Mad About Rock

  How about a whole host of excellent BLOODSTOCK news that doesn’t announce a single band? BLOODSTOCKers, we know you’ve been asking, and HQ wants you to have pleeeenty of time to plan the most splendid FANCY DRESS outfits, so without further delay, here are the themes for 2026! On Thursday, we know it’s been done before, but with HEAVYSAURUS on the bill and it being SO MUCH FUN, it has to be DINOSAURS again. That costume you bought a couple years back is now excellent value for money, huh? On Friday, we embrace the dark, the macabre, and the creative… we want to see how you interpret TWISTED FAIRYTALES as a theme! Black widow bitten Miss Muffet? Malice in Wonderland? Goth fairies welcome! Saturday rolls back the clock to the 1980’s! Bring out your best ‘80’s fashion (mullets encouraged, neon leg warmers optional), or be a character from your fave ‘80s movie, TV show, or band! There is no such thing as too much leopard print. On Sunday, there’s a special treat in the RAM Gallery, a...

  It’s happening. After years of fans requesting it, BODY COUNT are finally set to tear up BLOODSTOCK in August 2026. The Grammy-winning crew led by Ice-T will make their long-overdue debut as special guests on the Ronnie James Dio main stage on the festival’s final day, Sunday 9th August, playing directly before headliner JUDAS PRIEST. No strangers to controversy or crushing riffs, BODY COUNT have been a rallying cry for raw, unapologetic heavy music since the early ‘90s. Born from Ice-T and guitarist Ernie C’s vision to fuse street grit with blistering metal, the band has built a reputation for leveling every stage they set foot on. With a Grammy win for Best Metal Performance (for ‘Bum-Rush’ off their Carnivore album) under their belt, they’re louder, harder, and more relevant than ever. Festival director Vicky Hungerford comments, “After 10 years of trying we FINALLY get Body Count to Bloodstock!!! This is going to be one of the most memorable shows the festival has ever seen...

  As plans for BLOODSTOCK’s 25th anniversary get underway, the festival has unveiled another 27 bands for 2026’s monumental event. With heavyweights, cult favourites, and rising stars joining the awesome bands already announced, this year’s line-up is shaping up to be one for the ages. And there are still plenty more names yet to come, with approximately 125 bands in total set to appear. Did you know? BLOODSTOCK is going to open the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Thursday now as well! Early bird, campervan, and VIP tickets are already sold out and weekend tickets are over 90% gone, so act quickly to get tickets if you don’t want to miss out! And so to the bands… THURSDAY – RONNIE JAMES DIO STAGE Headlining the opening night on the Ronnie James Dio main stage are none other than British heavy metal legends SAXON . With over four decades of anthems and an iron-clad reputation for blistering live shows, SAXON’s triumphant return to BLOODSTOCK will kick off the weekend in classic style...

  BLOODSTOCK is delighted to return to Catton Park in August 2026 to celebrate its 25th anniversary - will you be there to celebrate this momentous occasion with everyone? With 2025’s event fully underway with headliners TRIVIUM, MACHINE HEAD, and GOJIRA melting faces this weekend (alongside 120+ more bands), BLOODSTOCK cordially invites you to get excited for 2026 too, by revealing the first 25 bands set to make 2026 the festival’s best year yet. You can snap up tickets immediately at the on site box office at an early bird price, saving yourself the booking fee. More info on all ticket types and on sale dates is further below. BLOODSTOCK is overjoyed to welcome back titans of groove metal, the unmistakable LAMB OF GOD as Friday’s headliner on the Ronnie James Dio stage. Frontman D. Randall Blythe states, "We are thrilled to return to headline Bloodstock in 2026! The UK is one of our favourite countries in the world to play and Bloodstock is one of our favourite festivals. And...

