Category: news

– July 14th, 2026 –

Photo by Sondra Kelly

The Hidden Hand is the stunning new full-length from instrumental post-rock sensations IF THESE TREES COULD TALK, out now on Metal Blade Records!

The Hidden Hand boasts nine stellar and plainly provocative songs with the band focusing on capturing sonic power. Utilizing three guitars to cover different areas of the spectrum, the IF THESE TREES COULD TALK experience feels like a slow, wordless conversation between the inner and outer world best consumed like the score to a cinematic picture or a space for meditation, healing, and clarity.

The instrumental odyssey was so named because of a “fascination with the unexplained and unknowable especially in the areas of influence, control, and guidance,” says drummer Zack Kelly, who co-founded the band with drummer-brother Cody Kelly in 2005, “symbols and signs hidden in plain sight only available to those who are looking.”

Longtime fans and newcomers alike will thrill to tracks like “Blurry Creatures,” which embodies the raw nature of IF THESE TREES COULD TALK via unrelenting riffs with epic highs and lows, ambient syncopated delays and a battle chant that stimulates the senses. “Sea Of Glass” offers a smooth optimistic post-rock landscape guided uplifting clean guitars and heavy chorus hooks which pay off with a haunting and explosive resolution. The seventh cut on The Hidden Hand, “Metonoia,” has 1980′s vibes pulsing with progressive delayed guitars, pounding drums and a soaring guitar solo reminiscent of vintage David Gilmour.

The Hidden Hand is available now on CD and digital formats as well as vinyl in the following color variants:

Lava Red Marble (US)
Solar Flare Marble (US)
Purple Galaxy Marble (US)
180g Black (EU – Ltd. 1000)
Tropical Sunset Marble (Orange/Purple/White) (EU – Ltd. 500)
Orange Oxblood Merged (EU – Ltd. 250)

Preview/purchase the record at: metalblade.com/ifthesetreescouldtalk

Watch the band’s previously released video for “Blurry Creatures” HERE and “Sea Of Glass” video HERE.

The Hidden Hand Track Listing:
01. Archons
02. Moon Machine
03. Sea of Glass
04. Blurry Creatures
05. Silence Between Mountains, Pt. 1
06. Silence Between Mountains, Pt. 2
07. Metanoia
08. Flim
09. Endlessly Connected

“Almost a decade since their emblematic The Bones Of A Dying World, IF THESE TREES COULD TALK have returned with an album that’s both instantly familiar and demonstrably evolved.” – Decibel Magazine

“…in a world that is often loud and cold, Hidden Hand serves as a welcome oasis of calm…” – Rock Hard

“…the perfect album for closing your eyes and drifting away.” – Metal Hammer

“…a captivating instrumental album that speaks volumes without saying a word.” – The Prog Report

“…a dark, monolithic achievement and an absolute must-listen for anyone who loves the orchestral heaviness of post-metal.” – Earshot.at

“The music is uplifting and bright yet carries an emotive heart that allows it to avoid feeling superficial or superfluous. There’s enough shading in the music to allow for engaging atmospheres, and a darker side that balances the overall positivity well.” – Wonderbox Metal

“…a flawlessly executed post-rock album…” – Metal.de

“…The Hidden Hand offers up… a deep-seated spirituality and emotional connection… a long overdue triumphant return from IF THESE TREES COULD TALK.” – Maximum Volume Music

“The band knows what they do well and they’ve done it again, with slightly more resolution in the emotional arc than their previous records. Whether that reads as maturity or restraint probably depends on what you came looking for. Either way, the wait was worth it.” – Front Of The Stage

“…when it comes to emotion and hooks, The Hidden Hand is a near-perfect destination. Without ever feeling intrusive, the quintet once again imprints this sublime blend upon the listener… ” – Powermetal.de

