Stampin’ Ground vocalist Adam stops by for a chat at Bloodstock Festival.
He discusses the opportunity to play the festival for the first time, how Gavin of Damnation Fest twisted their arm into reforming, how Malevolence have helped the hardcore resurgence, the highlights of the Bloodstock 2027 announcement and expanding the bands reach into Europe.
You can listen to the interview below, or jump over to any of the usual streaming services!
The guitarist, who last played with the band on November 17, 1993 in Helsinki, Finland, touring the The Battle Rages On… album, revealed during an Instagram Live appearance last night (August 11) that he’ll perform with the group tonight (August 12) at the Northwell at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York.
According to Blabbermouth, Blackmore said, “I sent my A.I. pigeon to Ian Gillan in Portugal, where he lives at the moment. And I said, How would you feel about if I got up just for an encore? Just one of the songs. I don’t want to intrude. And I said, No pressure – just kind of [for] old times’ sake.’ I’m 81 now. So he seemed to love the idea, put it to the band, got a thumbs up, and it looks like we might be doing that.
“I have my roadie there kind of now, setting up my amplifier,” Blackmore continued. “I’ll be using a small amplifier, but it’s very loud. It’s what I use when I record. I hope I can compete with the [current] guitar player [Simon McBride], ’cause I can see that he has very big amplifiers behind him. So, it’d probably just be the one number, as it’s been a while. I changed my strings on my Strat, which I haven’t done in over 25 years… I hope the guy out in the front can turn me up.”
Blackmore went on to say that he hasn’t played rock music in 25 years, which isn’t strictly true, as he played shows with Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow from 2016 to 2019.
“It’ll be good to see the old guys again,” he added. “I just thought it might be an idea to let a few people know ’cause I think a lot of people would like to see that. So hopefully my guitar stays in tune, and I can play whatever song is going to be played. It’s just the one song, I think.”
Blackmore co-founded Deep Purple in 1968, but left in 1975 to form Rainbow. In 1984, he rejoined the group to reform their legendary Mark II line-up, and exited for the final time in 1993, to relaunch Rainbow once more.
Interviewed by Cat Finch Photo Credit: Sean Larkin
Matt of Cryptopsy join us prior to closing out day one at Bloodstock Festival.
We discuss the booming death metal scene in the UK, utilising social media to grow their brand, a new Cryptopsy album – landing in 2028, song writing and his love of Heavysaurus!
You can listen to the interview below, or jump over to any of the usual streaming services!
It’s been a minute since I danced with a Rogga project. The man of a million bands is ever industrious and cranks out material like Doc Grier churns profanity in the AMG Slack channels. Megascavenger is one of Rogga’s countless projects, side quests, and diversions. Surprise, surprise, it’s Swedeath, and along with the HM-2 buzz and fuzz, there are a fuck ton of Rogga’s friends, contemporaries, and well-wishers included in the bone broth. We last covered Megascavenger on 2014s At the Plateaus of Leng, which was an enjoyable slab of Roggacore. Since then, the project dropped 3 full-lengths which we slept on, because no one can keep up with the Roggalanche. Now we get to 6th album, Toxic Noxious Undeath, where Rogga is joined by no less than 10 guest croakers of various levels of renown. The style is vintage d-beaty Swedeath, and the effort to stretch that well-trod style is nonexistent because Rogga cares not for progress. Can olde dawgs still provide tasty tricks using predictable tropes?
Surprisingly, yes. While Toxic Noxious Undeath is stock standard Swedeath on paper, Rogga and friends inject enough radioactive half-life into the material to make it an entertainingly brainless batch of grave biscuits and morgue dumplings. The gore party kicks off well with the urgent stomp of “Graveyard Screams and Boneyard Dreams,” where death metal legend Kam Lee (Death, Massacre) sallies forth with his nasty roars and monster noises to support a thrashing, bashing bit of fun with riffs for days. It’s the kind of Swedeath song Entombed or Dismember could have birthed in the early 90s, so the nostalgia factor is strong. What follows is a surprisingly spry collection of death nuggets. “Corpses Below” went in one ear and onto my gym playlist in the blink of an eye as Felix from Crematory powers a weirdly beefy, brawny but melancholic little ditty right into your memory hole. Before you know what hit you, you’re in the third movement, and “Exploding Casket Syndrome” is being guided by Erik Rundqvist of Vomitory. It’s a short and sharp deathster and instantly likeable. It could also fit on the average Vomitory release.
