sun
Solar Wind
Virus [Iron Maiden material]
Life Goes On
Fight Back
Silicon Messiah [Blaze material]
The Day I Fell to Earth [Blaze material]
Eagle Spirit
Calling You Home
-
Stare at the Sun [Blaze material]
Man on the Edge [Iron Maiden material]
Futureal [Iron Maiden material]

Bayley and the band received a huge cheer as the show finished, and he immediately jumped off the stage and made his way over to the merchandise stand to take pictures and sign autographs. He has always been great with his fans and I have met him a few times previously, but this time I took a couple of Wolfsbane record sleeves along to get signed. He happily signed both of them which was great, and made an already-great evening that little bit better. I hope Bayley does not leave it another ten years before returning to Plymouth, but given the reaction of the crowd I imagine he will be returning much sooner this time!

Rosalie Cunningham's 'Rosalie Cunningham' - Album Review

I was a latecomer when it came to the British psychedelic rockers Purson. I remember quite a few of my rock and prog-loving friends banging on about them for a couple of years before I actually bothered to take the plunge - which I only did as the band announced a show in Plymouth about a five minute walk away from my house. I listened to the band's 2013 debut album The Circle and the Blue Door a few times before the gig, but it was the show that made a fan. I enjoy the band's albums, but live the song took on another dimension. Despite appearing as a five-piece band, in truth Purson was largely the brainchild of frontwoman and multi-instrumentalist Rosalie Cunningham. Live she fronted the band and played the lion's share of the lead guitar parts, but in the studio she essentially created the whole Purson sound - especially on 2016's Desire's Magic Theatre album which was released shortly after their show in Plymouth. Nearly everything, with the exception of the drums and a few other little bits and pieces, was played by Cunningham meaning that Purson was essentially just her going under the guise of a band. Unfortunately however, Purson were relatively short-lived, and around a year or so after I saw them for the first time (I also caught them later in 2016 at the Cambridge Rock Festival) the band were no more. It was a real shame that Purson were over just as they really seemed to be gathering some serious momentum, but some things just are not meant to last. A short while later however, Cunningham announced that she was going to write a record a solo album which - given that Purson's albums were essentially solo albums anyway - was an exciting prospect. The album's creative and recording process seemed to be a fraught one for Cunningham however, as she was one of the artists affected by the Pledgemusic scandal which still has not been resolved. In fact I still have not received a refund for my initial pre-order of Cunningham's album via that platform, and probably never will, but it was the artists that were mainly affected - with many committing to costs with the promise of pre-order money that never came. Cunningham was then picked up by long-standing alternative record label Cherry Red however, which I am sure helped her to get through the financial issues and provided her with a stable platform to once again launch a pre-order campaign. The album thankfully still got made, and was released last month - with a lovely signed copy dropping through my letterbox a month or so ago. I had wondered what the album would sound like, but it seems that Cunningham's self-titled debut album picks up exactly where Desire's Magic Theatre left off three years ago. Anyone who loved Purson will love this new album, as soundwise it is extremely similar. I did wonder whether she would look to deliberately move away from that sound, but if anything Cunningham has really doubled-down on the psychedelic, late 1960s-style rock sound that made Purson such a success.

The eight-track album kicks off with lead single Ride On My Bike, a cacophony of vaudeville aesthetic with pop sensibilities - a sound we have come to expect from Cunningham. A fuzzy guitar riff opens the piece, before plinky piano rhythms and grinding organ join the fray for a perfect time machine back to the late 1960s. There are songs here that sound somewhat less Purson-esque, but this is a song that could have fit easily on either of the band's albums. Cunningham's rich voice sounds fantastic here, and her playful lyrics and vocal melodies sound as good as they ever have. Her vocal performance throughout this album is possibly her best yet, and the instrumentation (again, largely Cunningham's handiwork with the help of a few guests) is tighter. The opening track is largely fairly laid back, despite a driving beat, but an instrumental break sees a foray into hard rock territory, borrowing more from bands like Uriah Heep than The Beatles. It works well to inject some energy into the piece however, and ensures the opening single is a catchy, yet dynamic offering. Fuck Love is largely keyboard-driven, with stabs of organ heralding the song's beginning during a dramatic intro - before a choppy verse takes over with a bouncy organ riff and effects-heavy guitar leads forming the basis of the piece. The lyrics have a tongue-in-cheek and satirical vibe, which suits Cunningham's dulcet delivery perfectly, while the carnival romp around her oozes melody and class - especially from the selection of retro keyboard textures. A short guitar solo showcases Cunningham's guitar prowess, but this is rarely an album that descends into indulgent lengthy instrumental sections. The cutting loose is always tasteful, and the solo here allows a few moments of biting melody - which suit the lyrical themes perfectly - before the laid back organ shuffle takes over once again. House of the Glass Red reigns in the poppier overtones of the opening two numbers, and showcases Cunningham's more progressive influences. It is clear from her work throughout the years that she has been influenced by bands like Curved Air, and those influences are shown here with a layered progressive sound that mixes lots of different vibes together for a grand, yet whimsical sound. Acoustic guitars are ever-present here, with Cunningham often using the simple chord structure as the basis of the song, and then adding more retro keyboards and effects-heavy vocals atop it. Sparkly electric piano melodies form the basis of the instrumental breaks, while fuzzy slide guitars fill the verses and provide a counter melody to the sultry vocal delivery. Distorted wordless vocal melodies are also used throughout for effect, something which also adds to the dense overall sound.

Dethroning of the Party Queen ups the urgency somewhat compared to the previous number, and removes the acoustic guitar layers for a more-traditional electric guitar rhythm - but again it is the keyboards that drive the piece. Organs and pianos again team up for an atmospheric and evocative soundscape, all while a snaking bassline keeps time. Cunningham has a knack for writing songs that are deceivingly rocking. Her songs rarely move along at a pace above what you might call 'mid-pace', but the playfulness of the songs and the jaunty circus-esque rhythms always keep the songs ticking along nicely. This is one the pieces that particularly benefits from this approach. Samuel Thompson's drums move along at fairly relaxed pace, but the song still maintains a kinetic energy. I believe it is the mix of instrumentation that gives the song this feeling, and the diversity of the instruments used which means that something new is never too far away. Nobody Hears is more of a stripped-back piece however, with a lengthy keyboard intro that helps to set the tone - before a lone acoustic guitar takes over which forms the basis of the verse. The song is one that builds up gradually as it moves along, but early portions feature Cunningham singing alone with her guitar - before other instrumentation slowly joins the fray. A simple bass drum soon adds some rhythm, while other guitar lays chime in for effect and a pulsing bassline compliments the percussion. The verses maintain this one-man-band feel throughout, while the choruses open up slightly, with a more-expansive waltz-esque drum beat to keep everything moving. Riddles and Games picks back up on the playful melodies and rhythms featured earlier, and taps back into the Purson-vein that opened up the album. There is much of a hard rock feel here however, with the whole song moving along at a faster pace, putting more of an emphasis on a rock beat and driving rhythm guitars. The verses are more laid back, but the chorus is an explosive hard rock moment - featuring some of Cunningham's best vocals on the album and a driving organ presence. Uriah Heep comparisons can once again be made, and the piece ends up sounding a bit like Uriah Heep covering The Doors while being fronted by Sonja Kristina - which in fairness is not a bad way to sum up the entire album. There is a bit more rock showmanship here too, with a couple of more-extended guitar solos that include a lot of period wah effects, as well as the aforementioned organ which really growls out of the speakers. The song is one of the album's best, and one of Cunningham's best compositions yet in my opinion.

Butterflies is a gentle piece, and is largely based around a fairly simple acoustic guitar pattern which Cunningham croons atop. Other instruments occasionally join the fray, such as a short instrumental section which features what sounds like a Mellotron in the lead role, but on the whole this is a piece that focuses mainly on the voice and guitar of Cunningham. Much of the album takes on a layered approach, with songs that feature a lot of music and ideas crammed into fairly short running times - but this one revels in simplicity, which is perhaps apt given the song that follows it! The album's final piece is the thirteen-minute epic A Yarn from the Wheel, which sounds like a song that has been a long time coming for Cunningham. She has displayed her prog influences and credentials previously, but is the first time she has gone all-out and written a true prog epic. The song does not deviate far from her usual style however, but instead doubles down on the vaudeville feeling and goes for an all-out psychedelic freak out. Unsurprisingly given the song's length, there are prominent instrumental sections. The first major change takes the song into a somewhat Pink Floyd-esque direction, with guitar swells that echo Echoes and drawn out vocals that recall that early 1970s period where psychedelia was still a big part of the British musical tapestry. Spoken work sections appear periodically throughout the piece too, adding some thespian drama to the already-dense and meandering piece. Cunningham has thrown everything at the song, and it really shows. Despite the song clearly being made up of a number of sections, with quite abrupt changes at times, everything holds together nicely. The pieces sit nicely alongside each other, with more gentle acoustic sections holding hands with organ wig outs - perfectly showing Cunningham's diverse talents in the process. Other musicians are credited with some guitar, bass, and keyboard parts, but I believe that the lion's share of what is heard here is Cunningham's own doing. The organ playing throughout this album in particular is stunning, and aside from recent albums from the likes of Uriah Heep and Deep Purple - there have been few organ performances this good for a number of years. As the song moves towards a close, the instrumentation gets more gentle and atmospheric, with the Floyd-esque feelings returning to allow the piece to come a keyboard-heavy and droning close - save for a tiny carnival reprise right at the end. It is a perfect end to an album that does so much in a relatively short run time (around 45 minutes), and showcases lots of vibes and influences. Overall, Rosalie Cunningham's debut solo album is a triumph. It picks up perfectly where Purson and Desire's Magic Theatre left off three years ago, but builds on that established formula and forays deeper into more progressive territories which perfectly show of Cunningham and her talents.

