LIVE FROM THE PIT: Bloodstock Winter Gathering

Frozen streets gave way to burning riffs as Wolverhampton fell under the grip of Bloodstock’s Winter Gathering. Outside, the cold bit hard. Inside KK Steel Mill, it was chaos from the first note. A sold-out venue, a stacked line-up and a fanbase primed for violence created the perfect conditions for an uncompromising night of heavy metal. By the time doors opened, the smoking area was heaving with battle jackets, queues stretched down the street, and anticipation crackled through the air.

This wasn’t just another winter show. This was Bloodstock reaffirming its dominance.

King Kraken

Opening the day, King Kraken wasted no time in unleashing their titanic groove metal assault. Monstrous low-end riffs and crushing rhythms rolled through the early crowd, transforming the Steel Mill into a slow-moving sea of heads and shoulders. “March of the Gods” landed with the force of a collapsing ship hull, slow, punishing and irresistible. But it wasn’t just the weight of the riffs that hit hardest; it was the movement in their music. Each groove twisted like something alive, dragging the room into its undertow. Drums thundered like distant storms, basslines churned with tidal pressure, and guitars carved out massive, ocean-deep hooks that lingered long after the final note. There’s a primal quality to King Kraken’s sound thick, rolling, ancient. They don’t just play riffs.

Tortured Demon

Tortured Demon ignited the venue with full-throttle NWOBHM energy. Ripping solos, relentless tempos, and unapologetic heavy metal bravado poured from the stage as the pit finally snapped into full wakefulness. Raw, fast and unfiltered, this was classic metal delivered with total conviction. Tortured Demon sounds like your old battle jacket brought violently to life.

Davastator

Called in at 9AM on the morning of the festival, Devastator arrived with almost no notice and then proceeded to deliver one of the strongest performances of the entire day. There was no hint of compromise or hesitation as they detonated an old-school thrash explosion across the Steel Mill floor. From the opening riff, the pit erupted into instant violence. Blistering speed, razor-wire riffs and unrelenting aggression defined a set that felt both desperate and dangerous in the best possible way. Any band might struggle with such a last-minute call-up. Devastator thrived on it. This wasn’t just a solid showing under pressure. This was one of the best performances they’ve ever put on, and proof that true thrash needs no preparation to cause devastation.

Raised By Owls

Raised By Owls followed with a set that felt like a controlled demolition. Metalcore bedlam collided with brutal humour as unpredictability ruled the Steel Mill. Circle pits collapsed into pile-ons, breakdowns detonated without warning, and the crowd never quite knew what was coming next, exactly as intended. The band’s whiplash-fast riffing and whirling blast beats only amplified the madness, each song landing like a punchline delivered with a sledgehammer. And with Bloodstock’s indoor snow machines erupting overhead, the whole venue transformed into a surreal winter warzone, icy confetti swirling through strobe lights and carnage as if the apocalypse had arrived wearing a Santa hat. Expect chaos. Expect confusion. Expect the pit to disintegrate.

Venom Inc

History hit the stage with hostile intent as Venom Inc unleashed pure black metal warfare. Raw, snarling and filthy aggression ruled the room. Tracks like “Forged in Hell” and “War” felt less like songs and more like weapons as the crowd descended into a hostile storm of fists, horns and sweat. Venom Inc doesn't warm crowds up. They burn them alive.

Candlemass

By the time Candlemass took the stage, KK Steel Mill was at bursting point. True giants of epic doom, their presence transformed the venue into a cathedral of riffs and despair. Slow-motion heaviness crushed the room as monumental choruses echoed through the crowd. “Solitude” and “Mirror Mirror” landed like emotional sledgehammers. Sorrowful, massive and untouchable. When Candlemass played, time itself slowed to kneel before the riff. Doom royalty don’t just headline. They loom.

Words and Photos: Jack Norris