The unrelenting pace of the material is a big plus, with one burner transitioning into another. “Heading for the Furnace” is a bleak, nihilistic cut with a doomy vibe that works well without actually slowing things down much. While the ever-changing vocalists are noticeable, they don’t actually disrupt the album’s flow or make things feel scattershot. Some frontmen stand out more than others, but all do yeoman’s work. Dave Ingram of Benediction delivers the lumber on “A World of Fire and Brimstone,” and Michael H. Andersen of Thorium brings a crazed black metal energy to “Fleshburner Yearer.” Are some cuts more stock and generic than others? Sure. “As Purgatory Descends” is solid and punchy but feels like I’ve heard it somewhere a million times before, and closer, “The Morbid Rides Again” is big, beefy, and brainless, but kind of rudimentary. These are minor hiccups that don’t disrupt the flow or the fun in a meaningful way. With the album coming in at a wafer-thin 33 minutes and the songs all kept in the 2-3 minute window, Toxic Noxious Undeath is designed to hit hard, beat ass, and flee with your lunch money, and it accomplishes this.
What can be said about a Rogga project? The man handles all the guitar work, and he’s an expert at slapping the listener around with sturdy Swedeath riffs and harmonies. His playing elevates songs like the title track by injecting memorable hooks and ear-catching little change-ups. While not every project of his has a long shelf-life, he can drop successful albums, and this does enough things right to be one of them. The riffs come fast and furious, and the songwriting is good enough to fend off Swedeath fatigue. There’s a raw energy coursing through the album, and Rogga’s playing is the source. The murderer’s row handling voKills add texture and dynamism to the material without knocking things off the rails. It’s a successful, if not world-shaking, combination.
Toxic Noxious Undeath is a good enough example of what Megascavenger is up to these days to make me want to check out the albums I missed since 2014. If you want a 33-minute dose of classic Swedeath goonery delivered by a rogue’s gallery of death vets, you could do much worse than this. Rogga can still deliver the nasty goods when the stars align. Looks like it’s your lucky day.
Ritchie Blackmore says he’ll join Deep Purple on stage tonight — Wednesday, August 12 — at the Northwell at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York. It would be his first performance with the band he co-founded since 1993. Thirty-three years. The 81-year-old announced it himself during an Instagram Live with his wife Candice Night on Tuesday, in the most Blackmore way imaginable: by insisting it was a secret nobody was supposed to know.
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Scott Penfold has the full Blackmore story on today’s Metal Breakdown Daily — how the reunion came together, what he changed on his Strat for the first time in 25 years, and why there’s a stool waiting for him on stage. Download the free Loaded Radio App on Apple iOS and Google Play and get it every weekday morning.
He told on himself
The announcement is genuinely funny, and it tells you everything about the man.
On the Live, he said there was something he wanted to mention about tomorrow night. Then: it’s a secret and he doesn’t want anybody to know, but he’s probably going to get up and do an encore with Deep Purple. You can’t tell anybody. And he knows this will be kept a secret. Will it? He supposes so.
He later explained why he’d said it out loud at all — he thought a lot of people would like to see it, so he might as well let a few of them know.
That’s the whole announcement strategy. Eighty-one years old, thirty-three years of distance, and he leaks his own reunion on a livestream while pretending he hasn’t.
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How it actually came together
This part is better.
Blackmore says he reached out to Ian Gillan, who’s currently living in Portugal. His description of the method: he sent his “AI pigeon.”
The ask was modest, and that’s the striking bit. He asked how Gillan would feel if he got up for just an encore. One song. He didn’t want to intrude. No pressure — old times’ sake. He’s 81 now.
Gillan liked the idea, took it to the band, and got a thumbs up.
Consider who’s asking. This is the co-founder. The man who wrote the riff to “Smoke On The Water” — the riff every guitarist on earth learns first, and the reason Deep Purple sit as the third pillar of the original heavy metal temple alongside Sabbath and Zeppelin. And he approached it like a man asking a favour he wasn’t sure he’d get.
What he’s bringing
The logistics are almost unbearably endearing.
He’s bringing a small amplifier — the one he records with — and he says it’s very loud, but he’s openly worried about competing with current Deep Purple guitarist Simon McBride, who he’s noticed has very big amplifiers behind him. His roadie was already at the venue setting up. He hopes the guy out front can turn him up.
He changed the strings on his Strat for this. For the first time in over twenty-five years.
And there’s a stool on stage, just in case he starts toppling over.
He was also unusually open about why. He had a steroid injection in his lumbar area the day before so he can stand in one spot, which he needs because playing a Strat standing up is hard on his shoulders and lower back. He has four herniated discs — his offer, if anybody wants them. He’s dealing with severe gout, arthritis in his fingers and feet, previous heart issues, and a debilitating vertigo attack in late 2025 that forced him to cancel dates. He credited the doctors at Stony Brook, said the steroids make sleep difficult, and noted that Gillan has his own maladies too.
His summary: everybody’s got something to complain about, he’s just got more than usual. And if he doesn’t have something to complain about, he’ll find something.
Candice Night let slip the one confirmed detail: it won’t be “Highway Star,” because the band is opening the show with it.
