Skeletonwitch, The Defiled, Romeo Must Die, Amaranthe & More Confirmed For Bloodstock Open Air 2011
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
Written by Jon Stickler
The latest additions for Bloodstock Open Air 2011 have been revealed, with six additions showcasing the wide variety of metal on offer at Catton Hall this summer.
London metallers The Defiled make their first main stage appearance at an outdoor festival to bring their chaotic live set to the Ronnie James Dio stage. No strangers to Bloodstock, The Defiled return after a triumphant appearance on the Scuzz Unsigned stage back in 2008. Since then, things have been going incredibly well for the five piece, having since racked up a huge number of gigs alongside the likes of Delain, Lacuna Coil, Deathstars, The 69 Eyes, Sonic Syndicate, and Murderdolls to name but a few, as well as releasing their debut album “Grave Times” earlier this year. Keyoboard player The Avd checked in from their headline tour:
“Well, the good news just keeps pouring in for us right now. We just found out that we are playing the main stage at Bloodstock! We have a real soft spot for this festival as it was the first festival The Defiled ever played, and it was the most amazing experience we had ever had as a band at the time. The Bloodstock crowd treated us really, really well and I can still recall the buzz we all felt after that... It was just one of those moments you know you are going to take to the grave... So we are coming back to where it all began for us! Can't wait!”
Nominated for a Golden God Award for Best New Band this year, The Defiled are one of the hottest bands on the UK scene right now, and will show you why on the Ronnie James Dio stage at Catton Hall this August.
Joining them on the RJD stage are Ohio’s Skeletonwitch, who make their Bloodstock debut this year. The blackened thrashers set the underground metal world alight with their “Breathing The Fire” album back in 2009, with huge critical praise heaped upon the Billboard charting third album, earning them a slot on the prestigious OZZFEST tour, as well as high profile video game appearances, with “Soul Thrashing Black Sorcery” used on the “Brütal Legend” video game, and “Crushed Beyond Dust” on the Rock Band network. With a highly anticipated new album planned for the summer, Skeletonwitch are poised to return stronger than ever, at this exclusive UK festival appearance which the band look forward to:
"We're honored to be sharing the stage with the other killer bands at Bloodstock: Motorhead, Immortal, Morbid Angel, Coroner, Kreator,...I could go on and on but you get the point. It's going to rule! We're opening the main stage on Saturday, the 13th, at 11 am. Depending on how you're partying we're going to wake you the fuck up or put you the fuck down. Either way, heavy metal is the law!"
On the Sophie Lancaster stage, four very exciting additions can also be revealed. Self-styled “murder-pop” mob Romeo Must Die will bring their electrifying performance to the tented arena to set it off in the way they do best. Formed from the ashes of UKHC heroes Stampin' Ground, RMD deliver a punishing blend of thrash and hardcore with some surprisingly catchy moments, and will make sure every body in the vicinity is moving with their fierce and energetic performance. Bassist Ben Frost checked in from their tour with The Defiled to say:
“We are really excited to be part of this years Bloodstock, its an awesome festival with a monstrous line-up. The fact that it keeps getting bigger and stronger each year is a testament to just how good it is and we can't wait to tear up the Sophie stage.”
Swedish/Danish melodic metallers Amaranthe return to the UK for this exclusive festival appearance at Bloodstock after visiting these shores with KAMELOT last month. Formed by Jake E. Lundberg & Olof Morck, Amaranthe are one of the most exciting news bands on the power/melodic metal scene, and a look at the video for 'Hunger' - which already has over 320,000 views on YouTube - leaves you in no doubt as to why, with the secret weapon of front combo Elize Ryd & Andy Solvestrom, perfectly complimenting both each other and the powerful music that back them. Guitarist Olof Mörck looks forward to his return to the UK:
"Amaranthe are very proud indeed to announce our very first festival gig in the UK, at the legendary Bloodstock Festival! We had an incredible time playing London and Sheffield on our recent tour with KAMELOT and EVERGREY, so our hopes for the UK audience are high! See you UK fans in August!"
Also joining the Sophie line up are Norway’s Hellish Outcast. Featuring members of Keep Of Kalessin, Byfrost, Breed and 66 Crusher, this death/thrash ensemble are known for their sheer brutality, aggression and expansive approach to music. "It's an honour to bring this monster of a band to Bloodstock, and I know its gonna be a killer crowd as always in the UK.” enthuses vocalist Thebon. “Hellish Outcast will for sure show a new and fresh side of the Norwegian music scene! Your ears will bleed".
Finally, Scottish Death metalheads Cerebral Bore bring their punishingly brutal extreme metal to Bloodstock. The Female fronted Earache signings have toured and held their own against such names as Origin, Napalm Death, The Black Dahlia Murder, Brutal Truth and many more, and will go down a storm at Bloodstock. “Bloodstock! Fuck yes! I’ve heard so much about this festival, and in all honesty I never thought we’d end up on the bill. Really looking to sharing the bill with Lemmy’s wart, Morbid Angel, At the Gates and Napalm Death, its gonna be a great way to welcome us back to the UK after our US tour and after a bunch of festivals across Europe it will be awesome to finally play one on home soil. As one of the most brutal bands on bill you can expect that we’ll go all out for you, a full on fucking annihilating performance - come and see us on the Sophie Lancaster stage, or don’t and regret it forever.”
With headline sets from Immortal, Motorhead and W.A.S.P, plus an undercard boasting exclusive appearances from the likes of Devin Townsend, Morbid Angel, At The Gates, Kreator, Exodus and many more, Bloodstock Open Air 2011 is an unmissable event for any metalhead. Add to this a fantastic comedy line up, fairground rides, dodgems and the infamous Bloodstock karaoke, and a ticket price of just £105 for FOUR days of fierce festival fun - including camping - there really is no better value ticket for fans of heavy music this summer.
Bloodstock OPEN AIR 2011 takes place at Catton Hall, August 12th-14th.
WASP – IMMORTAL - MOTORHEAD
DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT – MORBID ANGEL - AT THE GATES – RHAPSODY OF FIRE - THERION - CORONER – KREATOR – NEVERMORE - EXODUS -TRIPTYKON - HAMMERFALL - WINTERSUN - FINNTROLL - GRAVE DIGGER - IHSAHN - NAPALM DEATH - TAROT - FORBIDDEN - WOLF - POISON BLACK - 1349 - SKELETONWITCH - THE DEFILED
Sophie Lancaster Stage:
ANGELWITCH - CRIMINAL - LAWNMOWER DETH - ARTHEMIS - POWER QUEST - THE ROTTED - OCTOBER FILE - NEMHAIM - DEF CON ONE - SURVIVORS ZERO - BYFROST - DEADLY CIRCUS FIRE – IMICUS – HAMMER OF THE GODS - BLAKE – REVOKER - ACHREN - ROMEO MUST DIE - AMARANTHE - CEREBRAL BORE - HELLISH OUTCAST
Plus loads more bands still to be announced!
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