Bloodstock Open Air has unveiled a fresh wave of updates for its 25th anniversary event in 2026. The festival has confirmed the first winners of the Metal 2 The Masses finals, adding twelve emerging acts to the New Blood Stage line-up. Sanguisugabogg will replace Of Mice & Men, while additional attractions include a Sophie Lancaster Foundation treasure hunt, a screening of Devin Townsend’s The Moth and expanded festival activities.
“Due to circumstances beyond our control, we sadly won’t be able to make it out to Europe this summer as planned,” Of Mice And Men said. “Thanks to all the fans, festivals and promoters we were looking forward to playing for.”
Bloodstock have announced Sanguisugabogg will step into their shoes. “Seems like your favourite death-dealing degenerates just hocked up their hairball of a logo all over your Bloodstock flyer,” the band said. “We can’t wait to be in England to melt faces and rock out at Bloodstock. So pack up your broomsticks and your toast and beans and let’s party together. We couldn’t be any more psyched!”
You can catch them as direct support to Leprous on Saturday on the Sophie Lancaster stage. Rumours that you can win a prize for correctly spelling their name in a Bloodstock Spelling Bee are unfounded.
The first batch of Metal 2 The Masses winners to play the Stowford Press New Blood Stage have been revealed. On Friday, East Anglian aggressors Regicide, Belfast Death/Thrash champions Microtonal, modern melo-death crew Atarka, who won the Birmingham round, and explosive hardcore five-piece Bailed Out from Leeds, have been announced.
Saturday welcomes Sheffield metalcore victors Descendancy and cathartic Northants noiseniks Dead Bait.
Sunday adds diverse Scottish top dogs Chekhov’s Gun, whose striking sound is matched by a visceral live show, fronted by a flamboyant Lithuanian ballroom dancer, Manchester’s Prog Metal quintet Technologist, doom-inspired Sunk, who came first for the South Coast region, collaborative Cyprus conquerors Joakem, and formidable death metal unifiers Ka’aper, comprised of both Russian and Ukrainian musicians.
Lots more bands are to be confirmed still, as the Metal 2 The Masses finals around the country continue – See poster blow for further dates.
At the Sophie Lancaster Foundation charity stand, next to the main stage, you will be able to get an entry form and then hunt for 10 special S.O.P.H.I.E. signs around Bloodstock. A recommended donation to the charity is £2. One winner will get a pair of Bloodstock 2027 weekend tickets. Competition closes at 4 pm on Sunday.
For early birds, Wednesday night is movie night in the Midgard campsite. Kicking off at 7:30 pm, the first showing at Midgard Movies will be Devin Townsend’s The Moth. Two more movies will follow, and you can have your say on which ones! Head to the Bloodstock Facebook Page to cast your vote.
Bloodstock 2026 will be held over the long weekend of 6-9 August 2026.
Take Part: Are you at Bloodstock this year? Who are you looking forward to seeing? Want to get in touch and tell us how it’s going? Email MetalTalk Editor Steve Ritchie to tell us how it’s going for you. Bloodstock@MetalTalk.net
#boa26. For more information, visit bloodstock.uk.com. You can view a map of Bloodstock at bloodstock.uk.com/bloodstock_map.jpg
You can read all our 2025 reports at https://www.metaltalk.net/bloodstock.
MetalTalk Bloodstock 2024 coverage is at https://www.metaltalk.net/tag/bloodstock-202
