Alestorm's 'Seventh Rum of a Seventh Rum' - Album Review

I was in two minds as to whether I was going to actually bother getting this album. Those of you who read my review of the Scottish folk metal band Alestorm's sixth album Curse of the Crystal Coconut (which can be found here for those unaware) will know that, bar a handful of decent tunes, I did not like it much at all. Gimmicky bands, as Alestorm certainly are and have become more so over the years, often end up having a relatively short shelf life. That being said, though, Alestorm seem to have defied this and seemingly continue to rise in popularity despite largely diminishing returns - whilst my view of the band has generally gone the other way. For me, the band have generally (although with some exceptions) gotten worse over the years. I have been following Alestorm since not long after their 2008 debut album Captain Morgan's Revenge was released. I loved the album after picking it up, and their 2009 follow up Black Sails at Midnight similarly impressed. I think it is easy to forget now, but at the time Alestorm were more of a 'true' folk metal band. There was some humour in their lyrics and a general tongue-in-cheek attitude to their demeanour - but it felt like they were generally trying to be a serious band that had fun and wrote epic, folk-influenced songs. Since then, however, the quality has generally dropped off in my opinion. Both 2011's Back Through Time and 2014's Sunset on the Golden Age (which I reviewed here) contain decent songs, but the over-the-top humour and the band's wish to be seen as a living meme really started to permeate into their music around this time - particularly during the touring cycle for the latter. A third classic album could probably be made by combining the best songs from both albums, but it was clear that the band thought that they could be more successful by being silly. In truth, they are probably right. Jokey power and folk metal has certainly become a big deal over the past decade or so, and the inflatable sword end of the genre does very little for me at all. Alestorm are arguably one of the leaders of the genre, too, which is why I was so surprised when 2016's No Grave But the Sea (which I also reviewed here) was a step in the right direction. For me, the album was easily the band's best since Black Sails at Midnight. It had a few jokey songs, but it also had a handful of great, old-school sounding epic folk metal anthems. I thought that the tide might have turned, but then Curse of the Crystal Coconut came out and showcased the band at their worst. The album still contained a handful of decent tunes, but on the whole it was vacuous, throwaway rubbish that had little to offer. I was not holding out much hope for the band's seventh album, then, but I still decided to pick it up when it was released back in June. Seventh Rum of a Seventh Rum (which is actually quite an amusing title), however, is thankfully better than Curse of the Crystal Coconut. It is not up to the standard of No Grave But the Sea, and it contains some throwaway material, but there are also some really strong songs here - songs which sound like Christopher Bowes and co. have actually thought about them for more than five minutes.

The album opens with one of its strongest cuts, Magellan's Expedition, which has an old-school Alestorm feel - so much so that it could have sat quite nicely on one of the band's early albums. There is very little of the silliness that has plagued their recent work, and instead the song is an epic-sounding slab of folk metal with plenty of keyboard hooks and a wall of guitar riffing thanks to Máté Bodor. A shortened version of the song's chorus opens it up, before a galloping riff and a driving keyboard melody kicks in. Listening to this song reminds me why I loved Alestorm so much back in the late 2000s, as it is a powerful song that manages to evoke its nautical themes effortlessly. If anything, the song sounds better than many of my favourites due to the album's huge-sounding production - and the fact that the current line-up of Alestorm is likely made up of better musicians. Keyboardist Elliot Vernon has made the band a tighter unit, and his occasional harsh vocals add an extra dimension to their sound - with his pre-choruses during this song adding some aggression before the slower-paced, epic chorus kicks in. Alestorm fans have certainly heard songs like this before, but me for I would rather hear something familiar, yet well-written, like this - filled with soaring hooks and intricate melodic instrumental sections - than their latest effort to shock the parents of their 14 year old fans. The Battle of Cape Fear River keeps the quality high as, despite some silly lyrics that sound a bit rushed, the song and arrangement are extremely hooky. This is the sort of silliness that Alestorm has always engaged in, though, and it is nowhere egregious as dross like Shit Boat (No Fans). I can forgive the lame lyrics, though, as the rest of the song is so well written. The main keyboard melody is extremely catchy, and the thrashy riffing gives the song an energy and aggression which is not commonly heard throughout the Alestorm catalogue. Bodor's guitar solo is packed full of melody, too, and the chorus is a fists-in-the-air moment that is certain to go down well live. Things do take a bit of a dive, though, with Cannonball. This is the latest entry in the band's on-going attempt to be as shocking as possible, see Fucked with an Anchor, although only children find lyrics such as those found on Cannonball shocking - as the rest of us just find them somewhat eye-rolling. For me, though, Cannonball is better than some of its siblings as it at least has a huge chorus that is extremely easy to sing along to - despite the lyrical content. It is one of those songs that you have to be careful to not accidentally sing when someone could be listening! The band have certainly written worse songs than this, but there are also plenty of better songs here that do not rely on tired tropes. P.A.R.T.Y. is up next and despite it being a song that I should hate based on my general views on the band's more throwaway numbers I actually quite enjoy it. The lyrics were clearly throw together in about five minutes, but the music is actually well-written - with a strong synth presence that is very memorable and a chorus vocal refrain that is very early 2000s clubland (which works better than it should). It is a silly song, but it adds a different overall vibe to the album, and it will certainly go down well when played live.

Under Blackened Banners gets back, at least in part, to the band's old-school sound - although there is a synth edge that permeates throughout. This is very prevalent early on, with a dancing synth kicking everything off, but generally the song is a strong folk metal romp with lots of Bodor riffing and another big chorus that returns to the shanty-esque melodies which the band have often made use of before. The keyboard melodies are more 'modern' sounding throughout, though. The synth patches sound quite dated, but they are modern in the sense that they are not trying to ape the sounds of accordions or fiddles - so the band's folk metal sound certainly feels modernised here. This is coupled with a handful of riffs that sound somewhat influenced by the modern tech metal/djent scene. This vibe is not prevalent, but some of Bodor's riffs are more angular and deeper-sounding than usual in my opinion - and his guitar solo is another excellent moment of shredded melody. There is also an excellent keyboard solo section, too. Magyarország is another throwback piece, but this time, like the album's opening number, it feels very much in the style of the band's early work. The lyrics again feel quite thrown together, but musically it is another winner for me. Bodor's riffing again is excellent, with some great stop-start patterns - whilst the drumming of Peter Alcorn throughout the verses creates something of a swing feel, which does somewhat create a unique vibe. Again, the band have written better songs than this - but it at least feels like there has been some effort made musically here, and it does stand out thanks to its overall groove and the guitar performance of Bodor. The album's title track follows, and it could well be the most epic-sounding song on the album. The opening riffing is very energetic and packed with hooks, whilst the keyboard work throughout the song adds that heroic folk edge which is sorely missing from some of the band's more recent work. Whilst the guitar riffing stands out throughout the album generally, this is a song that pushes the keyboard work of Bowes and Vernon to the fore. There are lots of hooks throughout, and the flourishes and melodies which link all of the sections together give the track an appropriately epic feel. The chorus is a winner, too, and the song is one of my favourite cuts here thanks to its focus on keyboard hooks and its overall powerful feel. Bite the Hook Hand that Feeds is similar in style, but it does not feel quite as strong. It is a high energy song, with some strong riffing throughout, but the keyboard melodies are not as prevalent this time - and the faster pace of the song reminds me of a couple of the handful of weaker songs on the band's first couple of albums. Plus, I cannot help but feel that the band have used pretty much this exact same chorus before in another song. The melodies sound very familiar, and the overall way that it is has been put together makes me think that I have heard it before. Even the Alestorm songs that I like are generally quite derivative, but this feels more than just derivative - but currently I cannot quite place the melodies.

Return to Tortuga starts the album's home straight, and it is a song that I actually quite like despite it being a sequel to one of the weakest cuts on the last album. The dubstep elements, which sounded horribly dated, have been removed, though, and the song is generally just a decent folk metal anthem with some silly lyrics - and an unwelcome guest vocal from Captain Yarrface, who seems destined to appear on most of the band's albums at this point. Thankfully, though, there is no terrible rapping this time, and his vocal spot is short, which allows the song to generally be a fast-paced folk metal track with a gang vocal-led chorus which is actually fairly heavy for the band - and includes some excellent guitar and keyboard melodies which add some welcome intricacy to the piece. Come to Brazil is next, and it is a very short song that feels like it mixes the punk sound of Wooden Leg with the Crash Bandicoot soundtrack - as there is lots of jungle-sounding percussion throughout that sounds a little silly. The song is very short, so it is hard to get too annoyed with it, but it is easily one of the weakest songs here for me. The lyrics really are terrible, and the music is some of the most brainless punk/metal crossover riffing that has ever been thought up. They have managed to cram in their 'Oh wow!' meme into the lyrics, too, which instantly makes the song even more annoying. It is a poor song that adds very little to the album, but I am sure that some will find it amusing - so perhaps it is me that is missing out. The album then comes to a close with the third part of the Wooden Leg trilogy (as it is currently). The first part was a throwaway punk song and the second part was a lengthy prog epic - which was easily one of the most interesting songs on Curse of the Crystal Coconut. This third part is much less interesting, though, as it does not really do anything different from the last part - with many of the same melodies recycled. Japanese and Spanish singers have been utilised too, but neither of the singers, to me anyway, sound particularly good - with their performances sounding somewhat amateurish. The Spanish singer in particular sounds out of tune for much of his section, which is poor considering that this album is a major label release by a well-known band. For me, the Wooden Leg song series did not need another sequel - particularly one so lacklustre as Wooden Leg - Part III. It adds little to what has come before, and it feels like a limp (no pun intended) end to the album as a result. It is a shame that the album had to end with its two weakest songs, as for me a good chunk of what came before tracks 10 and 11 is pretty good. There are certainly a handful of strong, old-school sounding Alestorm songs here that will please long-time fans - and even some of the sillier songs do not grate on me as much as some of their others do. Seventh Rum of a Seventh Rum is a pretty strong album overall, and is a big improvement on 2020's career low. I still feel like the band are torn between their two sides and cannot always reconcile them, but as long as the quality remains mostly high then I will likely continue to enjoy their albums - providing another Curse of the Crystal Coconut is not being prepared.

The album was released on 24th June 2022 via Napalm Records. Below is the band's promotional video for The Battle at Cape Fear River.

