Review And Images By Dave Martin
The crowd were treated to some of the best metal has to offer. The acts much like the audience were a mix of seasoned veterans and first timers and this melting pot just added to the overall feel of the event.
Saturday
After the set the previous evening from Trivium as well as the highlights of bands such as Lacuna Coil the gauntlet was passed to the artists appearing on the Saturday and they did not disappoint.
The day dawned on the Sophie Stage with Ireosis kicking things off—animated front-man Chris Bingham led a head-banging affair that served as a high-octane primer with Pyro effects punctuating their set providing bursts of energy.
Not to be outdone, Cage Fight on the Dio Stage delivered an unrelenting performance—intense, driven by passionate vocalist Rachel Aspe whose presence seared into the crowd’s memory. Their raw energy threaded through every verse as she exuded a stage presence that enthralled the crowd.
Every so often there is a band that takes you completely by surprise. This was definitely the case for Pengshui. As the three piece took to the stage I was taken back by the lack of a guitarist with only drums, bass and vocals being represented. What followed can only be described as a hybrid of grime, metal and 90’s era Prodigy and it was glorious. The genre-bending fusion of hip-hop, metal, and dance was larger than life—animated, playful, and totally unique. The crowd joined in with a finishing chorus line, channelling energy that was both electrifying and contagiously fun.
The other band that really grabbed my attention were second time Bloodstock performers Phoenix Lake. The band took to the stage flanked by fire dancers befitting the bands name. What followed was a high-octane performance that left me and the crowd wanting more. The melodic metalers will definitely be being added to my regular playlist and the band have new music out later this year.
On the main stage horror rock band Creeper covered in their now famous face paint. The twin vocals of frontman Will Ghould and Keyboardist Hannah Hermione had the audience engrossed.
Kublai Khan roared next on the Dio Stage, igniting a circle pit and a wave of crowd surfing—metal and mayhem cascading into one.
Continuing on the Dio Stage, Fear Factory emerged to Terminator-style monologue and music, a dystopian, machine-driven prelude. From the very start frontman Milo Silvestro demanded and received a circle pit from the crowd before delivering a set based on their 30th tear old Demanufacture album.
On the New Blood Stage, Unnatural Order garnered early crowd acclaim. Fans chanted the band’s name before they’d even played—a testament to their die hard following.
At the Sophie Stage, Breed 77 opened explosively as their singer launched into an aerial leap that was a sign of the energetic performance that was to come. The groups engagement with the crowd and their flamenco inspired brand of metal was met with a passionate response from those in attendance.
Bloodstock 2025’s Saturday night climax belonged to Machine Head, who took the Ronnie James Dio Stage by storm with a career-spanning set packed with fire, fury, and heartfelt moments.
They kicked off with Imperium, an opening salvo that instantly had the pit surging. Ten Ton Hammer and Choke on the Ashes followed in quick succession, the sound thick and punishing. Now We Die and Is There Anybody Out There? showed the band’s melodic edge before Outsider and the swarming riffs of Locust brought the heaviness roaring back.
The festival field transformed into a chaotic sea of motion during Bonescraper, before the night’s emotional high point—Darkness Within. Robb Flynn, bathed in a single spotlight, asked the crowd to hold up their phone flashlights. Thousands of tiny lights swayed in the darkness, creating a breathtaking constellation over Catton Park. Flynn dedicated the song to late PR guru Michele Kerr, calling her a “Bad Ass Bitch” who had been in their corner their entire career. It was a moment of collective stillness amid the chaos.
But Machine Head didn’t stay still for long. Bulldozer tore back into the set with pummelling force, From This Day unleashed a late-90s groove assault, and Davidian detonated into full-scale mayhem—complete with a record-breaking wave of crowd surfers.
Visually, the show was a feast. Towering pyro blasts, plumes of CO₂ jets, and bursts of golden confetti punctuated the set, turning the performance into a full-blown sensory assault. When the epic closer Halo arrived, stretching beyond nine minutes, the field was a churning, euphoric mass, illuminated by fire and falling confetti. The band had security on their toe’s all night with over 1000 crowd surfers coming over the barrier during the set. As the set came to a close there was a significant exodus to the Sophie stage for Static X.
The band now fronted Xer0 took to the stage in his now iconic mask that pays homage to Wayne Static. The glow red eyes give an eerie feel and this combined with the large zombie style puppet that walks around the stage gave a really entertaining feel to the set. The band finished the days live music with fan favourite “Push it”.
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