The album was released on 26th July 2019 via Esoteric Antenna/Cherry Red Records. Below is her promotional video for Ride On My Bike.

Bloodstock Open Air 2019

Bloodstock Open Air is probably the country's best festival when it comes heavy metal music. While the much larger Download Festival often has strong line-ups, it is not purely focused on heavy metal. Download is a home for alternative music in general, whereas Bloodstock is the home of heavy metal - at least in the UK. From the festival's humble indoor beginnings in 2001 which saw Saxon and Orange Goblin headline the two-day event, Bloodstock has grown into a fixture on the UK's heavy metal calendar. It moved to its current home at Catton Hall in 2005, and has only grown larger over the years. Last year's iteration of the festival was the biggest to date, with headliners in the form of Judas Priest, Gojira, and Nightwish - plus a strong undercard - attracting the biggest crowd that the festival had ever seen. It was always going to be hard to top 2019, but the festival organisers tried their best to compete. Early bookings were extremely strong from my perspective - with favourites of mine like Sabaton and Queensrÿche (the former as the Friday night headliner) announced early on - and a steady stream of decent acts announced throughout the back end of 2018 persuaded me to buy a ticket. After that however, the bookings started to move away from the sort of music that I like - but luckily enough bands that I like had already been announced by that point. 2019 also seemed to be the year where Bloodstock openly, and some might say bullishly, attempted to diversify their offering. The announcement of the Australian metalcore act Parkway Drive as the Saturday night headliner caused a lot of intense discussion online, especially as the rest of Saturday's bill had clearly been put together to shift day tickets - without much thought given to the festival's core fanbase. There is nothing wrong with attempting to spread the net to catch a wider audience, but I think that many of Bloodstock's regulars saw Saturday's bill as a blatant attempt to shift the direction of future festivals. The behaviour of some of the festival's organisers on Twitter reacting to the backlash certainly did not help either, so I understand the frustrations of the regular fans to an extent. At the end of the day, Bloodstock is the sort of festival that people go to to avoid listening to bands like Parkway Drive - so to have them (and an undercard to suit them) shoved down their throats with a 'like it or lump it' attitude was hard to take. That being said, in my opinion the overall bill was a strong one. The Friday and Sunday in particular ended up being busy days for me, so I actually appreciated having a bit more time to relax on the Saturday!

The journey up from Devon to Derbyshire on the train with all my camping equipment is never a fun one, but I had managed this year to pack up all my gear extremely easily. This made the sometimes-stressful journey much easier, and by the time I reached Lichfield City railway station and boarded the shuttle bus (which stank - some metal fans really live up to their negative stereotypes!) I was raring to go. I had left Plymouth early as I had built queuing time into my journey. Last year (and in 2017 apparently but I did not go to BOA 2017) there were extremely long queues to actually get into the festival. Last year it took me just under two hours to get into the campsites after disembarking from the shuttle bus, but this year it took me about five minutes! I am not sure if the festival had improved their checking in and bag searching process or not, but sadly I think the reason probably was the fact that weekend ticket sales were down. I always camp in Asgard (which is right next to the main entrance) and it certainly seemed much less crowded than it usually does. Often, there are tents pressed right up against each other with very little room to manoeuvre - but this year there just seemed to be a lot more room. I certainly was not complaining about this, but I hope the lack of weekend campers has not had much of a detrimental impact on the festival's finances. I never felt that the crowds inside the arena felt much smaller than at previous festivals however - so I think that the numbers were made up for in day ticket sales. Saturday definitely saw a lot of punters turn up just for the day, but Friday and Sunday also had their share of day ticket holders. Bloodstock does often face strong competition from the larger European metal festivals that are big draws for many fans, and I wonder if the Parkway Drive saga pushed a few more people away to the likes of Wacken of Hellfest instead? Whatever the reason however, the lack of a ridiculous queue was certainly welcome, and it meant that I could put my tent up and unpack all my stuff at a fairly leisurely pace. Once that was done I had a bit of time before the main festival site opened, so I decided to go on a long walking tour of all the campsites. These also seemed to be filling up a little slower than usual, so that seemed to confirm my fears that weekend ticket sales were down on previous years - which was certainly a shame to see. By this point however, the main site was open so I headed on in to take a look at what food stalls and other things were on offer. The usual mix of over-priced food was available, as well as traders selling all kinds of merchandise. The usual large CD/LP stall was back, so I spent a good amount of time in there on the Thursday evening finding bargains. None of the LPs really tempted me this time, but I found a few cheap CDs which I snapped up - including efforts by Saxon and Rage. By this time the first band that I had earmarked to check out were about to start on the Sophie Lancaster Stage (hereafter called the Second Stage), so I headed into the large tent to check out...

Blind River:
The Thursday night at Bloodstock sees a handful of bands take to the Second Stage, with the festival proper starting in earnest on the Friday. There were not many bands that I wanted to check out on the Thursday, but Blind River sounded like they would be worth watching. The British five-piece only had half an hour to play with, but they went about impressing the large crowd that was gathered in the tent with their bluesy hard rock, that had a tough edge reminiscent of some of Voodoo Six's best work. While hard rock is not usually the order of the day at Bloodstock, occasionally a hard rock band wins through and the dirty grooves of Blind River certainly went down well with the punters. The riffs were powerful, and the vocals had a tough, bluesy grit - all of which helped the band to sound the way that they did. Songs like the new effort Made of Dirt and Freedom Dealer stood out, and the band certainly seemed to go down well with all who had made the effort to come and check their set out. They are a band that I will keep an eye on going forward, and will probably pick up a copy of their debut album at some point in the future.

There were not really any other bands on the Thursday that interested me, so I had resigned myself to having an early night. I had planned to check out the Greek black metal act Rotting Christ, who headlined the Thursday night, as I had somewhat enjoyed the small part of their set that I saw at the festival back in 2016. I only made it through about three of their songs however, as black metal is really not my thing and they were not as melodic as I remember them being last time. They drew a huge crowd though, so I am sure that those who stuck around had a great time! I headed back to my tent instead and settled down for the night. Luckily, throughout the weekend, all of those camped around me were extremely quiet and clearly valued their rest! This was great, as it meant that I actually slept fairly well throughout the weekend, and this helped me feel fresh each day and helped my stamina levels. Thursday night was no different, and sleep came fairly easily, despite waking up a few times in the night. I had a nice lie-in on the Friday morning, and headed into the area fairly early for some lunch. The paella stall was back again, and I ended up eating there for lunch every day. It was one of the best foods on offer at the festival, and the large portion sizes kept me filled up for most of the day. I also saw a bit of Incite on the Ronnie James Dio Stage (hereafter called the Main Stage) while I was eating who were awful. Their brand of bellowing with the worst guitar tone of the weekend did not impress, but it was a band on the Second Stage that I had earmarked to watch after my lunch, so I headed over to the tent for...

Control the Storm:
Symphonic metal was not well represented at Bloodstock this year, but Bristol's Control the Storm did their bit for the genre - and put on a strong 30 minute showing in the tent to a large and appreciative crowd. Despite having far too much pyro than was necessary for a slot so early on in the day, the band's music held my interest throughout their time on stage. I saw the band a few years ago in Bristol supporting Delain, but the Control the Storm of 2019 is a very different to beast to the one of then. Members have come and gone in a regular fashion over the past few years, but a period of stability seems to have ensued, with the band releasing their second album earlier in the year. Much of the set seemed to be from that album, with the heavy riffing of guitarists Rich Shillitoe and Matt Smith driving the songs forward; with Raedon Mac's keyboards largely providing an atmospheric backing. In Firouzeh, the band have a captivating frontwoman with a powerful voice to match. She seems to have taken the band to the next level, and was certainly the focal point of their set - despite both Shillitoe and Smith impressing with the occasional solo. The band's set came to a close with their new single Follow Me, an anthem that certainly impressed. I have somewhat been keeping up with the band since the Delain show a few years ago, but on the strength of this showing I shall need to pick up their new album shortly.

It was then over to the Main Stage for the first act on the big stage of my weekend (Incite do not count!). Sound on the Main Stage has often been variable throughout the Bloodstocks I have attended, but 2019 was relatively issue-free when it came to the sound (baring some incidents on the Saturday which I will get to in due course). I got over to the stage while Death Angel were setting up, but I did not have long to wait before their set...

