BLOODSTOCK OPEN AIR DAY TWO: Catton Hall, Derbyshire 10/8/13

Day two, then, and we begin on the RJD stage to have a look at Stormbringer. A riff machine from Northamptonshire, they include ex members of Viking Skull. Stormbringer have less of a party approach to rock than that band, though. They play a chugging brand of metal/rock and they are very good indeed. “Grinder” and “Traitor” are more than enough to entertain anyone who has ventured in early.

After Krusher has seen us relive our youth watching Raw Power on TV and got us saying “rock hard, rock heavy, rock animal” to our mate just like when we were at school (and if that means nothing to you, then tough!) it’s the turn of Beholder. The Midlands thrash band (and with new album “The Order Of Chaos” is so heavy the band easily suits that moniker) singer Simon Hall always cuts an imposing figure and today is no different, as he strides the stage of the festival he helps organise. “Toxic Nation” is typical of the group’s angrier sound and “Footprints” is a fine closing song.

Being Canadian it was perhaps inevitable that 3 Inches Of Blood might stick some Rush in their set, but apart from the burst of “Tom Sawyer” it is fists-in-the-air pumping metal all the way. There is a Dio impression from singer Cam Pipes and they are big, dumb fun throughout. The likes of “Metal Woman” and “Battles And Brotherhood” are just there to be enjoyed, not analysed.

Just occasionally, watching gigs can be a jaw dropping experience. So, with that in mind, we say welcome to Hell. Best known, perhaps, for having producer to the stars, Andy Sneap in their ranks, for 40 minutes Hell put on one of the most stunning performances we have ever seen. From opening track, “Let Battle Commence” to the ending brilliance of “Save Us From Those Who Would Save Us,” Hell are phenomenal. From the ashes of the original band in the 1980s, their “Hell Awaits” album is superb, but nothing prepares you for the dose of fire and brimstone you get – and did we mention at one point, singer David Bower wears a pair of stilts and a goats head? No? Well he does. “Can you smell that burning?” he asks. “That’s your souls, that is.” Proving beyond all doubt that the devil does have the best tunes, Hell are one of the bands of the weekend.

How do you follow that? The blunt answer is that you can’t. What you can do, though, is go and watch the end of Scarab in the Sophie Tent. Israel’s premier metal export, they are keen to tell us how happy they are to be here and how metal is a unifying force. They are ok too.

But the reason we are in the tent isn’t for Scarab with all due respect, but for Mael Mordha. One of RTM’s favourite doom bands for a couple of years, this is the first time we have seen them – and it is most certainly worth the wait. “Hello, we are here to clean English cocks” might be a strange greeting, but it is the only thing that doesn’t quite hit the spot. Mordha are an incongruous thing. Monstrously heavy, but also using a flute, they have a new album coming out and “Bloody Alice” hints it might be a bit of a cracker

Neonfly are our perennial favourites at RTM. This is our fifth time seeing the band and we like them. We like them a lot. They are power metal, they are melodic, they sound European and they have members from all over the place. They also have one of the best frontmen around in Willy Norton and tons of good songs, like “Morning Star.” They apparently have album number two in the bag and play a few today. “Misspent Dreams” sounds like what we have come to expect, but “Highways To Nowhere” is altogether different. A band that will – we hope – achieve good things.

Especially as Power Quest are giving up after tonight and leaving the way clear for somebody else to become the flag bearers for UK power metal. You either like songs like “Call To Love” or you don’t, and tonight – as they bring former members out for one last goodbye – the band are very much preaching to the converted. And doing so very well.

How do you explain a band like Avantasia to people? Frankly, the collective, led by Tobias Sammet, vocalist in Edguy, and supported by a cast of many, many others, notably tonight, Bob Catley of Magnum, Eric Martin of Mr Big (who brilliantly chirrups “hello Birmingham” when he strolls out onstage…..) and Ronnie Atkins of the Pretty Maids, are a power metal fans wet dream. Gloriously intricate and overblown songs, they are more rock opera than rock band. Clocking in a 90 minute show, they are able to let rip with songs from new album “The Mystery Of Time” and whilst not everyone totally buys into their brilliance, for RTM this was very special indeed.

More special, unfortunately, than Lamb of God. The sense of anticipation that greeted the band’s first show on these shores since what Randy Blythe terms “our legal difficulties” wasn’t quite matched by what happened. Songs like “Ghost Walking” and “Set To Fail” of course are excellent, but their set is dogged by problems with the barrier and result in big gaps and lost momentum. Never mind, though, as we are seeing them do it all again on Tuesday in Wolverhampton…..