The third
and final full day of this Bloodstock 2013 always promised to be a thrashtastic
affair, with many highlights, but RTM is in the New Blood Tent early on. We hadn’t
been in the new, bigger surroundings so far, so went to watch Reading’s Black
Emerald. Credit to them for eschewing what must have been the tempting proposition
of sounding like the bands in the Reading scene like Sylosis and Malefice, but
they don’t really seem to know what they want to be. When they have some focus,
this Emerald could be a jewel, but they aren’t just yet.
In contrast
to Black Emerald’s scattergun approach, Lifer have it all worked out. Think of
a Welsh Down (and given their name is a Down song what else were you
expecting?) and you would have it about right. As second stage openers at 11am,
they are a superb way to shake off the cobwebs, and the gritty, riffy, heavy “Goathead”
gets people moving.
States Of Panic
are about as far removed from Lifer as you can get and still be at Bloodstock.
Recently seen in the pages of Kerrang, the band are made up like some HIM type
group. They play a modern brand of rock which may just have the sort of
crossover potential that not many Bloodstock stars do. Not strictly our cup of
tea, “Breathe” rocks and rolls as does “The Dream Will Die.” Ones to watch, if
you like your rock with a bit of polish and sheen.
Grifter are
signed to the same record label as RTM retro rock favourites, Stone Axe and
share the same outlook. Not trying to re-invent the wheel, instead they reckon
the wheel is just great as it is, thanks. Simply put, they are a hairy arsed
rock and roll band for hairy arsed blokes like us. “Bow Down To The Monkey” is
catchy, and “Alabama Hot Pocket” is dedicated to the “deviants” amongst us.
Grifter got on their bikes and entertained us royally.
When Sacred
Mother Tongue wrote their stellar new album “Out of the Darkness” they created
a sound that was so huge it was designed for stadiums. Whether they ever get
there, who knows, but what it means is 10,000 people in a field is no problem.
Andy James plays the massive riffs and singer Darrin South has a presence. Add
this to the fact that “Evolve/Become” is a brilliant song and you can see a
bright future for SMT.
There is
always one band that divides opinion at Bloodstock, it seems. This year it is
Fozzy that have people vexed. Certainly some are intent on making rude hand
signals to Chris Jericho, whether this is because he is a wrestler turned
singer, only they know, but if you take away your prejudices then Fozzy are
downright entertaining. They fetch Phil Campbell out for “She’s My Addiction,”
and a clearly hyped up Jericho climbs the rigging. Last song “Blood And Pain”
features fire-eating strippers before guitarist Rich Ward (also of Adrenaline
Mob) smashes an amp. The least “metal” band on the main stage perhaps, their
brand of American hard rock sounded pretty good to us.
You
certainly cannot accuse Amorphis of not being metal. The one time deathsters
from Finland now plough a more progressive furrow, doing so superbly. A set
that spans the new album “Circle” for “Nightbird” and goes back to the early,
heavier days, for “Into Hiding” this is a band you wish would tour here more.
Exodus, oh
how we have missed you. Not only are you one of the greatest thrash bands on
the planet you are also one of the best live ones too. You just hope that “controversial”
singer Rob Dukes doesn’t say anything stupid onstage. Happily he does not and
instead, he presides over a magnificent 40 minutes. “Bonded By Blood” is
dedicated to Jeff Hanneman and former Exodus vocalist Paul Baloff, and “Children
Of A Worthless God” still has all the menace in the world. As always, though,
it wouldn’t be an Exodus show without a wall of death and after “Toxic Waltz” thousands
of people are encouraged to smash each other to pieces. They duly do and Exodus
do the job once more. Brilliantly.
Devildriver
take the energy that their predecessors have created and use it for their own
gain. The self-appointed purveyors of “California Groove” know how to work a
crowd and “The Appetite” is excellent. “Meet The Wretched” gathers together a
circle pit that is as big as any this weekend and you can file the band in the better-than-we-thought-they-were
pile.
Seeing
Anthrax is always a treat. The band are marvelous – and they are in good form
at the moment, as anyone who saw them blow Motorhead off stage last winter will
testify. The set is different from that night, tailored, you suspect for a
festival crowd, it begins with “Caught In A Mosh” and soon sees “Got The Time”
played, together with “Indians” and closing song “Anti-Social.” Singer Joey
Belladonna is clearly loving being back in the fold and Scott Ian always gives
off the air of a man who just loves what he does for a living. One of the “Big
Four” of thrash, they play a cover of AC/DCs “TNT” just because they can (and it’s
on their new covers album). But they are Anthrax and can do whatever they damn
well please.
Such a
sentence could be applied to Slayer too. Frankly, Slayer couldn’t give a rat’s
ass what RTM or anyone else thinks. They are Slayer, and it’s their job to
close Bloodstock. This is their first UK show since the tragic death of Jeff
Hanneman, and the departure, yet again of Dave Lombardo and with Gary Holt
(also of Exodus) on guitar and Paul Bostoph (as always) back on drums, they set
about giving the public exactly what it wants. Yes, you’ve seen it before, but
somehow when “Disciple” kicks in you find yourself screaming “God hates us all”
with a field full of others. Elsewhere it’s as-you-were with “Mandatory Suicide”
and “Hate Worldwide” sounding fantastic. They encore as always with “South Of
Heaven” and “Angel Of Death” and they justify their reputation by being
uncompromising and brilliant.
Just like
Bloodstock 2013, you might say.