Death Angel:
Death Angel are one of the thrash bands that I have probably listened to the most over the years, but my only previous experience of seeing them live was seeing them open up for Queensrÿche a few years ago in London. They were good then, and they were good again this time - but sadly only had time for six songs. I would have thought a band of Death Angel's standing would have been awarded a higher slot, but sadly this was not the case. Despite being so low down the bill, the Californian band knocked it out of the park, with a set that largely focused on their more recent albums, with a couple of classic older songs thrown in for good measure. Frontman Mark Osegueda has one of the best voices in thrash in my opinion, and he was in excellent form throughout. He sang older tracks like Voracious Souls as effortlessly as he tackled newer tracks like The Moth, while the band whipped up a storm around him - with Rob Cavestany (guitar/vocals) often stealing his limelight with some impressive shredding. It is great to see veteran acts like Death Angel focus on their newer material live too, as so many rely on the same old tired classics night after night. The Dream Calls for Blood was the highlight of the short set for me, before a couple of tracks from the band's newly-released album Humanicide finished everything up. It was a set that went down well with the crowd, and hopefully next time the band return to the festival they will be rewarded with a higher billing! The setlist was:

Thrown to the Wolves
Voracious Souls
The Moth
The Dream Calls for Blood
The Ultra-Violence/The Pack
Humanicide

Staying at the Main Stage, the next band to impress the growing crowd were...

Metal Church:
Metal Church are a band that I have only started listening to in the last year or so. I always meant to make more of an effort with their music, but it took their announcement for Bloodstock to encourage me to truly take the plunge. Never heavy enough to be thrash, but with more grit and sharp edges than your average 1980s heavy metal act, Metal Church somewhat stand alone. In some ways they are probably America's answer to Judas Priest, with Kurdt Vanderhoof's (guitar/vocals) muscular riffing and the ageless vocals of the recently-returned frontman Mike Howe driving everything forward. Their crowd was probably slightly smaller than the one Death Angel had enjoyed an hour or so previously, but the five-piece went about delivering an eight-song set with the enthusiasm and energy that metal needs. Songs like the opening duo of Damned if You Do and Needle and Suture represented the band's more recent efforts, while classics in the form of Badlands and Beyond the Black had many of the older metalheads in the crowd singing along. I did feel however that the crowd never truly warmed to Metal Church - something which many of the more 'traditional' metal acts throughout the weekend also suffered. Clearly the 2019 Bloodstock crowd, on the whole, preferred the heavier acts overall (with a couple of exceptions) - but I and a handful of others lapped up Metal Church. The highlight of their set was a barnstorming rendition of Start the Fire, with Howe spitting out the lyrics effortlessly and the big chorus getting something from the crowd. I also really enjoyed watching the former W.A.S.P. drummer Stet Howland whip up a storm behind his kit. His widely-placed bass drums looked strange, but it meant that you could easily see exactly what he was doing, and he gave a masterclass in heavy metal drumming throughout the band's set as a result. By the time the band reached their final number, Fake Healer, a few more in the crowd seemed to have been won around - and the band left the stage to a decent cheer. This was a set that really cemented my love for the band, and I hope to be able to make a full-length show of theirs in due course. The setlist was:

Damned if You Do
Needle and Suture
Badlands
Start the Fire
Beyond the Black
By the Numbers
In Mourning
Fake Healer

With a bit of a break before the next band that I wanted to see, I decided to join the queue at the signing tent to meet Death Angel. I had brought my copy of Humanicide for them to sign, but just as I joined the queue the heavens opened and the first of about four really nasty showers of the weekend hit. It had rained fairly steadily, but lightly, throughout the night - but this was a storm-level shower that made sure plenty of water hit the already-wet ground. From this point on, the whole festival site was basically a mud pit - especially the regular walking routes. The weather was very changeable throughout the weekend, but unfortunately managed to hinder the festival in a number of ways. The mud was one of the two worst ways however, and it seemed that the organisers were totally unprepared for it - despite forecasts warning of nasty showers throughout the weekend. I have been to much smaller festivals (with a lot less money and infrastructure than Bloodstock) who immediately threw down straw or sawdust onto the main walking routes after nasty showers to prevent the mud getting too bad - but Bloodstock did not seem to want to do this, which led to some of the walkways becoming pretty treacherous and a chore to use. It was a real shame that the organisers did not have the foresight to think of this, as I think it would have improved the overall experience for many people. I managed to shelter in a nearby trader's tent during the shower, and rejoined the Death Angel signing queue once the rain passed. I managed to still get my CD signed, which was great, and I immediately headed back to my tent afterwards to check that everything was still all ok there. Thankfully everything inside was dry, so I took the opportunity to have a bit of a break (something which I find very important during long festivals). After a bit of a lie down a recharge of my internal batteries, I trudged back through the developing mud to the Main Stage to catch...

Children of Bodom:
The Finnish five-piece melodic death metal act have been a bit hit-and-miss over the past decade or so, but the last couple of years has seen them up their game once again and earlier this year they released Hexed - their best album for quite some time. Three of the new songs were featured in a nine-song set that mixed some of their most-anthemic material with some of their older, more neo-classical pieces - with Alexi Laiho (vocals/guitar) on scintillating form. The addition of Daniel Freyberg (guitar/vocals), who now handles some of the lead guitar parts live, seems to have freed Laiho up somewhat - giving him more to to focus on his vocals when needed, and allowing him to really let rip and shred during other portions of the set. Are You Dead Yet? got things off to a great start, but it was the newer number Under Grass and Clover that really impressed early on with some excellent guitar/keyboard interplay between Laiho and Janne Wirman (keyboards/vocals). From this point on the set was a tour-de-force of the genre, with song after song bringing a strong reaction from the crowd. The gang vocals of In Your Face got everyone singing along, while the mid-paced horror chug of Angels Don't Kill was the perfect reason for the large crowd to headbang. Children of Bodom are no strangers to the festival, having headlined back in 2010 and appeared at numerous other iterations, and they seemed to enjoy being back - an energy which the crowd fed off. Those who prefer their music faster and heavier would have enjoyed the thrashy This Road, but it was the closing duo of Downfall and Hate Crew Deathroll that perhaps saw the biggest reactions of the set. Both are from the band's early days, and both feature lots of excellent keyboard work from Wirman, along with plenty of strong neo-classical motifs that really sum up the band's original sound - as well as the sound that has been brought back somewhat on Hexed. It was a powerful set from a band that were out in the cold for a while, and now seem to firmly be back on the right track. The setlist was:

Are You Dead Yet?
Under Grass and Clover
In Your Face
Platitudes and Barren Words
Angels Don't Kill
This Road
Hate Me!
Downfall
Hate Crew Deathroll

I used the changeover time after Children of Bodom's set to take on some food, and opted for the battered sausage and chips from the 'chippy'-esque vendor - which was pretty tasty and one of the better value options I could find. The food prices at Bloodstock have reached a point over the last couple of of years where you often find yourself rationing meals so that a small fortune is not spent. Prices only ever go one way, and I feel that in a couple of years it will have got to a point where people vote with their feet and cook their own food (which the festival does not make that easy) or survive off snacks and army-esque rations. I really feel the festival should reevaluate how much it charges the stall holders for their pitches, as it is most likely this that drives the prices up - as soon it will pass a point where most people are just not willing to spend the money. Once dinner was over, it was back over the Main Stage to catch...

TesseracT:
The Milton Keynes-based djent five-piece are a band that I have only ever been a casual fan of. I appreciate their ability, and they are a ridiculously-tight live act - but the angular, mechanical sound that djent is built on does not really do a lot for me. I saw the band play in Plymouth a couple of years ago, which I enjoyed, but they are a not a band that I listen to regularly. I was interested to catch them live again however, and the band put on a strong show despite in a slot that seemed very high up the bill for a band with a such a specific cult appeal. The crowd certainly thinned after Children of Bodom finished their set, but those of us who stuck around for TesseracT were rewarded with a tight set full of polyrhyhms, spacey melodies, and some amazing vocals from frontman Daniel Tompkins. While the band can be heavy at times, with occasional bursts of harsh vocals, much of the band's material is atmospheric - with the tight guitar riffs of Acle Kahney and James Monteith mixing well with the synths and the dominant bass force of Amos Williams. TesseracT's sound is their own and, while the songs do all start to sound quite samey after a while, they went down well with the crowd. Epic melodic pieces such as Of Mind - Nocturne and Dystopia sat nicely alongside the heavier early material, and when the set came to a close with the hypnotic Juno the band had showed why they were given such a high billing.

The changeovers get longer as the days progress, so there was a bit of hanging around in between TesseracT's set and that of the day's special guests - who hit the stage around 45 minutes later...

