As I arrive once again into the Scottish town of Edinburgh, I am struck by the thought that I am well-qualified to salute the flat-out heroic performance that FURY put on at Scotland's world-famous Bannerman's bar, on this the Seventh of September, Twenty Twenty Five.

With the introductory parts of "Interceptor", they had quickly demonstrated that this band had already established their single-handed dominance of metallic arts. Julian Jenkins' vocal delivery was euphonic in character. His laryngeal expertise extended well beyond the horizon of possibility to the point of pure virtuosity.

The rhythm section; raw, and elemental underpinning the percussively ecstatic Tom Fenn on drums and low-frequency-massaging Becky Baldwin, provided a sonic underpinning that was firm. They created soundwaves that travelled beyond the auditory canal of the ears and into the very being, of each person who was in the audience.

Tom Atkinson's six-string instrumental brilliance on songs such as "Prince of Darkness" and "Hell of a Night" was nothing short of mind-boggling. His fretboard acrobatics were the height of technical prowess that would be the green-eyed monster of even the most educated musicians.

The inclusion and addition of co-singer Nyah Ifill brought a high-octane, zestful energy that enhanced, and took the overall sound experience to stratospheric heights. Vocal acrobatics in "Embrace The Demons" created harmonies so unbelievably beautiful to the ear that this humble wordsmith was temporarily left speechless in discombobulation.

The stick-drenched, rhythm-saturated hiatus, was dazzlingly dissonant in the most enjoyable manner possible.
With the finale of "Down To Rock", the audience present had been given total entertainment by this masterpiece of artistic adroitness.

The allotted time was sadly, compacted for this masterfully adept, and no-doubt-about-it hyper-skilled troupe of thespians.
FURY turned out to be a first-rate tribute to British heavy metal in all its ultra-high-achieving glory. Words: Matt Denny.

As we wander through the gates of BLOODSTOCK 2025, ORANGE GOBLIN - closing in on their final show ever later this year - are on FEROCIOUS form on the Ronnie James Dio stage. Their “meat and potatoes heavy metal” lacks the hedonism of PALEFACE SWISS, the chaotic deathcore band whose set they followed, and is worlds away from the pomp of the melodramatic LACUNA COIL show that follows it. But Orange Goblin need no frills. Their groovy, swaggering riffs and gruff vocals are more than enough to entertain this mid-afternoon audience, and it’s not until after the final notes of "Red Tide Rising" ring out that you realise Orange Goblin have been a subtle mainstay of metal for thirty years. It’s sad to see them go

​The show goes on, though, and we catch Polish "Metal 2 The Masses" winners RASCAL on the New Blood stage. All About The Rock flew out to Bydgoszcz to join the judging panel for M2TM Poland earlier in the year, and while our winners AEONION didn’t win the final round, Rascal are worthy winners. Their melodic speed metal has earned them a decent crowd, and vocalist Kacper Pędziszewski is certainly one to watch. Over on the Sophie Lancaster stage, EIHWAR are showing off the other end of the metal spectrum. Frontwoman Asrunn is a theatrical performer with a hypnotic voice who wields a shamanic drum, while Mark (...) handles multi-instrumental duties effortlessly. Their sound is a pagan-style blurring of folk, electronica and metal influences. Like a heavy version of Jockstrap.

As is Bloodstock tradition, next year's line-up is announced early on Friday evening. Despite the hype surrounding this being the festival’s 25th anniversary, the announcement falls a little flat. Sure, we get some phenomenal bands like LAMB OF GOD, JUDAS PRIEST, SHINING, SEPULTURA and CRYPTOPSY, but there’s no return for first-ever headliners SAXON (Though admittedly this could be down to Biff Bifford’s recent cancer diagnosis) and none of the huge-scale bookings seen floating around the rumour mill. Most problematically, one of the headliner slots has been given to a certain Russian deathcore band with Nazi ties. There has already been a lot of understandable backlash, including calls to boycott next year’s festival… [Editor: We've covered said band, recently, and for transparency, it was an album review, nothing more, and in no means endorsing or championing any semblance of Nazi ideology or fascism...we don't do hypocrisy here]

But that’s next year’s problem. Spirits are lifted quickly by the triumphant return of black metal legends - at one time controversial in their own right - EMPOROR. Fronted by the bespectacled, purple-guitar-wielding IHSAHN, the band power through their dark, ferocious anthems with almost no break. They’ve felt no need to release new music in the last twenty-five years, and you can see why when the brutal shrieks of "Ye Entrancemperium" and "Inno A Satana" haven’t aged a day.