“… one of the most active and forward creations from IF THESE TREES COULD TALK with each of these nine tracks ripping our eyes wide open such that we have no choice but to look upon the collective choices of our species. For years it has been clear that post-rock was lifted up to its greatest embodiment so long as this band had anything to say about it, and it’s the sheer existence of The Hidden Hand that shows us the brilliance that still resides within the forces of IF THESE TREES COULD TALK. Influenced by the machinations of hidden societies and secrecy amongst humankind, it’s with The Hidden Hand that this band steps out into the open with power and vision the likes of which are a breath of fresh air in a world that oftentimes chokes on ash.” – Head-Banger Reviews

IF THESE TREES COULD TALK:
Cody Kelly – guitar
Zack Kelly – drums
Tom Fihe – bass guitar
Jeff Kalal – guitar
Mike Socrates – guitar

https://www.instagram.com/ifthesetreescouldtalk
https://www.facebook.com/treescouldtalk

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Abide is a nu metal band based in Marseille, France. Formed by Tom Ungerer (bassist for Sam Fender), the band draws influence from System of a Down, Deftones and Slipknot, combining angular riffs, heavy grooves and emotionally driven songwriting. Abide has just released its third single, done, through Moth Lake Records, which sees the band […]

Best known as the voice behind Vienna and his subsequent successful solo career, Ultravox frontman Midge Ure has developed a varied CV. He’s currently touring his new solo double album, which includes a full side of instrumentals. Prog takes a deep-dive into his life to uncover the influences behind A Man Of Two Worlds and his prog connections.

When do you remember first being moved by music?

The first thing I remember hearing on the radio was a guitar instrumental – Santo & Johnny playing Sleepwalk [1959]. The haunting sound of this lap steel guitar was just so exciting.

Then when I started playing, I went through that phase of listening to the Yardbirds, Bluesbreakers and the rest – the guitar heroes – and you learned by copying them. Even to this day, my basic guitar skills are based around that kind of blues scale.

All those things stick. You fall in love with the Small Faces, then your mate’s got a King Crimson album. So you fall in love with The Crimson King. And all those little elements stick to you.

So you did have your prog moments! Did you ever see Crimson live?

Yes, but to be honest, I don’t remember too much about it!

You ended up working with Robert Fripp later, though, when he played on your 1996 album Breathe.

I was in Los Angeles making that album and I saw Robert was recording there. I thought his Frippertronics thing was fantastic – but I wasn’t going to try and emulate it, because it’s a very specific thing that he does. But if I could get him to do it on my record…

So I asked if he would play on Guns And Arrows and he said, “Well, I’ve got 40 Japanese students with me.” I was working in a tiny little studio. But opposite us was Dave Stewart from the Eurythmics, who had a big studio in his house, so we booked that. Robert turned up with all this equipment and 40 Japanese guitar students, and he kind of educated them as he was playing.

He said, “This is Midge, and this is in D-minor, so what I’m going to do is this…” and he started doing drones and all these Frippertronics things. It was just incredible; they all had their hands and faces pressed up against the window watching Robert, and I was just as fascinated as them.

Were you interested in music technology back in your early days?

I was fascinated, but I didn’t have much access to it. I remember seeing someone on [BBC tech show] Tomorrow’s World with a guitar that made the sound of a keyboard. It was way beyond anything I could imagine. They also had a keyboard that made the sound of an orchestra, or, you know, whatever.

Didn’t Yes also play an incidental role in you gaining the courage to be a singer?

Yeah – I was in my teens, and I still had a fairly high, boyish voice. My older brother pointed out: “That Jon Anderson, he’s done all right, and he’s got a really high voice!” So that gave me a bit more confidence.

Synth was as punk as picking up a guitar – ‘I can do this! I don’t have to be Rick Wakeman’

Another prog connection: you covered Jethro Tull’s Living In The Past on your debut solo album in 1985. Were you a fan in your youth?

I was a fan of that song, certainly. I remember when I was 16, riding my motorcycle up to technical college, hearing that song and it stuck with me. Later on, I went to see Tull [in November 1974] at the Apollo in Glasgow. As an aspiring guitar player, watching the band perform, you were blown away by the musicianship. And you couldn’t take your eyes off Ian, this crazy guy swinging his flute around.