Coheed and Cambria's 'A Window of the Waking Mind' - Album Review

For those of us who are fans of progressive rock, be it the classics from the genre's 1970s heyday or the huge amount of excellent bands that followed, a band like Coheed and Cambria always manage to elicit a smile. Whilst the band have never really sought to position themselves within the progressive rock world, instead wanting to align themselves more with alternative rock, emo, and even sometimes hardcore audiences, Coheed and Cambria's sound certainly contains many of the genre's classic hallmarks. All but one of the band's albums are sprawling concept albums, after all, which are all set in the same universe and tell stories around the ever-expanding lore of The Amory Wars, whilst their music is generally quite involving and complex - despite the presence of plenty of pop hooks. As a result, Coheed and Cambria have been embraced by many progressive rock fans - even if the band has never fully embraced the genre that they have so clearly been influenced by. That being said, though, Coheed and Cambria are not a pure progressive rock band - and all of those other scenes that I named-checked earlier, along with some good old-fashioned pop rock, have helped to inform the band's sound over the years. Listening to the band's earlier albums certainly showcases a heaviness and even an occasional metal edge that has largely been absent from their recent work - but everything that Coheed and Cambria have put out is unmistakably them. The band's sound has matured and evolved over the years, but the shift in tone towards a more polished, pop-orientated sound has been a natural and gradual one. This makes the band's catalogue a pleasant one to revisit - and the presence of the lengthy and complex concepts helps to add grandeur and intrigue to the band's knotty sound. Until a couple of months ago, though, it had been four years since the band last released an album. After taking a break from concept album territory in 2015 with The Color Before the Sun (which I reviewed here), the band returned to The Amory Wars in a big way with the epic, 80 minute The Unheavenly Creatures (which I also reviewed here) - which kickstarted a whole new saga within the band's sci-fi world. It was an album that took quite a few listens to digest, but from a songwriting perspective it was another winner that pushed the band's sound in a number of directions - from an occasional return to the heaviness of their early work to delicate, heartfelt ballads. The second instalment in this saga was released back in June, though, with A Window of the Waking Mind being unleashed onto the band's fanbase. Somewhat more svelte at a mere 53 minutes, the band's tenth studio album certainly feels less of a mammoth undertaking than The Unheavenly Creatures - but the overall sound and style of the 2018 release has been continued throughout the latest album. It definitely feels like an album that has benefitted from a bit of fat being trimmed away, though, and there is certainly more of an emphasis on pop hooks this time - with most of the songs here being under four minutes in length. The band's expansive sound is still very much present, though, thanks to Claudio Sanchez's distinct songwriting style and approach to vocal melodies.

The album opens with the short The Embers of Fire, an epic scene-setter with sprawling strings and the pounding drums of Josh Eppard. It starts slowly though, with the delicate vocals of Sanchez's son Atlas, but soon morphs into a percussive and expansive intro that sets the tone for what is to come - and it segues nicely into Beautiful Losers. Beautiful Losers is a classic-sounding modern Coheed and Cambria piece, which mixes soaring hooks with a slightly more melancholic feel. There is less of the driving hard rock that often characterises the band's sound, though, with the chorus exploding with a mid-paced, cinematic feel following slow-burning verses which are built on strong Eppard drum grooves and the off-kilter guitar playing of Sanchez and Travis Stever. This album contains a huge amount of soaring chorus hooks, and Beautiful Losers is the first of many. It is the sort of song that sticks in the brain after only a couple of listens - and the melodies throughout are extremely memorable, harking back to The Afterman era which was arguably the band at their most pop-orientated. Comatose ups the pace a bit, and injects some of the spiky rock edge that characterised the band's early days. The guitar melodies throughout the song are staccato in nature and they drive the song perfectly, creating a great bed for Sanchez's idiosyncratic vocal lines, whilst the rhythm section of Eppard and bassist Zach Cooper also make themselves felt with some standout moments. There are bass-led sections, which feature fluid melodies, whilst Eppard's bass drum work throughout is stellar. In fact, the song contains some of the album's most impressive drumming in general. Eppard is known for not using a double bass pedal, and his groove-based style is very much on display here. There are occasional explosions of virtuoso drumming, too, and they really elevate the song for me - enhancing the melodies perfectly. Shoulders then ups the heaviness somewhat, and returns to the slightly industrial sound of 2010's Year of the Black Rainbow. The overall approach to the song's sound is similar, with some strange effects sometimes being placed on Sanchez's voice - whilst the guitar tones definitely feel more processed. This approach works well, though, and a tortured guitar solo only enhances the industrial feel of the song further. A soaring chorus ensures that the piece still feels grounded within the album's core sound, though - and four tracks in it is amazing how much diversity has already been displayed. A Disappearing Act further widens the album's palette of sounds, too, by going for a full-on pop rock approach. Synths fill the song, and dancey grooves are created by the rhythm section - with a swing version of a four-on-the-floor beat mixing well with the band's usual guitar interplay and the strong keyboard presence. Given the song's overtly melodic nature, it is perhaps unsurprising that Sanchez's vocal melodies are extremely hooky - and the subtle use of autotune at times works to help blend his vocals with the synths, giving the song a complete feel.

Love Murder One opens slowly, and feels somewhat more reined in - given the explosion of sounds that has already been heard throughout the album. The song is still quite expansive and complex for its relatively short runtime, but it feels somewhat more laid back. That being said, though, Eppard's drumming is still busy and in-your-face. He is very high in the mix here, with his snappy bass drum patterns punching out of the gloom - heralding the arrival of the harder-hitting chorus which ups the heaviness slightly and incorporates a few old-school 1980s-esque guitar leads. The song is quite deceiving, then, as it is still a complex piece that, at times, masquerades as a song that is much more atmospheric. Blood is similar, and it opens slowly with Sanchez's delicate vocals backed by some staccato rhythms. Despite the band's typical drum grooves and a busy bass performance, the song is the most atmospheric and gentle of the album so far. The verses are more groove-based, but the guitars in general throughout are mixed into the background - and the choruses are even more stripped-back. The choruses find Sanchez essentially just singing against a synth backdrop, which allows his unique voice to shine - before the band then kick back in for another relatively punchy, yet still ethereal, verse. The Liars Club then returns to a more upbeat vibe - and the song is very typical of Coheed and Cambria's singles of the past. It does start relatively slowly, clearly segueing nicely from the atmospherics of the previous two songs, but once it gets going it is packed with pop-punk riffs, a driving hard rock energy, and spiky guitar melodies that are very much part of the band's trademark sound. Whilst Coheed and Cambria's sound has evolved over the years, this is a song that could have really sat on any of the band's previous albums without sounding out of place. It has a chorus which is very easy to latch onto, and the guitar playing throughout is technical - without it ever overshadowing the melodies. It is a song which I can see becoming a live staple going forward due to its pop hooks and upbeat vibe. Bad Man then returns to a more atmospheric sound, but the synths throughout have something of an industrial vibe - with drum programming crashing through the pulsing keyboards, over which Sanchez sings with an effects-heavy delivery. The song overall has quite a strange sound, and it is one that covers a lot of ground despite its short length. Big guitar leads often cut through the mix, adding a rock edge to the song's strange, synth-based sound - whilst the chorus is very bass-heavy, with a lumbering bassline driving everything. Despite this odd mix of sounds, the song still hangs together. It sounds quite different for the band, but it is still very much a Coheed and Cambria composition. Sanchez's approach to the vocal melodies is very typical of his style, and when Eppard's drums replace the programming his grooves help to define the movement of the melodies. Our Love then strips everything away, and creates something that is the closest thing that the album has to a ballad. The song is all about Sanchez's emotional, yet poppy, vocal delivery - which initially is set against a simple synth backing. The song is very short, at under three minutes in length, but it acts as a coda to the album's lengthy closing trilogy. Occasional piano melodies and pulsing drum programming add to the song when needed, but this is very much a piece that is based around the vocal hooks - and there is little else here to distract from the lyrics.

The album's final three songs up the complexity in terms of arrangements - and it definitely feels like the band have taken a bit of a trip back in time as a result. Ladders of Supremacy kicks off this closing suite, and the heaviness is immediately upped due to a barrage of guitar riffs that certainly showcases the band's love of a progressive melody. The knotty riffs early on set the tone for the album's closing sections, and you can feel the band moving through the gears as the song moves along. The guitars are very dominant here, and Sanchez also takes a different approach vocally, too. Whilst there are moments that feel poppy, especially during the mid-paced verses with their pulsing synths and groove-based drumming, there are moments that see him singing in the more aggressive style that he used to use much more liberally - with some brief sections that see him almost screaming. The song in general is much less overtly melodic, too. There are still hooks to be found, but this is a song that is more about creating a mood, injecting some heaviness into the album, and showcasing some excellent guitar playing. Both Sanchez and Stever often impress with their playing, but this is very much a piece that feels like it benefits from the busy and interlocking melodies of the two. Some of the riffs border on metal at times due to their heaviness, whilst other sections are pure prog thanks to the interweaving melodies of the guitars and the busy rhythm section. The song at some point segues perfectly into Rise, Naianasha (Cut the Cord), and the transition is so seamless that it is hard to tell that a new song has started. The tone does shift, though, as the heaviness of the previous song fades away somewhat, and the album's penultimate song instead feels like a more expansive version of the poppier tracks that were featured earlier on the album. As such, the song feels like a more progressive version of The Liars Club - and is another track that could have easily sat on any of the band's other albums. The riffing is busy again, but the melodies are much bigger this time - with a chorus that is packed full of explosive hooks. As such, the song is one of the album's overall highlights for me. It is great mix of pop and prog, which is the sound that has made the band has good as they have been over the years. The album then comes to a close with its title track, which is the longest piece here at over eight minutes in length. It is typical of the band's previous longer pieces, in that it is multi-part and varied - but it opens quite slowly, with acoustic guitars and a relatively simple arrangement. The song builds from this foundation, though, with strings and distant guitar leads joining the fray, before Eppard joins in with a drum barrage and the piece expands significantly with heroic guitar leads, heavier riffs, and some narration. The song moves back and forth between heavier, spiky moments which feature some classic Coheed and Cambria guitar melodies and gentle sections that feature delicate piano lines and less of an expansive sound. As is typical, though, the song hangs together well. Sanchez's songwriting always manages to make the disparate parts of the band's sound work together - and the album's title track is another epic-length piece that works well despite its variety, even as it reprises melodies from the album's intro. As such, A Window of the Waking Mind is another excellent and varied album from Coheed and Cambria that contains a number of short, memorable songs that build up to an expansive and epic ending suite that is up there with some of their best longer form pieces from the past. It is an album that flows seamlessly and flies by as a result, and in time it will probably be seen as one of their best works.

The album was released on 24th June 2022 via Roadrunner Records. Below is the band's promotional video for The Liars Club.

