Download Festival 2014 Review

So, after saying I wouldn't be going to any festivals in 2014, I am actually attending 2 full weekends and 2 days of Sonisphere. Guess my willpower is next to non-existant, whoops. However, the decision to attend Download for the third year in a row has turned out to be one of the best decisions ever. It has been a superb weekend and I wish it hadn't had to come to an end.... although my feet, legs, arms, neck etc would hugely disagree with that statement!

As with last year I decided to just buy a weekend arena ticket and tuck myself away in Derby in a hotel. I drove up this time which saved lugging everything around on trains and coaches and made the journey far easier. After settling in, it was time for some sleep ready to hit Donington Park on the Friday.

Key: Stage names --- Stephen Sutton Main Stage – M; Zippo Encore Second Stage – Z; Pepsi Max tent – P; Red Bull tent – R; Jagermeister stage – J. All ratings out of ten.

Friday

Prior to the festival, summer had finally turned up in the UK and the weekend of Download was forecast to remain the same with hot sunshine and little rain. Friday certainly lived up to this and after getting the shuttle from Derby to Download, it was already roasting. Another batch of sun cream applied and it was off to the gates.
Unlike last year, when there was much to-ing and fro-ing, I now knew where to queue to get the ticket checked and wristband given. After getting into the arena and purchasing a cold bottle of water straight away, it was time for the music.

Tax The Heat – Z – 7 – A very enjoyable start to the festival. Great little rock and roll band to nod along to. Not much more to add to that really.

Caught the last song of Miss May I on the main stage, which is the same as I heard when I saw them at a Killswitch gig months earlier. Should try and catch a whole set at some point.

Crossfaith – M – 7 – These guys are such a great live band. Given rise to their “electronicore” style of music they infuse electronic sounds with heavy riffs and mental drum solos. Their cover of ‘Omen’ going over very well with the bouncing masses in front of the stage. Frontman Koie Kenta was extremely grateful to their fans for their success over the years. And I can only see this band getting stronger.

Powerman 5000 – M – 5 – My first thought to this band being announced was “who?!” Transpires that I sing one of their tracks daily in my head, so I was quite looking forward to them. Unfortunately, they didn’t quite live up to expectations. I think they would’ve worked better on 2^nd or even in the larger tent and playing to a crowd of their fans. Main stage seemed a bit too much for them. And apart from big hitters ‘Bombshell’ and ‘When Worlds Collide’, which were saved until the end, the crowd just seemed completely uninterested. I did enjoy the set but it just felt quite flat for the most part.

Skindred – M – 10 – Ah, Skindred. What can you say about Skindred? Well, they are one of the most entertaining bands to watch at the moment. Benji Webbe is fast becoming one of the best frontmen of this generation, who else can get the Download crowd to do the Harlem Shake?! They played a great set including 2 off the new album, which isn’t the best in my opinion, and stalwarts ‘Pressure’, ‘Nobody’ and ‘Warning’ (with guest vocals from Crossfaiths Koie Kenta). Speaking to a fellow Downloader later in the weekend I suggested that Skindred could push themselves into a 2^nd stage headliner spot (and beyond) in years to come. They have the stage show and crowd work sorted, just need to produce a couple more well received albums to have the whole package.

Making my way back to 2^nd stage I managed to see the last couple of songs from The Answer. I really enjoy this band and would’ve seen them if not for Skindred playing on main.

The Temperance Movement – Z – 7 – I don’t think I have ever been this chilled out during a festival set before. A fantastic blues rock band that acted as superb background music whilst I was beginning to flag in the heat. I really hope I can see them again.

