We all knew that a huge announcement had been imminent for over a week. But today marks one of the largest groups of bands ever announced in one go for the annual rock and metal party that is the Download Festival 2013. There are bands big and small, old and new, young and old. Truly there is something for everyone in this announcement.
So, to the bands! Where do we start? Unbelievably making only their second appearance at Donington thus far, Limp Bizkit are back to rock Donington with their nu metal anthems, and appear to be headlining the second stage on one of the days. Their nu metal brothers from KoRn, one of Downloads most popular bands over the years are back to raise hell once again on the Friday, directly underneath Slipknot and Bullet For My Valentine on the main stage.
Flying the flag for the more traditional “metal” bands amongst the announcement are the likes of viking metals favourite sons Amon Amarth, British post metal band Earthtone9 (making their Download bow), the stoner metal of Phil Anselmo and the rest of Down, US radio metal favourites Five Finger Death Punch, Canadian metal punks Cancer Bats and Australian nutcases Parkway Drive. Oh, and the hardcore stylings of the legendary Converge, more stoner metal in the form of Texas’s The Sword, HellYeah (it’ll be interesting if they play on the same day as Down), UK power metallers I AM I and Visions Of Disorder.
Also flying the British flag are trance rockers Enter Shikari, the rapidly rising Asking Alexandria, one of the bands of 2012 in Young Guns, one of 2012’s most active touring bands in Heavens Basement and UK veterans UFO.
If that’s not enough, 2013 sees the return to Download of Jimmy Eat World (last seen sub-headlining so well in 2008), Australian hard rockers and stage climbers Airbourne, goth rockers Motionless In White, US arena fillers 3 Doors Down, Swedish punks The Hives, Hardcore Superstar, In This Moment, Hactivist, Last Witness, Buffalo Summer, Goldsboro, Black Dogs, Duff McKagan’s new band Walking Papers and Huntress.
This mammoth collection of bands joins all the previously announced artists and headliners Slipknot, Iron Maiden and Rammstein for the eleventh annual Download Festival from Castle Donington, Derbyshire, UK this June. Tickets are on sale now from the official website and all the usual online locations. They probably won’t be on sale for too much longer judging by this announcement so move quickly! Further Download Festival news updates will be found here as and when they become available.