Beyond that, it’s a mystery. Blackmore says it’ll probably be just the one number, since it’s been a while, and he hopes his guitar stays in tune and that he can play whatever’s chosen. He’s complimentary about McBride, and about Steve Morse, the guitarist who held the chair for a quarter-century after him.
He also claimed he hasn’t played rock music in twenty-five years — which isn’t quite right, and Purple obsessives will spot it instantly. He paused Blackmore’s Night in 2016 to reform Rainbow for a run of rock shows, his first in nineteen years, captured on Memories In Rock. But the sentiment holds: he’s spent the bulk of the last two and a half decades on acoustic, playing Renaissance music with Night, and says he’s more comfortable on acoustic now than electric.
Which makes tonight a genuinely uncertain proposition. That’s part of the appeal.
Why 33 years is such a long time
For context on how frozen this has been.
Blackmore co-founded Deep Purple in 1968 and left for the final time in 1993. In between he built Rainbow, handed Ronnie James Dio the platform that produced Rising, and effectively invented an entire strain of fantasy-driven heavy metal in the process. After the 1993 exit he reformed Rainbow for one album and one tour, ending in Denmark in 1997, then disappeared into Blackmore’s Night.
He didn’t attend Deep Purple’s Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction in 2016, suggesting the band’s manager had blocked him from doing so. He still got shoutouts from the members who were there, and Lars Ulrich — who inducted them — made a point of praising him from the stage.
He said “probably.” He said “it looks like we might be doing that.” Deep Purple haven’t confirmed anything, and the venue hasn’t either.
Blackmore is 81, dealing with real physical problems, and has been unpredictable for six decades — this is a man who has walked out of bands mid-tour. Nothing is guaranteed until he’s plugged in.
But he changed the strings. That’s a man who intends to play.
What’s happening: Ritchie Blackmore says he’ll join Deep Purple on stage tonight, August 12, at Northwell at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York.
How long it’s been: he last performed with the band in 1993 — 33 years ago. He co-founded Deep Purple in 1968.
How he announced it: on an Instagram Live with wife Candice Night, while repeatedly insisting it was a secret.
How it came together: he contacted Ian Gillan in Portugal to ask about doing one encore, saying he didn’t want to intrude. Gillan put it to the band and it was approved.
What he’ll play: unknown, but not “Highway Star” — Deep Purple are opening the show with it. He expects to do just one song.
The caveat: Blackmore said “probably.” Neither the band nor the venue has confirmed.
FAQ
Is Ritchie Blackmore rejoining Deep Purple?
For one performance, apparently yes. Blackmore said on an Instagram Live on August 11, 2026 that he expects to join Deep Purple on stage for an encore at their August 12 concert at Northwell at Jones Beach Theater in Wantagh, New York. He described it as probably one song, and neither Deep Purple nor the venue has formally confirmed it. This is a guest appearance, not a permanent return to the band.
When did Ritchie Blackmore last play with Deep Purple?
He co-founded the band in 1968, left in 1975 to form Rainbow, returned for the 1984 reunion, and departed for the final time in 1993. Tonight’s appearance would be his first with them in 33 years.
How did the Ritchie Blackmore Deep Purple reunion happen?
Blackmore says he contacted singer Ian Gillan, who lives in Portugal, and asked how he would feel about Blackmore joining for a single encore — saying he didn’t want to intrude and that there was no pressure. Gillan responded positively, put the idea to the rest of the band, and it was approved.
What song will Ritchie Blackmore play with Deep Purple?
It hasn’t been revealed. Candice Night confirmed it will not be “Highway Star,” as Deep Purple are opening the show with that song. Blackmore expects to perform just one number.
Why did Ritchie Blackmore leave Deep Purple?
He left twice. In 1975 he departed over creative differences during the Mark III era, going on to form Rainbow with Ronnie James Dio. He returned for the 1984 reunion and left for the final time in 1993. He did not attend the band’s 2016 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction, suggesting the band’s manager had blocked him from doing so.
Thirty-three years, four herniated discs, and a fresh set of strings. If you’re anywhere near Wantagh tonight, you know what to do — and if you’re there, tell us what he played in the comments. Keep it locked on the Loaded Radio stream — follow Loaded Radio for daily rock and metal news.
REWORK have been around long enough to know that club music’s supposedly clean breaks with the past are usually rather messier affairs. Michael Kübler and Daniel Varga formed the Stuttgart electronic project in 2000 with French vocalist Laetitia Rometsch, releasing their first EP, Anyway I Know You, through Frankfurt’s Playhouse Records. Their 2003 debut album, Fall Right Now, brought together early cuts, including “You’re So Just Just,” and established the combination they would come to describe as “new wave house”: spare machines, clipped funk, European pop instincts, and vocals that regard seduction as a form of mild antagonism. Later records for Playhouse, Visionquest, Get Physical, and their own Exlove imprint continued to complicate the boundaries between house, techno, electro, and pop at a time when those distinctions still carried considerable tribal weight.