Within Temptation – M – 10 – I have to thank Andy C (festival booker) here for adding Rival Sons to the Zippo stage line-up. That stopped the clash of Within Temptation and Flogging Molly which was causing me some distress before the festival. I had to sell my ticket for Within Temptation in London and so, desperately wanted to see them at Download. And I’m extremely glad I did, they were amazing. As I have said in previous reviews, symphonic metal is one of my favourite genres of music and I was not disappointed with this set. Sharon den Adel is an amazing frontwoman and owned every track, if I can be that energetic and powerful a month before I turn 40 I’ll be very happy! For me, the setlist was near perfect. I would say it was a bit too ‘Hydra’ heavy, except that a) it’s the album they’ve been touring and b) it is an incredible album. The only thing that would’ve topped this set would’ve been Xzibit and/or Howard Jones coming on stage during the songs they feature in. But I cannot fault WT at all, one of the best bands of the weekend for sure.

Flogging Molly – Z – 10 – “And now for something completely different” said frontman Dave King, and he’s not wrong. But Flogging Molly are simply just an amazing, fun band to see live. They played a great folk-punk set with all the favourites packed in and you couldn’t help but bop along. Flogging Molly are that band that you can’t help but enjoy everything that is coming off the stage. I just wish they could’ve had a longer set. A plane flew over during their set and in Dave Kings words “it had to be a Ryanair didn’t it!” If you haven’t seen this band before I highly recommend you do so. Great entertainment with superb songs as an added bonus.

Bad Religion – Z – 9 – Full on punk rock blasted with ferocious tenacity was the order for the Friday sub headline set. Bad Religion opened with ‘Fuck You’ and didn’t let up until the final bars of set closer ‘Sorrow’. Managed to get front and centre for this and it was so much fun, I’ve wanted to see them for a long time and wasn’t disappointed. They played 3 songs from their newest album but also included a song from nearly every other album they have released since 1982. It’s amazing to see a band formed in 1979 still have that much enjoyment on stage, playing to their fans and hopefully they’ll be around for a while longer yet.

The Offspring – Z – 10 – Time for my first headliner of Download 2014 and I was slightly worried that they would disappoint me. I’d heard reviews that they are lacklustre and bored in their playing nowadays. The fact they were playing the album ‘Smash’ in full was something I was looking forward to and after 20 seconds of Nitro I knew that this was going to be The Offspring at their best. The whole band looked like they were enjoying it as much as the crowd. It started raining during the set (just a brief cooling shower) and unlike many previous years of Download, this was greeted by a huge cheer from the crowd. After playing through Smash it was time for the hits. I would’ve liked a couple of songs from ‘Conspiracy of One’ but can’t complain about the tunes that did get aired. It turned into a complete sing-a-long with ‘Pretty Fly’ and ‘Why Don’t You Get a Job’ being belted out by everyone around me. I can happily say I have now seen The Offspring and am delighted by that fact. It was a great way to end the first day of Download and now fully into the festival feel I couldn’t wait for day 2.

Band of the day – The Offspring, just too good to ignore as the highlight of the day.
Surprise of the day – Very difficult to pick as there were so many good bands on the Friday. I think it will have to go to Bad Religion, as I wasn't expecting them to still be that good.


Saturday

The forecast for Saturday was that it would be cooler with more cloud cover. And after the heat of Friday I was rather happy about this! It’s always easier getting into a festival once you have a wristband on and after a member of the security staff asked if he could give me a tug (and then explaining he meant the wristband and not that I’d be getting lucky) I was into the second day of the festival. This would start with the longest period of time I have spent at one stage for all of the festivals I have attended.

Dying Fetus – M – 9 – Now, death metal is a great style of music but there is a thin line for bands to be good or just sound like an awful racket. On record, Dying Fetus aren’t really my cup of tea. Live, however, they were absolutely fantastic. I was so surprised at how much I enjoyed their set that I didn’t want it to last just 30 minutes. It was such a shock to like them as much as I did. The reason Dying Fetus got booked to play was due to a Twitter campaign, #whynotdyingfetus, and vocalist John Gallagher paid tribute to the fans that got them on the line up. Phenomenal start to the day and it was only 11.30am.