The Sophie tent is almost as full as it was for MACHINE HEAD’s secret set a few years ago, even though until a couple of weeks ago, NAILBOMB hadn’t performed live since their debut show back in 1994. It’s hard to tell who is there as a fan (After all, the band only released one album and disbanded almost immediately after) and who is just following hype, but either way, we stand no chance of getting in the tent, so make our way back across the field and over to the miniscule EMP stage, where hidden gems are often lurking. Northern Irish death metal trio INSIDIOUS VOID are on hand to deliver one of the heaviest sets of the weekend, complete with the fastest, most mechanical-sounding blast beats I’ve ever heard. 

TRIVIUM were the first metal band I ever saw live, but despite adoring "In Waves" at the time, I never really got stuck into any of their other output. I already knew their set was likely to only touch upon that album’s title track, so aside from recognising the odd tune here and there, I was going in blind. The band, clearly relishing an opportunity to headline a major festival, promised a ‘very special’ set for Bloodstock, and they weren’t lying.

‘"Rain", "Pull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr" and "Like Light To The Flies" from the "Ascendancy" album they had been performing in full recently are clearly well-oiled and all hit hard as an opening trio. They quickly transition to a covers-heavy middle section, with their version of "Symptom Of The Universe" seeing them joined by Machine Head’s beaming Rob Flynn, and their rarely performed cover of "Master Of Puppets" going down about as well as you’d expect a true heavy metal anthem to go down.

That said, it’s frustratingly hard to ignore the duds, and Trivium certainly have some duds. The lifeless "Until The World Goes Cold", generic "The Sin And The Sentence" and especially the slog of "The Heart From Your Hate" are tough listens that can’t be salvaged by any amount of infectious live energy. Their melodies are as bland as they come, and instrumentally all three tracks just play it way too safe to be of any interest. What does bring the energy up, however, is their new track, "Bury Me With Your Screams", which is a chuggy cut that doesn’t skimp on the heaviness, leaning into Matt Heafy’s gritty shout without an over-reliance on a big clean chorus. This is immediately followed by the set’s inevitable highlight, the unfathomably groovy "In Waves", which welcomes Ihsahn back to the stage for some backing vocals, and, despite Heafy’s insistence that it wouldn’t be, should have been their closing number. 

Death, taxes and a bit of atmospheric post-metal on a Saturday morning at Bloodstock. VNDER A CRVMBLING MOON deliver a harsh, melancholy set of slow, doomy, widescreen metal before BA'AL replace them to do a very similar thing, but with slightly more syncopation and a slightly less visceral vocal performance. We head over to the New Blood stage to bring the energy back up in the early afternoon, and through the bouncy fun of Mantis Defeats Jaguar and intense slam of MECHROMORPH, our mission is accomplished with ease.

The same can’t be said for the main stage, which seems to be going through a bit of a mid-festival crisis. CREEPER, whose frontman William Von Ghould has been seen on the big screens relentlessly advertising Tixtel all weekend, might look the part, but their punky gothic rock lacks bite and sounds weak throughout almost the entire set. On stage performances that lack confidence and very wobbly vocals don’t help their case either

They’re followed by KUBLAI KHAN TX, a metalcore band who look like they’d have bullied every member of Creeper at school. The toxic masculinity is off the charts from frontman Matt Honeycutt, who spends as much time grabbing his crotch, flexing his muscles and reminding the audience the band are from Texas as he does singing. For the first time ever, I see the Bloodstock pit turn from its usual haven of heaviness, into a blurry mess of fist-flailing incels, most of whom are foaming at the mouth as they’re crowd-surfed into the photo pit. The band’s obvious popularity makes it hard to call them a bad booking, but it certainly doesn’t feel like the right atmosphere for Bloodstock.

