18. Whitechapel - Ronnie James Dio Stage - Saturday, August 10th 2024

The evolution and ascension of Whitechapel has been simply astonishing. 2016’s “Mark of the Blade” gave us an inclining that there was more to them then just guttural unrefined deathcore, but it was 2019’s deeply personal “The Valley” that saw them really transcend. There was contrasting vocal styles and they learnt how to decelerate and to up the emotional heft of their material by peppering it with melody. Their 2021 lockdown record “Kin” saw them further stray out of deathcore’s close confines and into a much more expansive and emotive style of metal.

They are still blisteringly heavy but their sound is now much more nuanced and polished. It has much more depth and variance with the throbbing nihilism now contrasted with eloquent beauty. They are on the verge of unveiling album number 9 so Bloodstock will be an opportunity to discern where they are going next. But the most important thing is to put your assumptions of deathcore aside and be prepared to be swept away by a band that is very much going places.