Bloodstock 2014: Lacuna Coil and Children Of Bodom

As the sky begins to grey, Bloodstock are still throwing the horns to two of the weekend's big hitters.

A very washy mix does nothing to help Lacuna Coil as they launch into their return visit to Bloodstock with Trip The Darkness, and although things do seem to improve by the time the closing notes of Kill The Light ring out, there’s just no escaping the fact that the performance so far this afternoon is just a little uninspiring and is failing to really grab you as it should. Taken from new album Broken Crown Halo, Die And Rise fares little better and although the faithful sing along to Fire, and Friends Of Faith gets hands clapping, it’s all just a little bit flat to be honest. The only saving grace amongst it all is Cristina Scabbia, whose vocals prove to be a shining light as they sparkle and soar over the mediocrity that of Andrea Ferro’s, whose weak delivery fails to have any real balls when required to in this live setting. Things pick up a little as Nothing Stands In Our Way and Our Truth close out the set, but in the end it’s very much as case of too little, too late. (⁶⁄₁₀) (JH)

Having headlined Bloodstock more than anyone else, Children Of Bodom have a good idea of how to keep the Catton Hall contingent happy. Screaming out of the blocks with Hate Me and Needled ²⁴⁄₇, circle pits immediately erupt and chants of ‘Bodom, Bodom’ ensure a grin is plastered on Alexi Laiho’s face throughout, and the subsequent Silent Night Bodom Night and Hatecrew Deathroll continue to bring the house down. The band tear around the stage, tongues out, instruments held aloft and played with one hand while beer is drunk with another, while the spectacle of the flamboyant interplay between the frontman and keyboardist Janne Wirman is made for in this environment. However, the swirling black metal of Halo Of Blood aside, more recent tracks aren’t nearly as well received, with mid-tempo Transference marking a particular low ebb of the set. If the Finns are looking to re-establish themselves as headliners, they definitely need their newer tracks to hit greater heights. (⁷⁄₁₀) (AR)