We’re a few days late with this one so please forgive us, but enough of our tardiness! Let’s get on with the very good news that another varied selection of fourteen bands have been given the green light to join the fun at Sonisphere Knebworth 2014.
This new group of bands contains a healthy dose of home-grown talent. First up, to the delight of many are veteran Dorset doom metal outfit Electric Wizard. For those wanting something very different and a bit more metal to The Prodigy on Friday night, Electric Wizard will be headlining Bohemia, so if “Firestarter” and “Omen” are not your thing, there’s a wonderful alternative to be had with Electric Wizard. London shock metallers and friends of Rock Sins The Defiled are also making their return to Sonisphere which means entertainment is all but guaranteed whenever Stitch, The AvD and friends are in the vicinity. The Defiled will be making their first Apollo Stage appearance after multiple appearances on the smaller tented stages and it’s something the band are thrilled about and very much looking forward to.
From a slightly more progressive side of things but sticking with the home-grown talent, TesseracT and The Safety Fire will both be appearing and playing tracks from two of the best prog metal albums of last year, Altered State and Mouth Of Swords respectively. Flying the British flag for hard rock will be Sonisphere veterans Black Spiders and South West rockers Emp!re, while at the more extreme end of the spectrum their compatriots Brutality Will Prevail will be bringing new material to Knebworth to decimate eardrums with.
Three more very interesting additions to the Sonisphere Knebworth 2014 are all also from our shores; Super group Krokodil, featuring among others Radio One Rock Show host Daniel P Carter will be taking to the Sonisphere stage for the first time alongside two bands making very welcome comebacks to the live scene. Also announced recently for Damnation Festival, Raging Speedhorn are back with their two original vocalists John & Frank and will be performing tracks from their first two albums “Raging Speedhorn” and “We Will Be Dead Tomorrow” so get ready to enjoy the likes of Thumper and The Gush at Knebworth for the first time. Also reforming for an appearance at Knebworth will be UK groove metal / hardcore favourites Stampin Ground, in their first show since 2006. In one of the best quotes we’ve frankly ever seen, the band explain how excited they are about playing Sonisphere:
“We’re more excited than Kriss Akabusi on a waterslide to resurrect our fortified blend of hardcore/thrash and play our first show in eight years alongside the likes of Slayer, Gojira, Metallica and Iron Maiden at Sonisphere. Many thanks to Sonisphere for giving us the opportunity to reinforce our legacy at such an awesome event. Bring it on!”
Two more bands continue the British contingent; Essex’s pop rock upstarts The Hype Theory and hardcore fun makers The Hell are both on board along with Swedish glam metal act Reckless Love. American punk legends Anti Flag will also be coming to Knebworth to celebrate their 20th anniversary as a band in the UK in style, as will New Jersey rap rockers Dog Eat Dog, who will celebrate the 20th anniversary of their celebrated début album “All Boro Kings” by playing the whole album in it’s entirety.
Lastly, and many would say most importantly, punk pioneer Wilko Johnson will return to Knebworth after an absence of 36 years. Triumphing in the face of true adversity, Wilko continues to play live shows despite suffering from terminal pancreatic cancer so his appearance at Knebworth is certain to be very emotional and memorable.
All of the above join the numerous other bands already announced alongside headliners The Prodigy, Iron Maiden (with their last Maiden England show) and Metallica, performing their very special “By Request” set. Tickets start from £170 and can be obtained from the official festival website www.sonisphere.co.uk. As we’ve been a bit tardy, another line up announcement for Sonisphere is due tomorrow, so please come back tomorrow for even more bands for Knebworth, including a Saturn Stage headliner!