Fozzy – M – 7 – I am a big fan of Fozzy, although not so much the last album. But this set left me a little disappointed. Something was lacking and it meant they didn’t score as highly as I was anticipating. That being said, they still sounded good and I did enjoy it. Chris Jericho is a great frontman and his time in WWE has helped that, during part of the set it sounded like he was cutting a promo on RAW. But whether the main stage was a step too far for them I don’t know. Chris also said that he had made an agreement with the higher powers that it wouldn’t rain, this was about 5 minutes before it did start raining, albeit barely a drizzle. They played 2 songs from their upcoming album and they were great so I have higher hopes for that record.

Bury Tomorrow – M – 9 – From going into the set thinking, ‘I’m not a huge fan of this band’ to coming out with the mindset of ‘wow, that was brilliant’, is a perfect example of why I love live music. A fantastic band that will only get bigger as time goes on. I do like metalcore and I really like how Bury Tomorrow have added more melodic elements into their structure as well. Bury Tomorrow commanded the main stage and kept the crowd entertained with a battle of the sexes, including a female only mosh pit, and adapting the crouch down to jump up into a lie down to jump up segment. Ending the set with the big hit of ‘Lionheart’ and asking for as many crowd surfers as possible was awesome (for the crowd at least, I think the security staff had a heart attack when they heard that)  They’re playing a small venue in Portsmouth later in the year which I wasn’t going to attend, I may reappraise that decision. – edit -  Since writing that I have indeed purchased a ticket.

Took a little wander after Bury Tomorrow to fill up the water bottle and stood outside the Red Bull tent listening to Colt 45 – R - 7 – Only caught a couple of songs but they seem like a decent rock band. If I remember correctly they were one I was going to check out at Camden Rocks or something similar. I will keep an eye out if these guys are playing somewhere close by.

While She Sleeps – M – 8 – Metalcore band from Sheffield who tore apart the main stage. Heavy riffs and screaming vocals a-plenty and they seemed really happy being there. This band are really on an upwards incline and it was easy to see why. After taking some time out in the early part of 2014 for lead singer Lawrence ‘Loz’ Taylor to undergo throat surgery, they made their return UK performance a memorable one. The crowd were really into them and there was a lot of movement at the front. At the end of the set, Loz climbed the sound desk/video camera tower in the middle of the arena and planted the WSS flag he had been holding. Unfortunately it was the other side to where I was standing so I couldn’t get a photo.

Bowling For Soup – M – 9 – Well, this was just super fun! And, somehow, the first time I have seen BFS. The banter from the group was brilliant and at times I thought I was at a comedy gig rather than music. The BFS photo opportunity was hilarious if not a little long winded; it was a music gig after all. The Queens’ knight killing a giant inflatable sheep got a lot of laughs, especially as it seemed to be a difficult task! And when they were actually playing, they were faultless. All the hits got an airing and the crowd were fully into it, ‘1985’ and ‘Punk Rock 101’ were definite highlights. The band doesn’t take themselves seriously and that helped with the good-natured, fun-loving feel of the set. Definitely a band to check out at their own shows.

Killswitch Engage – M – 8 – Saw these guys at their headline show earlier this year and they were fantastic, they were just as good at Download. Jesse Leach has slotted straight back into the band as if he never left, commanding the old and new records. I wasn’t sure if another metalcore band was going to prove too much for one day, or if by following Bowling For Soup they would seem out of place. But I was proven wrong by a band that knows what they’re doing and do it very well indeed, every song was pounded out with as much energy from start to finish. Apart from Adam Ds’ guitar breaking from which he eventually gave up with and went to party with the crowd.

During the set I went to watch some of Skyharbors’ set in the Red Bull tent (7) who sounded very good and I would’ve stayed longer had KSE not started playing Life To Lifeless, which is one of my favourite songs.
Just looking back at the setlist and I don’t think I would’ve changed a thing. KSE are great entertainment and now that Jesse is back I hope they will continue to get stronger bookings and move up the pile.