Released through Exlove Records on July 17th, the three-track Disco Love Remixes EP returns to the title track of REWORK’s March 2025 release. The original followed 2024’s Never Again and a Get Physical release that paired REWORK’s updated version of “You’re So Just Just” with separate remixes by Cinthie and Seth Troxler with Ryan Crosson. The new collection brings together interpretations by Neu-Romancer and Jennifer Touch alongside REWORK’s own “Disco Love2,” a special edit that reaches back toward the economical architecture of their Playhouse years.
Sira Kübler’s vocal gives “Disco Love” its human temperature, sitting against bass and percussion disciplined enough to make each small adjustment feel consequential. The Playhouse influence is explicit in “Disco Love2,” although the track avoids becoming an exercise in period reconstruction. Its disco vocabulary has been pared down until glamour becomes something harder, stranger and slightly severe.
Neu-Romancer is the solo project of Laura Bailey, an Australian musician, producer and DJ originally from Fremantle and now based in Berlin. Her 2023 debut EP, Neue Romantika, appeared on Zanias’ Fleisch Records, drawing on Italo disco, darkwave, EBM, and New Romantic references across four original tracks and a Zanias remix. The record included “Remnants,” a collaboration with Kris Baha, while Bailey’s broader history includes playing bass with goth outfit VV & The Void and punk band CIERN, as well as performing in Zanias’ live group. Her connection with REWORK predates the present remix: the artists released the two-track Call You Up EP together in June 2025.
For “Disco Love,” Neu-Romancer takes the material into a more insistent space. Her remix thickens the rhythmic motion and introduces a bouncing, almost predatory momentum, making the track feel as if it were designed for the point in a club night when conversation has ceased to be useful. Details accumulate without clutter, and the arrangement maintains a peculiar forward pressure even as its gestures become more expansive.
Neu-Romancer
Jennifer Touch is a Berlin-based producer, singer, live musician and DJ whose work draws in part on her upbringing in eastern Germany. After issuing her first solo record in 2014, she developed a body of work that moves freely between post-punk, industrial electronics, wave music and club production. Her albums Behind the Wall and Midnight Proposals appeared through FatCat Records in 2020 and 2023, respectively, followed by Aging at Airports through Fabrika Records in September 2025. She has also released music through Riotvan, Eskimo Recordings, and Live at Robert Johnson, and has collaborated with Curses and Paranoid London.
Touch approaches “Disco Love” from another angle, bringing greater emotional abrasion to its polished frame. Her version pairs cold-wave textures with a forceful club structure, allowing tension to build around Sira Kübler’s vocals and the regimented percussion. The bass bears down with greater weight while the upper register remains brittle and exposed. It is an effective reminder of how closely post-punk’s severity and dance music’s physicality have always sat beside one another.
Jennifer Touch
That relationship between post-punk and dance music also explains the logic behind Exlove Records, REWORK’s own imprint. Its catalog moves between synthpop, house, techno, electro, post-punk and synthwave without treating genre boundaries as border control, with releases from REWORK alongside She Lies, Philipp Roller, Sugartin and A Youth. Across more than two decades, REWORK’s tracks have also been handed to Andrew Weatherall, Roman Flügel, Trentemøller, Magda, Paranoid London, Cinthie and Seth Troxler for reinterpretation. They have little need to prove their underground credentials. “Disco Love” sounds more interested in what can still be done with them.
Listen to Disco Love Remixes below and order the EP here.
5th-8th August 2026 Words: Oli Gonzalez Photos: Tim Finch
With the temperature peaking at 38°C on some days, this meant some bands sadly had to be skipped as avoiding heatstroke was more important. Still, here’s a breakdown of the highlights for this weekend; grab a drink as this could be a long one.
Tuesday Pre-Show
Filth
They weren’t here to play games. Nope. Vocalist Dustin demanded movement right from the get-go and wasn’t accepting half measures from anybody in attendance. A potent mix of rap and metalcore provided an equally potent cocktail that turned the Obscure stage into a riot zone! Their energy was infectious as it was impressive, ensuring nobody was going to be eased in gently to the weekend.
Ahab
The nautical doom heavyweights really brought it tonight, including the rain which seems as on-brand as it can get! Yep, normally the heavens opening would induce fear into the hearts of festival goers, but we were more than ready for this giving the punishing heat. We were more than ready for some low and slow grooves and pummelling too. A classic set with the likes of ‘Mobilis in Mobili’ and ‘O Father Sea’ provided this in spades and ensured many heads were banging, warmed up for the long week to come.