The flamboyant NEONFLY are a great antidote to an overdose of masculinity. They’re not my usual cup of tea, but any set that opens with some unrelated fire-breathing is going to bring me on side. Willy Norton’s voice in particular is a soaring, melodic weapon and his prowling stagecraft alone should lead him to the Ronnie James Dio stage one day soon. The Sophie stage remains on fine form for the rest of the day, with the tongue-in-cheek brutality of UNDEATH contrasting the singalong flamenco metal of “the biggest unsigned band at Bloodstock”, BREED 77, who even sneak a cover of THE CRANBERRIES’  "Zombie" into their set. 

As is the way at Bloodstock, momentum can shift at any moment, and the main stage quickly recovered from its mid-afternoon stupor to switch gears into a triple threat of legends. First up is FEAR FACTORY, playing the entirety of their groundbreaking second album, "Demanufacture". Only instantly-recognisable guitarist Dino Cazares remains from the band’s most influential era, but Milo Silverstro does a good job of stepping into the shoes of Burton C. Bell and their sound is as weighty and futuristic as ever. Their signature blend of industrial timbres, subtle electronics and grating riffs represents itself best on tracks like "Self Bias Resistor" and "Dog Day Sunrise", which sound about as close to the record as they can. They’re followed by fellow industrial legends MINISTRY. The unsmiling Al Jourgensen looks incredible and carries himself with the unshakeable confidence only a true icon can muster, but aside from the hardcore fans gathered on the barrier, there isn’t much enthusiasm for Ministry around Catton Park. Their performance is tight and their sound is loud and crisp, but to put it bluntly, they just don’t have the tunes. 

An evening of certified legends is rounded out by MACHINE HEAD, who deliver one of the best headline sets in Bloodstock history. Rob Flynn, who looks simultaneously like a huge, hairy monster and a soft, cuddly teddy bear, is unmatched in terms of stage presence. He can switch between a totally genuine grin and the frenzied stare of a man locked into one of the grooviest riffs you’ve ever heard with ease. And that comes before we even mention the sheer might of the setlist. It’s hard to argue with a band that can open with "Imperium", drop their most played song fifth in the set and swap out a mid-set lull with the anthemic "Locust".

Later in the set, Flynn pays a moving tribute to Michelle Kerr, his (and, previously, Bloodstock’s) PR, who sadly died in September 2024. Over the tender chords of "Darkness Within", he tells stories from their many years working together, and leads the audience in a celebration of her legacy, pointing out the bands that many of us would never have even heard of without her influence. It’s a beautiful moment, handled with so much care that when the energy picks up ​again, everyone in the audience knows she wouldn’t want us to wallow, but to get stuck into yet another huge-scale metal show that wouldn’t exist without her.

The back-to-back of "Davidian" and "Halo" that brings the show to a close is a fitting power move the likes of which haven’t been seen at Bloodstock since LAMB OF GOD hit us with "Laid To Rest" and "Redneck" in 2022. The night is rounded out by a mass shout-along, a sea of headbanging and a flurry of fireworks. 

We take up our usual late morning spot at the back of the Sophie Lancaster stage. APATHY UK are as energetic as it is possible to be at 10:30am on day three of a metal festival, while BARBARIAN HERMIT are as loud as the hungover heads in front of them can take. FRAYLE, however, are just dull - they claim to take influence from the likes of SLEEP, BLACK SABBATH, BJORK and PORTISHEAD, but realistically, their sound is bland and vaguely doomy. It goes nowhere and offers very little.

RIVERS OF NIHIL, however, offer a hell of a lot. Not only is their progressive death metal musically interesting (Saxophone at Bloodstock alert!), but their performance is passionate and intense. Bassist/vocalist Adam Biggs sprays spit as he alternates between surprisingly catchy melodies and the brutal screams of "Where Owls Know My Name". Over on the EMP stage, Z MACHINE are the weekend’s token prog band. Until just an hour before, they believed themselves to be introducing Bloodstock to its first saxophone. Bad timing. But their blend of King Crimson-esque experimental prog-jazz-fusion-metal is an endearing chance of pace, and the small gathering of confused metalheads still manage to mosh to it. 

In an attempt to overcome my obvious anti-metalcore bias, we sought out AUGUST BURNS RED. From their clever SYSTEM OF A DOWN fake-out opening right up until "White Washed", I was hooked. Every moment of melody was carefully balanced by a crushingly heavy groove or a tempo-chopping breakdown that would take the audience by surprise. The mellower moments didn’t feel self-indulgent, but a necessary moment of calm used to make the shift back into intensity worthwhile. Maybe not a hidden gem to the thousands that gathered to watch them, but certainly one to me.