Monster Magnet – Z – 6 – After the heaviness of the metalcore Saturday had thrown out so far, stoner rock was the best place to head for a relaxing 40 minutes. They scored a mid-range 6 as I seemed to relax a bit too much and found myself drifting in and out of listening, but from what I did hear they played decent enough rock that went down well with those camped out in front of the stage.

The Wildhearts – Z – 10 – Saturday at Download was re-named on the Facebook Wildhearts page to The Wildhearts Day. And they did exactly what they always do; they owned the stage like it was their own gig. I managed to get front and centre for the set and had ridiculous good fun. The Wildhearts brand of pop-punk perfectly allows you to jump around, clap, sing and just have a damn good time with fellow minded fans. The setlist was pretty much as expected with only a 40 minute set (although the band cut it short themselves. Maybe, as last time they played Download their sound was turned off when they continued to play over their allotted time). But, for die-hard Wildhearts fans it just created a great sing-a-long and for new listeners it was the biggest songs that they could just enjoy. Random Jon Poole had taken place as bassist for this gig, replacing Scott Sorry from Aprils tour. You could tell how much fun the band has playing to their fans with the broad smiles that adorned their faces throughout the set. Ginger told the crowd to hang around for “the greatest frontman ever, Dee Snider”, however, I had other plans first.

Fall Out Boy – M – 10 – And so it came to the worst clash, and one of only a couple this year, of the festival - Fall Out Boy vs. Twisted Sister. In the end the only way to determine who to see was to see both and split the sets. Starting with FOB, I managed to stay for 8 songs and listened to ‘Sugar, We’re Going Down’ whilst walking off to 2^nd stage and they were absolutely brilliant. I wasn’t sure how they would go down at Download being a more “emo-scene” rock band but they definitely brought their A-game, and a lot of fire! As soon as opener ‘The Phoenix’ blasted out of the speakers it was clear that FOB were deserving of their sub-headline slot and they  never looked back after that. They went over really well with the sizeable crowd they drew and I wish I could’ve stayed for the entirety of their set. However, I couldn’t miss the opportunity of seeing Twisted Sister and so I headed off to catch the remainder of them.

Twisted Sister – Z – 10 – I arrived at second stage at the end of ‘You Can’t Stop Rock’n’Roll’ and managed to get into the front section. It seems that the festival was a lot quieter this year, not that I’m complaining! So my first full taste of Twisted Sister live was iconic ‘Shoot Em Down’, for a band that has existed since 1972 in varying lineups, these guys have so much energy and presence it puts some newer bands to shame. Guitarist Eddie Ojeda had the crowd in the palm of his hand when he spoke about the festival organisers putting them on the ‘lesser’ stage again. And that we had to be so loud, the people listening to FOB would realise their mistake at not seeing Twisted Sister. Enter the intro to ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’ and the crowd really did go mental for it. Dee led a sing-a-long throughout and it was crazy good fun. Into the opening bars of ‘Burn In Hell’ a DHL plane came into land at nearby East Midlands Airport. This stopped Dee in his tracks, “is that normal?! I’m having 9/11 flashbacks! They should put a sign up by the stage!” after much laughter Dee then had a lightbulb moment, “oh no! I have to sing Burn In Hell after talking about 9/11!” However, this small disturbance didn’t stop the band from tearing through the song with ferocious tenacity. This brought us to the final song of the set, rock anthem ‘I Wanna Rock’, to say this was fun would be understatement of the century! The entire crowd answered Dee's call with an almighty “ROCK!” The band then tested the reaction to “I Wanna Fuck”, to say the ground shook with the crowds response is not far off what happened! That had to be the loudest I have ever heard a crowd! As I left the 2^nd stage the band came back out to play a cover of Motorheads’ ‘Born To Raise Hell’ which would’ve been cool to stay and see but I’d already walked away.

Heading around towards the smaller stages I saw the last couple of songs from Malevolence – R – 7 – They sounded pretty good, will have to keep an eye out if they do their own shows around this way.

