Bloodstock Festival Countdown : 30 Bands Not To Miss

26. All For Metal – Sophie Lancaster Stage - Twilight Thursday

Metal is ludicrous. It is over the top and it is lacking any sense of irony. If we wanted reality we would go listen to dour folk or urban grime. We crave escapism, an audio distraction from all the woes and wearies of modern life. Metal provides that portal into a reality where we are united and not divided. It is a genre that lets you be what you want to be as opposed to who you are. All For Metal are pure true metal. Yes there is more flesh and baby oil on show than you would find at Pride and  is more homoerotic than Pride but it is all fantastically entertaining. This is metal as your gran made, if your gran was a member of Manowar. They embrace the bicep flexing cosplay and transport us back to a time where men were warriors and wore leather thongs, women wore even less and kings of metal roamed the land. Yes its daft, yes it is completely out of step with modern sensibilities but I defy you not to raise your arm and proclaim your allegiance. All for one and All For Metal!!!