Bloodstock Open Air organizers have issued the following update in regards to the 2021 edition of the festival:

"We’re full speed ahead with plans for this year’s event and are excited to announce a string of new bands to the 2021 bill at Catton Park!

The Wildhearts romp into a main stage slot on Friday! Having been a big hit in 2019 when they stepped up last minute to fill in a cancellation, we’re happy to welcome the band back to Catton Park this year. With 2019’s Renaissance Men album being deemed a huge return to form (as well as a return to the ranks for original bassist, Danny McCormack), the band also very recently dropped the The Wildhearts, Live: 30 Year Itch via Round Records.

Grabbing a Sophie Lancaster stage slot on Friday are Corby’s finest, the mighty Raging Speedhorn! Having impressed many with their Hard To Kill comeback album in October 2020, we’re thrilled to see they’re back and bringing their delicious noise to Bloodstock.

Moving into Saturday’s headline position on the Sophie stage are Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons. The band unveiled their splendid new album We’re The Bastards in November via Nuclear Blast, having recorded it in Wales during the lockdown.

Also grabbing Thursday spots on the Sophie stage are Hacktivist, Thunderous Jones, Ashen Crown, Luna’s Call, Urne, Forlorn World, Seething Akira, and King Witch.

A re-booted version of the Metal 2 The Masses scheme is under way, with 21 regions hosting one-off events to fast track a selection of local bands to the Bloodstock New Blood Stage, as Bloodstock continues to champion grassroots metal, year in, year out. Check out the participating locations below and if you’d like to enter your band into the mix, contact local promoters for details here.

Bloodstock’s 2021 main stage headliners are Devin Townsend (Friday), Kreator (Saturday), And Judas Priest (Sunday). The festival will also feature sets from Dimmu Borgir, Skindred, Paradise Lost, Bury Tomorrow, Diamond Head, Jinjer, Vio-lence, Saxon, Gloryhammer, Dark Tranquillity, Bloodywood, Memoriam, Ramage Inc., Green Lung, Conjurer, Orange Goblin, The Night Flight Orchestra, Unleash The Archers, Sylosis, Winterfylleth, The Crawling, Raised By Owls, Anakim, Acid Reign, Svalbard, Soen, Dog Tired, Bailer, Blasphemer, Black Tongue, Liberty Lies, Pist, Sharks In Your Mouth, Seidrblot, Bloodshot Dawn, and Evile so far. More bands performing across the long weekend are still to be announced."

Complete festival details here.