Powerwolf:
The remainder of Friday's Main Stage line-up was dedicated to power metal, with Germany's Powerwolf enjoying an hour in the company of a huge crowd that really lapped up everything that they had to offer. With most of the songs played coming from their recent few albums Powerwolf, led by the charismatic frontman Attila Dorn, sped through a forward-thinking ten-song set that showed that they are poised for even bigger things. With a big stage show to match their anthemic songs, it was certainly a set to remember - and anthems like Fire & Forgive and Army of the Night set the tone early on. The band's music is fairly uncomplicated, with Falk Maria Schlegel's keyboards providing the horror-themed melodies that form the basis of the Powerwolf's songs. The riffs of the Greywolf 'brothers' are all fairly simple, but they drive the songs forward nicely, and are a great backing for Dorn's calls to arms. I felt that the band interacted well with the crowd, but I did feel that they took it too far at times. There was a good five minutes of fooling around before Armata Strigoi which saw Dorn and Schlegel attempt to teach the crowd a lengthy section of the song to sing, which was then only featured briefly at the end of the song. Another song could have easily been played instead, and there were other moments that also dragged on far too long ('Let me hear all the girls!...Now, let me hear all the boys!' - so nothing at all original) which was a bit of a shame, but when the band really got down to business their music shone through. Highlights for me were the slightly folky overtones of Incense & Iron, the recent single Demons are a Girl's Best Friend and an epic closing rendition of We Drink You Blood that had everyone singing along with huge grins on their faces. My qualms about their time-wasting interactions aside, this was a triumphant set from a band that are already a big deal in the metal world - and one that are only set to get bigger. I can see the band headlining festivals in a couple of years if they keep up this momentum, and if they do then it will not be undeserved. The setlist was:

Fire & Forgive
Army of the Night
Incense & Iron
Amen & Attack
Demons are a Girl's Best Friend
Armata Strigoi
Blessed & Possessed
Resurrection by Erection
Werewolves of Armenia
We Drink Your Blood
Wolves Against the World

There was an hour to wait after Powerwolf's set before the day's headline act, so I headed back to the tent for a quick break. By this point the mud had got pretty bad, so those who braved the journey back to the campsites had to do so slowly! I enjoyed the short break, and made it back to the Main Stage in time for...

Sabaton:
In many ways, Sweden's Sabaton have grown up alongside Bloodstock. As frontman Joakim Brodén stated during their set, the first time the band played at the festival that had around 20 minutes to play with around lunch time - which is certainly a far-cry from headlining the Friday night! Sabaton have played at Bloodstock a few times over the years, but 2019 was the first time where they headlined. With a big stage show, and a strong back catalogue of anthemic war songs at their disposal, the five-piece power metal act went about stealing the entire day. As usual, the band opened with their ode to Erwin Rommel Ghost Division, before launching into the dramatic, symphonic title track of their newly-released ninth album The Great War. It was a powerful opening duo and, despite some muddy sound that affected the band's show early on (and continued to raise its head occasionally throughout the entire set), really set the tone for what was to come. While material from throughout the band's career was played, the band chose to focus more on their recent albums. This was a wise move, as the band's recent albums are some of the strongest that they have released in my opinion, and hearing the speed metal of Fields of the Verdun and the all-out power metal bombast of 82nd All The Way truly was a treat. Unsurprisingly the band attracted a large crowd, and even though I was stood quite far back there was still an electric atmosphere in the field. Nearly everyone around me was singing along to every word, with older tracks like The Price of a Mile and the anthemic Carolus Rex in particular really hitting the spot. Even the newer songs were belted out word-for-word by the crowd, with the Hammond organ-driven The Red Baron in particular seeming to get a good reaction. Drummer Hannes van Dahl, atop his tank drum riser, in particular received a good work out as a result of the fast-paced tune - while Tommy Johansson (guitar/vocals) impressed with a fluid, fast-paced guitar solo. Festival headliners are booked to really get the crowd going, and Sabaton really managed that throughout their 90 minutes on stage. While not everyone in attendance probably has consumed the band's discography as much as I have, they are a captivating band that never fail to entertain. Brodén is an engaging frontman, who kept the crowd on side at all times (even if the will they/won't they joke regarding playing Swedish Pagans is getting quite old now) and really led the band forward. Towards the end the energy just continued to rise, with the early sound gremlins now largely absent, with songs like Night Witches and the over-the-top set-closer The Last Stand receiving big reactions from all in attendance. A three-song encore followed the main set, with the oldie Primo Victoria getting the whole field jumping and Swedish Pagans (which they will of course play despite all the clowning around) receiving one of the biggest sing-a-longs of the day. It was left to To Hell and Back to round everything off, and as the band's last pyro explosions happened they took their bows to huge cheers from the crowd. This was a triumphant headlining set - and Sabaton are a band that are only going to get bigger and better with time! The setlist was:

Ghost Division
Great War
Resist and Bite
Fields of Verdun
Winged Hussars
82nd All The Way
The Price of a Mile
Bismarck
The Red Baron
Dominium Maris Baltici
The Lion from the North
Carolus Rex
Night Witches
Diary of an Unknown Solider
The Lost Battalion
Shiroyama
The Last Stand
-
Primo Victoria
Swedish Pagans
To Hell and Back

After Sabaton's set the Main Stage was shut down for the night, so I made my way back to my tent for some sleep. I had originally planned to watch Grand Magus' set on the Second Stage, but I was really tired by this point and really needed some rest. I often have good intentions to watch the Second Stage headliners at Bloodstock, but I very rarely make these sets! I made a special effort for Orphaned Land last year, but most of the time I am just far too tired from all the standing around to properly enjoy another full set by the time the Main Stage headliners are done. I will be seeing Grand Magus in Bristol next year however, so at least I will get a chance to see them then. Sleep seemed to come relatively quickly, which was good, so I woke up on the Saturday feeling fairly fresh. The Saturday line-up was the weakest of the weekend for me, so I allowed myself a bit of a lie-in. The first bands of the day did not really interest me, so I headed into the arena as Krysthla were coming to the end of their set. Judging by the couple of songs of their set that I heard, I had not missed much - more bellowing - and I got some lunch in preparation for the first set of the day that I had earmarked to check out...

Cancer Bats:
Hardcore is not really my thing, but Canada's Cancer Bats have been a big deal in the metal world for a number of years now and I thought that I owed it to myself to properly check them out. I feel that I must have heard some of their songs over the years, but their 40 minute set at Bloodstock was my first proper exposure to them. The ground was muddy, it was drizzling a bit, and lots of people still looked half asleep - but frontman Liam Cormier and co. went about waking everyone up with their energetic, aggressive, and punky sound that certainly helped to shake the cobwebs away. Cormier is an extremely active frontman, and he really helped to whip up a storm as he jumping around the stage; all while the static force of Scott Middleton (guitar) churned out plenty of gritty riffs. Hardcore may not be my thing, but Cancer Bats certainly deserved their slot at the festival. I will never be a convert to their music, but their set was a powerful one that showcased why they are one of the premier bands in their field, and the crowd certainly seemed to appreciate their efforts. Ending with a cover of Black Sabbath's War Pigs was also a good move, and provided a chance for a bit of a sing-a-long early in the day for a growing crowd.

During the changeover after Cancer Bats' set, we got the first signs that the weather was once again going to have its say. Friday was blighted by the rain, but Saturday suffered from the wind. The early sign that was was going to be a problem was that the curtains at the back of the Main Stage that separated the band performing with the backstage set-up area was tied back to stop it blowing around - but the full force of the issues would not be known until later in the day. Following on from Cancer Bats, with the lack of a backdrop and the the addition of some more drizzle was...

Swallow the Sun:
The Finnish doom metal six-piece are a band that I have only really been listening to for a few months now, but I have become quite a fan of their most recent album and plan on investigating their back catalogue in due course. An early slot in the daylight (despite the overcast conditions) was not the best showcase for their slow, atmospheric sound however - and as a result the band really did not have the impact that they probably usually do. At times heavy, and at times extremely melodic, the crew never seemed to get the band's live sound right. At times they were extremely quiet (which was not helped by the wind), while the heavier sections often sounded like a mush of instruments and harsh vocals. Moments of brilliance shined through, such as lots of gorgeous vocal harmonies between frontman Mikko Kotamäki and Jaani Peuhu (keyboards/vocals), but on the whole the band unfortunately did not make a real impact - which was a shame. The weather did not help, but I feel the band would have been better suited to playing on the Second Stage later on in the evening, when the darkness and confined space would have helped the band's layered and atmospheric sound to really shine.

There was a bit of break following Swallow the Sun's set before the next band that I wanted to see, so I decided to head back to the tent for a bit of a rest. I enjoyed the sit down, and marvelled at how my small tent coped amazingly well with the growing winds, before heading back into the arena to the Second Stage a little while later to catch...

Dust Bolt:
While I am only really a casual fan of thrash, I usually enjoy taking in exponents of the genre live. There was not a whole lot of thrash at Bloodstock this year, so unsurprisingly Germany's Dust Bolt drew a big crowd as those thrashers in attendance got their thrash fix. I have certainly seen better thrash acts, but the four-piece entertained during their 40 minutes on stage. All of the thrash hallmarks were present and correct - with razor-sharp riffing, double-bass drumming, and slower sections for plenty of headbanging making up all of the band's songs. While the band's material was not as anthemic as that of many thrash bands, and I thought that their choruses on the whole were not that strong, Dust Bolt certainly managed to create a strong energy in the tent. Down at the front there was plenty of pit action to be seen, and even those of us further back contributed with a lot of headbanging. The band started off with a big crowd, but as they continued it only grew larger. I imagine the band made a few new fans at Bloodstock, and I was certainly impressed with their riffs and energy - even if their melodies were not all that strong.