Jorn's 'Over the Horizon Radar' - Album Review

The Norwegian hard rock/heavy metal singer Jørn Lande often feels like he is part of a new wave of traditional heavy metal, and is this generation's version of Ronnie James Dio, but, considering that he has been in the business for around 30 years at this point, he actually now something of a veteran in his own right. I think that it is easy to forgot how long Lande has been singing, especially given the number of bands and projects that he has been a part of over the years, but his ageless voice and old-school attitude has helped to keep the flames of both traditional hard rock and heavy metal burning over the years. Whilst he has been involved with power and progressive metal bands over the years, for me Lande is always at his best when he is operating under his own steam. He formed the self-titled band Jorn over 20 years ago at this point, and it is with Jorn that, in my opinion, he has written some of his finest songs. He has worked with a lot of great collaborators over the years, but Lande is a great songwriter in his own right - and that is very much evident throughout the 11 songs that make up the latest Jorn album Over the Horizon Radar, which was released back in June. I say this because, with the exception of two songs, all of the tracks here were written by Lande alone. He has rarely done this throughout his career, and it shows that he does not need to always work with a collaborator. Over the Horizon Radar is the first Jorn album of original material since 2017's excellent Life on Death Road (which I reviewed here) - which was an expansive album that included a lot of memorable songs. It could have done with a little fat trimming, though, but there are a lot of songs on the 2017 release that I still return to regularly - and the album had a muscular tone that helped it sit among the heaviest of Lande's works. Jorn's sound has generally been fair consistent, though, so I knew what to expect when I first listened to Over the Horizon Radar a couple of months ago. It is similar in style to Life on Death Road and all of Jorn's previous albums, but it perhaps feels a bit less heavy than the 2017 album. Over the Horizon Radar is still very much a heavy metal album, though, but there is perhaps a bit more of Lande's love of 1970s and 1980s hard rock on show this time. It is an album that is very much typical of the band's core sound, though, making it the latest in a long line of solid releases from Lande. Keyboardist Alessendro Del Vecchio (who surprisingly has had no songwriting input at all here) and drummer Francesco Jovino return from Life on Death Road; and the six-piece band sees the return of long-time guitarist Tore Moren - who's last Jorn studio album was 2012's Bring Heavy Rock to the Land. Rounding out the band are newcomers guitarist Adrian SB (Fuzz Generation; Føss) and bassist Nik Mazzucconi (Edge of Forever; Labyrinth) - both of whom contribute to the album's rich and hard rocking sound.

For me, the album opens with a run of great songs. Over the Horizon Radar is one that showcases its best moments first, then, and the title track kicks things off in fine fashion. The chunky, mid-paced song opens with a melodic, snaking riff which soon gives way to a meaty power chord pattern that forms the basis of the verse. Despite being in the business for around 30 years, Lande's voice has not diminished at all. He sounds as powerful here as he ever has, the song's power chord-led verse is brought to life by his gravelly tone. He still knows how to craft a hooky vocal melody, too, and the song's chorus moves into slightly more melodic territory with less of a focus on big chords and an arpeggio-esque melody. The chorus is one that instantly sticks in the brain, too, and Lande's less-gritty delivery during it helps to bring to mind a lot of classic 1980s heavy metal releases. A great guitar solo injects some flair and additional melody into the piece, whilst a slow-burning bridge section later on channels Dio-era Black Sabbath with its moody melodies and dense keyboard textures. The song is a great way to kick the album off, and it is very much a Jorn classic. Two seven-plus minute songs follow, but they are both excellent and do not outstay their welcome despite their length. Dead London is the first of the two, and it opens with the tolling of Big Ben - before a melodic guitar hook kicks in, which the rest of the band then build around. This morphs into an opening solo section, which makes use of both Moren and SB with some great harmonised leads, and then eventually transitions into a slower-paced verse - which features a rumbling keyboard backing and big power chords that ring out for Lande to powerfully croon over. Jorn generally operate at mid or slower paces, and Dead London is a perfect example of this. The riffing throughout is simple, although there are occasional guitar leads to inject some flair, and the booming drum performance of Jovino channels the distinct style of Vinny Appice at times - adding further to the Dio vibes that Lande himself conjures up. The chorus is another hooky one, too, and the track is another winner. My Rock and Roll is generally similar in tone, but it starts off in a much more stripped-back manner with some acoustic guitars that Lande croons over in his inimitable style. This vibe is fairly short-lived, though, as another muscular riff soon crashes in and the song very much reverts to type. Despite its quieter intro, the song is the heaviest of the album's opening trio - and it never really lets up after getting going. Del Vecchio's Hammond organ is very prominent in the mix throughout, and the guitars of Moren and SB are weighty - which ensures that the song is something of a wall of noise. There are still plenty of hooks, though, and the chorus is another lumbering monster that is easy latch onto - with Lande himself delivering another powerful vocal performance.

The quality of the album's opening trio is continued with One Man War, which perhaps reins some of the overt heaviness of My Rock and Roll and returns to a sound more akin to the album's title track - with some big guitar melodies and more of a focus on Lande's vocal hooks. The verses are a bit more stripped back, with Mazzucconi's bass taking the centre stage - whilst the keyboards add depth. This allows Lande's vocal performance to really shine, even more so than usual, and the arrangement also allows the chorus to hit harder when it kicks in. The song's chorus is heavier, with another riff straight out of the 1980s heavy metal playbook - which Lande sings over perfectly with plenty of gravitas. There are another couple of lengthy guitar solo spots, too, which include some more excellent interplay between Moren and SB. This is the first album where the two have worked together, and their harmony leads throughout the album are excellent - as this song's solo section can attest to. Black Phoenix takes on more of a punchier feel than the album's opening four songs - and it ups the pace somewhat with some machine gun drumming during its intro. It feels somewhat more urgent than the preceding songs, but it still very much feels at home here - and the track injects a little energy into the album with its hard-hitting sound and Jovino's drumming. It is the only song here co-written by Moren, and the song reminds me of previous Lande/Moren collaborations thanks to its more overt heavy metal vibes and a blistering, shredded guitar solo. It is another memorable song here, adding to the quality that has been heard up to this point. Special Edition is one of only two songs here that is under four minutes, and the snappy rocker is decent - but it lacks the expansiveness of the songs that have been heard up to this point. The riffing is less inspired, though, and the chorus feels a bit clunky - with vocal lines that feel too long for the melodies that they serve. As such, it is one of the album's weaker moments - and it does feel like a bit of a comedown following five such strong pieces. Lande tends to operate better writing longer form pieces, and Special Edition feels a bit undercooked to me. Ode to the Black Nightshade gets the album back on track, though, and like My Rock and Roll is opens slowly with some acoustic guitars and Lande's rich voice. He sings against this stripped-back musical backing for a short period, before the song proper kicks in - and it morphs into another muscular and powerful mid-paced rocker. Musically the song is a little simpler, though, and the vocals are very much pushed to the fore. Lande's vocal hooks really soar here, and both the verses and the chorus are packed full of hooks - whilst occasional bursts of lead guitar inject brief moments of speed amongst the mid-paced muscle of the rest of the piece. It is another strong cut here, returning the album to the high quality of the opening handful of songs.

Winds of Home, which is the shortest song here at just over three minutes, has more of an atmospheric sound - with Del Vecchio's keyboards playing quite a big role throughout. At first it seems that the song is going to be a slow one, but the guitars soon kick in and the chugging pattern and hi-hat accompaniment form a great backing for Lande's melodic and expansive vocal performance. The song never really kicks in beyond that, but it works given its short length - and it ends up acting like a ballad despite it not really being one. Lande's vocal performance throughout the song is more melodic than it generally is, with much of his usual grit put aside to allow for a more emotional delivery. In the Dirt returns to the album's core sound, but adds a layer of bombast - particularly early on as the main riff is backed by plenty of big keyboards which add a lot of depth and melody. The song has a big 1980s stadium rock feel at times, but it still very much sounds like a classic Jorn number - and there is still a moodiness throughout thanks to its arpeggio-driven verses and Lande's love of a gravelly melody. Whenever the song returns to its huge opening riff, though, those stadium vibes return - and it is probably my favourite riff on the album overall thanks to how much swagger it has. Lande writes in this mode occasionally, and it always hits hard when he does. I think that some of the hooks throughout the song could have been a bit bigger as a result, but the chorus is still a strong one with plenty of smooth melodies that become earworms after a handful of listens. Believer is another song that is very much rooted in Jorn's core sound, but there is also a strong 1970s classic rock feel thanks to the prominence of Del Vecchio's keyboards. Keyboards have not generally been a big part of Jorn's sound over the years, and that is generally the case throughout this album, but Believer's main riff is very much organ-driven - bringing Deep Purple and Uriah Heep to mind. Despite this, though, the song is still weighty - and it is another slower-paced track that feels heavier as a result. I think that Lande has written stronger songs in this vein, but the vocal hooks are memorable (even if some of the melodies are very similar to the Eagles' King of Hollywood at a times - which is not a comparison I was expecting to make) and the occasional bursts of lead guitar help to keep things interesting. The album then comes to a close with Faith Bloody Faith, that has a bit of a different sound to the rest of the album. It still sounds like Jorn, with its big riffs and a commanding Lande vocal performance, but it is much more upbeat than is typical - and has a stronger keyboard presence than usual. It actually reminds me of a somewhat toned down version of something like Beast in Black - with its hooky grooves and energetic synths. It does not egregiously channel that sound, but it certainly sees Lande trying something new. It works I think, but it does rather stick out like a sore thumb on the album - which is perhaps why it was left to the end. It is a fun, energetic piece, though, and Lande's vocals are as powerful as ever - which are showcased throughout the upbeat and pumping chorus. Overall, though, and despite the slightly odd ending, Over the Horizon Radar is another very strong album from Jorn that is packed full of memorable old-school metal anthems with plenty of power and melody. It generally sticks to Lande's tried and tested formula, but those who are fans of his will find plenty to enjoy here.

The album was released on 17th June 2022 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Over the Horizon Radar.

Castell Roc 2022

Back in 2017 I went to a concert in a castle. Such things are not everyday occurrences - but a night with The Quireboys, FM, and Gun took me to Chepstow, and its 11th Century castle, in Monmouthshire. It was a memorable evening for a number of reasons. All three bands put on excellent sets, but the setting also significantly contributed to my enjoyment of the night. Chepstow Castle is partially ruined, but a significant amount of it still stands and it makes for the perfect venue for a series of concerts in the summer. The natural slope of the land within the castle's courtyard means that you get a great view of the stage wherever you stand - and the historic setting just adds to the overall ambiance of the night. The castle has been putting on concerts for a few years, and usually holds a few each summer which are brought together under the Castell Roc banner. Not many of the shows tend to interest me, as they put on a lot of tribute bands, but the 2017 show which was closed out by The Quireboys was certainly worth the trip over to South Wales. Nothing really grabbed my attention in 2018 and 2019, but one of the shows planned for 2020 did - with the Scottish blues rockers King King and the 1970s style pop rock of Cats in Space coming together for what promised to be a memorable evening. Clearly this show did not take place in 2020, but it kept being rescheduled - and it finally took place last weekend, two years to the day from when it was originally supposed to. Whilst The Quireboys, FM, and Gun all played for around the same amount of time in 2017, this show was billed more as a King King headline show - with Cats in Space in support. Being a fan of both bands, though, the trip up the M5 and across the old Severn Bridge was very much worth it - and it was great to see Chepstow very busy when I got there at around 4:30pm. Following a short walk around the time, it was time to head to the local Wetherspoons for some dinner, which was also very busy, before heading up to the castle for the evening's entertainment. The set-up was the same as in 2017, with the stage erected at the bottom of the courtyard's natural slope. There was a bar off in one of the little side areas, as well as a dedicated seating area and a handful of food vendors. The set up gives the feeling of being at a mini festival, and the atmosphere throughout the night, as it was in 2017, was excellent. As was the case in 2017, too, the turnout was pretty good. At first it looked a little sparse, but it was not too long before the courtyard was pretty full - and it was great to see so many out to have a good time with the bands.

