BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR 2010

DATE:

VENUE:

Friday 13th August - Sunday 15th August 2010

Catton Hall in Derbyshire, UK

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

CHILDREN OF BODOM; FEAR FACTORY; DEVIN TOWNSEND; AMORPHIS; OBITUARY; EDGUY; ONSLAUGHT; LEAVES' EYES; ANDROMEDA

OPETH; MESHUGGAH; POWERWOLF; SONATA ARCTICA; GORGOROTH; CATHEDRAL; ENSIFERUM; RAGE; ROSS THE BOSS; BLACK SPIDERS

Reviews by Elena Francis & Mark Holmes; Photography by Mark Holmes

SUNDAY

TWISTED SISTER; CANNIBAL CORPSE; BLOODBATH; GWAR; KORPIKLAANI; DORO; HOLY MOSES; SUFFOCATION; BONDED BY BLOOD

Reviews by Elena Francis & Mark Holmes; Photography by Mark Holmes

BONDED BY BLOOD

It seems strange that Bonded By Blood only receive a scant twenty minutes as the first band on the Ronnie James Dio Stage when Andromeda, playing the exact same slot the day before, received half an hour. Nonetheless, the young group do not seem visibly frustrated at this decision as they execute their festival set with gusto in the morning sun. Being part of the retro thrash movement, Bonded By Blood did not have anything fresh to offer in terms of musical innovation and, as their band name suggests, their compositions are inherited from Exodus. From the moment opener ‘Prototype: Death Machine’ kicks off, frontman Jose Barrales fails to crawl into the thrash metal sprit by standing in the centre of the stage for the entire set, occasionally headbanging lightly with his interesting punk-inspired haircut. A more dynamic stage presence could have taken the focus away from the generic thrash the band pumped out. However, Barrales should be commended when he dedicates a song to the Mexican food stall! The (very brief) setlist is evenly divided between the two albums bearing the band’s name but it sounds like it could have been from the same release, such is the lack of variation. Closing with ‘Feed the Beast’, Bonded By Blood are at best a fun wake up call. (EF)

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SUNDAY 15th AUGUST - PART 1

SUFFOCATION

Why Suffocation are the second band on stage is truly baffling given their popularity and their hand in legitimising slam death metal. A mighty horde of extreme metallers show their support with vocalist Frank Mullen remarking that the record for metalheads awake so early must have been broken. Mullen is a unique death metal vocalist; he is sincere but occasionally has to remind himself that he is in fact a frightening death metal growler; he labels the audience “my friends” as opposed to the routine “motherfuckers” that death metal frontmen assign to their adoring fans and then on introducing the beginning ‘Thrones of Blood’: “This song is about killing ‘cause that’s what I like to do.” When he is not bellowing out his intense growl, he grins like a child at the circus and waves his hands around so comically. Suffocation live is so much better than on CD, probably because of the beautiful clarity of the slam riffs and groove. Slam this early in the morning truly blasts out the cobwebs with plenty of headbanging and moshing throughout the audience. A handful of songs is simply not enough for Suffocation and choosing a few staples out of the many they usually glue to their set must be hard when the latest album ‘Blood Oath’ has to be promoted. ‘Pierced from Within’, ‘Brood of Hatred’ and the oh so satisfying death metal classic ‘Infecting the Crypts’ make the cut and by the time the latter closes the set, the audience is audibly begging for more. Bad move putting Suffo so early, Bloodstock organisers. (EF)