Ginger Wildheart (acoustic) – J – 9 – My sub-headliner for the Saturday was an acoustic set from The Wildhearts frontman Ginger. Really enjoyed this and wanted to give it a 10 but something just wasn’t there to make it a perfect set. When I saw him play acoustic at Camden Rocks the set was filled with Wildhearts songs which had already been played an hour previous at Download and so I was expecting it to be more Ginger solo orientated, seeing as he now has 5 albums from which to choose from. But instead he just played a different selection of Wildhearts songs, which I was fine with. Chris Catalyst (of Eureka Machines) accompanied him on acoustic, although sat out of the first song when he broke his guitar after the first verse! And Random Jon Poole added his acoustic bass to the show. Some great banter from the enigmatic frontman helped this fun and lively set turn into a mass sing-a-long from the sizeable crowd he drew. I always enjoy watching Ginger, solo or with The Wildhearts, and am really looking forward to his Birthday Bash later in the year.

Before taking a spot for the day’s headliner, The Howling – R – 8 – started playing in the tent and so I was able to stand and catch the first 2 songs they played. After seeing them support Volbeat earlier this year I was surprised at how much better they sounded. Everything seemed cleaner and more mature in musical terms as well as the band's stage presence. These guys could well start making a big name for themselves.

Linkin Park – M – 10 – Hybrid Theory was the first real alternative album I ever bought and so is a major part of the reason I am now a metalhead/rock fan/grunger or whatever terms people nowadays use. So when it was announced that half of this set would be that album in full I was delighted, just hoping that the band would be on form. They started with a video saying how excited they were to be playing the album which included the intro to ‘Papercut’ (first song on the album.) I really thought they would then kick into the song as a great way to begin and was a bit annoyed when the video continued. When the band finally did take the stage they blew me away. They were absolutely fantastic and I think that is the first time I have sung along with every word of every song. Having listened to the album a few times before the festival I still forgot that every track is an absolute belter, some of which haven’t been played live since the early 2000s and a full debut of ‘Cure For The Itch’. Mike Shinoda and Chester Benningtons’ vocal were nigh on perfect and they looked extremely happy and comfortable on stage. Shinoda adorned a bright red wig for ’Papercut’ as that was the colour of his hair when the single was released. At the end of the album play-through Mike Shinoda said, ‘if this was 2001 we’d be done, we’d have nothing else.’ I had decided before the festival to leave after Hybrid Theory as, other than Meteora, I’m not a huge fan of their other work, so this was my cue to leave. Looking back on the setlist I’m happy with that decision. It was a great way to end the Saturday and I’m glad that Linkin Park were so good for the first time seeing a band that helped shape my musical tastes.

Band of the day – Linkin Park, no contest. Great fun and even now I can’t stop smiling thinking about great a time I had.

Surprise of the day – Dying Fetus, a Twitter campaign that gained motion and got them booked and they were really good. Well played Dying Fetus.


Sunday

And so we reached the final day of Download 2014, this would be a day with a lot of moving between stages and catching half sets here and there.

Red Dragon Cartel – M – 7 – A decent start to the day with some classic rock. Being an ex-guitarist for Ozzy Osborne, Jake E Lee and his new band threw in a couple of cover songs, closing with Bark At The Moon which was pretty cool.

Kill Devil Hill – Z – 6 – Wasn’t really sure what to expect from Vinny Appices’ supergroup but they were pretty good. It had started to drizzle during the set and my mind was torn between listening to the band and wondering how heavy the rain was going to get (turns out, not very) So I found myself not paying attention at times, hence the lower score. I’m also annoyed with myself as, after leaving the set early, Phil Anselmo came on stage to perform a cover of Panteras ‘Mouth For War’ which would’ve been ace to see.

Heading across the arena I stopped to see the end of Winger – M – 5 – expecting them to close on ‘Seventeen’, when they didn’t they got an average score of 5 seeing as they weren’t bad and I only saw 2 and a bit songs.

