NEWS: Bloodstock announce Grand Magus and much more

BLOODSTOCK has announced yet more bands - get your Viking row boats ready and paws ready for the Crabulon..

Here's the official statement from Bloodstock:

The Friday headliner on the Sophie Lancaster stage will be Swedish heavy metal trio, GRAND MAGUS!  Frontman & guitarist JB commands us; “Dear Bloodstockers!  The Magus returns to the UK to lay waste to your eardrums with metal!  We are honoured to be headlining the Sophie Lancaster stage and we will put our hearts and souls into making it something special for all of you.  Can't wait to see you all!"  The band have been hard at work in the studio on the follow up to 2016’s ‘Sword Songs’.  Check out a sneak peek from the studio with JB here: https://youtu.be/RJa_c2ZFSF8.

Bringing some thrash to the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Friday are Bay Area five-piece, DEATH ANGEL.  Frontman Mark Osegueda comments, “We haven’t played BLOODSTOCK since 2013, when we had to run straight from the stage after a blistering set to a van that took us to the airport to make it to our next show!  So we look forward to experiencing this incredible festival properly in all its glory in 2019!  It will have been six years since we graced that stage and we have been dying to return.  We promise to show you how eager we’ve been to get back to BLOODSTOCK with a pure thrash set fuelled by raw human aggression and passion!  Thank you BLOODSTOCK for bringing us back!!!!”  The band have also been working on new material for their ninth studio album set for release in 2019 with producer, Jason Suecof.  In the meantime, check out ‘Lost’ from 2016’s ‘The Evil Divide’ album here - https://youtu.be/GVYl_hiD1oQ.

METAL CHURCH step into a main stage slot on Friday.  The American heavy metal trailblazers are set to release their twelfth studio album, ‘Damned If You Do’ on 7th December via Nuclear Blast in the UK.  Their 2016 release ‘XI’ marked the return of former frontman Mike Howe.  Check out a taster with new track, ‘By The Numbers’ here - https://youtu.be/SZTPkSdOF5U.  Mike tells us “We can’t wait to get over to the UK and bring ‘Damned If You Do’ to our fans overseas.  BLOODSTOCK is going to be an incredible time and a show not to be missed.”

Noted for founding both punk group The Dictators and the legendary Manowar, Ross Friedman and his band ROSS THE BOSS join the bill.  Having been introduced to Manowar co-founder Joey DeMaio by none other than Ronnie James Dio, it seems only fitting that ROSS THE BOSS will perform on the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Sunday.  Check out the video for the title track of current studio album, ‘By Blood Sworn’ here; https://youtu.be/0BMyWdNfJBQ.

Last but not least, a Catton Park favourite, EVIL SCARECROW will bring their intergalactic party to the main stage on Saturday.  The band have an array of fabulous vinyl and special editions available for recently released studio album, ‘Chapter VI: Antartartica’ over at PledgeMusic - www.pledgemusic.com/projects/evil-scarecrow-antartarctica.  While you peruse the goods on offer, check out new track, ‘Red Riding Hood’, about a martian invasion (naturally) over on their YouTube; https://youtu.be/eIXO2aXhwxE.

These five join the previously announced Friday night headliner, SABATON, Sunday’s bill toppers SCORPIONS, together with CHILDREN OF BODOM, CODE ORANGE, SOILWORK, CRADLE OF FILTH, SKELETONWITCH, DEE SNIDER, QUEENSRYCHE, ELUVEITIE, ROTTING CHRIST and HYPOCRISY on the Catton Park stages next August.  Stay tuned for more bands to be announced soon!

Standard weekend tickets are still currently available at ‘early bird’ prices (just £132 for four days of metal fun), so pick up yours at the ticket store - http://bloodstock.seetickets.com - if you want to save a few quid.  Camper van passes are also available in limited quantities, but be quick, as limited spaces remain.

BLOODSTOCK’s first wave of 2019 Serpents Lair VIP tickets are now SOLD OUT!  A second wave, including Deluxe VIP packages (Luxpads, Bellepads, Podpads, etc) and a limited amount of VIP upgrades (for those who’ve already purchased standard weekend tickets) will become available on Monday 17th December at 9am.  For full details click to http://www.bloodstock.uk.com/pages/vip-camping.

You can also subscribe to the BLOODSTOCK e-mailout to get band and news announcements as they happen!  Click through to http://eepurl.com/dKZrG-/ to sign up.

BLOODSTOCK will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 8th-11th August 2019.  Get additional information over at www.bloodstock.uk.com.