Before King King or Cats in Space took to the stage, though, the growing crowd was treated to 40 or so minutes of laid back rock from Rainbreakers - a Midlands-based four-piece who impressed throughout their time on stage. At first I felt as if the band's sound would be a bit too indie-inspired for me, but as their set went on they seemed to up the intensity a little - and bluesy rock riffs from Ben Edwards (vocals/guitar) and Charlie Richards (guitar) kept their songs ticking along nicely. Despite the strong riffing, though, the band's sound was never that intense. There was a laid back vibe to their sound, which was helped by some strong grooves from Ash Milburn (bass guitar), and their music was perfectly suited for a sunny August afternoon. The songs could have been a bit hookier for me chorus-wise, but there were enough melodies to keep me interested. The highlight of the band's set for me, though, was Richards' guitar playing throughout. During the first few numbers he was fairly restrained, with the occasional wah-drenched lick or brief solo, but as the set moved on he really came alive. The penultimate song of the set was quite lengthy, and featured an elongated guitar solo from him that impressed in a big way. It was quite blues-based, but the melodies throughout were excellent - and it was easily the highlight of the set for me. The band in general were not really that flashy at all, which made the lengthy solo stand out all the more, but it worked well as an opportunity for all on stage to let their hair down a bit and rock out. The closing song also had a strong guitar solo, too, although it was not as long as the previous one - but it ensured that the band's set came to a strong end. Due to the band's overall vibe, and Richards' guitar playing, I enjoyed my time with Rainbreakers. Their sound perfectly suited the weather and the overall setting - and they warmed the crowd up nicely for what was to come.

It was only a couple of months since I had last seen Cats in Space at the Cambridge Rock Festival, and only a couple of months until I will see them again in Tavistock, but I was ready to see the pomp rock six-piece live again. With the band's fifth album Kickstart the Sun less than a month old, they are currently riding high - and put on an hour-long set to impress in Chepstow. Three songs from the new album were played, but the set very much felt like a best-of festival set overall - which was probably wise given the setting. I imagine that the setlist will be changed quite a bit to accommodate more of the new songs in the autumn, but hitting the Chepstow crowd with an hour of their best material certainly worked a treat. As has generally been the case of late, the band opened the show with Too Many Gods from their debut album - with frontman Damien Edwards hitting the stage with his usual flamboyance which helped to carry the band through their glut of songs. The setlist was essentially a condensed version of the Cambridge Rock Festival set, although Spaceship Superstar was brought back - which perfectly continued on the up-tempo vibe set by Too Many Gods. The song is one of my favourites from 2020's Atlantis - so it was great to see it return to the set after not being played at Cambridge. A suite of new songs from the excellent Kickstart the Sun then followed. Poke the Witch is a great melodic song, but for it is Teenage Millionaires of the album's singles that comes across the best live. It is a great hard rock track, with plenty of the band's trademark vocal harmonies, and the chorus is one that sticks in the brain after only a single listen. The spotlight was then turned over to Andy Stewart (keyboards/vocals), who gently introduced the ballad 1,000,000 Miles for possibly its first ever outing - another strong track from the new album. It would have been nice to hear some more new songs, but as mentioned above I imagine that these are being held back for the autumn tour - and it was wise to hit the crowd with some of the very best of Cats in Space. The cinematic Atlantis is a track that always goes down well live, and it featured one of Edwards' best vocal performances for the set for me. It is one of the band's more expansive pieces, and it perfectly brought the band's big sound together - before bassist Jeff Brown introduced the disco vibes of Thunder in the Night. The funky song always goes down well live, and it proved to be another great sing-a-long moment, before Stewart again showcased his piano skills for the dramatic The Mad Hatter's Tea Party. The main set then came to a close with a stunning rendition of I Fell Out of Love with Rock 'n' Roll, which was stretched out to include a lengthy ending section with plenty of soloing from both Greg Hart (guitar/vocals) and Dean Howard (guitar/vocals). Despite being a support act, though, there was time for Cats in Space to do one more - and they came back out for a powerful rendition of Greatest Story Never Told, which has essentially become the band's signature piece over the years. Edwards and Brown shared the vocal duties as ever, and the dramatic song was a great way to bring the band's set to a triumphant close. The setlist was:

Dive!

Too Many Gods

Spaceship Superstar

Poke the Witch

Teenage Millionaires

1,000,000 Miles

Marionettes

Atlantis

Thunder in the Night

The Mad Hatter's Tea Party

I Fell Out of Love with Rock 'n' Roll

-

Greatest Story Never Told

It was not long following Cats in Space's set that King King took to the stage. The crowd had already enjoyed two strong sets, and King King's customarily excellent performance made it three in a row - and the band impressed from the off with a career-spanning setlist that highlighted all five of their studio albums. The setlist was essentially a slightly condensed version of the set played on last year's tour, which I caught in Exeter, although one song from the band's debut was added to ensure that every album was represented. As such, the set mixed a strong handful of songs from 2020's Maverick with a number of favourites from their previous four albums. As always, the hard rocking (She Don't) Gimme No Lovin' got the set off to a fine start. The relatively new current line-up of the band has very much cemented itself at this point, but Alan Nimmo (vocals/guitar) is still very much the star of the show. His Paul Rodgers-esque voice is the perfect fit for the band's bluesy rock sound - whilst his melodic soloing style was featured extensively in every song. Despite the lengthy instrumental workouts within King King's songs, their material is still very melodic. All of the songs have strong choruses, as the newer Fire in My Soul and the funky One World can attest to - with the latter being driven by Jonny Dyke's (keyboards/vocals) Fender Rhodes. Dyke is the perfect wingman to Alan, and his organ playing is a big part of the King King sound. Alan's brother Stevie (guitar/vocals) has also helped to bolster the band's sound since his addition - with his guitar playing allowing Alan to focus on his singing at some points. Following One World, a host of favourites were wheeled out. The laid back grooves of Waking Up went down as well as always, but it was perhaps Lose Control that was the highlight of this section for me. The riffy song was not featured in the set last year, so the heavier track allowed the crowd to rock out a bit - before the pace was slowed for the gorgeous and ever-present A Long History of Love, which is always a favourite of the crowd. It is a real guitar showcase piece for Alan, and the lengthy guitar solo in the middle of the song always feels like the centrepiece of the band's set. The setting only enhanced the solo, and it was another highlight of the night. A handful of shorter pieces then followed, including the melancholic Whatever It Takes to Survive and the hopeful You Stopped the Run - before the final new number I Will Not Fall allowed for a bit more rocking out and a chance to Stevie to solo with an impressive closing barrage of notes. The raunchier blues piece Stranger to Love then brought the main set to a close with more soloing and its gritty attitude. There was time for one more, though, and the melodic and uplifting Let Love In was the encore. The song was used to encourage a bit of audience participation during the poppy chorus, and the melodic and jaunty piece was a great way to close out what had been a great overall evening of music - and showcased why King King are one of the country's best modern blues rock bands going. The setlist was:

(She Don't) Gimme No Lovin'

Fire in My Soul

One World

Waking Up

Rush Hour

Lose Control

A Long History of Love

Whatever It Takes to Survive

You Stopped the Rain

I Will Not Fall

Stranger to Love

-

Let Love In

King King capped off an excellent evening at Chepstow Castle, where all of the three bands that performed impressed. It is a shame that the Castell Roc people do not book more original rock bands such as they did in 2017 and 2022, but the two nights that I have now had in Monmouthshire have been excellent and very memorable. King King and Cats in Space are two bands that I will now take every opportunity to see them that presents - and I am looking forward to seeing Cats in Space in Tavistock again in October. I am sure that King King will be around again in due course, possibly with a sixth album in tow, and I look forward to catching them again when I am able to.

Bloodstock Open Air 2022

Whilst I am not a long-standing part of the Bloodstock Open Air family, having now attended five of the seven iterations of the festival that have been held since 2015 I now consider myself something of a veteran of Catton Hall. Having started life back in 2001, and moved to its current Catton Hall home in 2005, Bloodstock is very much a firm fixture on the UK festival circuit at this point - and has gained a reputation for being the UK's premier metal festival. Whilst Download can certainly attract bigger bands, it is more than a metal festival due to its wider genre reach - which allows Bloodstock, despite being smaller, to be more of a weekend for the purists. It has certainly moved away from its traditional/melodic metal roots over the years, though, but Bloodstock still generally champions those bands which the mainstream in general would not give too much thought to. This has helped to keep the festival popular, despite its own battles with widening its appeal, and many people come back year after year. The last Bloodstock that I attended, though, was in 2019 - which was probably the best of the four that I had been to at that point from a bands perspective, despite the Saturday largely being curated to shift day tickets to a very different crowd from the festival's regulars. The initial line-up for the 2020 iteration of the festival was not generally to my taste, though, so I did not buy a ticket for it - but of course it ended up being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I did not buy a ticket for 2021, either, as the line-up was largely rolled over from 2020 - although it ended up essentially being an all-UK affair (apart from a handful of overseas bands) due to the travel restrictions which were still in place last August. Some of the bands from 2020 and 2021 were rolled over again onto 2022's line-up, then, but with some additions I decided to take the chance and get a ticket. I think that the festival has had stronger line-ups in the past, but there was enough on 2022's card to keep me interested - even if there was generally a distinct lack of traditional/melodic metal. This shift away from the festivals roots over the past few years has upset quite a lot of the regulars, but the attendances overall have still been strong - despite the campsites in 2019 feeling emptier than the previous years. Despite not being an original Bloodstocker from 2001, I generally share this sentiment. I have enjoyed all of the Bloodstocks that I have been to, but I have often had to avoid the huge amounts of generic not-quite-death metal, and more recently 'core', bands that generally fill out the undercard - particularly on the smaller stages. The festival is clearly trying to shift towards what they clearly presume to be a more marketable direction, but festivals are always at their best when their line-ups are diverse. Having endless cookie-cutter core bands does not do anyone any favours, even fans of that scene, so having a bit of everything would certainly be more palatable. 2022 had hardly any power (or similar) metal at all that was not gimmicky and overtly jokey, but thankfully the line-up still included enough bands that I liked, and some which sounded interesting, to make my previous purchase a valid one.

