Rascal

Show date: Friday, 8 August 2025

Stage: Timothy Taylor’s New Blood

Time: 16:30–17:00

Set length: 30 minutes

Intro

Every festival day has that one moment that jolts you like the opening riff of your favourite record. For me, it was when Rascal – Warsaw’s lightning‑fast speed metal force – took to the stage. The first crack of the snare, the flash of lights, and the crowd surged forward, snapping out of their lazy afternoon sway. Standing in the pit, I felt that electric rush: this is going to be big. My camera was itching to catch it all – the light beams slicing through the haze, the sweat, the roar, and the forest of raised fists.

No warm‑up, no easing in – Rascal launched at full throttle, as if these 30 minutes were their last chance to play on Earth. And maybe that’s the secret: leave absolutely everything on the stage.

Who are Rascal?

Formed in 2019 in Warsaw, Rascal blends pure speed metal with classic heavy and thrash elements, spiced with modern touches. Their sound is rooted in love for the old‑school greats but fuelled by the raw energy of today’s underground. Lyrically, they tackle social, political and psychological themes – all wrapped in fierce, melodic delivery.

Line‑up

Kacper Pędziszewski – vocals
Adrian Wiązowski – guitar
Maciej Zybura – guitar
Krystian Grobel – bass
Krzysztof Kamiński – drums

The road to Bloodstock

Rascal earned their slot on the Timothy Taylor’s New Blood Stage by winning Metal 2 The Masses Poland 2025. Their appearance was announced in early July – just weeks before the festival – among a fresh batch of New Blood names. Bloodstock 2025 marked their first ever show outside Poland.

The set and the energy

Friday at 16:30, Rascal stormed the stage and fired off a tight, high‑octane set – twin‑guitar harmonies, razor‑sharp solos, and the kind of tight rhythm section that can stop you mid‑stride in the arena. Live, they’re all about energy + precision – and you can see it in every step, headbang, and glance to the crowd. It was one of those New Blood shows that pulled people in from the food stalls and kept them locked in till the last chord.

Discography – where to start

Headed Towards Destruction (EP, 2021, Ossuary Records) – a fierce old‑school blast to introduce the band.
Lost Beyond Reason (LP, 2023, Ossuary Records) – their full‑length statement, cementing Rascal’s place on Poland’s traditional metal scene. Start with: Trapped Within the Lightning, The Faster the Better, Running Out of Air, Soldiers of Hell.
Music video: Trapped Within the Lightning – a snapshot of their sound and aesthetic.

Sound and live identity

Guitars: twin leads, classic harmonies, speedy melodic solos.
Vocals: high register, hooks that punch through the noise.
Rhythm section: driving pace, never sacrificing clarity.
Live presence: old‑school fire with modern stagecraft – no chaotic flailing, just deliberate moves and constant crowd connection.

Extra facts

In 2024, Rascal played Mystic Festival in Gdańsk after winning Road to Mystic.
Ahead of Bloodstock, they promised a set that would be “fast, technical and melodic” and “pack maximum into 30 minutes” – mission accomplished.

From the pit

As a photographer, I love bands that play for the lens: they work the lights, the movement, the stage layout. Rascal have that instinct – perfectly placed stances, gestures on solos, stepping to the edge for the big notes. It gave me shots where guitars rise in triumph, the vocalist clenches his fist and shouts into the storm, and the crowd feeds off every beat. In return, the band doubled the energy back.

Listen to Rascal (recommended tracks):

Trapped Within the Lightning
The Faster the Better
Running Out of Air
Soldiers of Hell

Final word

Rascal are one of Poland’s most exciting traditional metal outfits: fast, melodic, precise. A well‑earned Metal 2 The Masses win and a blazing international debut at Bloodstock 2025. That half‑hour on the New Blood Stage felt like a catapult launch – band and crowd landing in the same place: pure euphoria.