After Dust Bolt's set it was over the Main Stage for one of my most-anticipated bands of the day. After Code Orange (who I had no interest in) pulled out of the festival a few short weeks beforehand, we expected one of the smaller bands to get bumped up to the Main Stage - but instead what we got was...

The Wildhearts:
I have been a casual fan of the British rockers for a few years now, but had never had a chance previously to see them live. I almost did last year at Steelhouse Festival, but the endless rain made me leave early. I was therefore extra excited to catch them this time and, despite only having 45 minutes to play with, the band absolutely knocked it out of the park. Frontman Ginger is such a great songwriter, and with a new album entitled Renaissance Men being released earlier in the year - the band are back on top of the world. Dislocated from the new album gave the start of the set a satisfyingly heavy crunch, before the early 1990s anthem Everlone prompted something of a sing-a-long. Despite being a late addition to the bill, and not really a metal band, the crowd seemed to really get into The Wildhearts. There were clearly a lot of die-hards down at the front, but in truth everyone was having a good time. Ginger is the band's main focal point, but his long-time companion CJ (guitar/vocals) was also an extremely active force on the stage, running around and churning out hooky riff after hooky riff. The Wildhearts are one of those bands where the vast majority of their songs are built around a big chorus, so even if you do not really know the song that well you can still enjoy it easily on some level. That means that there were no clear highlights as each song stood out in its own way, but my favourite moments of the set were certainly the new Let 'Em Go and their early single Caffeine Bomb - both huge anthems that had everyone singing along. The band have always had a big punk element in their sound, and the latter in particular showed that - and was probably one of the fastest songs of the day despite some stiff competition. Their set came to an end with the crowd-favourite I Wanna Go Where the People Go, which was sung back by a large portion of the crowd with gusto. The Wildhearts might not be your traditional Bloodstock band, but they went about making the day their own, and I would not be surprised to see them back in the future. The setlist was:

Dislocated
Everlone
Suckerpunch
Vanilla Radio
Let 'Em Go
The Jackson Whites
Caffeine Bomb
Diagnosis
I Wanna Go Where the People Go

After The Wildhearts left the stage, it was announced that due to the high winds the Main Stage would be shut down for a while until the conditions improved. The Wildhearts had played with no backdrop or curtains of any kind, so the entire backstage area could be seen behind them as they performed, but it seemed that the wind had reached a point where carrying on could have been dangerous. The screens at the side of the stage had already been lowered, as had some of the speakers, so the decision was made to shut up shop for a while. That decision did not have an immediate impact on me however, as I was already making my way over the Second Stage for...

3 Headed Snake:
There are not many bands who can say that their debut live show was at a major festival, but 3 Headed Snake can say just that! The Californian five-piece are the new project from Ministry guitarist Sinhue 'Sin' Quirin, who has moved away from the industrial sound of his day job to a more traditional heavy/progressive metal sound with a chunk of influence taken from the 1980s - all wrapped up in a modern sound. Quirin drives the band with his riffing and melodic soloing, but it is perhaps frontman Johnny Ray who is the band's true focal point. He has an extremely melodic, yet powerful, voice and is capable of hitting some pretty impressive high notes when required - something which he did regularly throughout the band's set. A three-track EP was released by the band last year, but I was not familiar with it so everything the band played was new to me. Despite some of the songs being a little overlong, I was impressed with the band's sound. They were heavy at times, but a big melody or hook was never too far away. There was certainly a hint of Queensrÿche in the band's sound at times, especially in the way atmospherics were weaved into their heavy riffing, as well as the more melodic and accessible end of Nevermore's output - all while Ray wailed atop the cacophony of guitars with his soaring voice. 3 Headed Snake certainly do not sound like a rip-off of anyone else however, and they are clearly well on the way to developing their own sound. I really enjoyed the band's set, and with a little tightening up of the songwriting and a little more variation in pace (most of the band's songs were firmly in the 'mid-paced' category) I think they have the opportunity to make an impact on the metal world.

After 3 Headed Snake's set I took a cursory walk over to the Main Stage to see if it had been re-opened - but it was well and truly deserted. The lighting rigs had been lowered, and it was clear that there was not going to be any action there for some time. I had planned to take a break after 3 Headed Snake in any case, so I headed back to the tent for a bit of a lie down. I checked my phone when I got back, and saw that Cradle of Filth, who were supposed to follow The Wildhearts on the Main Stage, had been moved to the Sunday - with Batushka (themselves a last minute replacement for the ill Dimmu Borgir) moving to the Second Stage later in the evening on the Sunday to make way. It seemed that everything was going to pot a little, but in fairness the organisers did what they could as a result of the weather. I found out later on that at least one of the smaller bands had to cancel as they had experienced quite a few delays on their journey to the festival - but as far as I am aware, no band that turned up ready to play was turned away. This was a great achievement for all concerned, and the organisers even let those with Saturday-only tickets back in on the Sunday in case they had come to watch Cradle of Filth - which was a nice gesture. There was only one band left that I was interested in seeing by this point, so I slowly made my way back to the arena to see what was going on. Thankfully, when I got to the Main Stage, there was some activity going on. I could see the crew setting up some gear behind the lights - and when the lights were finally raised back up into place it was clear that the action was going to resume. 45 minutes later than billed, the large crowd were then treated to a performance from...

Anthrax:
Saturday's special guests are no strangers to Bloodstock, and the New York-based five-piece always go down a storm when they perform. The winds were still pretty high, but had obviously dropped below the level which meant the stage was not safe to use, which affected the band's sound at times - but the band soldiered on and delivered a strong eight-song set that was drawn completely from their 1980s hey day. It was a shame that some of their newer material was not showcased, but the large crowd seemed to really enjoy the 'classics' set, and the opening number Caught in a Mosh saw a lot of movement - and the crowd helped out frontman Joey Belladonna with the big chorus. Despite enjoying the band's set, I did not think that they were as good as I have seen them previously. The wind affecting the sound did not help, but I also found the setlist to be pretty conservative. This was my fourth time seeing the band, and each time I have seen them the setlist has largely been the same. It was nice to hear Now It's Dark and A.I.R. - both of which I had not seen the band perform previously - but the rest of the set was pretty much identical to every other time I have seen them. I do not understand why the band insist on playing their cover of Got the Time at every gig, and the rest of the songs are mostly ever-present too. I understand the need to please the crowd, but when I can guess exactly what is coming next the novelty does wear off. Despite this, the band were still really good - and put on the sort of performance that the fans have come to expect from them. Madhouse was particularly potent this time, and the sing-a-long caused from Antisocial was one of the loudest crowd participation moments of the day. As was the case with their set at the festival in 2016, the set came to a close with Indians, which allowed Scott Ian (guitar/vocals) and Jon Donais (guitar) to team up for some twin guitar harmonies, before the latter launched into a shredding solo. As always, the song generated a large mosh pit towards the end, and it certainly helped to end the set on a high. The large crowd sounded their appreciation as the band left the stage, and reading reports of the festival since coming home it is clear that Anthrax were the band of the day for many. They were not for me, that accolade belongs to The Wildhearts, but they were still enjoyable. I just wish the band would not rely on the same few songs each time they play, as they have a rich catalogue which they can draw from. The setlist was:

Caught in a Mosh
Got the Time [Joe Jackson cover]
Madhouse
I Am the Law
Now It's Dark
A.I.R.
Antisocial [Trust cover]
Indians

I had planned to at least catch the start of Parkway Drive's set to see what all the fuss was about, but with all the delays I decided to call it a day. I was pretty tired again by this point, and enjoyed a chill in the tent before going to bed. By all accounts, Parkway Drive put on a good show - but were not the all-conquering heroes that I think some hoped that they would be. The festival organisers continued to push Parkway Drive down everyone's throats even after the festival had finished - which is strange considering they did not have the biggest crowd of the festival, but it does worry me that Bloodstock will see more and more bands of their ilk in the future. It is clear there is a growing divide between the music that the festival's organisers personally enjoy listening to and the sort of bands that have traditionally been booked for Bloodstock. If Parkway Drive is the thin end of the wedge, then you can count me out when it comes to future festivals, but I am glad to hear that their set was a success - but also glad that they were no more successful than anyone else to have performed the festival previously, despite what the PR machine would have us all believe. I managed to fall asleep pretty easily, so awoke on the Sunday morning feeling pretty fresh. I had earmarked a lot of bands to watch on the Sunday, so headed out to get some lunch before the action. I caught portions of both All Hail the Yeti and Aborted on the Main Stage - who were both not at all my thing - and also hid from a couple of really nasty rain showers. By the end of Saturday the mud had mostly been trampled down to nothing, but these showers undid all of that hard work - and the mud was back, and worse than ever! The first band that I properly watched was my only visit to the New Blood Stage...