On your new album there’s a really ambient feel to many of the instrumental tracks. That seems to hark back to your early interest in Krautrock and Berlin-era Bowie.

Yeah, that’s definitely in there. I remember back in the Slik days, I was in London listening to John Peel, and they played some tracks from Low. It just completely blew my head off. I’d never heard anything like that – the production, that bizarre, detuned snare with a big ambient sound. It was a revelation.

And of course, Music For Films – all that stuff going on before it was cool to make instrumental music. And they were doing it on tape with very limited equipment. Rusty [Egan, Visage and Rich Kids bandmate] used to say, “I can’t stand it – sounds like somebody’s banging bones together!” But it always captivated me, as did modern classical stuff like the Penguin Cafe Orchestra.

Was there a DIY element to playing electronic music in the 1970s?

When I joined The Rich Kids, Rusty was putting a little club together [which would become New Romantic HQ The Blitz], and he’d find these tracks coming out of Europe, which we never heard on the radio – we were so UK- and America-centric. You’d hear these Kraftwerk things, or [Belgian synthpoppers] Telex, or these guys who were using electronics. That’s what drove me, in 1978, to go out and buy a synthesiser.

I’d put Japan and Ultravox in the same category. They didn’t just do standard three-minute singles – they explored

Although I didn’t know how to play it, it was as punk as picking up a guitar and learning three chords had been two years before – “I can do this! I don’t have to be Rick Wakeman. And there’s this box that makes infinite noises you can’t even begin to imagine.!” And they were just becoming affordable.

Yet at the same time, you were playing stadiums with Thin Lizzy.

Yeah; within 24 hours of Philip asking me [to step in when Gary Moore left in the middle of a 1978 US tour], I was in New Orleans, learning all these harmony guitar parts. My heart was with Ultravox – I’d already joined the band – and I was also finishing production of the first Visage album. So it was like a busman’s holiday to me, opening for Journey in front of 30,000 people. Because I knew I wasn’t staying with them.

When you joined Ultravox, did it feel like you’d found your home?

We had no money, no management, and the band had been dropped by the record label. But the moment we plugged in and played, it was the most magnificent thing I’d ever heard. It was unbelievably powerful, this combination of the synth, bass and drums. And, you know, it was heavy – Ultravox was a rock band. It was incredibly powerful onstage. So that was my band; I’d found my little Midge space, after kissing a few frogs!

Among your fans was a young Steven Wilson, who, many years later, remixed four Ultravox albums from your era.

I’ve never met Steven. We keep saying we’re going to try and hook up. But he seems to be the man of the moment: he’s touring his own stuff, he’s still doing Porcupine Tree – how does he find the time? It seems he can just throw digitised multitracks into his computer and remix things incredibly well. He’s doing Atmos mixes too, which is a different animal again.

It’s not so much of a surprise that he’s a fan, because of course he works with Richard Barbieri, and I would put Japan and Ultravox in the same kind of category, because they didn’t just do standard three-minute singles – they explored, and they stuck their neck in the noose a lot of the time. I suppose back in the 80s you could call that electronic prog.

They use the term ‘genius’ but it barely covers what Kate Bush does. I was just unfortunate that I wasn’t there to see her doing it

In America, weirdly, they used to compare Ultravox to The Moody Blues. To me it’s so far removed, but I guess they heard similarities because it had Mellotron-like string effects.

Another prog-adjacent person you’ve worked with is Kate Bush, who duetted with you on Sister And Brother ftom 1988’s Answers To Nothing.

At a Prince’s Trust do we got chatting and she asked me what I was up to. I said, “I’m recording – and by the way, I’ve got a duet I’d love you to do.” She said, “Well, I’m right in the middle of my own album right now, but send me over the multitracks, and if I get a chance I’ll sing it.”