As always, the train journey from Devon to Derbyshire was not one that I was looking forward to - but the journey itself was very smooth. I did not leave as early as I had done in previous years, as I remember getting into the festival site very quickly in 2019 (following huge queues in 2018) and ended up with nothing to do for quite a while before the arena opened. The queuing was back this time, though, although it thankfully was not as bad as it was in 2018. It probably took me an hour to get into the site from getting off the shuttle bus from Lichfield City station - which was rather tedious, particularly due to how hot it was. The Met Office had declared an amber weather warning due to the foreseen heat for the four days of the festival. The weather will be a recurring theme throughout this piece, but it is fair to say that the Met Office were correct. The weather throughout the weekend was extremely hot until the sun started to set each day, which made enjoying the festival quite hard going at times - and it made standing in the big queue to get in even less fun than usual. In the end, though, I am not sure what the hold up was - especially compared to 2019. No-one looked at my bags at all, meaning that all I had to do was get my ticket scanned and my wristband fastened - which took about a minute. I assume that some bags were being checked thoroughly, which contributed to the delay - but this entry system has often been one of the festival's weak points, and the heat made it more apparent this year as there was no shelter at all to make use of. Thankfully, when I had my wristband, finding somewhere to camp was easy. It is amazing how I have managed to pitch my tent in pretty much the same spot at every Bloodstock (with the exception of 2015). Since 2016 I have camped in Asgard, and I managed to get in my usual spot easily. The heat made putting up the tent and getting sorted take a bit more time than usual, but by the time I was done the main arena was open so I headed in for my first walk around the site. A few new food vendors had turned up this year, including an excellent kebab stall - which I soon bought a lamb doner from. The layout of the site was the same as the previous years, although sadly the large CD/LP vendor that usually turns up was not there this time. That was a shame, as I have often picked up some decent CDs from them, but I probably saved some money as a result - particularly as the food prices have climbed over the years. The festival organisers said that the food prices this year would be locked at last year's prices due to the on-going financial issues that the country is facing, but that did not stop the food still being expensive - and anecdotally that did not seem to actually happen in practice. As always, I tried to gauge what I considered to be the best value for money - and all the food that I ate over the weekend was enjoyable. My favourite paella stall was back, thankfully, and there were a number of other decent options. You never really get your money's worth with festival food - but I was pleased with my choices, with the paella and kebab stalls benefitting from two trips each!

The Thursday nights of Bloodstock are always fairly low-key affairs, with only the Sophie Lancaster Stage (from now on referred to as the Second Stage) operating. There were a handful of bands that I wanted to check out, though, and Thuum were my first of the weekend. There were many sets that I enjoyed more throughout the weekend, but the four-piece sludge/groove metal act certainly got the festival off to a decent start. They only had half an hour to play with, and the length of their songs meant that they only had time to play around four. It is my understanding that the band has essentially re-launched itself this year, with only Ryan Mills (vocals/guitar) remaining from the previous incarnation, but the band's heavy, snaking riffs and Mills' deep harsh vocals made for a powerful combination. Groove metal tends to be a sound that I have to be in the mood for, but I enjoyed Thuum's time on stage. Many of the riffs were memorable, and the excellent lead playing of Max Phillimore (guitar/vocals) gave the band a bit of a melodic edge. The band are certainly one to watch, and once the new line-up has properly bedded in I can see their new material being something worth checking out. There was a couple of hours following Thuum's set before the next band that I wanted to check out, so I had another wonder around the stalls to see if I could find any CDs for sale. There was one stall with quite a selection, but they specialised in extreme metal so there was not much there that really interested me, and there was another one with some second hand CDs but nothing really jumped out sadly. This was a bit of a shame, as I have often found a few obscure gems to pick up at previous festivals, but it killed a bit of time before Nekrogoblikon's set - who were the penultimate act of the day. I knew little about the band, but I had heard one song in advance of the festival and decided that they might be fun. Although I ended up watching the whole set, more for something to do rather than anything else, Nekrogoblikon did little for me. The song that I had heard was not really representative of the band's sound at all, and the strange cinematic pop/power metal that I was expecting was largely replaced with music akin to the particularly egregious end of the late 2000s tech metal scene in the vein of bands like Iwrestledabearonce. There was also someone dressed up as a goblin that was dancing around on stage throughout their set, and overall it all just felt excessively gimmicky. As I have gotten older, I find my tolerance for comedy rock/metal has significantly waned, and despite some decent riffs and the odd strong chorus I cannot say that Nekrogoblikon did anything to change my mindset.

Following a brief rest to allow the night's headline act to set up, the finest band of the day, and genuine metal legends, Dark Tranquillity took to the stage. The Swedish melodic death metal band are an act that, despite knowing quite a lot about, I have never really significantly listened to. I own a couple of their CDs, but I have never made much of an effort to investigate their catalogue. With them headlining the festival's first night, though, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to check them out and give their hour-plus set a proper listen. Unsurprisingly the tent was pretty full when frontman Mikael Stanne and co. took to the stage, and the band impressed those gathered with a good selection of songs from their gloomy catalogue. Dark Tranquillity certainly sit at the gothic end of melodic death metal, and there are hints of death/doom to be found in their sound - as well as the sweeping soundscapes of Martin Brändström (keyboards) to add plenty of depth. As such, the band's songs are generally slower and less anthemic than is typical for melodic death metal, but what the band lack in big hooks they make up for in atmosphere and mood. That being said, though, there was still plenty of melody to be found throughout the set - and that was despite the band being a guitarist down. This left Johan Reinholdz to handle the guitar parts alone, although there was some 'help' going on in the form of backing tracks, which probably restricted what the band could do somewhat - but I still enjoyed my first true exposure to Dark Tranquillity's sound. Stanne sounded strong vocally throughout, and Brändström's keyboards were pretty high in the mix - which could be to compensate for the lack of Christopher Amott and the fact that some of his guitar leads were magically still coming out of the speakers! Needs must sometimes, though, and it did not effect my enjoyment of the show. Quite a few of the songs played seemed to come from the band's most recent album Moment, which I shall need to check out, whilst some of the older songs played sounded a bit rawer and less keyboard-heavy - with Stanne's voice taking on more of a gruffer tone during these cuts. Despite not really knowing any of the songs played I still enjoyed the band's set, and it reinforced the view that Dark Tranquillity are a band that I do really need to investigate further - particularly with my recent doom-related explorations.

Following Dark Tranquillity's set it was time for bed, and thankfully the heat had died down quite considerably by this point and I was able to get a decent night's sleep. I actually slept very well throughout the festival this year, and it was likely due to generally being more tired due to the heat. Asgard, whilst generally fairly chilled, seemed even more laid back than usual this year - which meant that the nights were often almost silent. This was great as it meant that I could sleep easily, and it was needed as the heat throughout the weekend could make enjoying the bands a bit of a slog at times. I had a bit of a lie in on the Friday morning, but got into the arena just as Red Method were opening up the Ronnie James Dio Stage (from now on referred to as the Main Stage) with their brand of industrial/nu metal. My kebab felt like quite a long time ago by this point, so I headed for my favourite paella stand and got some food - and sat down to eat it and watch Red Method. They were probably, though, the band of the weekend which I enjoyed the least. Their dated nu metal trappings and strange appearance felt like something from 20 years ago - and one of the guitarists was even dressed up in a manner similar to someone from Slipknot. The band's music really did nothing for me, and there was one pretty cringeworthy moment where the band took a bit of a mid-set break to allow a pulpit to be set up - from which the singer then preached from for a bit. It all came across as quite pretentious, and I was quite glad when the band's set came to an end. I had planned to watch Heart of a Coward, who were up next, but I was already ready for some shade so sat down by the hedge en route to Asgard to have a bit of break - before heading back to the Main Stage to catch Sorcerer. I knew little about Sorcerer prior to the festival, but one listen to their latest album Lamenting of the Innocent convinced me that I should give them a go. I was hooked from the off once the band hit the stage, and they probably ended up being the discovery of the weekend for me. The Swedish five-piece are described as a doom metal band, and I suppose they are similar in vein to bands like Candlemass, but to me they just sounded like a good, old-fashioned melodic heavy metal band - with more than a few nods to the Tony Martin era of Black Sabbath. The band's set was a good mix of anthemic heaviness and more lumbering progressive numbers - with the duelling guitars Kristian Niemann and Peter Hallgren forming the basis of their sound. Founding frontman Anders Engberg powered over the band with his rich voice. He generally sung in a lower register, but the occasional high-pitched scream was welcome. This was the band's first ever show in the UK, and they seemed blown away by the reaction that they received. A decent crowd had gathered to watch them, possibly as they were one of the few clean vocal-led acts of the weekend, but the songwriting and the vocal prowess of Engberg certainly held everyone's attention. Despite originally forming in the 1980s and releasing some demos at the time, it is only in recent years that the band has released anything officially following reforming with a new line-up - so it is great that this forgotten band is finally getting some love. I will certainly be picking up the band's other two albums in due course, and I hope that they return to the UK again soon.

It was time for another break following Sorcerer's excellent set, and I think I ended up having something of a nap in the shade for a little while. The heat was certainly making everyone rather sluggish, but breaking little and often for me allowed my stamina levels to remain pretty high - and I rose from my nap in time to attempt to get into the Second Stage's tent for a surprise set. Around a week or so before the festival, it was announced that there would be a secret band during the Friday afternoon - and rumours circulated as to who it would be. The two main candidates were Amon Amarth and Machine Head - and it ended up being the latter. The fact that the band was Machine Head had been all-but confirmed by the time that they hit the stage, but there was no way that I was going to make it into the tent to see them. The whole area around the tent was absolutely heaving, so just getting past that part of the site was tricky. In retrospect, putting Machine Head on the Second Stage was probably not a wise move. Whilst it was likely a memorable experience for some, many of the festival's attendees essentially missed out on the special set - and from what I have heard the tent was unpleasantly full, leading to some needing to make an exit for fear of fainting. The festival really should have moved things around and put Machine Head on the Main Stage. It still could have been a secret, but at least more people would have been able to see them - and it would not have led to a crush around the tent. It would have also meant that Doyle (of Misfits fame) would not have had to play a Main Stage set to one of the smallest crowds of the entire festival - which must have been extremely demoralising for him and his band. I watched a bit of their set, but there was no atmosphere whatsoever and the sound mix was extremely muddy. There was little energy coming from the band, and essentially it just felt a bit like no-one really cared. In truth I cannot blame Doyle for this, as they were definitely a bit stitched up by the festival due to the hype whipped up by Machine Head. I decided to get some dinner instead, and watch GWAR's set that followed. I was obviously familiar with the GWAR legend, but prior to the festival I had never seen them live or even heard a single song by them. I am glad that I have now experienced the band's messy and over-the-top live show, but they are very much a novelty act - albeit one of the original and best ones. Their songs, despite being somewhat catchy, are nothing special - and they seem to put more stock in the show itself and the costumes than the music. That being said, though, the band sounded tight - and watching them play in those ridiculous costumes was a lot of fun. Despite the grotesque nature of the show, too, some of the jokes were actually somewhat caustic, showing a sharper side than I had perhaps expected. I have never really paid the band any attention previously, and I probably will not going forward, but they are something that needs to be experienced at least once - and they livened up the day following the lacklustre set from Doyle.

