Bloodstock Open Air is the only UK music festival where you’ll see LARPers battling it out beside burger vans, real ale sold alongside beer – and the best extreme metal bands on the planet.

Over 11,000 people descended on the grounds of Derby’s Catton Hall for the biggest Bloodstock yet and its 10th anniversary, but the festival retains a homely feel. When the shuttle buses inexplicably stopped running, site staff ferried fans from the car park to the gate in a red Skoda.

The main stage was named after Dio, who was originally scheduled to play with Heaven And Hell, and many bands played tribute to his legacy. Once again, the third stage was named The Sophie Lancaster Stage in memory of Sophie.

Bloodstock kicked off with a Friday 13th fancy dress competition, and many festivalgoers kept their masks, blood and props with them throughout the weekend, despite heavy rain. Bizarre was there to capture the best of the action.

Friday

Storms have turned the mosh pit into a mud pit, and the atmosphere is subdued as Finnish power metallers Sonata Arctica bring Euro metal to the stage. Singer Tony Kakko dances about in a white jacket, before ‘entertaining’ crowds with the yodelling from Hocus Pocus’ ‘Focus’. (

*)

Swedish polyrhythm pioneers Meshuggah are a complete contrast. They go in for the kill, raising a massive cheer for the rapid-fire drumming of ‘Bleed’. “I’m going to shit myself!” yells frontman Jens Kidman. “Do you want to see that?” (

***)

Fellow Swedes Opeth played The Royal Albert Hall last time they were in the country. Despite tonight’s boggy surrounds and a few technical difficulties, this performance is just as majestic. The most humbling moment is when they play ‘Catch The Rainbow’ in tribute to Dio. Mikael Åkerfeldt looks naked without his guitar and sings with palpable emotion, turning his back on the audience mid-song. Then it’s left to a crushing twin attack of ‘Deliverance’ and ‘Demon Of The Fall’ to send the crowd back to their tents for nightmares. (

****)

Saturday

Heavy showers plague day two, but the overcast mood suits US death metallers Obituary. Wreathed in smoke, their newer, groovier output shines through. (

***)

The sun comes out for Amorphis, bouncing off the bare chest of whippet-like singer Tomi Joutsen, as he windmills with his waist-long dreads. The crowd’s lukewarm at first, but slowly reacts to their progressive sounds. (

**)

As Amorphis load out, Devin Townsend sneaks onstage, pressing a finger to his lips and pretending to hide behind some gear. The Canadian’s come straight from Brutal Assault Fest in the Czech Republic, and we’ll later find out his kit’s been held up at customs. As his crew test out the drums and his click track, Devin does an interpretive dance, pretends to wank, and pulls some of his best metal faces. Opening the set proper with ‘Addicted’, Devin screams and cracks jokes for half an hour, before leaving with the missive, “We suck!” while the crowd chant his name. It’s one of the most brilliant and memorable sets of the weekend. (

****)

Fear Factory pulled out of last year’s Bloodstock due to recording commitments, so it’s fitting they open with new album title track ‘Mechanize’. Burton struggles with clean vocals midway through the set, but pleases his throat and the crowd by tearing through more industrial songs from . (

****)

Children Of Bodom look like headliners, but they don’t perform like them. There’s mock-complaining about dodgy equipment, Alexhi Laiho pretends to storm off, and they play the intros to Van Halen’s ‘Jump’ and Bon Jovi’s ‘Runaway’ before switching to their own songs. This schtick works better at their own shows than a festival, but luckily most people are too drunk to care. (

*)

Sunday

The sun’s out for day three, and Korpiklaani’s Finnish folk metal is perfect. The crowd link arms and raise cups all the way from ‘Vodka’ to ‘Beer Beer’, with singer Jonne Järvelä instructing everyone to “follow the accordion!” from behind his reindeer antler mic stand. This is what drinking horns were made for. (

***)

The party continues for Gwar, who hack limbs off a two-faced Hitler, a Nazi pope, and several hulking demons, soaking the crowd with claret. “It’s good to be back at Bloodstock today, finally giving you the blood you crave!” yells Oderus Urungus, jiggling his mighty penis and periodically spraying everyone with green jizz.

But it’s all about the music with Gojira, who throw themselves into their technical death lessons in biology, instruments pinned across their bodies. (

***)

Similarly brutal are Opeth/Katatonia supergroup Bloodbath, who’ve only played live eight times. Dressed in joke metal outfits, they blast out favourites such as ‘Cancer Of The Soul’ and ‘Mock The Cross’, only pausing for Mikael to issue a pleasant, “Thank you very much” between songs. (

***)

All that’s left is for Cannibal Corpse and Twisted Sister to close the weekend in suitably ridiculous style, leaving Catton Hall’s sheep and horses in peace for another year