Sarcafargo (played by The Laws)
Perhaps I’m too young to appreciate the impact that Sarcafago had had on the world of black metal. Older festivals certainly did though as many sporting corpse paint and leather surged forward to the front as soon as Ahab had finished. The Laws, featuring founding members of Sarcafogo, would pay tribute tonight to one of Brazil’s seminal extreme acts…and doing them justice too! Everything felt tight but not overpolished, and captured that raw chaotic energy perfectly. Whilst being dressed in plain clothes ruined the illusion somewhat, the sun had set and the dazzling lighting amplified that energy, with the strobes bouncing off the brick walls, making for an impressive visual display.
Wednesday
Unearth
Finding a small slither of shade acted as a lifeline to catch one of the seminal bands in the early metalcore movement. They started off in full throttle, the only speed they know! The crowd matched this speed with circle pits and crowd surfers, even in the punishing near 40°c early afternoon heat! Where do they get their energy from?! Even a small technical issue from Buzz’s guitar couldn’t derail their momentum with frontman Trevor engaging the crowd during this unplanned downtime, as well as sending his gratitude to the festival and bands he was sharing the stage with today. Classics from seminal album “The Oncoming Storm” represented highlights in a set met with multiple challenges.
Novembers Doom
Novembers Doom; they definitely got the doom right, with punishing groove after punishing groove, hitting low and slow into your core. Opulent piercing lead guitar solos would emerge from the murky darkness, making seasoned metal fans and casuals purr in admiration. Vocalist Paul admitted he was struggling in the heat – who could blame him? Though he couldn’t contain his excitement and gratitude for being at the festival for the first time since 13 years ago. Instead of throwing in the towel earlier, the set grew stronger and stronger, with their years of experience and chemistry showing as they pushed through the grueling humidity. A more than valiant effort!
Elder
A set of 2 halves really. Being at the barrier initially made it difficult to fully appreciate the band given the immense boom and bass being pumped out. However, a tactical retreat further back fixed this. This allowed the more subtle melodic and psychedelic elements to seep through and ring about the Obscure arena, building on top of their solid rhythmic foundations. Another one where the struggle in the heat was real and may have robbed one of the most anticipated bands of the weekend from truly showcasing what they can do!
Crippling Alcoholism
There’s a target audience for the alternative post-punk act, if that is the best term to describe their one of a kind sound. I’m not part of that. Still, it’s easy to look at this through the lens of objectivity and just know when a good band has landed! Central to the sound were the bright salient synths that really drove the band’s energy and dynamism, with the guitars and bass locking in to provide the crunching grooves and also additional melodic support when required. There was huge disappointment when their late 2025 tour plans evapourated, making this feel like a shot at redemption. It’s clear they’ve connected with their audience. Was the Octagon really the right stage for them?
Iotunn
Biases. We all have them. This was my main set of the week and THE absolute unmissable band, so there are biases. Though look in any direction right from the front and you could see a crowd fully engaged and locked in for 45 minutes. A band with a complex sound and difficult to pin down into one sub-genre, each composition spanned multiple movements and stirred up multiple emotions. As well as the fully euphoric anthems and scintillating choruses. Some decided to show their appreciation through the ancient art of the moshpit. Not really that kinda band, right? Not really the right band for the tiny Octagon stage too you could argue. This would be immense on the Obscure stage at a later slot!
Solstafir
Aching and breaking, sitting from afar to capture the Icelandic splendor of Solstafir seemed like the right choice. If anything, this worked better for them. The full impact of their deeply complex atmospheric soundscapes could be fully appreciated, as well as the dazzling display bouncing off the walls of the Obscure arena and into the inky night sky. This was as healing as it was therapeutic, offering much welcome contrast to the waves and waves of extreme metal BA has to offer! Especially the voice of Addi, even if sung entirely in his native Icelandic, the emotion pouring out of him transcended all language barriers.
Thursday
Cryptic Shift
Some complaints could be seen on social media prior to their set, but a respectable crowd emerged at this early 10.30am (not PM) stage time. Riding the momentum of “Overspace and Supertime”, they showcased a ridiculously complex tech-death metal sound. Flying all the way to Czechia to see a band up the road in Leeds felt crazy. What’s even crazier is being sat in the Natural Stand during the pouring rain watching this unfold, a bold contrast to the heatwave from the previous few days. They flew the flag for the UK today in style though and demonstrated the depth of talent that’s on the island. Surely they’ll have a bigger slot next time?
Baest
Part of a new breed of extreme metal in Europe, the Danes were up next. Sticking to the meat and potatoes of the death metal genre, they presented a slower yet no less bludgeoning flavour of death metal. Their stage presence is what they’re becoming known for though, and they needed every ounce of that to get through today. Especially given that the heavens had well and truly opened, drenching anybody within a 100m radius of the Marshall Stage. Though there was plenty of engagement. Especially when Martin joined the crowd to invite fans to form a circle pit around his Christmas tree (mic stand) whilst he continued to rattle out his guttural roars. 10/10 extroversion!
