It’s that time of year again. Yep, it’s festival season, Metcheck is bracing itself for a record number of website hits and everyone starts buying shares in Jagermeister and wet weather gear. Due to the ongoing Global Pandemic, it’s been 3 years since the faithful have descended upon the hallowed turf of Donington Park for a fully fledged Download Festival. Finally though the long wait is over and the 2022 edition is a go!
We here at Rock Sins will be at Donington to bring the very best coverage from all across the weekend. Recently, we highlighted five bands who you really should watch at Download this year who have had a fantastic last 12 months. Alongside those five bands, and before all the mayhem ensues, we are bringing you a selection of the very best bands to check out over the weekend.
Black Veil Brides: (Apex Stage)
Download has always been a bit of a proving ground for the lads in Black Veil Brides. They have played some amazing sets & they have also had an off day or two at Donington. They will be up against some stiff competition as they bring a little rock & roll to the Apex stage on Friday. Armed with a new album & a renewed vigor, this could be their defining moment.
Lacuna Coil: (Opus Stage)
One of the finest bands of their generation. The chameleonic Lacuna Coil will be hoping to bring a gothic party to the Donington faithful as they return to the Opus stage. With a catalogue full of bangers in tow, this could very well be a contender for set of the weekend if the stars align.
Sleep Token: (Avalanche Stage)
One of the most buzzed about bands in alternative music. The masked enigma’s (not those ones) will be looking to bring a little melancholy & mysticism to your Friday early evening. As long as they keep the rain away then it will be fine by us. This set promises to be spine tingling and not easily forgotten.
A.A Williams: (Dogtooth Stage)
Singer / Songwriter A.A Williams will be the dark cloud over Download’s head as she rolls into town. With a voice more haunting than the walls of the Amityville house, you’ll be hard pressed to find a more sombre and emotionally devastating set over the weekend. Take a chance and get your heart shattered.
Deftones: (Apex Stage)
There isn’t really much left that can be said about Deftones. One of the most consistent bands on the planet. If this was a fair world, Deftones would already be multi-time Download Festival Headliners. But they’ll just have to settle for rocking up, playing a greatest hits set that most bands would kill for and being declared band of the day anyway.
Grandson: (Avalanche Stage)
Electro artist Grandson will be aiming to start the dance on Saturday. If you want something different, then look no further, trading beatdowns for beats, this will be a welcome break from headbanging and will offer an opportunity to throw some boozy shapes with your mates in the sunshine (hopefully)
Dana Dentata: (Dogtooth Stage)
Roadrunner Records newest icon will be making her Download Festival debut at this year’s event. Sounding like the soundtrack to Hell’s strip club, this is sure to be one of the festival’s more memorable sets. Combining elements of industrial, hip hop, dance and metal Dana makes for an interesting proposition while also promising a stage show that will be nothing less than explosive.
Rise Against: (Apex Stage)
No strangers to Download, Rise Against are making a long overdue and very welcome return this year. You know the drill by now, high octane, politically charged punk rock jams from one of the best to ever do it. Expect epic sing alongs and more hits per minute than a NOW! Cd from the 90s.
Wednesday 13: (Opus Stage)
The man who puts the Fun in Funeral and one of four artists on this year’s bill who was on the very first ever Download bill. Wednesday 13 will be bringing his spookshow spectacular to the hallowed grounds. Expect blood, maybe some guts, and a whole lot of good goofy horror fun.
Marianas Trench: (Avalanche Stage)
For those looking for something on the lighter side, Canadian Pop Rockers Marianas Trench will be bringing their own brand of sunny tunes to these very shores for a Donington debut. This will be one of the feel good moments of the weekend.
Bury Tomorrow (Apex Stage)
Bury Tomorrow have a big task ahead of them this weekend. As they return to Donington’s Main Stage for the first time since 2014. Armed with new material, a new lineup and a whole net set of expectations. This could be Bury Tomorrow’s moment to cement themselves in history. Expect a set full of metalcore bangers, ans a tight focused performance as the South Coast lads look to show everyone else how it’s done.