  London, 10th December 2024: Two of rock’s most iconic acts, Judas Priest and Alice Cooper, are set to deliver an unforgettable performance at The O2 Arena, London, on Friday, 25 July 2025. Promising a night of unparalleled metal and theatrical rock. Hailing from Birmingham, England—the birthplace of heavy metal—Judas Priest has defined the genre for over 50 years. Known for their groundbreaking albums like “British Steel” and the 35-year anniversary of “Painkiller”, the band’s influence is unrivalled, shaping the very fabric of rock music. Their explosive performances, leather-and-studs aesthetic, and iconic hits like “Breaking the Law” and “You’ve Got Another Thing Coming’” have earned them global acclaim, a Grammy Award, and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their latest album, Invincible Shield, continues to storm the charts and gained a Grammy nomination for ‘Best Metal Performance for ‘Crown Of Thorns’. Joining them is the Godfather of Shock Rock, Alice Coope...

  It’s by far one of the most impressive line-ups of 2024: For this year's 31st edition, ROCKHARZ festival at Ballenstedt airfield in Germany has announced over 50 bands and a billing that impresses not only by featuring big names but also with its diversity. Headliners include JUDAS PRIEST, DIMMU BORGIR, KREATOR, HAMMERFALL and Iron Maiden frontman BRUCE DICKINSON. Loyal ROCKHARZ fans can also look forward to experiencing bands such as KANONENFIEBER, THE HALO EFFECT, NESTOR, THE NIGHT ETERNAL, D'ARTAGNAN and NANOWAR OF STEEL as well as many other well-known acts live during FOUR days of festival goodness! Desperation has been great for the many metalheads who could not secure their tickets in time, since the festival announced that it was sold out – this year in record time. There is, however, a shimmer of hope now! In addition to info on which bands rocks which day, ROCKHARZ has now also published pre-sale details for a limited contingent of single day tickets (available excl...

  Beneath the dancing hues of the Northern Lights, Norway's stunning natural wonders come alive. Amidst the serene fjords and lush landscapes, a different kind of magic unfolds – the electrifying energy of metal music. Every year, at Norway’s biggest music festival Tons of Rock Festival, metalheads from across the globe converge to celebrate their passion. This year Tons Of Rock celebrates its 10th anniversary and is celebrating in style inviting real legends of rock and metal: Metallica, Judas Priest, ZZ Top, Tool, Europe, Saxon, Greta Van Fleet, EXTREME to name just a few. The festival takes place in Oslo from 26th June till 29th June 2024 and it promises to be a unique and unforgettable experience. Festival CEO Jarle Kvåle comment: “We couldn’t be more pleased with our headliners for our ten-year anniversary Legends, icons and the new blood of rock and metal united. It will be an amazing four-day party”. He then continues: “Bringing Metallica to Norway to celebrate our 10th ye...

  Today Judas Priest score the highest charting effort of their 50-year career, with the release of the critically acclaimed nineteenth studio album Invincible Shield . The heavy metal icons’ previous career best was their seminal metal masterpiece British Steel, which peaked at #4 back in 1980. Having sold a massive 18,000 copies of Invincible Shield in the UK, the band better their last effort, 2018’s Firepower, which peaked at #5. Judas Priest also become the first and only metal band to release album projects 50 years apart; their debut record Rocka Rolla was released in 1974. This week the band embarked on their Invincible Shield UK Arena Tour, culminating in a huge headline show at London’s OVO Wembley Arena on 21st March.  TikTok | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

  Following the announcement of our final headliner Alice Cooper this morning, we are adding 84 new names to the line-up of the 27th edition of Graspop Metal Meeting. Bruce Dickinson, Corey Taylor, Deep Purple, Electric Callboy and Megadeth as well as 130+ other bands will pull out all the stops from Thursday 20 June through Sunday 23 June 2024 at Graspop Metal Meeting in Dessel, Belgium. Earlier all the headliners for GMM2024 had already been confirmed: Tool (Thursday 20 June 2024); Alice Cooper (Thursday 20 June 2024); Five Finger Death Punch (Friday 21 June 2024); Judas Priest (Friday 21 June 2024); Bring Me the Horizon (Saturday 22 June 2024); Avenged Sevenfold (Saturday 22 June 2024); Machine Head (Sunday 23 June 2024); Scorpions (Sunday 23 June 2024); No fewer than 44 acts are making their GMM debut in 2024. Check out the full list on our website . Here are the new additions to our #GMM24 bill: ​Abbath - All Them Witches - Asinhell - Babymetal - Better Lovers - Biohazard -...