Wanting to give us all an early Christmas Present, Andy Copping and the powers that be at Castle Donington have decided that Christmas has indeed come early where the 2014 edition of the Download Festival is concerned by adding another fourteen bands to the line up for next year’s event.
The BIG news in this announcement is that after six years apart, UK progressive metal act Sikth are reuniting for a special performance at Download 2014. The Hertfordshire six piece act are regarded alongside Meshuggah as one of the forerunners to the djent style of metal and were light years ahead of their time. Sorely missed by their fans in the years since their disbanding, this is one announcement likely to delight an awful lot of people (not least Rocksins’ Matt Hill, a long time champion of the band). Dan Weller from Sikth had the following to say about their impending return:
We’ve always said that one day we would get SikTh back together and do another show and next year just feels like the right time to stop the talking and do it. To be honest we really miss playing those songs.
Our fans have been so loyal so it’s time to give them something back. We played Download in 2003 and 2006 so it seemed the obvious place for us to make a return.
UPDATE – we’ve just heard that Sikth will be headlining the Red Bull stage on the Saturday night. This could mean some very tough choices between them and Linkin Park and their Hybrid Theory performance for some if the two set times clash!
Sharing headline billing in this latest announcement alongside Sikth’s comeback are everyone’s favourite rockabilly metal act Volbeat. Having recently completed their biggest UK tour to date and riding high on the success of Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies, 2013 has been a great year for Volbeat and they’ll be aiming to continue their success in 2014 with another great performance at Donington next Summer. Also returning to Download for the first time in many years are US mathcore metal specialists The Dillinger Escape Plan. Excited to return, The DEP lads had this to say:
It’s been a while since we have done the Festival thing in the UK and Download has always been a highlight for us. Last time we played was my first time seeing the legendary Aerosmith and this time will be my second. Such an honour and privilege and we shall surely bring the fucking Ruckus!
A band appearing at Download Festival 2014 in a new state will be American deathcore outfit Suicide Silence, complete with their new vocalist, Eddie Hermida (formerly of All Shall Perish). It’s Eddie’s first trip to Download with either band and he is very excited!
UK! You aren’t even ready for us! Download Fest ’14, wow! What a dream come true. I am so happy to be a part of such an amazing line-up and to see all you crazy English fucks tear it up with us!
Plenty of bands will also be making their Download Festival debuts in 2014; US hard hitting metallers Battlecross will be making their Donington bow, alongside their countrymen metalcore act Memphis May Fire. Two first time acts will also be coming from down under, as Australian duo Thy Art Is Murder and The Amity Affliction are added to the line up, while Swedish metal act Avatar are also on board for the first time, having hit the UK with Avenged Sevenfold & Five Finger Death Punch a couple of weeks ago.
Rounding off this announcement are two of the UK’s rising stars in the shape of UKHC mob Feed The Rhino and rockers Arcane Roots. Cambridge rockers Lonely The Brave will be returning in 2014 after a very promising first appearance this year and last but not least, Ozzy Osbourne’s former guitarist Jake E. Lee’s Red Dragon Cartel project will also be appearing at Download for the first time. All of these acts join headliners Aerosmith, Linkin Park and Avenged Sevenfold in addition to Alter Bridge, Rob Zombie, Fall Out Boy, Trivium, Steel Panther, Status Quo, The Offspring, In Flames, While She Sleeps and many, many more with dozens of bands still to be announced.
Tickets for Download Festival 2014 can be obtained over at the official website www.downloadfestival.co.uk as well as all the usual online ticketing houses like Gigantic, Live Nation and Ticketmaster. A Download ticket would make a great Christmas present for someone if you’re stuck for (expensive) gift ideas! More bands will be added to the festival in the days and weeks ahead to stay tuned to Rocksins for further updates.