Between seeing Cypriot progressive groove metaller's SPEAK IN WHISPERS on the New Blood stage and THROWN on the Sophie, we don’t catch much of FEUERSCHWANZ, aside from a cover of "Dragostea Din Tei" when walking in one direction, and a snippet of "Gangnam Style" while walking in the other. I feel like that may have been all I needed to know. There was a lot more intrigue surrounding ORME, though, who may be the first true drone band to grace a Bloodstock stage. Their set, which consisted of a heavily truncated performance of the normally hour-long "Onward to Sarnath", turned most passers by away with the sheer might of its unshifting slab of noise presented at a ferocious decibel level, but those who stuck with it were rewarded by a slow build into some truly satisfying doomy, sludgy riffs. This is the sort of thing the EMP tent was made for.

MASTODON were always the band I was most excited to see this weekend, and it was especially interesting to see how they played without recently not-so-amicably-departed guitarist Brent Hinds. The answer seems to be that it made absolutely no impact on them whatsoever. Brann Dailor’s ability to sing the band’s most melodic tracks while unflinchingly powering through proggy drum beats is incredible. Equally, Troy Sanders’ hoarse grunt is the perfect match to the thunderous tone of the likes of "Black Tongue".

"The Motherload" is a frenzied web of riffs interspersed with the band’s biggest hook, while "Megalodon" offers a dreamy, psychedelic haze of rhythmic instability that keeps the listener on their toes. The evergreen "Blood And Thunder" holds an almost indefinable power that makes the entire audience ignore almost every lyric in favour of relentlessly singing along to that riff. 
​
[Editor: In the process of publishing this review, it has come to light that Brent Hinds, former guitarist of Mastodon, tragically passed away in a motorcycle accident, on August 20th. Everyone involved in the All About The Rock / Gav The Gothic Chav collaborative team, sends our condolences to Brent's immediate family, close friends and loved ones. A powerful force in modern metal...talented, creative and adored by many. RIP Brent Hinds.]

In the eight years I’ve been reviewing Bloodstock, GOJIRA are the first returning headliners I’ve seen. If there’s a band more deserving, I don’t know who it is. Since their last performance, they’ve become tighter, their stage show has expanded into a true spectacle and they’ve become international flag carriers of metal thanks to their Olympic triumph.

Their music, however, remains largely unchanged. Aside from three tracks from "Fortitude", a lot of their set overlaps with that of 2018 - but that’s no bad thing. The opening sucker punch of "Only Pain" is the perfect way to set the tone, filled with those trademark walls of thick, distorted sound Gojira are known for, completed by an off-kilter, polyrhythmic drumming style that could only be Mario Duplantier. "The Axe" gives his brother Joe Duplantier a vocal workout with its ferociously catchy tech-death first half, before giving way to a cinematic instrumental outro that is every bit as perfect live as it is on the album.

Tracks 4, 5 and 6 are identical to 2018, probably because they act as a beautiful way to encapsulate the band’s career and evolution, with the Grammy-winning, ultra-catchy "Stranded" giving way to the atmospheric expanse of "Flying Whales" from more than ten years earlier, before returning to "Magma" for the relentless energy of "The Cell". "Mea culpa (Ah! Ça ira!)" is a welcome new addition to the set, and its blend of ferocious Gojira-style groove and operatic interjections show exactly why this was the perfect choice for their Olympic performance.

The only thing that disappoints is the way they bring the set to a close. Aside from the incredible encore-opening "L'enfant Sauvage", their decision to with the two tracks from the disappointing "Fortitude" shows that they either aren’t in tune with what their audience wants, or a need to back their newer material overshadows their commitment to better show structure. Their "Under the Sun/Every Day Comes and Goes" BLACK SABBATH cover is great, but it feels like it may have landed better earlier in the set rather than in place of a hard-hitting penultimate number. Similarly, the show-closing "The Gift Of Guilt" is anticlimactic, especially when the likes of "The Heaviest Matter Of The Universe" are left out entirely. But these are minor details, and the important thing is that overall their set is a triumphant success and a welcome return to Catton Hall.