Fallen Temples:
With Sunday's line-up taking on more of a classic rock/metal theme as a whole, it was perhaps fitting that the Welsh three-piece were also part of the bill. The band's bluesy hard rock was at home on a day that often revelled in the past, and the tent was very full as the band stormed through half an hour of riff-led hard rock - although this could have also been down to the on-going nasty showers! I had been quite excited to check the band out, but unfortunately I was somewhat disappointed with their set. There was nothing at all wrong with the band as musicians, and in fact Adam Vaughan (vocals/guitar) impressed with some strong soloing, but their music did little to move me. I have been going to hard rock and metal shows regularly since 2006, so have seen so many bands like Fallen Temples over the years filling up support slots that they all blend into one! There are so many bands out there that are competent, but sadly will never really anything more. Bands that stick with me have to have a spark about them - and that spark is often hard to describe or quantify. I know it when I see it however, and sadly Fallen Temples just do not have it. They passed half an hour, and were enjoyable enough, but they did not do enough to convince me to follow them or seek out their recordings.

After my sole trip to the New Blood Stage it was back over to the Main Stage. The sun was out by this point, and the worst of the rain for the weekend was over. The next set promised to be something special, so drew a big crowd. I took my position near the sound desk for...

Ross the Boss:
While his former band charge over £100 a ticket for O2 Academy shows and pull out of major festival slots in a fashion that should not be acceptable in the modern world, Ross the Boss (guitar/keyboard) plays anywhere that will have him - and always does so with a smile on his face! The former Manowar guitarist, complete with a band that featured Symphony X's Michael Lepond (bass guitar/vocals), was clearly out to have a good time - and was afforded almost an hour on stage. The first seven songs of the eleven-song set were all Manowar classics from Ross' time with the band, and were all performed with the vigour and macho-nature of the recorded originals. While Ross was the star of the show, with his muscular guitar riffing and shredded solos the focal point of the set - vocalist Marc Lopes often stole the spotlight. It seemed that Ross was quite happy for Lopes to do much of the heavy lifting when it came to 'creating a show', and Lopes after ventured out onto the newly-installed catwalk to interact with the crowd and to unleash one of a number of high-pitched screams that he deployed throughout the set. His voice was perfect for those old Manowar classics, with Blood of the Kings and Sign of the Hammer standing out early on. Those who could not afford, or flat-out refused, to go and see Manowar earlier in the year certainly got their fill of true metal at Bloodstock instead, and the classics came thick and fast. Fighting the World was another stellar offering, and one that saw a lot of crowd interaction, before the epic Battle Hymn saw the band take on a more progressive number, with Ross switching over to a keyboard for the more atmospheric ending section. The seven Manowar numbers featured came to a close with a proto-thrash of Hail to England, which unsurprisingly brought a large cheer - before an even larger cheer heralded the arrival of former Judas Priest guitarist KK Downing to the stage. It was announced a few weeks prior to the festival that Downing would make his first live appearance in a decade with Ross' band at Bloodstock - and Downing led the band through four Judas Priest classics that were a real treat for die-hard fans. Priest's version of Fleetwood Mac's The Green Manalishi was up first, but it was Heading Out to the Highway that really got the crowd going. The song was played live a lot by Judas Priest in the 1980s, but has largely been absent from the band's sets in recent years. It was great to hear Downing and Ross team up for the song, with Lopes acquitting himself very well on vocals. The monster hit Breaking the Law came next, before the whole set was wrapped up with a killer version of Running Wild - another song not featured in Judas Priest sets too often any more. Downing sounded great, and seemed to be really happy to be back on stage. His appearance, as well as the expertly-played Manowar classics, made for a great hour of heavy metal - and it reminded me what a great band Manowar can be. The setlist was:

Blood of the Kings [Manowar material]
Kill With Power [Manowar material]
Sign of the Hammer [Manowar material]
Fighting the World [Manowar material]
Battle Hymn [Manowar material]
Hail and Kill [Manowar material]
Hail to England [Manowar material]
The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown) [Fleetwood Mac cover w/ KK Downing]
Heading Out to the Highway [Judas Priest cover w/ KK Downing]
Breaking the Law [Judas Priest cover w/ KK Downing]
Running Wild [Judas Priest cover w/ KK Downing]

It was the Main Stage then for the rest of the day for me, so I found a relatively dry patch of grass for a quick sit down while the changeover happened. A little while later I was back in position for...

Soilwork:
Fresh from releasing a truly excellent album in Verkligheten back in January, the Swedish melodic death metal six-piece have been busy on the road ever since. I saw the band for the first time back in February - when the band shared a bill with the equally-excellent Amorphis in London - but was already looking forward to seeing frontman Björn 'Speed' Strid and co. again. The setlist was, unsurprisingly, a condensed version of what was played back in February - with material from the band's more recent albums dominating. The band's heavy, yet smooth, sound has arguably been further refined in recent years, with the band's recent albums containing some of their best material yet. The fast-paced Arrival was a strong opening number, with drummer Bastian Thusgaard laying down some intense blast beats early on, while guitarists Sylvain Coudret and Simon Johansson (who was still filling in for David Andersson) churned out the thrashy riffs. The real star of the show for me however was Strid, who's vocals were on point throughout the band's nine-song set. I commented back in February that he seemed to rely heavily on piped-in backing vocals at times, but that did not appear to be the case this time. In truth, the backing tracks were probably just lower in the mix - but Strid really owned the stage, often coming down to the end of the catwalk to interact with the good-sized crowd. He can growl with the best of them, but when he launches into one of the band's many soaring choruses, such as during Full Moon Shoals, he sounds every bit a classic 1980s metal frontman. On the whole the band's more melodic side was showcased at Bloodstock, but Bastard Chain was a throwback to their early sound - with thrashy riffs and screaming harsh vocals pouring out of the speakers. From that point on however the set was mostly extremely melodic, with The Akuma Afterglow really standing out. It has never been one of my favourite Soilwork tunes, but for some reason it really hit the spot this time. I always enjoy it when a song finally grabs you after multiple listens, and this was certainly one of those moments. While certainly not attracting a crowd the same size as Ross the Boss had drawn previously, Soilwork still enjoyed plenty of support. A strong live sound mix certainly helped, and by the time Stabbing the Drama was played lots were on board. The crowd helped Strid out with the chorus, before a triumphant rendition of Stålfågel brought the band's set to a close. The high note that Strid hit at the end of the song rivalled some of the efforts heard during Ross the Boss' set, and the band sounded their appreciation as the band took their bows out on the catwalk. The setlist was:

Verkligheten
Arrival
Nerve
Full Moon Shoals
Bastard Chain
The Akuma Afterglow
The Phantom
The Ride Majestic
Stabbing the Drama
Stålfågel

There were no bands that I fancied watching for a little while, so I decided to head back to the tent for a rest. Sunday was a pretty full-on day, with many of the festival's highlights, so the rest was very much needed! I did not take a break for too long however, as soon time to head back into the arena to catch...

Dee Snider:
Dee Snider's last UK show was also at Bloodstock. He brought his now-defunct band Twisted Sister to headline the festival on their final tour back in 2016 - and delivered a performance that will probably go down as one of the best ever in Bloodstock's history. Now a solo artist, many were looking forward to seeing the legendary frontman do his thing once more so a large crowd was assembled by the time he took to the stage. With little in the form of stage presentation, Snider and his band - which included brothers Charlie (guitar/vocals) and Nicky Bellmore (drums) - set about laying waste to Catton Hall with a ten-song set that draw equally from his new solo album For the Love of Metal and his Twisted Sister catalogue. Two new numbers opened things up, with Lies are a Business and Tomorrow's No Concern really setting the tone. Snider's new album is heavy, and the songs came across really well live. Nicky Bellmore's drumming really drove everything forward, but of course the star of the show was Snider. The man's voice is as good now as it was in the 1980s, and he is still a barrel of energy on stage. His on-stage banter was easily the best of the weekend too, and his amusing quips and stories genuinely feel like part of the show - unlike the generic rubbish that many bands pedal out night after night. He seemed extremely happy to be back at Bloodstock too, and treated the large crowd to a display of how heavy metal should be done. Whether he was belting out a classic like Under the Blade or a new tune like Become the Storm everyone in attendance was hanging onto his every word. The new material sits perfectly alongside the classic material, but it was perhaps unsurprisingly a lengthy version of the old Twisted Sister classic We're Not Gonna Take It that saw the biggest reaction. It was always a centrepiece of Twisted Sister concerts, and it became the centrepiece here too - with Snider encouraging the crowd to sing louder and louder. It was easily the loudest crowd sing-a-long of the day, so much so that the three songs that followed felt like a victory lap. For the Love of Metal was the last of the new song to be featured, but it was a really heavy take on Burn in Hell that owned the final portion of the set. The song has never sounded so evil as it did while pouring out of the Bloodstock speakers, so much so that I Wanna Rock felt like a pop anthem in comparison - not that that stopped anyone from singing along! The set was a triumph, and easily a candidate for best of the weekend. In the end Snider tied with another act, who shall be covered later, for first place - but he left it all out on the stage, and received one of the biggest cheers of the weekend as he walked off. The setlist was:

Lies are a Business
Tomorrow's No Concern
You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll [Twisted Sister material]
American Made
Under the Blade [Twisted Sister material]
Become the Storm
We're Not Gonna Take It [Twisted Sister material]
For the Love of Metal
Burn in Hell [Twisted Sister material]
I Wanna Rock [Twisted Sister material]

It was time for dinner after Snider's set, so I opted for one of the large Yorkshire Puddings filled with sausages, chips, and gravy. It was an excellent, filling meal and was a perfect final festival meal. I had decided to stick around and check out Cradle of Filth on the Main Stage, but after hearing half of their first song I headed back to the tent as there was no way I was going to be able to cope with a whole set of Dani Filth's horrible vocals. Extreme metal generally does little for me, but I was willing to give the band a go. They really are not for me however, so I final trip back to the tent for a last sit down was welcome. By this point I was flagging quite badly, but had two sets left so braved my way back to the Main Stage for what turned out to be the joint best set of the weekend...

