Deicide and Whitechapel Lead Nine Halloween Additions to Bloodstock Line-Up

To help celebrating Halloween, Bloodstock organisers have announced nine new additions to next year’s line-up along with news of the fund-raising efforts from the 2023 weekend.

First up, Swedish metal legends Grand Magus land a Friday slot on the Ronnie James Dio main stage who, by the time they return to Bloodstock in August, should be doing so armed with their tenth studio album. On Saturday’s main stage, deathcore mob Whitechapel make a welcome return to the line-up with news of their appearance coming off the back of their recent shows as special guests to Thy Art Is Murder.

Making their long overdue appearance at Bloodstock also on the Saturday are Florida death metal icons Deicide who are currently putting the finishing touches to their upcoming 13th full-length album Banished By Sin which will feature new guitarist Taylor Nordberg and see release through new home Reigning Phoenix Music.

Elsewhere Oxford-based riff beasts Desert Storm open the main stage on the Friday supporting their latest Death Battle. Also joining the Friday bill over on the Sophie Lancaster Stage are Icelandic psych rock squad The Vintage Caravan who dropped their The Monuments Tour (Live), two weeks ago via Napalm Records.

Londoners Exist Immortal join the Friday line-up along with epic metal crew Eternal Champion from Texas, who marked their tenth anniversary this year. One of alt.music’s rising stars, Mimi Barks is added to Saturday’s Sophie bill bringing something a little bit different to the weekend while rounding out the new additions the rampaging Grove Street land a slot on the Sunday line-up.

In other festival news, Bloodstock has revealed this year’s event’s charity fundraising efforts raised a grand total of £13,903 for their two official charities for 2023: The Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Rutland Air Ambulance (DLRAA) (£5492) and The Sophie Lancaster Foundation (£8411). For more information on the important work these charities do, or to donate, please visit: https://www.sophielancasterfoundation.com/ and https://www.theairambulanceservice.org.uk.

Finally, those who saw Skynd headlining the Sophie Stage this year will have seen her wearing a special Sophie jacket. Skynd has donated this one-off jacket and The Sophie Lancaster Foundation are auctioning it on eBay. Skynd has also signed the protective bag it will come in. The auction is already underway and there is still time to get your bid in before it closes on November 5th. Submit your bid here.

Skynd says: “A foundation like the Sophie Lancaster Foundation is important today as well as tomorrow, because it does not let us forget what and especially WHY happened to Sophie, but also that prejudice and intolerance have no place. I am grateful and emotionally touched about a foundation like this, where the people involved are committed and have their hearts in it and contribute a part to the fact that prejudice, hate and intolerance have no place anywhere. To be different, to live as you want should not be a reason for hate or violence. I support this foundation and will continue to do so. Say her name: SOPHIE!”

Tickets for Bloodstock 2024 are onsale now and going fast, with less than 10% remaining of the standard Early Bird weekend tickets, priced at £165 (+ bkg fee). Once the discounted Early Bird allocation has gone, standard weekend tickets will increase in price to £185 (+ bkg fee) so head over to the 2024 ticket store now. If you still need a reason to buy a ticket, check out our extensive coverage of Bloodstock 2023 here.

Bloodstock Open Air 2024 Poster Artwork