2025 is yet another impeccable year for Bloodstock. Where else can you see Mastodon and Gojira back to back, discover your new favourite unsigned band, watch a potato-eating competition, do a Raised By Owls-hosted metal pub quiz and mosh to an authentic classic-era Slipknot tribute band in the same day? There’s nowhere else quite like it...

Words AND Photography: Dan Peeke

Glasgow. A city that smells faintly of soot, triumph, and someone else's chips; cold, half-eaten, stepped on. The perfect setting, for a W.A.S.P. gig. Although It  wasn't a concert in the traditional sense. It was more a series of escalating dares between fire, feedback, and denim.

When Blackie Lawless came onstage the audience erupted. Someone spilled beer on me, and a security guard smelled of panic and Lynx Africa.

Then they proceeded to play their debut album in its entirety. "I Wanna Be Somebody" is still a cry so primal and ridiculous it looped back around and became profound. Half the crowd shouted it, the other half acted like they were trying to laugh through a midlife crisis.

During the medley of "Inside the Electric Circus" / "I Don't Need No Doctor" / "Scream Until You Like It", a woman near me screamed and did SEEM to like it. I hope they’re doing okay...

The guitars didn’t so much scream as accuse. One solo sounded as like someone had angrily trying to solder a microwave using only hatred. The drumming was an avalanche of fists. My trousers vibrated in a way I’m still not fully comfortable discussing.

By the end, my ears were ringing like dinner bells. I staggered out into the Glasgow night, mascara smudged (And I wasn’t even wearing any when I got there), with only one thought in my head: I need tea. Strong, scalding, restorative tea. And maybe a bath where I can scream underwater and reflect on my sins.

Words: Matt Denny

“Your world is coming to its end, but you don’t have to be afraid”…never before have these lyrics been as poignant but sadly, we ironically find ourselves in joy and sorrow as HIM…Finland’s finest romantic rockers, are bidding us farewell, calling time on their 20+ year career. Yes back in March, the news was dropped by Daniel. P. Carter on the Radio 1 Rock Show that HIM were embarking on a farewell tour, after announcing that 2017 would see the band play their final shows and go their separate ways, breaking countless hearts around the world…with the departure of drummer Gas after the last album “Tears On Tape” things were just never the same and despite having Jukka take over behind the kit, new material simply wasn’t working…the spark had gone and it was time to say goodbye. With the UK only getting 5 dates on the “Bang And Whimper” farewell tour, I was lucky enough to see them one last time at Nottingham Rock City…and I should have taken tissues.

Any HIM gig starts early in the morning and today was certainly no exception…even though we’re in the middle of December, there were people queuing at the venue from 8am, camped out with blankets, highlighting the dedication and commitment HIM’s fans truly have…but by the time doors were opened, this sold out show had a line of fans literally streets long…never mind meters, you could measure the queue in postcodes! As the crowd inside started to grow and settle in and while the bar was all hands on deck, we were warmed up by tonight’s only support act, BITERS [7] from Atlanta, Georgia. The four-piece strutted their stuff on stage like seasoned veterans and their style echoed the same sentiments…inspired by the hey-days of rock ‘n’ roll, taking elements from the likes of T-REX and the NEW YORK DOLLS they took the crowd on a semi-nostalgic journey back into the 70’s, the denim and leather, the long hair, the rock star swagger and the tunes to back it all up…tracks such as “Gypsy Rose” with its clap-along charm and the simplistic merriment of “Stone Cold Love” allowing front man Tuk to channel his inner Marc Bolan…while “1975” exudes a true sense of heritage, harking back to a time when rock ‘n’ roll was fresh and captivating, and it’s still not gone out of style today. Their set may have been brief but with the time they had they won over tonight’s crowd and it got the gig off to a great start.

