With the perfect festival weather making it easy to bounce out of our tents in the morning, Friday at Bloodstock 2025 began in high spirited circle pits for Shrapnel’s Ronnie James Dio Stage opening set, and finished drenched in Trivium’s addictive blend of rock spirit and vicious Metal riffs.
Famyne’s seductive Doom, LOWDOWN’s swaggering force, Rough Justice’s deadly energy, Orange Goblin’s primal farewell, Eiwar’s pagan intrigue, Lacuna Coil’s radiant vulnerability, High Parasite’s gothic banter, DEVILHUSK’s feral charisma, Emperor’s mythic artistry, and Nailbomb’s anarchic UK debut made for a terrifyingly outstanding first full day at Bloodstock 2025.
Bloodstock Open Air Festival
Catton Park, Derbyshire – Friday 8 August 2025
Shrapnel
Wishing us a good Friday morning were Norwich-based Shrapnel, whose most recent album, In Gravity, saw them expand on their previous Thrash-focused Metal with a more Modern Metal approach. While this change in sonic direction encouraged some trolls to message the band with commands to “burn all their records”, others are obsessed with it.
The album’s titular song is a vortex of an opener and, within seconds, the spacey melodic hook had grabbed the early risers by the horns. Some of the crowd even admitted to delaying their showers in order to catch Shrapnel open the Bloodstock 2025 main stage.
The band’s very apparent enjoyment had a strong gravitational pull, with shouts from Dan Moran of, “This is insane! I’m definitely not freaking the fuck out right now.” Shrapnel got the crowd so excited that some people even squirted water pistols.
No offence to Rockfit, but the best morning workout at Bloodstock is always going to be circle pit and wall of death intervals. And Shrapnel saw to it that at least some of us got our hearts racing.
They’ve got drive. They’ve got punch you in the face verses with catchy melodic choruses. This is shrapnel you want to get shards of stuck in your ears. Rather than leaving the Thrash battle, Shrapnel simply transcended it.
LOWDOWN
Fresh off the release of their debut full-length album Alpha Omega, Hertfordshire-based Lowdown tore into the New Blood Stage with unrelenting force. The tent filled fast as they cranked things into overdrive, wasting no time in winning over the early crowd.
Frontman Dave Runham, wielding both mic and guitar, was a whirlwind of wild, comedic expressions and infectious charisma; his riotous energy ignited the audience from the first riff.
Their set was a relentless attack of groove-laden anthems, from the incendiary Set Fire to the swaggering stomp of Grind The Axe. Sleep hit with a brooding intensity, while Wretched Town and Glass Houses showcased the band’s knack for balancing grit with melody.
At one point, Runham gleefully commanded the crowd to split for a wall of death, and they obliged with thunderous enthusiasm; chaos and camaraderie collided in glorious fashion. One listen and it’s clear why they wear their tagline – All Hail The Riff – like a badge of honour.
Famyne
I thought I only enjoyed listening to Doom Metal in the bath. But that was naïve. The Canterbury Doom outfit Famyne need to be listened to on a stage, the bigger the better, for they are best felt reverberating throughout your entire body. 
Vocalist Tom Vane’s demonic eyes add a searing dark undertone to a set already fuelled by magnificently ominous riffs coming out of Martin Emmons and one-half of Famyne’s twins, Tom Ross. Heavy chugging of Chris Travers’ bass and the massive drum blasts from Mike Ross are a driving force, battling against Vane’s distinctly enigmatic voice.
There is also a gong, which we later discover is on loan. Vane joked that had he held onto the gong stick for too long, he might have confused it with the mic, so the gonging was carefully dispersed throughout their set. 
Chants of “Famyne” filled every possible moment, with these guys being a Bloodstock favourite who have worked their way through the stage bingo list. And now they have had a taste of the main stage, this is where they want to stay. “It’s taken a fuck-ton of effort,” declared Vane, “but what a privilege it is to play and get to this stage.”
The underground depths that Famyne’s hypnotic Doom takes you to leaves you breathless, seduced, and on a high akin to the dizzying pleasure of a head rush. Simultaneously an out-of-body experience and a very grounded one, Doom Metal never sounded, nor felt, so tantalising. 
Rough Justice
It was Rough Justice’s first trip to the hulking mecca of Metal, and one that they described as their biggest show ever. The Sheffield band have been busy bursting into Metal consciousness this year. Despite this, they still seem somewhat shocked by their level of celebrity. They nervously asked who had heard of them before and were taken aback by a powerful roar; clearly, they are doing something right. 
The show was packed with energy. Lead vocalist James Tippett was two stepping away to every breakdown and demanding mammoth mosh pits at every opportunity. The crowd responded in vicious fashion with a truly deadly pit, filled with spin-kicking maniacs.