Queensrÿche:
As one of my all-time favourite bands, Queensrÿche's set at Bloodstock was guaranteed to be one of the weekend's highlights. I have managed to see the band live a handful of times over the years, but this was my first opportunity to catch them since 2016 - so their hour on stage was personally well overdue. Despite releasing the excellent The Verdict album earlier in the year, the band's set at Bloodstock largely relied on songs from their late 1980s/early 1990s heyday. This was probably wise given the festival setting, but with the band bumped up to the special guest slot due to Dimmu Borgir pulling out it would have been nice to see them stand behind their newer material a bit more! As it was, the opening number Blood of the Levant was the only newer number played, but it ensured the band's set got off to a flying start. The song is a heavy, melodic beast - with driving double bass drumming from the off and some blood-curdling shrieks from frontman Todd La Torre who was the focal point for the entire set. Queensrÿche have never been the most active band on stage, and La Torre is essentially left to his own devices. I always marvel at the guy's voice, as he really can do it all. Whether it be the pseudo-grunge drawl of I Am I or the strident stadium-worthy metal of Operation: Mindcrime - La Torre commanded the stage. I had managed to get very close to the stage, and there was a large group of us who sang along to every word that La Torre uttered, and us die-hard fans appreciated the opportunity to hear some of our favourite songs at the festival. The general reaction to the band's set however was sadly rather muted. I think many expect more of a 'show' from bands further up festival bills, so it seemed that some in the crowd were left nonplussed by the Seattle-based five-piece's set. That was a shame, but as mentioned earlier many of the more 'traditional' metal acts across the weekend also suffered from similar reactions. I, of course, loved Queensrÿche's set however, and enjoyed hearing classic after classic delivered in such note-perfect fashion by the band. Queen of the Reich was a highlight as always, and saw lots more high-pitched screams from La Torre - before Michael Wilton (guitar) and Parker Lundgren (guitar/vocals) came together for the dual, shredded guitar solo. The band's more progressive and experimental side was show off with the industrial-tinged Screaming in Digital, before the moodier tones of Take Hold of the Flame washed over the crowd. The fist-pumping chorus did actually see a bit of interaction from the crowd, and this heightened energy level continued on into the final portion of the set. Jet City Woman and Empire have more of a commercial sound, so seemed to go down well with the uninitiated, but it was left to an epic rendition of Eyes of a Stranger to close the band's set out. It is always a great song to hear live, and everyone around me was singing their heart out. La Torre's spirited showing seemed to win a few others around too, as by the time the band finished their set the cheers and appreciation certainly seemed louder and stronger than they did for the majority of the set. That was good to see, and hopefully the band managed to turn few heads! The setlist was:

Blood of the Levant
I Am I
NM 156
Operation: Mindcrime
Walk in the Shadows
Queen of the Reich
Screaming in Digital
Take Hold of the Flame
Jet City Woman
Empire
Eyes of a Stranger

There was only one band left to watch, so I found a dry patch of ground to rest on while the Main Stage crew set up for the evening's headline act. By the time 9pm rolled around, it was time for...

Scorpions:
The legendary German rockers the Scorpions have been around since 1965, and are real royalty in the rock and metal worlds. From their fuzzy 1970s output, through stadium rock success in the 1980s, the band are now real elder statesmen of the genre. On paper the Scorpions would should have been the ideal band to close out the weekend, especially considering how well Judas Priest had gone down the previous year, but in the end the band put on a bit of a curate's egg of a set. I should note however that I enjoyed the band's set very much. I have been a big Scorpions fan for a while now, so it was great to get to see the band again for a second time. I first saw the band last year, where they put on a barnstorming set at the O2 Arena as part of the Stone Free Festival. I was expecting something similar, and in many ways their Bloodstock set was, but in other ways it seemed lacking. For one, the atmosphere just was not there. Queensrÿche had suffered from an indifferent reaction at times - and this attitude transferred over to the Scorpions' set. It was only the really famous songs that received a reaction that a headliner would expect, with the deeper cuts and lesser-known tracks receiving only polite applause. This coupled with the fact that frontman Klaus Meine was clearly having an off-day made for a set that disappointed somewhat. Meine sounded fantastic in London last year, but at Bloodstock he seemed strained, and even off-key at times. The guy is in his 70s, so some slack should be cut, but it was disappointing after how great he sounded a year ago. The rest of the band sounded great however, and ran through 90 minutes of prime heavy metal - with a setlist that was basically identical to last year's London show. Highlights during the early part of the night were the opening anthem Going Out with a Bang and The Zoo. The latter was dragged out with an impressive talk box solo from Matthias Jabs (guitar/vocals), and it was one of the few songs early on in the set to receive a strong reaction. The reggae-tinged Is There Anybody There? for example received the sort of reaction that you would expect a band on at 12pm to receive, although there were a few of us singing along! The instrumental Coast to Coast woke a few more people up, and Rudolf Schenker (guitar/vocals) impressed with his strong riffing and fluid soloing but, as with last year's show, when paired with Delicate Dance and a drum solo later on in the set it made for a lot of instrumental moments. Meine was clearly needing the breaks more than ever, so I can understand their inclusions, but I would have preferred some more anthems! That being said, We Built This House managed to whip up some excitement - despite being a newer tune - before two ballads in the form of Send Me an Angel and Wind of Change saw quite a bit of singing from the crowd. The latter is a world-famous song, so unsurprisingly went down well - and in fairness the energy levels remained fairly high from this point on. Blackout and Big City Nights saw quite a bit of singing, so it seemed that the crowd had finally come around - better late than never I suppose, but after Big City Nights the band left the stage. A two-song encore followed, with the epic power ballad Still Loving You leading into Rock You Like a Hurricane, the best-received song of the set. Everyone was singing by this point, and the atmosphere was electric. It was just a shame it had taken until the band's final number to arrive! The setlist was:

Going Out with a Bang
Make it Real
Is There Anybody There?
The Zoo
Coast to Coast
Top of the Bill/Steamrock Fever/Speedy's Coming/Catch Your Train
We Built This House
Delicate Dance [w/ Ingo Powitzer]
Send Me an Angel
Wind of Change
Bad Boys Running Wild/I'm Leaving You/Tease Me Please Me
Drum solo
Blackout
Big City Nights
-
Still Loving You
Rock You Like a Hurricane

Unfortunately, and despite a decent performance, the Scorpions' set meant that the Bloodstock Main Stage closed on a bit of a limp ending. I enjoyed the band's set, but the atmosphere just was not there and the band were nowhere near as good as they were in London last year. By this point I was extremely tired, and needed sleep. I had had an early plan to watch Eluveitie's set on the Second Stage but, much like with Grand Magus on the Friday, I decided to give them a miss. I will be seeing the band in November though, so at least I will not miss out! As I walked back to the tent, I thought over the weekend I had just experienced, and came to the conclusion that it was probably the best of the four Bloodstock's that I have been to in terms of bands watched and enjoyed. There was a lot to suit my taste this year, it was just a shame that some of those bands did not really meet with strong reactions - meaning a similar line-up next year is unlikely. In fact a few bands for next year were announced during the weekend (after Children of Bodom's set I think) and none of them really got me excited. I may well return to the festival next year, but I will need quite a lot of persuasion and a few announcements full of bands that I love before I commit. I feel that the organisers also really need to decide what sort of festival they want Bloodstock to be, as weekend ticket sales were certainly down - which was probably in part due to Saturday's line-up and the heavy promotion that those bands got in comparison to all the others. I will be keeping my eyes peeled however, and hope that Bloodstock continues to be a success - whichever route it takes.