Then she called up a few days later and asked me to come over to hear what she’d done. And, of course, she had Kate Bushed it! She’d done this Kate choir at the end of it, all this multitrack stuff. She’d obviously spent a lot of time. I was completely agog – they use the term ‘genius’ but it barely covers what she does. I was just unfortunate that I wasn’t there to see her in action, doing it.

Your CV doesn’t have many gaps, but have you ever been offered soundtrack work?

I always thought Ultravox could have done soundtrack stuff, had we been able to agree on things. You know, the way Tangerine Dream moved into that area. But it never really happened. The only things we’d be offered were these bizarre, ooh-missus-where’s-my-trousers sex romps – so wrong for us, so we didn’t do it!

But when you write instrumental music, in a way you’re writing a soundtrack for a movie that doesn’t exist yet. It’ll exist in people’s heads, and everyone’s heads will have a different movie. That’s why, with no lyrics, the music has to stand up on its own two feet.

Ure’s doulbe album,A Man Of Two Worlds is out now.

In celebration of Iron Maiden’s 50th anniversary, San Francisco Bay Area thrash veterans Heathen have released a cover of Iron Maiden’s The Number Of The Beast track “The Prisoner.” The recording pulls samples from the classic British TV series of the same name, enlists artist Dan Goldsworthy — known for his work with Accept, Inhuman Condition and Haken — to Eddie-ify the goblin from “Goblin’s Blade,” a callback to Heathen’s 1987 debut Breaking The Silence, and reworks the band’s logo to evoke Maiden’s iconic lettering. The track was mixed and mastered by Chris “Zeuss” Harris at Planet Z, known for his work with 3 Inches of Blood, Municipal Waste and Shadows Fall.

Heathen guitarist Kragen Lum commented: “What can we say about the legendary Iron Maiden that hasn’t already been said? They’ve given us 50 years of energetic, melodic metal that’s inspired Heathen and legions of other bands in the genre.

“‘The Prisoner’ was an easy choice for us to cover, with its heavy intro, uptempo verses, catchy chorus, and classic instrumental section. We added a few touches to ‘Heathenize’ the song while staying true to what made it so great when it was first released in 1982.

“Enjoy this recording as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of heavy metal’s greatest bands. Up the Irons!”

The cover arrives alongside Heathen’s extensive two-leg North American tour. The first leg opens July 17 in Derry, New Hampshire supporting Metal Church, running through July 26 in Leesburg, Virginia. The second leg sees Heathen headline with support from Louisiana horror thrashers Void, kicking off July 27 in Raleigh, North Carolina and wrapping August 9 in Toronto, Ontario.

The band said of the run: “We’re stoked to join the legendary Metal Church on this short tour of the Northeastern U.S. and Canada. We’ll be bringing our A-game for these shows before heading out on a run of headlining dates across the Midwest, Northeast, and Canada with the killer Void as direct support.

“We’ve put together a set packed with classics, fan favorites, and a few surprises that you won’t want to miss. Grab your tickets, and we’ll see you in the pit!”

Heathen North American tour supporting Metal Church:

• July 17 — Derry, NH — Tupelo Music Hall
• July 18 — Montreal, QC — Foufounes Électriques
• July 19 — Quebec City, QC — La Source de la Martinière
• July 21 — Ottawa, ON — Overflow
• July 22 — Newton, NJ — The Newton Theater
• July 23 — Pittsburgh, PA — The Crafthouse
• July 24 — Rochester, NY — Montage Music Hall
• July 25 — Reading, PA — Reverb
• July 26 — Leesburg, VA — Tally Ho Theater

Heathen headline dates with support from Void:

• July 27 — Raleigh, NC — Chapel of Bones
• July 28 — Atlanta, GA — The EARL
• July 31 — Hamden, CT — Space Ballroom
• Aug. 1 — Philadelphia, PA — Nikki Lopez (matinee)
• Aug. 2 — Columbus, OH — Ace of Cups
• Aug. 4 — Milwaukee, WI — X-Ray Arcade
• Aug. 5 — Indianapolis, IN — Black Circle
• Aug. 6 — Detroit, MI — Sanctuary
• Aug. 7 — Kitchener, ON — Maxwell’s
• Aug. 9 — Toronto, ON — The Cave

This past February, Heathen announced a new deal with Napalm Records, marking it with the release of “Never A God,” the title track of Laughing Dead’s first demo — a band fronted by Heathen vocalist David White in the early 1990s.