Up next on the Main Stage was a double dose of Bay Area thrash, with Testament following Exodus in what promised to be a great double-header. Heathen were also playing, but for whatever reason the festival decided to put them on at the same time as Exodus. Clashes are inevitable at festivals, but that was a particularly braindead decision (unless there were practical, travel-related reasons why the bands had to play at the same time) given the links between the two bands and the fact that fans of thrash would have wanted to see both. It is my understanding that Heathen ended up playing to quite a small crowd as a result, but I chose Exodus as I had been wanting to see them again since catching them in Plymouth in 2016. The band had an hour to play with, and they delivered a great 11-song set that included a few choice cuts from last year's Persona Non Grata alongside a number of thrash classics. One of the new songs, the fast-paced and angry The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves), got the set underway - and it was clear from the off that the band were on fire and out and to impress. The sound mix was loud and clear, and the band were tight - with Gary Holt (guitar/vocals) laying down riff after riff whilst frontman Steve 'Zetro' Souza commanded the stage with his Bon Scott-on-speed vocal style. When I saw Exodus previously they were without Holt, due to him playing with Slayer at the time, so it was great to see him back with his main band - but this time they were without fellow guitarist Lee Altus, with The Black Dahlia Murder's Brandon Ellis filling in for him. Classics were mixed in throughout with newer cuts, with Blood In Blood Out getting the crowd going thanks to its big chorus and the punchy Blacklist was another one that kept the energy levels high thanks to its punky attitude and a driving bassline from Jack Gibson (bass guitar/vocals). The set was mostly a high-energy affair, but the band did slow things down somewhat with Prescribing Horror - one of the songs from their latest album. It is a groovier, heavy track that allowed Holt to showcase his chunkier approach to riffing. Souza's screeching vocals really brought the song to life, too, and it was a great way to inject some groove into the set before a closing three-song run of absolute classics. Bonded by Blood, which is one of the cornerstone songs of thrash, was the first of the three - and the energy levels rose. Lots of moshing took place during the anthem, before The Toxic Waltz only upped the energy levels further. It was left to Strike of the Beast to bring a barnstorming hour of thrash to a close, and it was clear to me that is going to hard for any other band to top them that day. It was also great to see drummer Tom Hunting in such fine form following his recent cancer battle. The setlist was:

The Beatings Will Continue (Until Morale Improves)

A Lesson in Violence

Blood In Blood Out

The Years of Death and Dying

Deathamphetamine

Blacklist

Piranha

Prescribing Horror

Bonded by Blood

The Toxic Waltz

Strike of the Beast

Testament followed, who also impressed, but for me they could not quite match the intensity of Exodus. Testament's brand of thrash is much more mid-paced and groove-orientated, which helped to set them apart - but the energy levels were never as consistently high. That being said, though, Testament were still very good and put on a strong set. I had not seem them live before, so they were one of the acts that I was looking forward to seeing the most over the weekend. Like Exodus before them, Testament's set was a good balance of old and new. The first half of the set was generally made up with newer songs; with the closing moments containing a number of classic tracks. Taking the stage to the creepy instrumental Catacombs from their latest album Titans of Creation, the band soon got going and launched into the riff-heavy Rise Up - which perfectly introduced both the riffing style of guitarist Eric Peterson and the larger-than-life vocals of frontman Chuck Billy. The song was a real riff-fest, and many similar songs followed. Testament's more recent work is much more traditional heavy metal-influenced than their classic albums, as songs like the snappy The Pale King and the excellent Children of the Next Level showed. Including so much newer material worked in the band's favour for me, but it was still the classic songs that brought the largest cheers. Practice What You Preach was one that got the crowd going fairly early on, with an excellent solo from Alex Skolnick (guitar/vocals) included within, whilst the fast-paced D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate) from the band's mid-period showcased returning drummer Dave Lombardo. A real highlight for me, though, was a stunning rendition of Night of the Witch - another track from the band's latest album. The song is a great mix of melodic thrash and hints of extreme metal - and Peterson included some great harsh vocals during a black metal-esque section, which also showcased Lombardo's fast footwork. The older classics followed thick and fast after this, though, with the snappy First Strike is Deadly and the band's first single Over the Wall eliciting cheers from the large crowd. The band had perhaps saved the best to last, though, with the anthemic and gang vocal-heavy Into the Pit encouraging plenty of fists to be pumped - before the set came to a close with the melodic Alone in the Dark. Whilst Exodus might have impressed a little more, Testament's groove-laden sound still went down very nicely. It was great to finally see the band live, and the large crowd certainly enjoyed their time with one of the thrash's most important acts. The setlist was:

Catacombs

Rise Up

The New Order

The Pale King

Children of the Next Level

Practice What You Preach

WWIII

D.N.R. (Do Not Resuscitate)

Night of the Witch

The Formation of Damnation

First Strike is Deadly

Over the Wall

Into the Pit

Alone in the Dark

I stuck around following Testament's set, as it had been said in the build-up to the weekend that a handful of bands for next year's festival would be announced. I only go to festivals for the music, so the line-up is the most important thing for me. Sadly, however, it does not look that I will be returning to the festival next year. Surprisingly, two of the headliners were announced: Megadeth and Killswitch Engage; and they were the only two acts announced that I would have any sort of interest in seeing. The rest of the bands announced were generally more of the same generic-sounding metal that Bloodstock seems keen on booking these days in their seeming aim to move as far away from the festival's beginnings as possible and attract a more mainstream and 'hip' metal crowd. It seems as if 2019's Saturday, headlined by Parkway Drive and put together to shift day tickets, was the thin end of the wedge. I hope that this time next year I will be eating my words - but the next few announcements will have to be packed full of melodic metal for me to be doing so. The reactions to a few of the bands were very muted, too, and King810's announcement was met with a mixture of laughter and booing. King810 were famously very divisive in 2017 (I did not go to the festival that year so I cannot comment on their set) and are generally regarded as one of the worst bands to play on the Main Stage in recent history. Why the organisers thought it would be a good idea to bring them back is anyone's guess, especially as the hype that was at least surrounding the band in 2017 has long died. Time will tell whether or not I decide to go to Bloodstock again next year, but at the moment it is looking pretty unlikely, which is a shame. I then headed back to my tent for a bit of rest. I had intended to head back into the arena to watch the day's headline act Behemoth - but I was pretty tired by this point so I decided against it. I am not a massive Behemoth fan, despite quite liking The Satanist, and I did not feel like sitting through a whole set of the band's brand of blackened death metal. I will be seeing then band in October anyway with Arch Enemy, so getting a relatively early night seemed sensible - especially as I had earmarked quite a few bands to watch on Saturday. It had cooled down quite a lot again by this point, so I had another pretty good sleep and woke up feeling pretty fresh on Saturday morning. It is amazing how I find that I sleep pretty well at festivals these days, as that never used to be the case. The heat during the day probably helped to tire me out, but I remember sleeping pretty well at the last couple of Bloodstocks, too. This is very welcome, though, and it helped me to get through what ended up being a pretty mammoth Saturday with plenty of energy.

I wanted to catch the first band of the day, so made sure I was in the arena just in time for Denmark's Baest. As I was walking through the arena I could hear Toto's Child's Anthem being blasted pretty loudly. I assumed that one of the stallholders was playing it as a break from the otherwise endless barrage of metal, but as I got closer to the stage I realised that Baest were using it as their intro tape - which, considering that Baest are very much have an old-school death metal sound, amused me. I am not the biggest fan of death metal, but I thought that I would give Baest a go as a track that I heard online sounded fairly melodic and pretty riff-heavy - and that is essentially how their set turned out to be throughout. I enjoyed what Baest did throughout their 40 or so minutes on stage, from the fierce vocals of frontman Simon Olsen to the excellent riffing of the band's two guitarists. Death metal it is its best when the riffs are at the front and centre of the sound - and the songs are not just endless speed without any melody or groove. Baest had plenty of both, though, and the band certainly sit at the end of death metal which I can appreciate. A decent crowd had turned up for the first band of the day, too, so I was clearly not alone in wanting to check out what Baest were capable of. I imagine that the five-piece made a few new fans with their performance - and I will certainly be checking out their albums at some point. Following them on the Main Stage was the Finnish thrash act Lost Society - who I saw back in 2016 opening for Exodus. I remember somewhat enjoying the band's somewhat chaotic sound, and I somewhat enjoyed them again this time - although they are probably better suited to a small club setting than a large festival stage. Samy Elbanna (vocals/guitar) is a great thrash frontman, though, and he was all over the place during the band's set and never seemed to miss a beat. He handled the majority of the guitar solos, too, although fellow guitarist Arttu Lesonen also had a few chances to show off. Lost Society is very much Elbanna's vehicle, though, and his three bandmates were largely just there to back him up - as he ran around the stage screaming his lungs out and laying down a number of punky riffs. There were certainly better thrash acts that appeared over the weekend, but Lost Society represented that particularly chaotic brand of thrash is influenced as much by punk as it is by metal. With many of the other thrash acts being Bay Area-exports, Lost Society shook up the thrash line-up somewhat - and they seemed to hold the attention of the crowd during their 40 or so minutes on stage.

Following Lost Society's set I headed over to the New Blood Stage for my only visit of the weekend. Bands on the New Blood Stage are generally there as they have won competitions held across the country - and I am also pretty sure that they have to be unsigned to qualify. It is a good way of showcasing new talent, but I rarely make my way to the New Blood Stage as it is often populated with the sort of generic modern metal that does not interest me. Occasionally a band stands out, though, and the progressive metal act Ambrius seemed worth checking out. I saw Ambrius' whole set, but for some reason I suddenly felt really tired - and decided to sit down at the back of the tent to take in half an hour of diverse music. Ambrius' sound is a bit all over the place, but there is certainly a lot of talent there. Their sound was more tech metal than the progressive metal that I tend to gravitate towards, but there were lots of melodies and strong riffs - and I enjoyed my time with the band, even though I was feeling pretty burnt out during their set. I was glad that, following Ambrius' set, there was an hour or so before the next band I wanted to see so I took to opportunity to find some proper shade and have a break. I felt much better following a sit down and plenty of water, and headed back to the Second Stage feeling refreshed to catch a great set from the Swedish melodic metal act Cyhra. I had seen Cyhra twice previously, supporting both Battle Beast and Delain, so I was really looking to see the four-piece again - and they did not disappoint during their 40 minute set. The setlist was pretty similar to the two sets that I had seen before, but it did not matter as they tend to pick their best songs to play live - and it was great to hear something overtly-melodic, as there were so few bands of Cyhra's ilk at Bloodstock this year. They hit the stage running with the anthemic chorus of I Am the One, before the soaring Letter to Myself allowed frontman Jake E to showcase his melodic, yet emotional, vocal delivery. The tent was not as busy as it could have been, but Cyhra still managed to attract a pretty strong crowd - showing that there is still plenty of love at Bloodstock for melodic metal. The cheers were pretty loud, too, and the band seemed to enjoy their time on stage - with the poppy Dreams Gone Wrong and the more expansive Man of Eternal Rain going down nicely. The highlight of the set was perhaps the emotional Battle from Within, though, which is a special number for E to perform. The chorus is one of the most soaring of the band's oeuvre, yet it has a sombre mood due to the song's subject matter. It always hits home live, and it received a strong reaction as was expected. A new number, Ready to Rumble, was then played. E stated that the song would be released in September, and it was another excellent representation of Cyhra's poppy sound - with a chorus hook that stuck in the brain after hearing it once. I assume that the band has been working on their third album, and if Ready to Rumble is representative of their recent work then it will certainly be worth the wait. By this point the band were running out of time, but they had time for their two big singles - with Karma and Out of My Life bringing a powerful and poppy set to a strong end. The setlist was:

I Am the One

Letter to Myself

Dreams Gone Wrong

Man of Eternal Rain

Battle from Within

Ready to Rumble

Karma

Out of My Life

I left the tent during the closing moments of Out of My Life as I wanted to get over to the Main Stage to catch another of my most-anticipated sets of the weekend - the low-key return of Reading's excellent Sylosis. I had seen the band live a few times over the years, but my last Sylosis show was back in 2016 when they came to Plymouth on their co-headline tour with Decapitated. Since then, though, Sylosis had essentially been on hiatus with Josh Middleton (vocals/guitar) joining Architects. They returned in early 2020 though - releasing the excellent Cycle of Suffering album and playing one comeback show in London. I imagine that more was planned, but we all know what happened next! Sylosis seems to be a going concern for Middleton again now, though, with a handful of non-album singles being dropped over the past couple of years - and a sixth album is currently also in the works. It was great to catch the band again after six years, and their 45 minute Bloodstock set reminded me why I like them so much. They hit the stage to a wall of white noise and opened with Worship Decay - one of the aforementioned singles. Given that an album and a handful of singles have been released since I last saw the band, much of the set was made up of songs which I had not seen the band play live before. The first three songs were all newer cuts, with the slower paced Calcified and the title track of Cycle of Suffering getting airings. I had seen a lot of Sylosis shirts throughout the weekend, so I was not surprised to see the band pull a big crowd. In my head the band are still a bit of an underground act, but they have a large fanbase - and it is a shame that they were put on the back burner for so long. That seems to be changing though, and the strength of the newer material showcases that Middleton's heart is still very much in Sylosis' success. Following the three newer songs, the band then took a trip back to their debut album for the thrashy The Blackest Skyline and the techy Teras - both of which have been regularly featured in the band's sets over the years. The former in particular went down well, with the hooky chorus jumping out from the fast-paced riffing. Another live favourite in Empyreal - Part 1 was then played, moved from its usual closing spot, and the track was one that really allowed Middleton to show off his guitar playing skills. The sweep-picked melodies throughout the song are legendary, and the song always hits hard live as a result. There was only time for a couple more by this point, though, but the hooky Heavy Is the Crown really impressed. I had heard the song once previously, but it really worked well on stage. It has probably the catchiest chorus of any Sylosis song yet, and the guitar interplay between Middleton and fellow guitarist Alex Bailey throughout was excellent. It was left to I Sever from the latest album to close out the set, and the song worked well as a closing cut - with its big chorus and groovy riffing perfect for one last big mosh pit to break out. It was a shame that there was not time for more, as was also the case with Cyhra's set, but Sylosis made their time count - and I hope that this is the start of a new era for the band. The setlist was:

Worship Decay

Calcified

Cycle of Suffering

The Blackest Skyline

Teras

Empyreal - Part 1

Heavy Is the Crown

I Sever

It was time for dinner after Sylosis' set so I got some paella and sat down to catch Jinjer on the Main Stage. Jinjer are a band that I have always been meaning to check out, so Bloodstock seemed to best opportunity to do so. I had heard a couple of their songs previously, which had not done a lot for me, but I wanted to give them a proper listen. Sadly, though, their sound just does not gel with me. They have a lot of djent and tech metal in their sound, which has just never really been my thing, and as such it all just washed over me a bit. I did catch their whole set, though, even if I was not always actively watching them. Tatiana Shmailyuk is certainly a force to be reckoned with vocally, but the music is too angular and dry-sounding for me - but they certainly drew a big crowd. They are a popular band these days for a reason, but they are just not for me sadly. I heard their last few songs from the queue at the Signing Tent, as I decided to meet Sylosis and get my copy of Cycle of Suffering signed. I have met a few bands in the Signing Tent at previous festivals, and it was nice to briefly meet Sylosis and get my CD signed. Following meeting Sylosis there was quite a bit of time before the next band that I wanted to see, so I went for another break - and came back to the arena feeling fresher to catch Dimmu Borgir. I had never seen the symphonic black metal act before, so was looking forward to them despite only really being a casual fan. I am not that well-versed in the band's catalogue, but I know enough to get by - especially from their last few albums. Considering the band were the day's special guests, though, I felt that their set was quite flat. They went on quite late (which is apparently not uncommon for the band) and finished early - so only probably played for around 45 minutes of their hour set. The sound mix was great, considering the complexity of the band's music, but there was little energy generated throughout. The band rarely seemed to interact with the audience, and it seemed as if they were going through the motions a bit. The set started off with well the epic Dimmu Borgir and the hooky Gateways, but after that I started to lose interest. People with more knowledge of the band's catalogue may have gotten more out of their set, but for me it was not very engaging. I did stick it out to the end, with Progenies of the Great Apocalypse giving the set a little boost towards the end, but overall Dimmu Borgir's set was one of the disappointments of the weekend - especially considering how high up the bill they were and the overall pedigree that comes with a band of their stature.

Following another short break it was back to the Main Stage to catch Saturday's headliners, and one of my most-anticipated sets of the weekend, Mercyful Fate. Mercyful Fate may be a band that I have only really gotten into properly over the last couple of years, and I am not as versed in their catalogue as I probably should be, but I was really looking forward to seeing the legendary band live - as Mercyful Fate tours do not come around very often. Their Bloodstock appearance was one of the few UK dates that the Danish band have played in their history, and they did not disappoint - with a barnstorming set that, with the exception of one new song, only featured material from their classic 1980s releases. As the curtain dropped the band launched into the epic The Oath, from 1984's Don't Break the Oath, and the winding song really set the tone for what was to come. Mercyful Fate's songs are never predictable, and there is a progressive bent than runs throughout their songwriting. The band were tight and sounded great, but the real star was of course frontman King Diamond who, at 66, still sounds as good now as he did in the 1980s. His unique voice is still very much intact, and his stage presence is second-to-none. I had never seen him live before in any context, and his theatrical performance made Mercyful Fate's set stand out. Diamond's fellow founding member in the band, guitarist Hank Shermann, also impressed. His riff work throughout was great, and his fluid soloing impressed - with Mike Wead (guitar) complimenting his style nicely with a more shred-heavy approach. Songs like A Corpse Without Soul and the anthemic Curse of the Pharaohs impressed early on - and the sole new number The Jackal of Salzburg was also a nice treat. I understand that the band are working on a new album, and based on the strength of the lengthy The Jackal of Salzburg it will certainly be an album worth picking up. Despite the inclusion of a new number, though, the set was very much one that celebrated the band's classics and history. There were moody moments such as the melancholic Melissa and hard-hitting moments such as the weighty Black Funeral - whilst songs like Evil showcased the more anthemic side of the band with Diamond's hooky chorus. The main set came to an end with perhaps the band's signature track Come to the Sabbath, which really got the large crowd going. Given the rarity of a Mercyful Fate set, lots of the festival-goers had gathered to see them. I am sure that they were not the cup of tea of everyone there, but Mercyful Fate's legacy and influence cannot be denied - and I am sure that many were pleased to get the opportunity see them. The band seemed really fired up, too, and Diamond was very talkative throughout the set - and seemed genuinely taken aback by the UK crowd's reception. The encore performance of the 10 minute-plus Satan's Fall was easily the highlight of the set, though, with the progressive track showing off the whole band perfectly. There was lots of soloing from both Shermann and Wead, and the vocal diversity on show from Diamond was staggering. It was a perfect end to an epic set that showcased why the band are as well-respected as they are. They might not have been one of the biggest headliners in the festival's history, but they were certainly one of the most memorable. The setlist was:

The Oath

A Corpse Without Soul

The Jackal of Salzburg

Curse of the Pharaohs

A Dangerous Meeting

Doomed by the Living Dead

Melissa

Black Funeral

Evil

Come to the Sabbath

-

Satan's Fall

To One Far Away

I had decided to watch Malevolence headline the Second Stage, as I have been enjoying their latest album Malicious Intent recently, but after one song I decided that, following Mercyful Fate's excellent set, I was just not in the mood for Malevolence's heaviness. I was pretty tired by this point, so decided to head back to my tent to sleep. I will catch Malevolence with Trivium in January, though, and I am looking forward to checking them out properly then - I just did not feel like another hour-plus of harsh vocals at that time of the night! Again I slept pretty well, and was up and about ready to catch the first band of the day on the Main Stage. Illness within one of the other bands on the bill meant that a few of the Main Stage bands were moved around - with Skarlett Riot being promoted from the Second Stage to kick the day off. This worked in my favour as it meant that I could see the full sets of both Skarlett Riot and Vio-lence, and it was great to start the day off with something lighter in tone. I think it is fair to say that Skarlett Riot were one of the least-heavy bands playing throughout their weekend, but their melodic, modern-sounding hard rock got the day off to a fine start. There was a period a few years ago when I saw Skarlett Riot pretty regularly, as they went through a phase of supporting a lot of power metal bands, but it had been a long time since I had seen them so I had somewhat lost track of their progress. I picked up the band's two latest albums in the run-up to the festival, but was not hugely familiar with them. Despite this, though, I enjoyed Skarlett Riot's set a lot. I have generally gotten over my aversion to lots of UK-based modern hard rock bands having a strong US post-grunge influence, and Skarlett Riot's set was packed full of strong melodies that really stood out. Frontwoman Chloe Drinkwater has a powerful and easy-on-the-ear voice, and owned the stage despite having on-going microphone issues throughout the set. The band's sound is tight and hard rocking, with the occasional more metal moment inclusive of harsh vocals, but generally the vocal hooks are what make the band shine. It was great to catch up with the band after a number of years, and I now think that I am ready to properly dive into their catalogue - which will start with digesting their two recent albums. Sunday did not contain as many bands that interested me as the two previous days, so I got some food following Skarlett Riot's set and went for a break in the shade. The whole weekend was hot, but I think that Sunday was the hottest day of the lot at times. The fact that there were fewer bands that I wanted to check out was actually welcome, then, and there was nothing that I had to 'give up' to get out of the sun for a while. I managed to get through Friday and Saturday surprisingly easy, but by Sunday I was definitely flagging somewhat. The quieter day was welcome, but I still managed to enjoy all of the bands that I was looking forward to - so I do not feel that my weekend was too significantly disrupted by the heat.