The Casualties
No plans to watch them but the opportunity emerged given the very short turnaround from Baest’s set finishing 5 minutes earlier. Offering a contrast to the extreme metal with their raw punk energy, they certainly looked at home here and had the crowd going wild with vocalist joining to split for their earliest ever wall of death, well before 12pm. A pleasant surprise and welcome contrast.
Sanguisugabogg
Deep into their European tour, they had caused chaos at Dortmund Deathfest only a few days prior. Now with a few shows under their belt, they looked like a well-oiled machine and like a different band almost! They turned the Sea Shepherd stage into a near-battle zone! Flying close to the sun only a few rows from the barrier to get into the thick of it seemed crazy at the time…because it was! Dodging crowd surfers like homing missiles to the tune of songs centered around the themes of ripping faces off and being pulled apart by a truck was perhaps the best way to describe the experience of their set. They sounded monstrous up there, on the sound engineer for the band’s birthday, so no wonder they incited one of the biggest circle pits of the weekend.
Castle Rat
Mixing good old classic doom metal with fun theatrics and an engaging power ballad lore made for one of the more memorable sets of the weekend. It’s easy to see why they’re becoming so revered and respected with their accessible sound spanning
multiple genres and audiences. It’s a shame the sound kept cutting out and made things quite uncomfortable at times. They deserved better.
Septic Flesh
MY FRIENDS. One of the finest metal bands to ever emerge from Greece. They sounded almighty up there. Even though vocalist Spyros was showing signs of wear and tear. Classics that included ‘Anubis’ and ‘Vampire Of Nazareth’ made their way into the set, alongside hits from “Codex Omega”. This also highlights the desperate need for new material from the band. Still, the crowd was fully locked in and engaged. Who was the crowd surfer who made it all the way to the front from the sound desk (80m or so?). Impressive. As well as those playing the Septic Flesh drinking game; take a drink when Spiros says MY FRIENDS. Be warned, this could be as deadly as the band’s mix of haunting orchestral spice and ferocious death metal.
Body Count
I didn’t understand them, nor the hype. Now I do. Especially with a PACKED OUT Sea Shepherd stage. Imagine the blistering pace of and punch of thrash, with the raw Aggression infectious groove of rap. A cocktail that resulted in seas of bodies going over the barriers, which looked fantastic from the safety of the Natural Stand. Absolute chaos down there. In the words of Ice-T, this is built on a simple ethos: “we ain’t here to rock FOR ya, we’re here to rock WITH you”. Perhaps best personified either with their hit ‘Purge’ or ‘Raining Blood’ cover!
I was proved wrong to doubt their merit. Skipping a bucket list band for them was worth it.
Carpenter Brut
Not a metal band, should they be here? Check out the hundreds if not thousands bopping along, raving, moshing or going airborne, then that quickly becomes irrelevant, if anything, the French act have a clear distinct edge, with a sound built on a clean EDM spine with crunching distorted guitars and pulsating acoustic drums that echoed and reverberated around the fortress after the sun had gone down. This turned Josefov Fortress into a post-apocalyptic rave, looking absolutely spectacular from the Natural Stand. Something that quickly made me relocate to the ground to see it all up and close. The right decision!
Friday
Internal Bleeding
Tough conditions given the midday sun yet a solid turn out nonetheless. It was crazy to see a band of Internal Bleeding’s calibre on at this early 12pm time but this speaks to how thoroughly stacked the lineup is. Having missed them earlier in the year due to illness, this felt like redemption. They delivered the bruising and slamming brand of death metal they have become known for, and did their reputation justice. The crowd fed off this energy too and were happy to throw themselves around the pit. Though it felt like the band were going through the motions as far as crowd interaction goes and barking instructions rather than trying to genuinely engage. They could have given more.
Saor
Born in the frosty north of Scotland, Andy Marshall and co were a long way from home in the testing mid afternoon sun. Testing as they have consistently sounded phenomenal live with their brand of atmospheric black metal making them especially popular on the continent. Though something felt off today. Guitars and parts of the backing track kept cutting out, and Ella’s voice felt slightly more strained. 3 songs in a truncated 40 minute set felt too short and didn’t give the full immersive experience a band like Saor deserved. Whilst they still sounded good, this was far from their usual very high standards.
Thy Catafalque
Avant-garde is thrown around too much nowadays. The Hungarians suit this perfectly though, with a multifaceted sound characterised by a constantly changing lineup between songs to suit the dynamic and needs of the song. This kept things interesting! Their strengths though seem to lie in the 2 female vocalists in the band, such was their harmony and chemistry, sitting over more ambient electronic backdrops. The faster, more aggressive pace made for an uncomfortable listening experience at times, especially when the drummer overpowered everyone (which also happened at Samhain Antwerp). The guitar lead anthems are also a strength, and although many here didn’t speak a word of their native Hungarian, the connection was there. When will we see them at Eurovision?