Heathen is often credited alongside Exodus, Testament, Forbidden, Death Angel and Vio-lence as one of the leaders of the Bay Area thrash metal scene of the mid-to-late 1980s. The band has released four studio albums: Breaking The Silence (1987), Victims Of Deception (1991), The Evolution Of Chaos (2009) and Empire Of The Blind (2020), the latter charting in the Top 40 in Germany, Hungary and Scotland. Heathen’s current lineup is David White (vocals), Kragen Lum (guitars), Kyle Edissi (guitars), Jason Mirza (bass) and Blake Anderson (drums).

The post HEATHEN Releases “The Prisoner” Cover in Honor of IRON MAIDEN’s 50th Anniversary appeared first on Sonic Perspectives.

John Mitchell, guitarist, singer-songwriter and producer known for his work with It Bites, Frost*, Arena and Asia, has announced the final Lonely Robot album. An Ending will be released on September 11th, 2026, via White Knight Records, on CD and vinyl.

Mitchell began Lonely Robot, inspired by a single image: Carl Sagan requesting that the cameras on Voyager 2 be turned around before the probe left our solar system forever. What came back was the Pale Blue Dot, a photograph of Earth from 3.7 billion miles away. A barely visible speck suspended in a ray of light. That image, and everything Sagan wrote about it, is where Lonely Robot was born.

Over five albums, Mitchell has followed an astronaut stranded in space, unable to return home. He gazes down at that pale blue dot and asks the kind of questions Sagan spent his life wrestling with. What are we? Why do we behave as we do? What does it mean to be human? The first three Lonely Robot albums looked outward at our species. The fourth and fifth turned the lens inward, as the same frailties the astronaut had observed in humanity, he began to recognise in himself. The grand philosophical questions became something far more personal. The big picture and the individual life are, it turns out, the same thing.

An Ending is where the two threads finally come together. Mitchell always sensed that this would be the conclusion for Lonely Robot, but the astronaut’s journey of discovery and acceptance was an important story to tell.

Mitchell comments, “With this album, I wanted to close the circle of the Lonely Robot universe and bring back some of the elements that inspired the initial writing process.”

The astronaut has now travelled the full distance. He accepts, at long last, that he will never return home. Although there is grief in that, there is also, finally, peace

Mitchell concludes, “I hope Lonely Robot fans find this to be a fitting epilogue to the most creative decade of my life.”

An Ending releases on September 11th, 2026, on CD and double vinyl.

Pre-order now at: www.lonelyrobot.co.uk

John Mitchell – Vocals, guitars, bass guitar, keyboards.
Craig Blundell (Frost*, Steve Hackett, Steven Wilson) – Drums
Jez Fielder – Additional Guitar on The River and Rearview

Track List
This World Window
Show The Way
Back To The Middle
In Ocean Light
Ad Astra
Where In The World
Twin Suns
The River
Rearview
Bending Light
The Iron Sea
Oblique
Synthetic (Bonus track – vinyl only)

The post John Mitchell announces final Lonely Robot album ‘An Ending’ – new video “This World Window” out now appeared first on The Prog Report.

Bloodstock Announce Final Bands & more

Good news! BLOODSTOCK was digging down the back of the sofa while watching the footie and found a few extra Wednesday early arrival add-on tickets. They’ve dropped in the ticket store here NOW, so snap ‘em up if you’d missed out before. These are the final ones available. 

All weekend tickets and Sunday day tickets for 2026 are now sold out, but you can still get Friday and/or Saturday day tickets for £99 (+fees) to be part of the fun! Not been to the festival before? A day ticket is a perfect taster to see what you think! Child tickets are also available and under 4’s attend for free. Visit the ticket store to see all options and if you’re coming by car, pre-book to save on car parking!