GALLERY: Day two at HRH Utd/Hammerfest

AS day two of Hard Rock Hell dawned, Lizzie Torbitt was once again on hand to snap some of the action:

Helhorse

Gévaudan

Grand Magus

Hammerfall

Napalm Death

Virus

Ten Foot Wizard

LIVE REVIEW: Hard Rock Hell United rocks North Wales to the core

WITH unseasonable sunshine greeting those attending Day Two of Hard Rock Hell 2017 it is appropriate to note that while Hammerfest is often the featured title, there is more it than just one set of featured genres of metal.

As well as Hammerfest at the Cove Stage at Hafan Y Mor the Boardwalk sees Stoner, Doom and Thrash bands to enthral and entertain.

However, for fans, reviewers and photographers - even when not beer befuddled - it is impossible to take all acts in. Sure, you can nip from side to side (the stages are only  few short yards apart) but to review the bands properly some acts could not been caught.

Pic by Lizzie Torbitt

Given the smorgasbord of metal talent on show it is hardly a complaint. For the BelfastmetalheadsReunited team it is a privilege to actually be present at Camp HRH and attenord Hard Rock Hell United so we weren't moaning!

With the sun shining we were pleasantly awakened by our neighbours, a collection of Irish, Northern Irish, plus the obligatory Scouser toasting the glorious weather. This was Wales in March - what the hell was going on!

With 20 bands playing in less than 12 hours the first act we took in was the Danish outfit Helhorse - not to be confused with the American band named Hellhorse. The groove was evident from the off as they paraded songs from their three albums to date, including last year's self-titled release.

Mikkel is a commanding and engaging front man, however unlike the bassist and two guitarists he remained full clad throughout...we have no idea why they wore no tops; perhaps it was the weather.

Nevertheless they engaged the early afternoon audience from the off with tracks 'Fortune Favours The Bold', 'My Heaven/Your Hell' and 'And His Name Is Death' stand outs in the 40-minute set.

Pic by Lizzie Torbitt

On the Doom stage amongst the highlights was Gévaudan's set - enough bottom line to shake the innards for the majority of the set.

However, any bands competing against Grand Magus would struggle  as the Nordic warriors were always going to attract many metal loyalists with their tales of heroism set to classic metal music.

The influences of Priest, Rainbow and Purple ooze from the Cove stage, set as if those acts were themselves destined for their own rock Valhalla. For a threesome they always maximise their power and on stage presence, with JB holding all within the grasp of his riffs from his flying 'V'.

'Steel Vs Steel' (with its reference to Blue Oyster Cult) had the crowd rising up even higher as Fox tries to repress his smile as arms and voices are raised up.

Pic by Lizzie Torbitt

Equally' Varangian' and 'Iron Will' provoke an adoring audience response. Grand Magus provide metal excellence.

And, after the Magus came their countrymen Hammerfall with their power metal that rises the temperature even higher in the venue. All the tropes one would expect from such an act are present and correct, but delivered with such sincerity and glee that any thoughts of clichés are thrust aside.

Indeed, there was a certain sense of a celebration in the room from the back to the stage, despite the trials and tribulations of the band's journey to Wales that saw most of the gear and some stage clothe in Amsterdam while motorway delays meant it wasn't long before their allotted time that they began.

Joacim's explanation and cheers, even given the announcement that the set would be shortened by at least one song. With the 'Built To Last' album still fresh for all, Hammerfall chose to reflect live their back catalogue along with more recent releases.

Pic by Lizzie Torbitt

'Blood Bound' has the Cove's roof properly raised, but the closing duo of tracks 'Let The Hammer Fall' and 'Hammer High' has the mass singalong sounding like a crowd of maddened Vikings sating their lust for the fight, and maybe a glorious end across the Rainbow Bridge.

With their aggro grindcore still relevant in the 21st Century Napalm Death are still musically and lyrically current, never diminishing their edge. From their slow-burning opener the crowd's response was frenetic.

By the time the pace quickened the pit was intense, and crowd surfing was rampant...and that is when the gig had to be halted. Someone had fallen. Security stepped in quickly, paramedics were on hand and Barney explained that they would "naff off" for a while to allow treatment.

Pic by Lizzie Torbitt

Thankfully the person concerned seems, at the time of writing, not seriously injured, but the reaction of the band and the staff was measured and appropriate.

After the pause Napalm Death resumed their set, with their familiar intense approach, but the response may have been a little more subdued for a brief time.

As Cancer closed the Hammerfest stage across the way two acts were wrapping things up for the evening under the 'thash' banner. Virus brought irreverent attitude to the table together with a straight, no nonsense sound encapsulating all that is good about like.

