Make no mistake, nothing short of crippling injury was going to make me miss this event. The chances of this bill being put together for a BRITISH festival were so remote, that I could scarce believe my eyes or ears. Not since the days of the great Castle Donnington festivals had such a collection of quality bands been put together in one place. Germany and Holland have had all the glory in the past decade of metal gatherings, and I believe it was only fair to provide compensation for the country where it all began.
After a tiring journey down from Newcastle, the sight of the Assembly Rooms surrounded by a good thousand metalheads was something of a comfort (though a little surprising to see so many black metal fans flocking to what was a predominantly power metal festival). Your Marduk-clad investigative reporter made his way inside...
The metal market was very impressive. There was an undeniable frustration that took over whilst perusing the display of raritities (early Mayhem picture discs limited to 100 copies anyone?) and the 'we've got it...you can't afford it' expressions of the stall owners. Grrr!
After sampling the delights of the Bloodstock tradespeople, my fiancé and I ventured forth into the main hall, where Biomechanical were well into their set. A nice blend of bass driven rock and power metal assailed our ears, accompanied by that all-important stage presence. Not necessarily something to rush out and buy, but it made for some nice live entertainment.
An hour later, power metallers Freedom Call effortlessly pulled a far larger crowd before them and played the first really fiery set of the day. Without a doubt the calling card of such bands is the almost constant smile on the face of each and every member. Hey, it's power metal, proud and uplifting, brave and inspiring, they can get away with a lot more than their extreme metal counterparts. Currently touring for their new album, Eternity, and making their first UK appearance since supporting Hammerfall in London, the Germans were in fine form (with a fair number of their fellow countrymen there to cheer them on). A nice mix of material, my personal favorite being the slow but triumphant "Hymn to the Brave." Our spirits lifted, we pressed on...
Balance of Power seemed top have the odd dash of power metal mixed with modern thrash. I couldn't help but gaze at them with a large degree of pity during the first two songs of the set. The guitarist stood there, riffing away for all he was worth, and yet all that could be heard was the rumble of the bass. The sound never quite got sorted to an extent that did the band justice, and by the third song, I was on my way out of there. What can I say? Some day, but not today.
Sidetracked once again by the mouthwatering deals on offer, I missed Elvenking, but arrived, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed at the second stage for a worthy show by Celtic black metal titans
Primordial. Corpse-painted vocalist Alan A Nemtheanga did a nice job of drawing in the crowd and it has to be said that they triumphed in the face of a weak drum sound with their oddly Bathory-esque folk-driven metallic assault. I remember seeing them in support of Immortal a couple of years ago, but today their art was far better appreciated.
Diamond Head are one of those bands that really prompted the question 'Why do you still bother?' Harsh words maybe, but the material sounded too weak for words when stood next to the rest of the Bloodstock bill. Don't get me wrong, I am an avid fan of the old school's finer elements, but the fact is that Diamond Head don't appear to be among them. And let's be honest, the majority present were just waiting for "Am I Evil"...
Judging by the t-shirts parading around, there were two bands that the masses were there to see - and we all piled into the main hall to witness the first of them. German power metal veterans Gamma Ray aren't too much to shout about when they're on your stereo, but somehow they're just an irresistible live act. With the exception of a few new tracks in the set, it pretty much read as a Best Of... performance, which was no bad thing, as I could be sure to be familiar with most of it. One of the real treats of the day was the vivacious blast through Helloween's "Ride the Sky." Kai Hansen was quite obviously over the moon with rapture at this, the band's second UK appearance being so well received. I was particularly impressed with Daniel Zimmermann's studio-perfect drumming as the band soared through "Land of the Free," "Fire Below," "Beyond the Black Hole," "Valley of the Kings" and the glorious sing-a-long rendition of "Somewhere out in Space." The smiles on the faces of the fans were almost as wide as those of the band. And that's saying something.
The band that I had been anticipating with quivering excitement for the past few months were another group of Germans, this time an act that were appearing on these shores for the first time in their existence. The gear of the previous bands was hastily shifted offstage, and a huge black cover was hoisted off one of the most gorgeous drum kits I have ever seen. We were at the front, and we weren't about to shift, for Blind Guardian were about to take the stage. And goddamn, they were good! The new album, A Night at the Opera, was their first to be granted a UK release (unless you count shelling out £18 for imports), but the only tracks taken form it were "Soulforged" (utterly magnificent) and "Punishment Divine" (storming).
On the lighter, swaying front, the crowd was delighted with "Nightfall" and the semi-acoustic "Bard's Song," as well as being assaulted with the likes of "Vallhalla" and "Welcome to Dying." I was amazed at the large numbers of German fans who had made it over for the occasion. Evidently the band has built itself one hell of a following over on the continent, one that looked to belittle the British fans on their own island. As the set drew to a close, I reflected on one of the greatest live acts I've ever witnessed.
Making our way from the hall, legs barely able to carry us, necks burning, and backs aching, there was a sense of triumph in the air that at last an event like this had taken place on our native soil. See you next year!
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