Ten Bands You Should Check Out At Bloodstock 2026 – New Blood Stage

Where does the time go!? Once again, Bloodstock is right around the corner, and once again, it is shaping up to be one the best festivals of the year. Yes, we know we say that every year, but this year really does feel like it. It’s going to be an immense weekend of head banging, circle pitting, two stepping, and singing and shouting our hearts out. Will you be there with us?

We hope so, and while (as always) we hope to see every band on the bill, we all know that simply isn’t possible, but we’re going to try, especially as there are so many great bands. How about you though? Who are you going to be checking out? Do you need a little guidance? Some bands, that maybe you’re not sure about, that we could recommend for you? Perhaps per stage?

Guess what!? We got you. Here are ten bands (five chosen by Carl, five chosen by Brendan) we think you should check out on the New Blood Stage.

Brendan – Concrete Age (Friday)

London based now but originally formed in the North Caucasus region way back in in 2011 Concrete Age are an exciting band who offer something a little different to much of what we see on the New Blood Stage at Bloodstock. Musically, they blend ancient, primal sounds of ethnic music from around the world with the power of extreme metal. Across a set you will find songs to pit maniacally to, songs to chant to and songs to dance to. There are crosses into folk, crosses into power metal and plenty of straight up darkness and heaviness. They are an exciting band – I’m really looking forward to seeing them for the first time.

Carl – Microtonal (Friday)

I’m really digging what Microtonal have to offer and reckon the death and thrash metal band are one of the stage’s dark horses. They have 30 minutes and I’m expecting a hyperactive blast of aggressive noise that leaves my ears ringing and my head spinning.

Brendan – Atarka (Friday)

West Midlands based Atarka are a band I have been a fan of for a little while now, before they were announced as Birmingham’s winners of their Metal 2 the Masses, so I was very pleased to see them take the title. This will be the first time seeing them for me and they are a must watch. Their modern melodic death metal sound and groove is right up my street musically and their live performances have a growing reputation for being energetic and aggressive.

Carl – Temples on Mars (Friday)

Now here’s something a bit different. Temples on Mars’ prog and alternative rock sound should be hugely refreshing and a nice change of pace when they hit the stage. They’re probably the New Blood band that I know the best, but I’ve not seen them live, so I’m looking forward to changing that!

Brendan – Regicide (Friday)

The Essex based band are seriously good and seriously heavy with a reputation for high energy live shows that ramp up the aggression more so even than on record. Elements of hardcore add to the band’s thrash and groove sound. They released their excellent debut album, Resist Control, back in 2024 and are well established locally. I would expect their sound and style to translate perfectly to Bloodstock’s New Blood Stage and expect a lot of movement in the pit.

Carl – Vampyra (Saturday)

I know next to nothing about this band, but the promise of horror punk metal is enough to sell me on them. I’m hoping for some high energy, theatrical, tongue-in-cheek horror-laced antics that leaves me breathless for 30 minutes. Don’t let me down, Vampyra!

Brendan – Imperial Demonic (Saturday)

Imperial Demonic are a melodic black metal band from Belfast, Northern Ireland – a region that always delivers quality. It’s nice to see some proper black metal coming through the ranks too, especially as it is another genre that we don’t get enough of at Bloodstock, in my opinion. It’s not straight up traditional black metal, instead seeing the band influenced by the more polished early 2000’s scene, but expect all the evil energy, aggression and black metal visuals you could wish for from a band full of experienced veterans of the Irish scene.

Brendan – Redscar (Saturday)

Okay, I don’t know an awful lot about Redscar. They don’t even have a bio up on the Bloodstock page, their music is difficult to find, and their social media profiles are light but they one thing I do know is the Redscar used to be known as Trendkill, and I was a huge fan of Trendkill. Now, I’m not excited to see them because they might play Trendkill songs, I expect they won’t as they are now a different band, but the bits I have heard and songs I have found are great, and that’s enough to excite me. If they do fancy popping a Trendkill song or two in their set, well, even better.

Carl – Death Brigade (Sunday)

One of the youngest bands on the lineup (they only formed a few months ago), Death Brigade are an exciting prospect. Especially as their style of blackened death metal is visceral and bloody. This is going to be one seriously heavy set, and I’m excited to see what all the fuss is about.

Carl – Groom the Giant (Sunday)

A four-piece Welsh wizard grunge band. Well how about that. Will it be as magical as it sounds? I guess we will find out come the Sunday of Bloodstock!