With BLOODSTOCK now just around the corner, it’s time for the final flourish of METAL 2 THE MASSES news – the last batch of finalists heading to the Stowford Press New Blood Stage has arrived, closing out months of regional battles in style!

Friday welcomes genre-blending Merseyside outfit ARCHAEA who bring their hard rock/metal hybrid to the stage, horn-fuelled Oxford skacore crew REDEEMON promising circle pits and skanking in equal measure, Devon and Cornwall metalcore force CARRIER, Bristol’s MARTYRS SAINT whose brutal face-off of hardcore meets thrash makes for a relentless, punishing live assault, and Nuneaton newcomers THRASH MOB, an old-school thrash band barely eight months old and already tearing up the underground.

Sunday rounds things off with London’s genre-melting groove metallers SOLATIA, Brighton’s dingy-basement grunge favourites MOTH, and Stoke-on-Trent’s RETURN TO SOLACE, forged in friendship and loss, delivering oppressive riffs and explosive vocals for fans of Lamb of God and Architects alike.

That’s the full METAL 2 THE MASSES roster locked in – congratulations to every band who made it through, and to everyone who entered, thank you for keeping the new blood flowing. See you all down the front! Applications for venues/regions to take part in 2027’s battle will open immediately after the festival!

Did you know that besides the 100+ real ales on offer at the festival (not forgetting wine and some cocktails), BLOODSTOCK also has a range of non-alcoholic, gluten-free, and vegan beverages? That includes Bitburger 0.0, Guinness 0.0, Thornbridge’s alcohol-free Green Mountain Hazy Session IPA and their gluten-free & vegan-friendly Lukas Helles lager, Dancing Duck’s Ay Up pale ale (gluten-free), alcohol-free options of Kopparberg, Motorhead Overkill pilsner (gluten-free & vegan friendly), and more.

BLOODSTOCK hasn’t forgotten craft brew aficionados either, Oakham have you covered – look out for Bishops Farewell, Citra, Devil’s Horns, Helter Skelter, Inferno, Darkness Falls, and additional options.

If cider’s your thing, how about a crisp pint of Thistly Cross, Old Rosie, Rosie’s Pig Cloudy or Rhubarb, or indeed, a classic Lilley’s Mango (or Strawberry), to name just a few?

BLOODSTOCK can’t promise it comes with fruit and a paper umbrella, but if you like alcoholic slushies, look no further than these choice frozen cocktails: strawberry daiquiri with vodka, tequila-based margarita, and a tropical pina colada with rum! There will be non-slushie cocktails too, including the iconic espresso martini!

As for black beer fans, there’s Milestone’s Honey Porter, Thornbridge’s Necessary Evil and Market Porter, the award-winning Dark from Brains, Salted Caramel Lucaria (an ice cream porter), Old Peculiar, Motorhead’s Dancing With The Devil, Bradfield’s Farmers Stout, Coco Cocoa (yes, a coconut chocolate porter), as well as Plum Porter and True Stout Nitro from Titanic for you to try – and a few more, we lost track.

Don’t forget BLOODSTOCK‘s PREO is now up and running, featuring an array of festival goodies from nice-to-have to downright essential! From beers, ciders, and wine (for the first time!) to merch, airbeds, duvets/pillows, and more, you can secure your items in advance from one online shop. There’s also a limited edition sun hat from Fat Franks for just £5, with all proceeds going to the Samaritans. No lugging it from your car, just collect on your arrival, ice cold from the Midgard campsite bar at BLOODSTOCK! For more info and to explore the online shop, visit the Bloodstock Festival Preo store. 