An honourable mention, of course, goes to 'The Defective Detective (The Ballad of Inspector Gadget).

Pic by Lizzie Torbitt

Humour was much on the agenda at midnight when Ten Ton Wizard took to the stage for a 40-minute conclusion to Day Two's proceedings. Sure, they have many giggles and laughs in between songs, but it would all be for nowt if they did not have the heavy blues music to back it all up.

They may, at times, seem not to take themselves too seriously but their sound is a well organised aural assault.

Thus we wended our way back to our accommodation...now where were those party animal neighbours for a late night bevvy or two? Asleep! What heresy is this!

Review by Jonathan Traynor
Pictures by Lizzie Torbitt

NEWS: Grand Magus to play Belfast on March 26th

Swedish riff lords Grand Magus are very pleased to announce that they will be returning to our UK and Irish shores in March and April 2017 for a run of 8 headline shows. They follow their already-announced appearance at Hammerfest 2017 in Pwllheli, North Wales.

The tour includes a Belfast date on March 26th.

Their mighty frontman and Viking metal master Janne ‘JB’ Christoffersson said:

"By Odin's beard! The Magus will be returning to the British isles for a headline tour with all that it entails in 2017. We will bring the metal without compromise, forged in iron - crowned in steel!"

The eight day run will take the band from Dublin’s Voodoo Lounge on 25th March, across our shores until 2nd April culminating with a grand finale at renowned London venue The Underworld.

Tickets, priced £17.50, go on sale Friday 11th November @ 10.00am.

LIVE REVIEW: The Vikings Return To Take Dublin as Amon Amarth Slay The Capital.

FOUNDED by the Vikings in the tenth century, Dublin was once again host to the Scandinavian marauders on Wednesday night (2nd November), as Amon Amarth laid waste to the city’s Vicar Street venue.

Touring in support of latest album ‘Jomsviking’, the Swedish band put on a lavish show that featured lights, risers, and a gigantic horned Viking helmet that dwarfed the theatre’s stage.

Ably supported by thrash legends Testament and respected metallers Grand Magus, fans were treated to a three band bill that featured some of the finest acts in the genre, providing something to suit fans of most vintages.

Following a well-received set by Grand Magus, it was California’s Testament who were the first to really ignite the Dublin crowd. Opening with a punishing ‘Brotherhood Of The Snake’ – the title track from their just released 11th studio release, the band were in fierce form from the off.

With singer Chuck Billy growling, gurning, and air guitaring throughout, the animated front man commanded the crowd’s attention, as Testament made their way through tracks culled mostly from the polar ends of their career.

Concentrating on songs from their last few studio albums, including the title tracks from comeback disc ‘The Formation Of Damnation’ and its follow-up ‘Dark Roots Of Earth’, the band also pleased early fans with the "old school thrash metal" of ‘Into The Pit’ and ‘Over The Wall’.

Revealing a political conscience, Billy – a Native American himself, dedicated the track ‘Stronghold’ to the Standing Rock protesters currently demonstrating at North Dakota, telling the audience; “this song is for all the Native Americans standing strong for what they believe in”.

On any other night Testament would have been a tough act to follow, however with the sold out venue bursting to capacity, and a dedicated following waiting in anticipation, the atmosphere was palpable as Amon Amarth’s impressive stage set-up was revealed.

Centred around a huge Viking helmet complete with customary horns, that doubled as a drum riser, it was Amon Amarth’s sense of theatrics and other-worldly production that took centre stage. Kicking off, fittingly with ‘The Pursuit Of Vikings’, with a spectacular light show and myriad platforms, not to mention a highly energetic musical prowess, the five-piece proved a treat for the both the eyes, and the ears.

Greeting the crowd, singer Johan Hegg said: “Good evening Dublin. How the fuck are you guys doing tonight?”, before asking; “Are you going to have some fun?”. Going on to reference the capital’s Norse history, the singer revealed; “we love coming to play in Dublin, because you guys are crazy Vikings”.

Playing a healthy smattering of tracks from their critically acclaimed latest album ‘Jomsviking’, as well as fan favourites like ‘Twilight Of The Thunder God’ and a rousing ‘Deceiver Of The Gods’, Dublin was treated to a Viking raid the likes of which hadn’t been seen in the city for over a
millennium.

Amon Amarth’s ‘Viking Crusade’ continues with dates in London on Friday night (4th October) and Birmingham on Saturday (5th November), before making its way to the continent for an extended run.

Review by Eamonn O'Neill
Photographs by Darren McVeigh
Reproduction by written permission only
This review first appeared on eonmusic.co.uk