Master Boot Record (MBR)
What even is computer metal? These sub genres are getting crazy right? In either case, MBR today demonstrated that they’ve plugged a niche we didn’t know existed with an electronic based brand of instrumental metal. With songs like the theme to classic video game Doom, their music taps into the secret love of tech all metal heads have, whilst those who love a good ol’ mosh turned the Obscure stage into a frenzy. Let’s not forget the guitarists who’ll be more than satiated with the dazzling chemistry and skill on display by Edoardo and Victorio. We all love exclusives too, so we were treated to a song, ‘Dark Mavericks’ from the upcoming album! A much needed injection of energy into the day’s proceedings.
Grave
BA doesn’t often book bands in consecutive years. But then again, bands like Grave don’t come along very often and they don’t tear apart the festival in the same way they did in 2025. After seeing their energy at Incineration 2026, it’s easy to believe this. Within literal seconds, the pits to hell had opened and the ritual commenced and the momentum would not slow down. Despite pulling double duty on bass and vocals, it was almost as if Ola was down in the pits with us such was his commanding and constant presence. The standard bearer for Swedish death metal.
Primus
When announced to headline Arctangent 2026, the impact of this sent shockwaves through Europe. Despite missing half of their set, it was clear to see this impact as the Sea Shepherd stage was packed out! Whilst some point to the band’s alternative rock stylings as being the antithesis to the extreme metal that BA is known for, contrast is good, right? Believe me, this WAS a contrast. Listening to Les sing about a racecar going by the name of Jerry and a big brown beaver belonging to Wynona was bizarre and took some getting used to. But seeing Les’s ridiculous skill on the bass and making slap bass look effortless was infectious, and the hypnotic grooves coming from that block of wood meant that escape was quite impossible. Finishing 10 minutes early in such a monumental occasion seemed to rub people up the wrong way though.
Eivor
The Pagan Problem Part 1/2. You may know her as the voice behind the theme tune for The Last Kingdom (if not, go YouTube). Featuring a seemingly typical lineup of drums, keys, and Eivor herself with a guitar and standing behind the mic, the noise radiating from them was far from typical! Especially with the Pagan throat singing, the cavernously deep double bass, and the war drums; this made for some hauntingly beautiful arrangements that will wake up our Pagan ancestors. This sounded majestic at times and deeply atmospheric and indulgent. It’s a shame so many people talking ruined this and some even going down the more disrespectful route of mocking some of her throat singing techniques just didn’t sit well at all. People at BA; do better!
Katatonia
It was late at night but the sound engineers had worked hard to make the Swedish progressive metallers sound tight, ferocious, and larger than life. Though there was only so much they could do. Many metal heads had divided opinions but this is clear; Jonas was having a terrible night behind the mic! Out of tune and seeming a shadow of himself at times, this was nowhere near his usual high standards and made for an uncomfortable experience, raising the question of whether an instrumental set would have been better.
Saturday
Coffins
Amongst the band’s who had travelled the furthest to be here, the Japanese four piece took to the stage in the baking hot Obscure stage. We had seen quite a variety of artists plying their trade on this platform but perhaps none of the death-doom metal persuasion. Whether it was the slow bludgeoning body blows, the chest pounding double kicks, or frantic punk inspired D-beat patterns, there was one constant. The walls of distortion and the low-fi deliberately retrograde presence; nothing at all was aesthetic about this bruiser of a set! Just raw unfiltered sludge!
Wormed
After levelling Offal Fest 3 as co-headliner, Wormed were on the must see list! Just watching them sound check, seeing the nasty tones pouring out of the amplifiers and feeling each pulsating strike of the drums raised the anticipation further!
They took to the stage 5 minutes early, which explained why the crowd was so sparse and a measly 3 people attempted to start a circle pit. Though the bodies quickly began to multiply, and Wormed seemingly fed off that energy. They seemed to up the ante and all those individual elements began to cluster into one unholy wall of blistering cosmic noise! Just like in Manchester almost one full year prior. Except for this it was hotter; much hotter. Dodging crowdsurfers was expected. What wasn’t expected was to see the first and only cockroach pit of the festival! What a bizarre but intriguing moment! A slow start but gathered momentum of a run away freight train and finished very strong indeed.