Now, in this situation, normally we’d be excited knowing HIM [8] were about to make their grand entrance but tonight, we know it’s also their swansong…this really is the beginning of the end as it’s the final time we get to witness Ville Valo and co work their magic on stage, and the excitement is mixed with a sense of sadness. Simply knowing that once tonight is over, they will be but a cherished memory and it genuinely is heart breaking for many, many fans. Luckily however, HIM have a back catalogue of hits that can turn any frown upside down and they waste little time getting going, opening up with “Buried Alive By Love”. Mige’s pummelling bass and Valo’s powerful vocals breathe life into an already swelling crowd and the energy in Rock City tonight is incredible. Every word is sung back by each and every person in the room and you can feel the love and appreciation everyone has for the band, and as they plough through fan favourites like “Heartache Every Moment” and “Wings Of A Butterfly” it really does send chills down your spine. Each of their eight albums are represented in some way with inclusions of “Kiss Of Dawn” and “Heartkiller”…and we’re even treated to a rare inclusion of “Sigillum Diaboli” to rapturous applause…but as the set draws to a close, the realisation of what’s transpiring hits home and when Ville humbly says his thanks for the love and support over the years, and as they slide into “Funeral Of Hearts” there are plenty of mixed emotions. The beauty of the moment, the sadness of the occasion and feelings of both togetherness and loss, there’s barely a dry eye in the room as HIM don't really have fans, no, they’re more like family and it feels like we’re saying goodbye to a loved one. Then, after closing with an encore of BILLY IDOL hit “Rebel Yell” and a painfully apropos rendition of “When Love And Death Embrace”, the Finns leave not only the stage, but a gaping hole in our hearts. HIM were one of a kind and their iconic Heartagram, whether tattooed on the skin of fans worldwide, or emblazoned on proudly worn t-shirts, will forever be a reminder, a symbol of happiness and positivity, as Ville, Mige, Linde, Burton, Gas and later Jukka, touched each and every one of us with their music. As a band HIM were too often underrated but tonight, everyone in attendance knows the world just lost something truly special. There really is no love without tears and tonight really does prove we will always love HIM. Kiitos ja jäähyväiset, ystäväni ...

After a highly successful start to the “Road To Merthyr”, courtesy of KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES and a series of brilliant, intimate live shows, we must now avert our attention to the next generation of rising rock stars, as tonight, the YOUNG PROMOTERS NETWORK are back in Merthyr Tydfil’s Red House for “Breaking Bands”. This battle of the bands competition has been set up to allow one lucky up and coming Welsh band, the opportunity to open the main stage at MERTHYR ROCK, which is being held at Cyfarthfa Park on August 17th, and features a line-up including the likes of THE BLACKOUT, TAKING BACK SUNDAY and ANTI-FLAG. There were four bands booked for tonight, all ready to step up and grab the opportunity of a lifetime…there are three actually playing…this is what went down…

CIVIL FOES [N/A] from Aberdare were originally looking forward to playing tonight, looking forward to the chance to shine, however, due to circumstances within the band, they have sadly called it a day and have split up. It’s a shame we didn’t get to see them perform but we wish them all the best in any and all future projects.

CLEAR THE AUDITORIUM [8] are the first on stage and get the daunting task of having to set the bar early on, but boy do they do it in style. Playing a mixture of tracks from their “2021” and “The Final Broadcast” EP’s, their blend of alternative rock and dub-infused electronic beats goes down a storm and it’s hard to tell which is more energetic; the music or the band themselves! Front-man Dafydd Richards getting into the full swing of the occasion, climbs 12-15 ft up one of the venues walls, runs through the crowd, throws himself around the stage…it’s a confident, determined all-round display that demands your attention and is nothing less than impressive.

Up next are Cardiff’s LAST VENDETTA [6] who, despite delivering a quality dose of melodic punk-pop, just can’t quite live up to tonight’s opening act in terms of performance and hunger. Their set was good, the band are tight but really they lacked any real spark. The inclusion too of MICHAEL JACKSON cover “Man In The Mirror” didn't help matters tonight either, as while the track itself is a good one, and it was played brilliantly, when a band is looking to impress, you should be looking to stick to original material, it slightly cheapened the performance.

Finally then, we shift gears once more for the final act of the night, Bridgend’s SET TO BREAK [7] who pummel the unsuspecting crowd with a ferocious set of hard hitting metal-core. Their performance is strong, their technical ability, musically, is superb and vocalist George Ross has an impressive set of pipes on him to say the least. Inspired by artists such as ARCHITECTS and PARKWAY DRIVE, they end the night in brutal fashion playing songs from their newest EP; “Redemption”, leaving the judging panel with a lot to mull over…

Having taken each of tonight’s three performances fairly, weighing up pros and cons, the judging panel firstly decided that it was between two of the three bands without a shadow of doubt. Secondly, the panel took into consideration that tonight’s winner would be opening the main stage of Merthyr Rock, they would need to set the tone for a great day of live music and entertainment early on, supporting a mixed line-up of artists with a mixture of styles…and with that in mind, the panel reached a unanimous decision. The winners…Clear The Auditorium.