The pit was so fierce that one unlucky fan saw his nose well and truly demolished in a waterfall of blood. We are reliably informed that the fan is well, and even had a chat with the band a little later, though I suspect he had some handsome black eyes the following morning…
The show was everything Rough Justice could have hoped for and a huge vote of confidence for the band’s sharply growing popularity.
Orange Goblin
“We’re not gonna be soppy,” snarled Ben Ward, eyes blazing. “But Bloodstock is the best place for a farewell festival performance.” And they lit it up. Within seconds, the pit erupted, limbs flailing, beer flying, as Orange Goblin detonated into overdrive.
After 30 years of festival carnage, this was no gentle goodbye; it was a riotous, riff-fueled rampage. Solarisphere, The Filthy & The Few, Made Of Rats… each track landed like a sledgehammer, dragging the crowd deeper into chaos.
When it was time for the final song, Red Tide Rising, the arena became a warzone of sweat, hair, and pure adrenaline. Thousands of Metalheads losing their minds in unison, screaming every word like it was a battle cry.
It was primal. It was glorious. It was the last stand of a band that never played it safe. Come December 2025, Orange Goblin will lay down their weapons. But at Bloodstock, they went out swinging: louder, heavier, and wilder than ever.
Eiwar
The most intriguing band of the weekend was undoubtedly Eiwar. The French duo are signed to the same label as the enigmatic Heilung, and it’s easy to see why. Taking to the stage, one member of the band appeared to be dressed in full medieval military garb, whilst the other donned a skull on her head with pagan, ritualistic garments.
The pair delivered ethereal, mystical music that spanned from delicate to powerful, with the lead vocalist chaotically brandishing a hand drum. The two-piece are truly a sight to behold, and I insist you catch them should you get the chance. They are an experience like no other.
Lacuna Coil
Lacuna Coil stormed the Ronnie James Dio Stage on Friday afternoon, arriving slightly behind schedule and battling early sound issues under the punishing heat of the sun. But once the confetti cannons fired Italy’s colours into the air, proudly billowing before clinging to the rigging like war paint, the mood shifted. Not content with just sonic fireworks, Lacuna Coil brought T-shirt bazookas, launching merch into the baying crowd like rock ‘n’ roll artillery.
Heaven’s A Lie landed like a thunderclap, an enduring anthem that still hits with full force. The band seamlessly blended fan-favourite classics with newer material, crafting a set that felt both nostalgic and fresh.
Cristina Scabbia, radiant and commanding, paused to thank the crowd, her voice warm with sincerity. “Raise your hand if you’ve ever been betrayed,” she said, as she lifted her own. She dedicated the blistering new track I Wish You Were Dead to all those with raised hands, an anthem of catharsis wrapped in venom and vulnerability.
Scabbia later led a heartfelt tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, introducing their Depeche Mode cover of Enjoy the Silence with reverence. She recalled their slot on the Ozzfest 2004 bill as a pivotal moment in their career, and said, “We will miss him dearly.” It was a moment of reflection that added emotional depth to an already poignant set.
Scabbia’s soaring vocals were nothing short of majestic, weaving melody and power with effortless grace. Andrea Ferro’s guttural growls provided the perfect counterpoint, grounding the performance in raw intensity. It was a spellbinding display of duality, beauty, and brutality.
Now three-time Bloodstock veterans and former headliners, Lacuna Coil proved once again why they command such reverence. Their set was a celebration of resilience, legacy, and the enduring power of connection.
High Parasite
High Parasite’s blend of electronic and Industrial Gothic Metal brought a chilled yet enticing energy to the Sophie Lancaster Stage. Aaron Stainthorpe, in his white garb and split-down-the-middle painted face, is a ghostly, demonic vocalist when sauntering around the stage singing. But when he stops for a bit of onstage banter, a chaotic man from Yorkshire appears. He said, “I understand that a lot of you probably don’t know who the hell we are. We’re from Yorkshire!
“And I’m the shittest frontman ever. I just spout a bit of shit, then I get a bit lost, then I forget what song we’re doing.” Stainthorpe’s tongue-in-cheek verbiage contrasted with the growling eeriness of High Parasite’s musical mission: to prove that dark music can belong in the light. But it works. And makes the shadows themselves light and amusing.
There were a whole lot of death growls, an edge of Type O Negative, and at one point even a hint of Billy Idol’s White Wedding. I was left wanting more, but also with the desire to experience High Parasite in the intimacy of a darker setting. 
DEVILHUSK
Nu Metalcore newcomers DEVILHUSK tore through Catton Park with a blistering set that fused aggression with electrifying stage presence. Though the band only officially debuted in February this year, their meteoric rise, crowned by a triumphant win in the Brighton leg of Metal 2 The Masses, earned them a coveted headline slot on the New Blood Stage.
