With Bloodstock 2024 fast approaching, we decided it was time we took a deep dive into what might be the festival’s most impressive lineup ever. From the essentials to the hidden gems, to the underground, we’ve got you covered.

The Essentials

The big names who will be drawing big crowds that you simply have to be a part of.

Opeth – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juxHzSlMbNQ

My favorite Bloodstock booking of all time, on a personal level. Expect a By Request set that encompasses progressive death metal’s furthest reaching band’s greatest hits, from the intensely heavy heights of ‘Heir Apparent’, through to the tender melodicism of ‘Windowpane’. This will be a truly special set.

Clutch – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1DJFNSideQ

The cult band to end all cult bands. You’ve probably heard the name, but if you haven’t delved into the Clutch back catalog yet, you’ve missed out on thirteen albums of slippery, swaggering hard rock that peaks with huge tracks like ‘The Regulator’ and ‘Spacegrass’. Just don’t expect to hear their cover of ‘Fortunate Son’.

Deicide – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT3enm7sKJY

One of the biggest names in death metal has returned to Catton Hall after their infamous last-minute cancellation back in 2011. Their grating, full-blown heaviness is sure to cut through the Saturday afternoon heat (or rain).

Carcass – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkE-o-5RqwM

Speaking of death metal legends, it’s rare that a band can dish out instant classics of the genre like Carcass can. Their set will wander from the twisted bangers of Torn Arteries and Heartwork, to the reimagined goregrind of their debut, Reek Of Putrefication.

Flogging Molly – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtHodHs1yMc

Flogging Molly is a bit of an outlier on our predominantly heavy list, but everyone needs a riff-break at some point (or maybe not). Their swaggering Irish folk punk is joyful and, at times, extremely pit-ready.

Igorrr – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Osqf4oIK0E8

I’ve been following Igorrr since Gautier Serre was a DJ making IDM that blended black metal metal, breakcore and baroque. These days, he’s reigned it in ever so slightly, and performs his avant-garde electronic death metal at the decks, supported by live musicians and vocalists. Expect nothing even close to normal with this set.

The Hidden Gems

Sets you might not be completely sold on, but we think will absolutely be worth your time.

Soen – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbFWO0oLO-M

After a last minute cancellation last year, Swedish prog metallers Soen are back to hypnotise us with their Tool-adjecent sound on Sunday afternoon. Give their newest album, Memorial, a spin before you see them.

Sylosis – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldrZ7DmF9j0

One of the UK’s most consistent death metal exports, Sylosis, are no strangers to Bloodstock. If there’s one thing that can get a crowd going, it’s the technical mastery of the outro to ‘Teras’. It’s headbanger’s heroin.

The Vintage Caravan – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83v95qkUcr0

The Icelandic trio have landed themselves a devoted following thanks to their incredible musicianship and catchy blend of prog and hard rock. They’ve both supported Opeth on tour, and will be the final band to play (on the Sophie stage) before their Friday headline set. It was meant to be.

Darkest Era – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns0rYSEDAnI 

Darkest Era have done exactly what they set out to do. Without resorting to relentless heaviness, they’ve crafted a sound that is intensely dark, with influence from doom and folk combining with an overarching melancholy to form something truly emotive.

Enslaved – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=644fzPdL-F4

Sixteen albums in and Enslaved are still peaking. Their most recent release, Heimdal, is a cinematic masterpiece that feels like Pink Floyd if Roger Waters had met Euronymous just before making Wish You Were Here. Though I will say it’s a shame they won’t be performing in the murky depths of the Sophie stage.

Acid Age – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ6Or25zAsg

Acid Age is another classic Bloodstock success story, having taken the New Blood stage by storm last year with their truly unique blend of thrash and jazz (which they have coined ‘War Jazz’). If you’re lucky enough to arrive early on Thursday, they’ll be the first band you see.

The Underground 

Bands you’ve probably never heard of that will be tearing up the New Blood and EMP tents.

Final Coil – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQWqiUVQDTE

Imaginative trio Final Coil is noisy and intense, with a deafening sound defined by tension and wails of feedback and distortion sure to leave a mark on those lucky enough to catch them.

Praetorian – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSB0ZLsZKNE

It’s nice to see so many hard-to-define bands landing New Blood stage slots this year. Praetorians are undeniably heavy, but their sound, which drifts towards black metal frequently, is embued with the cinematic atmosphere of post-metal throughout.

Sathamel – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcZvPyhz9-A

Yorkshire-based quartet Sathamel have been plying their trade for ten years, and are finally starting to get the recognition they deserve thanks to relentlessly technical and intense extreme metal they’ve mastered.

Public Execution – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07OEcQT9k4Y

Public Execution sits somewhere between grindcore and hardcore on the genre spectrum. But that really doesn’t matter when you’re being slapped in the face by their sub-one-minute barrages of noise in the EMP tent.

Yersin – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9Mc07d6W-k

This British three-piece has channeled the bleakness of modern greed into crushing heaviness and power. Just listen to ‘The Scythe Is Remorseless’ for a taster of what’s to come.

Lost Brethren – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAoKxC9F9vY

Lost Brethern produces technical death metal of the highest order. Their sci-fi-inspired lyrics might not exactly be easy to understand, but the point comes across just fine thanks to the mesmerizing complexity of their playing.

So there we have it! Hopefully, that’s helped to streamline your Bloodstock 2024 itinerary and guided you towards some potentially brilliant bands. Let us know which bands are your top priority!

Get full festival information over at bloodstock.uk.com.  BLOODSTOCK will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 8th-11th August 2024.