We wish the boys from Pontypridd all the best and look forward to seeing you again on the 17th, commiserations to our runners up, Last Vendetta and Set To Break, we’re sure you’ll be back for more in future, but this is CTA’s moment, and its thoroughly deserved.


For tickets to Merthyr Rock, please visit http://www.merthyrrock.com/
Article photo courtesy of Menai Richards: https://www.facebook.com/MenaiRichardsPhotography

The organisers over at Kerrang! Have always gone out of their way to ensure the line up each year is diverse as can be, bringing together different styles to generally celebrate heavy music as a whole, than trying to appeal to one type of fan, and this year is no exception. After several hours queuing in the cold, wet miserable weather, we’re greeted with the first band of the night; BABY GODZILLA [3]. Now as much as I try, I actually haven’t got a clue what to say about these Nottingham based lunatics. Their style is a modern thrash / metalcore based onslaught that destroys everything in its path, they may as well have left out the “Baby” and just called themselves Godzilla! A lot of the time was spent diving around, climbing amps, wandering the crowd, throwing guitars around, generally being chaotic, which was fun to watch, but not really enjoyable to listen to.

NEKROGOBLIKON [6] were up next and again, they are quite hard to understand as a band. Musically they are fine; their mix of growled vocals, hefty guitar work and the odd lick of a keyboard gives them a slight resemblance to CHILDREN OF BODOM at times, just not as ferocious.  It’s straightforward enough, but, then we have the fact that an actual goblin joins them on stage. Ok he’s not a real goblin, but a man in costume…that, really doesn’t do, anything? He talks a bit, interacts with the crowd between songs, but generally prances around, head banging, giving it the horn, it’s purely all for show and as a gimmick, is a pretty weak one. I can’t see the novelty lasting long at all. Can’t help but feel they are trying too hard.

CROSSFAITH [8] are tonight’s main support, and it’s blatantly obvious why. They came to put on a show and by damn they put on a show. The quality and confidence in the performance by this Japanese 5-piece was outstanding. As a front man, Kenta Koie has the crowd under his control more or less right away, commanding circle pits and even the infamous wall of death, as he powers through the set. Terufumi Tomano joining him occasionally on vocals in between programming/electronics, and sipping neat Jack Daniels right from the bottle, it’s all very well executed and a sign of a band with a bright future ahead of them.

Now that everyone is properly warmed up, it’s time for tonight’s headliners, and probably the reason 98% of people got a ticket. LIMP BIZKIT [9], are tonight playing possibly the smallest UK show they have ever done, and the atmosphere is incredible. Guitarist Wes Borland struts on stage looking as audacious as ever, in a white blazer jacket, boxer shorts, a painted white face with electric blue full-eye contact lenses…he looks ridiculous yet somehow all the more respectable. He’s got Hawaiian flower necklaces, he’s sipping Bacardi from a pineapple, he’s here to party! Bassist Sam Rivers and drummer John Otto aren’t far behind, River’s eyes fixed on the crowd, he’s ready for this, before finally Fred Durst coolly walks on, with the band bursting straight into “Rollin’”. The crowd go NUTS as expected, with people being carried over the barrier here there and everywhere. Security at the front have earned they’re pay tonight! It’s a very “Chocolate Starfish…” based set list, with “Hot Dog” coming next, as well as including “My Generation”, “Livin’ It Up”, “My Way” and “Take A Look Around”. Newer tracks such as “Gold Cobra” make an appearance, as well as their cover of RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE’s “Killing In The Name”, before, despite Durst’s insistence that they've been told they can’t play “Break Stuff”, they end the set with that very song, and there’s not one person in the room unhappy. Despite the jet lag, despite the first night of any tour meaning bands are maybe a little rusty, Limp Bizkit have owned it tonight. It’s rare you get to witness bands of this size in such (all things considered) intimate venues, the Kerrang! Tour has made it possible this year with one of the biggest bands of a generation, and it’s been incredible.