Seventeen brand‑new acts are joining Bloodstock’s Timothy Taylor New Blood stage while Richard Stanley’s supernatural heist thriller Steel Donkeys shoots its festival scenes live on site…

Words by Felix Bartlett | July 01, 2025

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Bloodstock 2025 just turned the dial up to eleven. With 17 explosive newcomers added to the prestigious Timothy Taylor New Blood stage and the festival doubling as a film set for the upcoming grindhouse horror-thriller Steel Donkeys, Catton Park is primed to be the most chaotic yet.

After the triumphant conclusion of the Metal 2 The Masses finals, Bloodstock has unveiled the first wave of fresh talent ready to storm the New Blood stage. On Friday, brace yourself for tealdeer, Rascal, and Backseat Juliet; come Saturday, the adrenaline-fuelled roster includes Symbyote, Adfeilion, Prodigal, Zebulon, Mantis Defeats Jaguar, Mechromorph, Head Dent, and Unnatural Order; and to close out the weekend, Sunday sees Ocean Planet, Rizen, Headcount, Koba, Ruled By Raptors, and Bad Earth packing the stage with unrelenting energy.

But that’s not all. From filmmaker Richard Stanley comes the announcement that his supernatural action-horror Steel Donkeys will shoot its exterior scenes right on site. The plot? Three hapless crooks hijacking a mysterious rock star’s artefact, accidentally releasing a demon that slashes through the crowd in full festival mayhem. Stanley promises a “perfect storm of metal, martial arts and cosmic horror,” drawing on a wild anecdote from his own past. If you’ve ever dreamed of being part of a real-life headbanger’s nightmare on film, this is your moment.

Check out the updated Bloodstock 2025 line-up poster below. We’ll see you in the pit this August!