A while later I headed back to the Main Stage to catch the first ever UK performance from the Bay Area thrash act Vio-lence - who have recently reformed. With three of the band's classic members and two other well-known names from the metal world making up the current Vio-lence, the set was sure to impress - and I enjoyed my time with Vio-lence despite not being at all familiar with their work. They are a band that are desperately due a reissue campaign, as their albums are extremely hard to find, but live thrash is usually good so it did not really matter that I did not know their material. The guitar tag-team of founding member Phil Demmel and former Overkill guitarist Bobby Gustafson churned out riffs and solos aplenty during the band's 40 or so minutes on stage, whilst frontman Sean Killian shouted his way through the set. Killian is one of those thrash vocalists that has something of a marmite voice, but his barks worked for me in the context of the band's music - and Vio-lence certainly put on a high-energy set that was likely a real treat for the die-hard thrashers in the crowd, as it is quite likely that they were many in attendance who had not seen them live before. I stuck around following Vio-lence's set to watch Venom Inc., who I had enjoyed previously when they played the festival in 2018. They were a late addition to the bill, replacing The Black Dahlia Murder who had had to cancel following the death of Trevor Strnad. Due to the circumstances, the band decided to do something special - and played the whole of 1982's seminal Black Metal from start to finish to celebrate the album's 40th anniversary. I have seen both Venom and Venom Inc. over the years, and for me Venom Inc. are the better band. Founding guitarist Jeffrey 'Mantas' Dunn (guitar/vocals) led the three-piece through their paces throughout their 45 or so minutes on stage, whilst Tony 'Demolition Man' Dolan (vocals/bass guitar) perfectly delivered the material with his rasping, evil-sounding voice - despite not being the vocalist on the original album. He is a great frontman, too, and prowled all around the stage during the set - despite seeming to be in quite a bad mood at times due to some technical issues with both his microphone and its stand. The legendary extreme metal drummer Nicholas Barker was sitting in with the band for a handful of their festival appearances, too, and the three-piece powered through the legendary album - with Black Metal and To Hell and Back impressing early on. The blue Teacher's Pet certainly brought smiles to the faces of the crowd, but perhaps the best songs were saved to last with the doomy Countess Bathory and the snarling, faster-paced Don't Burn the Witch bringing a raw and energetic set to an end - although, as per the original album, a shortened version of At War with Satan actually rounded out the set proper. I think the band put on a stronger set in 2018, but it was great to hear Black Metal in full - and the band certainly gave it their all to bring the album to life. The setlist was (N.B. all of the songs below are Venom songs):

Black Metal

To Hell and Back

Buried Alive

Raise the Dead

Teacher's Pet

Leave Me in Hell

Sacrifice

Heaven's on Fire

Countess Bathory

Don't Burn the Witch

At War with Satan (Introduction)

It was time for another break following Venom Inc.'s set, as it was 45 minutes or so until the next band that I wanted to catch. By this point there was only a handful of bands left that I wanted to see, so I was very much on the home stretch - and I managed to conjure up a late burst of energy that got me through the last few hours of the weekend. I then headed to the Second Stage to catch Orbit Culture, who I knew little about but thought that they sounded interesting. For whatever reason, though, the band's first song did little for me so I decided not to stick around. I had assumed that the band would be more progressive and/or melodic than their first song suggested, especially as they playing at next year's ProgPower USA, but I personally found the band's sound to be pretty generic - so I decided to save my energy for what was to come. Instead I opted for some fish and chips, which was my last meal of the weekend, and headed back to the tent to tidy up and pack up what I could to make Monday morning's decamp much easier. Once that was done, I headed back to the Second Stage to catch the first UK appearance, and one of only a handful of live appearances from the band so far, of Strigoi - the latest project of Paradise Lost guitarist Greg Mackintosh, who acts as Strigoi's frontman. The band somewhat seems to be a successor to Vallenfyre, whom Mackintosh fronted between 2010 and 2018, but Strigoi are much doomier and heavier - playing a brand of death metal which is extremely raw and uncompromising. Strigoi are certainly not the sort of thing that I would usually listen to, and I almost certainly would not have watched them if Mackintosh was not involved, but festivals are often a way to expand horizons - and I am always looking to explore heavier music in a more meaningful way. Sadly the band did not exactly pull a huge crowd, but that did not seem to bother them. Mackintosh's famously dry humour was on display throughout the band's set, and there was certainly a hardcore down the front who were very much into Strigoi's crusty brand of death metal. Much of the set was very slow-paced, although there were occasional explosive moments of more traditional death metal which added to the overall energy of the show. Acknowledging the ponderous nature of their music, though, during one song Mackintosh tasked the crowd with creating the slowest most pit of all time - which the hardcore dutifully obliged in doing. It was certainly an entertaining addition to the set, and I largely enjoyed my time watching Strigoi despite them not really being my thing.

There was time for one final break following Strigoi's set, which helped me get ready for the final two bands of the weekend - who also happened to be two of my most anticipated sets. The first of the two was the closing act of the weekend on the Main Stage: Lamb of God. Lamb of God is one of those bands whom I have become a huge fan of over the years, but it had been quite a while since I last seen them live - which was back in 2015 when I saw them with Megadeth in London. The band's set was very much one I was looking forward to, then, and they did not disappoint - delivering a 16-song set to a large crowd with the ease of a band that has been in the game for a number of years. The London show from 2015 probably featured a better performance, but their Bloodstock set was packed with power - with frontman Randy Blythe in form vocally. With guitarist Willie Adler left at home, due to his (alleged) refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19, Phil Demmel, who has been on tour with the band throughout their European run, was playing his second Main Stage set of the day. He held down Adler's parts with ease, and the band ran through a great career representative that included two numbers from their upcoming album Omens. Much of the set was made up of the band's classic songs, though, with Memento Mori from their 2020 self-titled release kicking things off with its moody vibes - before the pace was upped for the punky Ruin and the epic Walk With Me in Hell. The latter always goes down particularly well live, with Mark Morton's (guitar) melodic opening lead melodies and the fist-in-the-air chorus that Blythe delivered with real venom. Some previous Lamb of God shows that I had seen had been plagued with muddy sound, but they generally sounded pretty clear at Bloodstock. Drummer Art Cruz's playing really punched through the mix, and the vocals were audible at all times. The new single Nevermore came across well as a result, but the crowd soon really went wild for Now You've Got Something to Die For - one of the band's signature pieces which is packed with plenty of massive grooving riffs. There were moments in the set where the band seemed to take ages to start the next song, though, which were a bit strange. There were a couple of times where the people around me thought that the show had come to a premature end, only for the lights to come back on and the next song to start. That did kill the momentum a bit at times, but that was the only real criticism of the set that I can name. The song choices could be seen as a bit pedestrian too, but it was what I expected in a festival setting - which is going to prioritise crowd favourites. Omerta is one such track, and the spoken intro certainly got everyone riled up, but the highlight of the final third or so of the set for me was Omens. The new song is very hooky, and the chorus means that it is likely to be a song that sticks in the set for quite some time. Hourglass was another big favourite for me; but time was running out by this point and the main set came to a close with the southern-sounding Ghost Walking. A three song encore of the more expansive Vigil, the groove-based Laid to Rest, and the hooky Redneck brough the Main Stage to a close for another weekend - and the circle pit that erupted during Redneck was likely one of the weekend's largest - as Lamb of God bowed out in style. The setlist was:

Memento Mori

Ruin

Walk With Me in Hell

Resurrection Man

Nevermore

Now You've Got Something to Die For

Contractor

Omerta

11th Hour

Omens 

Hourglass

512

Ghost Walking

-

Vigil

Laid to Rest

Redneck

I wanted to catch the whole of the set of the Second Stage's headline act, too, so when Lamb of God started playing Redneck I started making my way across to the tent. I still took in the whole of Redneck, but I managed to make it to the tent as the intro tape for its headline act was playing - and the next hour or so was filled with the excellent melodic rock/AOR sounds of The Night Flight Orchestra. As I have mentioned during this piece, there were few genuine 'lighter' bands booked this year, which meant that The Night Flight Orchestra stood out. Quite a few were clearly interested in checking them out, though, as the tent was pretty busy throughout their set - although it was not as packed as it had been for Malevolence the night before. The Night Flight Orchestra, led by the enigmatic Björn 'Speed' Strid (vocals) who I saw at the festival in 2019 with Soilwork, acted as the perfect pallet cleanser after a weekend of metal, though, as their feel-good melodic rock sound had everyone in the tent singing along. They kicked off with mid-paced and laid back How Long, from last year's Aeromantic II, and its big chorus really set the tone for the night. With Rasmus Ehrnborn (guitar) and Pontus Egberg (bass guitar) filling in for David Andersson and Sharlee D'Angelo respectively, the band's line-up was somewhat make-shift - but this did not show or make any difference to how fun the set was. The band recreated the big sounds from the album's perfectly, even if John Lönnmyr's keyboards could have been a little higher in the mix at times, but the star of the show was Strid. He has always been a great frontman when I have seen him with Soilwork, but with The Night Flight Orchestra he seemed more flamboyant and 1970s-inspired - and he was bedecked in a white suit and golden cape, which certainly helped him to stand out from the crowd. Following How Long, the faster-paced Sometimes the World Ain't Enough impressed - but it was the synth-heavy Divinyls that was the true early highlight. The song is pure pop, with a bit of a Toto vibe, and the band brought it to life perfectly. The pomp of the Survivor-esque If Tonight Is Our Only Chance followed, and it was another highlight. It is the sort of song that reminds me why I like melodic rock as much as I like metal, and it was clear that there were quite a few in attendance who agreed. The band went down a storm, and the atmosphere in the tent throughout their set was electric. Bloodstock has been moving away from more melodic sounds in recent years, but the reaction that The Night Flight Orchestra received showed that there is still an appetite for it. With tracks like Gemini and Satellite on show, though, it is not hard to see why - and the band showed that they have the ability to constantly come up with excellent new songs by closing with their latest single Black Stars and Diamonds. There was time for a couple more, though, and the band were dragged back out on stage by the cheers to run through the frenetic and hooky White Jeans, which everyone around me was singing along to, before the final song of the weekend for me, West Ruth Ave, brought the band's set to a triumphant close. A huge conga line took place during this song, and it was a perfect way to close out a weekend of excellent music - and The Night Flight Orchestra likely ended up being the band of the weekend for me, just for how joyous their set was. The setlist was:

How Long

Sometimes the World Ain't Enough

Divinyls

If Tonight Is Our Only Chance

Burn for Me

This Boy's Last Summer

Gemini

Satellite

Black Stars and Diamonds

-

White Jeans

West Ruth Ave

Thanks to excellent sets from both Lamb of God and The Night Flight Orchestra, Bloodstock Open Air 2022 ended on a real high. I was very tired by the time it had all finished though, so I slept very well before getting up early to be ready to catch the 07:30am bus back to Lichfield City railway station to start my journey home. Having written this review over a few days, I have had a lot of time to reflect on the festival as a whole. I saw a huge amount of bands this year, perhaps the most that I have watched at any of the five Bloodstocks that I have now been to. Whilst the line-up was not exactly tailored to my tastes, I feel like there was still plenty for me to enjoy - even if most of it was at the heavier end of my general spectrum. It was great to finally tick off seeing bands like Testament, Mercyful Fate, and The Night Flight Orchestra; and it was great catching up with Exodus, Sylosis, and Lamb of God after so long. A few discoveries were made too, such as Sorcerer and Vio-lence, so overall the festival was very much worth attending - despite the heat and the overall lack of melodic metal booked this year. As it stands currently, I will likely not be returning to the festival next year. As mentioned earlier the bands that have so far been announced for next year are generally not to my taste at all, so unless there is a real glut of melodic metal acts announced soon then I will likely look elsewhere next year and perhaps try out a different festival. It would be a shame not to return to Bloodstock, as I do enjoy the festival, but I feel like I am really now at the cusp of the demographic that they are trying to attract - and I am actually surprised how many bands I watched this year as on paper the line-up was not a massively strong one for me outside of a handful of core names. That being said, though, it is always good to be pleasantly surprised, and Bloodstock Open Air 2022 was certainly another festival to remember - with many bands living up to or surpassing my expectations.