Insomnium
Another must see act! Given the huge crowd that had assembled by the Marshall stage and sheer quantity of merchandise scattered around the festival, it was a must see for many others. Most bands that had played that stage had sounded phenomenal. Insomnium were no exception, as they sounded ferocious as they worked through older material, as well as new tracks from the upcoming album, making this the first time many people had heard these live. Skipping segments from their cult classic “The Winters Gate” seems like a missed opportunity though given it’s 10 year anniversary. Normally a force of nature, Niilo vocals sounded rough. Was he exhausted? Maybe. It was a lot hotter here than in his native Finland. Despite some crowd surfers, the audience lacked energy and it felt as though there was a disconnect. Until he asked the crowd a very simple question; “What do you want to hear next?”. The screams became inaudible – like a university debating society- though this woke the crowd up and the iconic opening to ‘While We Sleep’ rang out. A stronger finish to the set.
The Ghost Inside
Going in blind at festivals can be a gamble. Seeing a band you have no prior knowledge of can horrifically backfire. Though sometimes the gamble does pay off. Or in the case of The Ghost Inside, I found myself becoming a fan in real time and getting genuine goosebumps ! ‘Dear Youth (Day 52)’ being just one moment to cause this reaction. Such is the invigorating modern metalcore energy and empowering nature of the song. Not to mention the direct on the nose lyrics, which were plastered on the screen behind the band. Which speaks to the electrifying presence they have at one stage and the genuine connections forged. Whether it’s the devoted fans at the front bouncing up and down and singing along to every word, or the uninitiated like me. It goes without saying that the pit was absolute chaos and countless fans went airborne. What a genuine wholesome connection with the audience. What a set! What a privilege to have seen this.
Candlemass
1985. Long before many that were gathering around the Marshall stage were born. The nation of Sweden has produced countless seminal metal acts across all genres. Especially Candlemass, the band widely regarded as one of the most crucial acts in the doom metal genre. Seeing fans young and old singing along to classics like ‘Bewitched’ and ‘Gallows End’ was pretty special tonight, and shows how many hearts the Swedes have touched with their music. Even if they have had to adapt the music due to the natural, inevitable aging process and member changes, with lower tunings and vocalist Johan now singing with a more fierce gravelly tone. Rather than the high pitched haunting wailing vocals of Messiah the band are known for. Still special to see though.
Left To Die
Like many attendees, I was too young to have seen the late great Chuck Schuldiner perform. Which leads to a question; what would Death sound like if they were still around today? Left To Die provided an answer to this rather complex question, featuring ex-members of the Floridian extreme metal pioneers as they burned through a mix of Death’s mid 80s era hits. ‘Open Casket’, and ‘Leprosy’ were amongst those, capturing the raw primitive aggression from this era but also with the mind-boggling technical guitar passages which cut through supremely sharp and accurately through the sublime mix! Matt Harvey would have done Chuck very proud indeed as he pulled double duty with a blistering lead guitar performance and vocal display reminiscent of Schuldiner himself! Close your eyes and you couldn’t tell the difference between the two! Hearing some of the older demo previously unreleased tracks from the very VERY early days of the band made an already special set feel even more prestigious!
Wardruna
The Pagan problem; part 2/2. Wardruna are a fantastic live band. Always have been and always will be. Just a few seconds into ‘Kvitravn’ will remind you of that. There’s so many pretenders out there claiming to be Pagan. Though with an array of traditional percussion instruments providing the pulsating rhythms, the horns adding a dissonant and haunting undertone to the music, whilst the moraharpa and dual vocal harmonies of Einar and Lindy-Fay acted as the melodic focal point. A pattern that continued throughout the set. The problem? The crowd! When people won’t shut up during the quiet parts, it makes you wonder why you or the band should bother! This was never a problem having seen them in a theatre 18 months prior! Why would it be different here? The problem was amplified during ‘Hibjornen’; what should have been a spine tingling lullaby from just Einar became a futile attempt to become fully immersed due to the countless drunken idiots thinking their loud conversations were more important. A disappointing experience through no fault of the band.
It’s been a minute since I danced with a Rogga project. The man of a million bands is ever industrious and cranks out material like 
The unrelenting pace of the material is a big plus, with one burner transitioning into another. “Heading for the Furnace” is a bleak, nihilistic cut with a doomy vibe that works well without actually slowing things down much. While the ever-changing vocalists are noticeable, they don’t actually disrupt the album’s flow or make things feel scattershot. Some frontmen stand out more than others, but all do yeoman’s work. Dave Ingram of Benediction delivers the lumber on “A World of Fire and Brimstone,” and Michael H. Andersen of Thorium brings a crazed black metal energy to “Fleshburner Yearer.” Are some cuts more stock and generic than others? Sure. “As Purgatory Descends” is solid and punchy but feels like I’ve heard it somewhere a million times before, and closer, “The Morbid Rides Again” is big, beefy, and brainless, but kind of rudimentary. These are minor hiccups that don’t disrupt the flow or the fun in a meaningful way. With the album coming in at a wafer-thin 33 minutes and the songs all kept in the 2-3 minute window, Toxic Noxious Undeath is designed to hit hard, beat ass, and flee with your lunch money, and it accomplishes this.
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