Twin Temple: (Dogtooth Stage)
Fresh off their support slot with Ghost on their most recent arena run, Twin Temple will be looking to cast a spell over the Download crowd with their unique brand of Satanic Doo Wop. Think Amy Winehouse if she was the house band at a Seance and you get the picture.
KoRn: (Apex Stage)
Much like their peers in Deftones, Korn should have headlined this festival a long time ago and many more times since. But alas, it’s not happened yet. KoRn are going to do what it is they do, turn up play and hour and a bit of some of the metal songs ever written, pump the crowd up and then tell the headliners “follow that”. They will once again be one of the bands of the weekend and once again everyone will wonder why the hell they aren’t headlining.
Ice Nine Kills: (Opus Stage)
Ice Nine Kills or INK for short are one of the most exciting bands around right now. After transforming themselves into a more horror orientated band their last two albums have been sensational and their live game has gone up several notches. If you want to see one of the next breakthrough bands in heavy music, get your ass to the Opus stage on Saturday and watch the bloodshed and breakdowns commence.
Spiritbox: (Avalanche Stage)
Spiritbox make their UK live debut at Download this year. One of the most talked about bands in rock & metal with one of 2021’s best albums in their back pocket. They have already been upgraded to a bigger stage and the hype levels for this appearance are currently off the charts. If you miss this, you will be missing something very special indeed. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.
Creeper & Salem (Avalanche Stage)
Resident spooky Boy Will Gould has never been one to do anything by halves. He will be returning to Download for 2 sets on the same day. Catch him first up with Salem, who will be making their Donington debut as they plan to bring you a satanic sugar rush of punk rock to wash down your morning pints. He will then take the stage with Creeper who are riding high off of recent supports slots with Alice Cooper & MCR. Creeper have grown into one of the UK music scene’s most consistent and interesting bands, and their saturday evening slot with be nothing but a monumental celebration.
Shinedown: (Apex Stage)
Shinedown have been on the cusp of being rock’s next big superstars for a while now. Returning to the Download Apex Stage for another round of Saturday sing alongs, this is their moment to seize their destiny. Next time they come back they may just be headlining.
Heriot: (Dogtooth Stage)
Representing the future of British metal, Heriot are a band that is just starting to bubble up. This performance at Download will be a chance to show many others what most of us already know that they are the real deal and they are coming to rock stages and melt faces. For many, Heriot could be the first band they see at Download 2022. Get in early and make sure you are one of those people.
Iron Maiden: (Apex Stage)
This will be Iron Maiden’s seventh time headlining Donington and fifth as part of Download. They hold the record for most headline appearances at Donington Park as well as at Download Festival. There isn’t really much to say about this one. One of the greatest heavy metal bands slaying Donington with some of the best metal songs ever written. There will be shenanigans, Eddie’s, “Scream for me Donington’s” and a lot of smiling faces. Could this be the last time we see Maiden on the Hallowed turf? only time will tell, but if it is you can expect them to go out on the highest of highs.
Biffy Clyro: (Apex Stage)
Scottish rockers Biffy Clyro return for their second Download Festival headline slot. Their triumphant 2017 set is one of the best in the festival’s history. You can expect more of the same here. An hour and a half of nothing but wall to wall bangers from one of the UK’s hardest working and most consistent bands. Over the course of Download’s history they have played every single stage on their way to the top and there will be no better to way to end an epic weekend than a packed set of some of the most life affirming rock music ever written.
All of the above bands join the dozens more playing the 2022 Download Festival at Donington Park from the 10th – 12th of June 2022 (campsite June 8th – 13th). Last day and weekend tickets are available from Ticketmaster now!
If all of that wasn’t enough to get you excited, you can check out our playlist of all the bands kicking off Download 2022 on the Friday of the festival here too!