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HOLY MOSES

As the clock reaches noon on a day that's starting to feel rather hot with the sun beaming down on festival goers, it's time for some Teutonic thrash in the form of Holy Moses at what is their first UK festival appearance. Quite remarkable considering they've existed for thirty years but the Germans have been an oft overlooked band within this country for a long time. In fact, apart from being aware of who they are and what they do, I admit to not being at all familiar with their material so include me as one of the overlookers. Ashamedly so, I guess, for after today's forty minute set I'm converted to their brand of metal - infectious palm muted thrash riffing, compelling breakdowns that induce headbanging whether you feel like it or not, melodically expressive leads, and frontwoman Sabina Classen's penetratingly growled vocal delivery. As a side observation, watching Classen perform today with her array of stage moves and poses makes me realise that I'm observing one of Angela Gossow's inspirations, for the Arch Enemy singer has surely borrowed from Classen's repertoire. The similarity is uncanny. Anyway, the Holy Moses growler seems to revel in the moment, frequently exchanging smiles with members of the audience, and telling them "this is the best breakfast I've ever had" (surely she means brunch at this time of day?). Cheesy banter aside, the band are well received by a fairly sizeable crowd as Bloodstock's final day starts to warm up both music-wise and weather-wise. (MH)

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DORO

It is impossible not to love the first lady of metal, Doro. Going strong for over twenty years (and giving ageing a firm punch in the face), Ms Pesch remains a marvel to behold live, singing her heart out bedecked in leather and her hair cascading down her tanned face as she headbangs and runs up and down the stage. Warlock’s ‘Earthshaker Rock’ ignites the spectacle and gears the audience up for what is to be a particularly Warlock-heavy set. In fact, the only tracks from Doro albums that the German heroine treats the audience to are ‘Running from the Devil’ and ‘Celebrate’, both from last year’s ‘See No Evil’ album. For the latter song, Doro’s good friend Sabina Classen from Holy Moses is invited on stage to growl along to the cheesy track and it feels somewhat awkward and mismatched. The Warlock material of explosive ‘80s heavy metal naturally receives the better reaction, particularly the majestic ‘I Rule the Ruins’, the triumphant ‘Burning the Witches’ but most spectacularly closer ‘All We Are’, which sees the audience singing the chorus for what feels like the longest time. Doro’s cover of Judas Priest’s ‘Breaking the Law’ is also on the agenda, the ‘Classic Diamonds’ version with the ballad-esque beginning, which bemuses the audience, before launching head first into the dynamic body of the song, which the crowd wholly get into. Doro is remarkably gracious and appreciates all her time on stage. She emanates metal so perfectly without having to resort to swearing or other tough exteriors and neither does she play the overused "I’m a lady in metal therefore you must automatically love me" card. She is just Doro, an icon in the metal scene who has worked hard to gain her accomplishments. After ‘All We Are’, she thanks the audience so much, it feels like she is headlining. It can safely be said that Doro put on one of the best performances at Bloodstock this year. (EF)

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KORPIKLAANI

"Alcohol is good for you"...these are the words spoken by Korpiklaani frontman Jonne Järvelä as some sort of anti-public health warning after they finish playing opening track 'Vodka'. A band renowned for both their drinking anthems and, I guess, general love of booze, today's performance seems to be another alcohol-fuelled one from the Finnish folk metallers as they arrive onstage just after 2pm with cans of beer in hand. And the 'Forest Clan' are on fine form this afternoon with an arsenal of tunes as if they were written exclusively for the festival stage, serving to pump up an already excitable post-Doro audience into mosh pit frenzy. However, as good and as jovial as Korpiklaani are in their live shows, with today no exception, the conviviality aspect of the band's novelty foundations has started to wear a little thin. Tankard got away with their alcohol themed aesthetic for years, although it all seems to have become a little contrived with Korpiklaani these days, as if they feel it's a self-made image to which they must live up to. Hurling cans of beer into the audience during final track 'Beer Beer' only perpetuates such an impression (although no-one would be too unhappy with free beer, I'm sure), while violinist Jaakko "Hittavainen" Lemmetty puffs away on a cigarette, resembling a man who has complete disinterest in performing live with his emotionless expression and static stage (non)presence. For a quick hit of 'fun' metal I suppose Korpiklaani do their job, although all I recall thinking during their set is - thank fuck Gwar are up next... (MH)

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