Sabaton's 'The Great War' - Album Review

It is amazing how far Sweden's Sabaton have come in their twenty year career so far. It does not seem all that long ago that I first saw the power metal act at the Hall for Cornwall in Truro supporting DragonForce (the internet tells me it was in November 2009), and the band have been on a steady rise to true stardom since. That show in Truro was my first exposure to the band, but I did not really start listening to them properly until a couple of years later. By the time 2012 rolled around however, I was a big fan. I saw my first Sabaton headline show in the November of that year in Wolverhampton - and I have not looked back. Three more Sabaton shows have followed, and my next is in a few days time at Bloodstock Open Air - where they will headline the main stage on Friday night. This rise from a lowly support act to a festival headliner has only happened however because the band have really put in the effort, honed their songwriting skills, and ensured that their stage show is one of the biggest and best on the circuit. There have been bumps in the road, and a major line-up overhaul in 2012 threatened to really derail their upward momentum, but Sabaton truly deserve their lofty status - which is even greater in mainland Europe than it is here in the UK. Sabaton are known as a great live band, but their shows would not be what they are without great songs to back them up. While the band's first handful of albums are patchy (despite all containing some really strong songs), pretty much everything they have released since 2008's The Art of War has been excellent. I am not sure that the band's recent couple of albums have been quite as well-received by the wider metal community as their mid-period classics however. I am not sure why this is, as I love both 2014's Heroes (which I reviewed here) and 2016's The Last Stand (which I also reviewed here), but the impression I get from reading reviews (both at the time of their respective releases and more recently) that some fans feel there has been something of a drop in quality. I personally do not think that this is the case, and regularly reach for Heroes and The Last Stand, but I do wonder if the fact that all Sabaton's albums basically sound the same has caused fatigue in some fans. I always find it strange that bands like AC/DC and Motörhead are applauded for essentially releasing the same album over and over again - but other bands are not cut the same slack. If it is this fatigue that has caused these more recent mediocre reviews, then these reviewers are going to be disappointed - because the band's ninth album The Great War showcases Sabaton's trademark sound strongly. This pleases me, and probably most of the band's fanbase, greatly; and the new release contains everything that has helped to make the band sound the way that they do. Unsurprisingly The Great War tells tales from the First World War, and the band have given the subject matter the same attention to detail that all their previous war tales have received. As always, there is a lot to learn from listening to the album! It is also the band's first album to feature guitarist Tommy Johansson (Majestica), who joined the band in 2016 before the release of The Last Stand.

Despite the album largely sticking to Sabaton's tried and tested formula, there is something about the opening number The Future of Warfare that sounds fresh and different. The track contains the band's usual power metal bombast, but set against a more industrial-themed background, with cold synths during the verses, and a punchy Nine Inch Nails-esque drum pattern during the fast-paced but methodical choruses. The mechanised sound, which is fitting considering the song's subject matter, really suits the band - and it really helps the album to open out in a way that could well turn heads. Frontman Joakim Brodén's rich, deep vocals are perfectly suited for the chug of the verses; and when the big chorus kicks in the rest of band harmonise with him for a big sound while churning out the machine gun-esque riffing. Both of the band's guitarists get to show off early on too, with Chris Rörland and Johansson each taking a turn to solo - before a final reprise of the barrelling chorus is certain to get the blood pumping. Seven Pillars of Wisdom sees Sabaton back firmly on familiar ground, and is the first of three songs in a row to be co-written by Rörland. A jaunty guitar riff opens the sound out perfectly, before a galloping verse tells the tale of Lawrence of Arabia. When I first listened to the album, this was one of the songs that stood out the most - and it is still a real favourite of mine. Some of the melodies feel quite similar to other Sabaton songs, particularly White Death, but the chorus is packed full of so many epic melodies that it does not seem to matter. It is the album's first true anthem, and will probably end up being one of the best power metal songs of the year. A shredded solo from Rörland is the icing on the cake, and helps to elevate the song further. 82nd All The Way is another favourite of mine, and slows the pace down somewhat to lay down a bass-led chug during the verses; only to explode into a jaunty, synth-heavy chorus that is one of the finest moments on the album. Pär Sundström's pulsing bass playing really dominates the verses, with the guitars often taking a bit of a backseat to allow the keyboards and bass to really shine. Brodén makes the most of not having to compete with the guitars and lays down a melodramatic vocal performance, using his rich voice to tell the story of American solider Alvin York. This could be the album's best song, and is sure to become a live staple over the next few years. The Attack of the Dead Men is another mid-paced song, but focuses more on creating a strong atmosphere than laying down heavy riffs. There are riffs here, but the dominant instrument here often seems to be Brodén's keyboards. He creates a strong soundscape throughout, with spacey melodies and dense walls of sound which perfectly help to sum up the bleak tale the song tells. There are a few heavier moments, such as when the song ramps up to allow Rörland to launch into a melodic solo, but this is a piece that largely expands on the industrial feeling experimented with on the album's opening number.

Devil Dogs ups the pace and ends up sounding like a real old school Sabaton classic. In many ways it sounds like the best songs on the band first couple of albums, with an Accept-esque heavy chug and a grand keyboard backing that adds some sugary melodies where necessary. The band's guitarists constantly churn out powerful riffs, and drummer Hannes van Dahl barely pauses for breath - with much of the song seeing him laying into his double bass drums to help keep the speed up. Sabaton have always been a band that write strong choruses, and this song contains another winner. Again it seems a bit similar to some of their previous choruses, but Brodén's melodies are extremely strong and the overall melodramatic nature of the piece just makes it easy to enjoy for anyone who likes over-the-top power metal. The Red Baron opens with a playful Hammond organ motif that sounds more like something from an old Uriah Heep album, before the band crash in with a fast-paced metal anthem - that retains the Hammond throughout for a great old-school sound. Synths and keyboards are common in Sabaton's music, but Hammond organ use is quite rare. Considering that there is no-one specifically credited for it in the album's sleeve notes, I have to assume that Brodén was responsible for it. If he indeed played the Hammond organ throughout this song, then he is a much better keyboardist than I realised! He even launches into a tinkling organ solo at one point, which recalls the best classic rock albums of the 1970s, before Johansson takes over with a fluid, shredded guitar solo. The Hammond aside, the song is extremely catchy and is another favourite of mine. The pace never really lets up, and a gang-vocal led chorus is a winner that is packed full of melodies that almost fall over each other due to their speed - but everything manages to just about hang together! The album's title track follows, and slows the pace down again and goes for a more epic overall sound, with Brodén's keyboards really dominating and creating a pulsing, melodic backing for the tough metal rhythms that continuously chug along as the song moves forward. The choir is used to great effect here also, with subtle wordless backings used during the verses and dramatic melodies that match the keyboards employed during the choruses. It is probably the grandest song on the album as a result and, although it does not hit the spot as melodically as some of the other numbers due to a lack of big powerful riffs and melodies, it really feels like a centrepiece. The chorus is still pretty memorable, and it is a song that has grown on me over repeated listens.

A Ghost in the Trenches is another grower, and is the only song here co-written by Johansson - who also handles the guitar solo. I am not sure why the song passed me by at first, as it contains plenty of big melodies that are similar to many of the band's classic songs. Sometimes a song just takes a few listens to fully appreciate, but this is now another track that I enjoy a lot. Not that many of the band's songs have been co-written by guitarists, but this one obviously is as it contains lots of little additional guitar leads throughout, and the main riff is a powerful one that opens the song up nicely. It is a fairly speedy song, but when the main guitar solo kicks in the pace slows down somewhat to allow Johansson to lay down a neo-classical run that is extremely effective. The song then ramps back up towards a final reprise of the soaring chorus - and it seems that Johansson's first contribution to Sabaton is a successful one! Fields of Verdun is co-written by the band's former guitarist Thobbe Englund who left the band just before the release of The Last Stand. He has remained on good terms with the band however, and co-wrote this tune with Brodén and Sundström - and also played the guitar solo. It is another old-school sounding Sabaton song, with a fast-paced chorus and a stuttering main riff that really helps to set the tone for the piece. It was the first song from the album to be released, with a music video to accompany it, so I can see this song also find itself a home in the band's setlists. Its high energy and catchy chorus are likely to endear it to the fanbase, and it was certainly a good introduction to the album when it was released earlier in the year. The End of the War to End all Wars is the last proper song here, and is similar to the album's title track in the sense that it goes for a more epic mid-paced sound with strong orchestrals, choirs, and crushing guitar rhythms. It is probably the least-catchy song here, but it makes up for the lack of huge soaring melodies with a grand sound that sounds a little progressive by the band's usual standard. It is not a huge change of sound, but Sabaton have really doubled down on the over-the-top film score sound here, with dancing symphonic melodies mixing well with their trademark tough guitar rhythms. A short guitar solo from Johansson adds a burst of more traditional metal melody, but overall this is a piece that goes all out for grandness and splendour - and more than succeeds. This segues into In Flander's Fields, a version of John McCrae's famous poem sung by the choir and set to a simple musical backing. It is a fairly low-key ending when compared to other Sabaton albums, but it is fitting given the subject matter dealt with throughout. It is a gentle reminder of the human cost of war, and ends the album in a moment of quiet reflection. Overall, The Great War is another strong album from Sabaton that further hones their core sound and contains some real favourites of mine. Sabaton only seem to get bigger with each release, and I am sure that this will be another success for the band, despite some feeling their output has become samey.

The album was released on 19th July 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Fields of Verdun.