In other news, MERCH has been flying off the (virtual) shelves at unprecedented levels this year! If you want to guarantee your shirt size, or bag one of the coveted Stabubu’s or branded cups, click and collect is the way to go – but you’ll need to be quick, as advance orders close on July 18th. Click and collect customers are given an allocated time slot over the weekend to grab their goodies, so no queuing required when you arrive on site. Everything else will be available at the merch stand as usual, but be warned: once it’s gone, it’s gone! 

The DIXXON SIGNING TENT is returning! Located in its usual spot between the RAM Gallery and the Ronnie James Dio main page… who will you be able to meet?! You’ll just have to keep your eyes peeled here to find out, details will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Did you know that the Serpents Lair VIP area has its own Facebook page? If you’ve got a VIP ticket, maybe you should double check you haven’t missed any cool news, like Friday’s reveal of 10AM MORNING MOVIES! If you’ve crawled out of your tent in time, you’ll be able to catch SpaceBalls (Fri), Monty Python And The Holy Grail (Sat), and Robin Hood Men In Tights (Sun). Please be aware that this is not a supervised event and if you have them, you must accompany your children… or the other way around depending on who got the most sleep.

WELFARE 

BLOODSTOCK is paying attention to the weather even more closely than you are and wants everyone to have a safe and enjoyable festival. There are multiple free water points in the arena and signposted in all campsites – they won’t run out; do bring a clear refillable water bottle with you. To see the locations of all water points, check out the site map. A number of other provisions are on standby if needed including water misters in the arena in front of the main stage and in the Sophie Lancaster tent to help cool you down, if BLOODSTOCK will see Catton Park embroiled in another extreme heatwave.

If you are struggling mentally or physically over the event, the welfare tent in the main arena is open 24 hours a day for medical or emotional support. There is also the Samaritans stand in the Midgard campsite again open for 24 hours for anyone that needs or wants to talk. If you (or anyone you know/see) has taken any substances you are worried about, and you want help or information, you can also speak to the non-judgemental team at Outreach 1625 who are also based in the Midgard campsite.  

Along with loads of other festivals across the UK, BLOODSTOCK has teamed up with the Association of Independent Festivals and Good Night Out Campaign to take part in the Safer Spaces 2026 Campaign. We’re dedicated to creating a safe, inclusive environment for our audiences, artists, and crew. Look out for the campaign online and at the festival, helping us all to look after one another.

BLOODSTOCK also supports #AskForAngela.

While BLOODSTOCK is generally very safe, like at all big events watch out for pick pockets and be mindful of where your phone is, especially in crowds. Don’t leave drinks unattended or leave valuables in your tent. If you have any concerns, do speak to a member of security. 

WHAT CAMPSITE?

Never been to BLOODSTOCK before and not sure which campsite to head for? Or perhaps looking to chat to some like-minded metalheads also going to BLOODSTOCK before you get there? 

If you’re not a fan of sleep, Midgard is for you – this campsite is recommended for campers aged 16+ due to legendary rowdiness and late-night entertainment (this includes the bin jousting). The opposite of Midgard is Ragnorak – the dedicated quiet campsite. Popular with families who have mini moshers, and anyone wanting a proper night’s kip before thrashing the day away in the pit. Niflheim is the accessible campsite, for those who have pre-arranged to camp there. Valhalla is where you can find Camp Loners & Newbies set up in a back corner, an unofficial, friendly Facebook group especially for those coming to BLOODSTOCK on their own or for the first time. With Ironwood, Jotunheim, Asgard, and Hel to choose from too (plus Vanaheim for our campervan pals, Kyrr for Kyrr ticket holders, & the Serpent’s Lair campsite for VIPers) you’re sure to find your home away from home!

TICKETS FOR 2027 & WHO IS PLAYING

Even though 2026’s event hasn’t happened yet, we’re already looking ahead to 2027! Mark your calendar now and start planning for August 5th – 8th, 2027.

If you want to be first to know 27 bands playing next year’s event, don’t miss Friday evening’s announcement at the Ronnie James Dio stage immediately after MUNICIPAL WASTE! 