Their sound is big, angry, pit music. And it hits hard. Frontman Joe Lyndon commanded the crowd with feral charisma, shouting out the Brighton crew and making sure every Bloodstocker in the tent was headbanging. The band ripped through a setlist stacked with venom and precision, each track a sonic gut-punch with titles as brutal as the riffs behind them: VITRIOL, SYCOPHANT, and NO REST FOR THE WICKED.
One of the highlights was a surprise guest spot by Deadflesh’s Richard Stevenson on I See God, sending the tent into absolute chaos.
Emperor
As dusk began to settle over the festival grounds, Norway’s legendary Emperor emerged. Plumes of smoke were released at various points in the show, casting an ethereal silhouette against the early evening sky. The atmosphere was electric, charged by haunting synths and stunning keyboard arrangements that wrapped around the crowd like a spectral embrace.
Frontman Ihsahn, ever the enigmatic presence, stepped forward with a wry smile and invited fans to raise their voices in unison, “in keeping with tradition”. It was a moment of communion, reverent and unmistakably Emperor.
Their set was a masterclass in Symphonic Black Metal, reaffirming why they remain one of the genre’s most enduring and influential forces. Cult anthems like I Am The Black Wizards, Into The Infinity Of Thoughts, and Inno A Satana, echoed across the field, each note a reminder of their legacy and the timelessness of their sound. For a band that hasn’t released new material in over two decades, Emperor prove that true artistry doesn’t fade, it evolves into myth.
Nailbomb
Nailbomb. The Industrial Thrash Metal band formed by Max Cavalera of Soulfly and Sepultura and Alex Newport of Fudge Tunnel in 1994 was a short-lived collaboration, but some of the greatest things in life have short life spans and rare sightings. Sometimes so rare, that this one-off Bloodstock appearance was Nailbomb’s first-ever UK show, over 31 years after they released their one and only album, Point Blank. 
The photographers had been warned that stampedes and riotous outbursts were expected in the Sophie Lancaster tent, so they might need to be evacuated. This coloured the anticipation for this bewilderingly special set with masochistic excitement, meaning I had to charge off to ensure a taste of the carnage. I came for the carnage, and stayed for the anarchy.
An onslaught of colliding bodies surged towards the stage like angry moths to a roaring flame, glowing in blood-red light as the backdrop displayed swarms of skittering cockroaches, and depictions of repression. Wasting Away triggered the charge and there was not an ounce of let-up for the entirety of Nailbomb’s set.
Max Cavalera was explosive, and the intensity on that stage was unparalleled, despite the absence of his original partner Newport. Watching Cavalera cling onto the mic as he played those really fast Thrash riffs like he was furiously scratching a writhing animal was a sight and sound that won’t easily be dislodged from our memories.
Upon leaving the tent, you could hear, “that was fucking sick Bruv” out of one ear, “insaneee” out of the other, and a stream of grunting from all the fans whom Nailbomb had left speechless.
Trivium
Trivium finished off Friday’s bloody brilliance with a legendary headline set, complete with not one, not two, not three, but four guest performers. Machine Head’s Rob Flynn came on for an iconic ode to Ozzy in a cover of Black Sabbath’s Symptom Of The Universe. Sleep Token’s guitarist III may have been brought onto the stage with a scattering of boos when the crowd was asked what they thought of Sleep Token, but these felt performative because as soon as he began riffing for Throes Of Perdition, the crowd went berserk.
Malevolence’s Josh Baines, here at Bloodstock with his other band Rough Justice, elicited cheers as he joined the Trivium assault for The Deceived. And Emperor’s Ihsahn added to the magnificence of In Waves, which also demanded a crowd floor row, whipping up waves of dust and laughter.
Flames soared into the heavens in continuous streams of aggression, and Ascendancy’s blow-up monster was both a welcome presence and a reminder that Trivium are still celebrating their career-altering, Metal history defining 2005 album.
Huge circle pits and a bombardment of crowdsurfers showed just how much the crowd was floored by Trivium’s evermore addictive blend of rock spirit and vicious Metal riffs.
Matt Heafy’s exemplary frontmanship manages to seem meticulously crafted yet entirely genuine. The smiliest man on earth, but also deadly in both his Brazilian Jiu Jitsu endeavours and musicianship. You couldn’t tell he recently tore his meniscus and underwent surgery. 
When Heafy announced Bloodstock was the best crowd they had ever had in the UK, roars rang out around the packed arena – a declaration that clearly extended both ways. Trivium have been steadily soaring up the Metal rankings for over two decades, and demonstrated tonight that they are nowhere near done showing us what they are made of.
“Nothing can stop Trivium and the Trivium supporters.”
Bloodstock 2025 was held over the long weekend of 7-10 August 2025. MetalTalk’s Lucy Dunnet, Adrian Stonley, Matt Pratt and Rhys Tagg reported from Catton Park.
Take Part: Were you at Bloodstock this year? Who did you enjoy seeing the most? Email MetalTalk Editor Steve Ritchie to share your experience at Bloodstock@MetalTalk.net
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