The thrash metal band Bloodstain has grown rapidly and found success early on. In a short period of time, they've managed to perform at both Sweden Rock and Hellfest. In a sold-out venue, it's time for their debut album, and with that journey behind them, expectations are high.
When the band steps onto the stage, it's packed and the atmosphere is full of anticipation. Bloodstain has already become a talking point, but it's when the first note slices through the venue that the hype is truly put to the test.
And it holds.
The strange thing is how natural everything feels. They play as if they've been sharing stages for decades, despite the fact that none of them were even born during thrash's first heyday. It's tight, aggressive, and above all very confident.
At the same time, there's something charming about seeing a band at the beginning of their journey standing on stage with such self-assurance.
It's clear during the concert that the singer is not the only one in the spotlight. All four are active. This is evident both during their stage banter and in the middle of songs, where they constantly interact with each other and the audience. It feels more like a band than four people who just happen to be playing together. There is a clear chemistry.
When the songs get going, it's hard to stand still. There's a moshpit, fists in the air, and a crowd that quickly shifts from expectant to fully engaged.
During the evening, they play, among others, “I Am Death” and “Something Sinister.” The love for classic thrash is everywhere: the aggressive riffs, the raw expression, and uncompromising energy.
Bloodstain succeeds with something that's not always obvious. They don't sound like a band trying to recreate a time they've never experienced themselves. They've taken the best from classic thrash and made it their own. The love and respect for the genre are evident in every song.
It's easy to get caught up in references when talking about Bloodstain. You hear the influences and start to think about which older bands are behind the riffs. Because even if the building blocks are familiar, the combination is their own. That might also be why the concert works so well. There's a comfort in something recognizable, but there's also enough hunger and youthful energy that it never feels like pure nostalgia.
That's probably what makes the evening most interesting. Bloodstain hasn't played together for decades. They don't have ten albums behind them and have hardly had time to stand on hundreds of stages.
But there is a playfulness about it all. Between songs, the band still feels like four young guys who can barely grasp how far they've actually come. The contrast with how professionally they deliver once the music kicks in becomes almost absurd.
The band has already managed to play on some of Europe's biggest rock stages before the debut album even landed, and now they're showing that they can also fill an entire concert on their own.
It's pretty staggering when you think about the fact that it all started with a local music competition in Lidingö just a few years ago.
If this concert is a showcase of what's to come, there's every reason to keep an eye on Bloodstain. Because this doesn't feel like a band trying to reclaim something that's passed.
This feels like the beginning.