As for TICKETS FOR 2027… Early bird standard weekend tickets will be available at the main entrance box office throughout the festival, priced £210.00 with no booking fee. Once they’re gone (and there’s a high chance these will sell out on site), the price rises to £235 plus booking fee, with general on-sale kicking off on Monday 10th August at 9am – so grabbing your early bird at the festival could save you a cool £34 per ticket.

VIP and Campervan tickets will go on sale on Wednesday 12th August at 9am. BLOODSTOCK is still finalising the VIP packages for next year, so watch official social platforms for full details coming soon!

BLOODSTOCK’s 25th anniversary is going to be truly unforgettable. BLOODSTOCK 2026 is delighted to present RJD headliners LAMB OF GOD, SLAUGHTER TO PREVAIL, JUDAS PRIEST, and SAXON. Sophie Lancaster stage headliners will be CRYPTOPSY (None So Vile 30-year anniversary set), WEDNESDAY 13, LEPROUS, and CARPENTER BRUT. You’ll also be able to see BODY COUNT, SEPULTURA, MUNICIPAL WASTE, DEATH ANGEL, TESTAMENT, NORTHLANE, BLEED FROM WITHIN, VENDED, ORBIT CULTURE, THE SCRATCH, IMPERIAL AGE, LIFE OF AGONY, OF MICE & MEN, BIOHAZARD, 200 STAB WOUNDS, THE HELL, BLACK SPIDERS, SHINING, NEVERMORE, EVIL SCARECROW, HEAVYSAURUS, SKYND, PARTY CANNON, BATTLESNAKE, INHUMAN NATURE, KITTIE, CASTLE RAT, GRAPHIC NATURE, BOOTYARD BANDITS, EXCREMENTORY GRINDFUCKERS, HIDDEN INTENT, SELLSWORD, NECKBREAKKER, SEETHING AKIRA, HAMMER, STAMPIN GROUND, URNE, CELESTIAL SANCTUARY, THROWN INTO EXILE, VIKING SKULL, BOUND IN FEAR, IMPERIUM, FROGLORD, MUSHROOMHEAD, DREAM STATE, TRIVAX, MANTIS DEFEATS JAGUAR, BLOOD COUNTESS, GURT, OUTERGODS, FLAYED DISCIPLE, NOISEPICKER, ACID THRONE, ALUNAH, VOID BELOW, TEMPLES ON MARS, CONCRETE AGE, THRASHERWOLF, IMPERIAL DEMONIC, CHAINED SAINT, IMBRIUM, OVERPOWER, UNTAMED SILENCE, CHANGE PERSONA, AFTER SMOKE CLEARS, SOULRIDE, VANITAS, GOAT MAJOR, CANCEL THE TRANSMISSION, TEMPEST SAINT, TROLLMOTHER, DOSED, STITCHED, WREX, FOLLOWING THE SIGNS, THE CARTOON CARTEL, AETHORIA and more. See the full lineup at the official website.

For the most up to date festival information, visit the official website at bloodstock.uk.com.

BLOODSTOCK 2026 will take place at Catton Park, Derbyshire on 6th – 9th August, 2026.

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The post Bloodstock Announce Final Bands & more appeared first on The Razor's Edge.

It’s that time of year again where we talk to as many bands as we can who are raring to blow you away at Bloodstock! Concrete Age will be rocking the New Blood stage on the Friday… Simple things first – where are you guys from? Ilia (vocals/guitars): Concrete Age was originally formed in 2011 … Continue reading Road To Bloodstock 2026: Concrete Age

Iron Maiden singer discusses some of the worst moments of his career and laments the tricks he’ll never be allowed to perform. Continue reading…

Posted on July 14th 2026, 3:30pm

“Oh, I wish I had help back then/ Oh, I wish I had better friends.” That is a truly heavy sentiment, expressed about as directly as it can possibly be. It’s the opening line of “I Wish,” the devastating new single from the Australian singer-songwriter Julia Jacklin. Get ready for this thing to fuck you up.

The post Julia Jacklin – “I Wish” appeared first on Stereogum.