The Graveltones – P - 8 – It had taken 2 and a half days for me to venture to the right side of the arena and into the Pepsi Max tent but my first taste of it in 2014 was a good one. In 2013, the sound in the tent was ridiculously loud and therefore I spent most of my time there listening from outside which takes away from the performance. Immediately when arriving at the stage it was obvious that these issues had been sorted and the sound was excellent inside the tent. As were The Graveltones, it’s amazing how much noise can be made by just two people but it was extremely enjoyable and makes up for missing them at Camden Rocks.

Buckcherry – M – 7 – Good band, good songs, good atmosphere. The band has since stated that it wasn’t their best performance but I certainly enjoyed it. The partial cover of AC/DCs ‘Big Balls’ was dedicated to Father’s Day, seeing as that coincided with the Sunday of Download. Set closer ‘Crazy Bitch’ went over as well as it always does.

Thy Art Is Murder – P – 3 – Went back to the Pepsi Max tent and sat outside whilst TAIM finished their set. In hindsight I wish I’d been anywhere else. It sounded terrible. Apparently I am not a fan of the ‘deathcore’ genre! And after looking through a list of bands noted as deathcore, that opinion hasn’t changed. Fair play to them but it’s just not for me.

Feed The Rhino – P – 9 – What an incredible set from these guys, furious energy pounding out some fantastic tunes. They seemed to draw a bigger crowd than they expected but it didn’t faze them at all. Lead singer Lee Tobin spent as much time in the crowd and the pits as he did bouncing around the stage in total control of his audience. This is a band that could become huge very easily and I expect to see them on larger stages in the not too distant future.

Nipping out of the tent to fill up the water bottle I caught Richie Sambora playing ‘Wanted Dead Or Alive’ on main stage. Purely for seeing this song live he scores a 7.

The Treatment – P – 10 – Tremendous set from a band that had impressed me when they supported Airbourne early this year. Powerful rock’n’roll erupted from the stage and didn’t let up for the entire 30 minute slot. The one thing I would’ve changed with their set list would’ve been swapping the last 2 songs around and closing with ‘I Bleed Rock’n’Roll’ so as to put a stamp on the set. But that’s just me and I’m not in the band so never mind.

Sepultura – Z – 6 - Having seen Sepultura before, I was looking forward to this set and was left rather disappointed. I think with the fact they only had a half hour set I was expecting them to run out all the major songs, only getting ‘Roots Bloody Roots’ to finish with just seemed a bit of a let-down personally. The band, as always, were good at what they do and Derrick Greens’ voice was flawless as usual. I really do think that I had built an expectation of the set and then felt bored when it didn’t turn out how I was expecting. Derrick introduced a song by saying “there are a lot of people out there who only talk shit, we are Sepultura”, I was wondering where he was going with the statement until they broke into ‘Propaganda’, then everything made more sense. I had the same giggle as I always do during ‘Rattamahatta’……hehe rattamahatta. I did think they would say something about the World Cup currently taking place in Brazil (the band's birthplace) and the protests surrounding it but I guess that may just have been me.

Sabaton – Z – 7 – I’d been quite fortunate with clashes this year, Sabaton vs. Volbeat was a nasty one though. Add to that the fact that the (not so) secret band in the tent had been confirmed as Black Stone Cherry and it offered up a nasty 3-way clash. I had decided that I wouldn’t be seeing BSC (or whoever was the secret band, wink wink nudge) before the festival as I saw them in a small venue in February and will be seeing them again in November. This left the original Sabaton or Volbeat decision, Sabaton were in the lead being as I’d never seen them but Volbeat are one of my favourites. Cue the usual flurry of tour announcements as festival season kicks in, and Volbeat were announced to play Portsmouth before the festival started. So the decision was simple, I’d be seeing Sabaton at Download. Unfortunately, Volbeat started on the main stage whilst I was waiting at 2^nd and it just planted that seed in the mind that I could be seeing Volbeat right now. I stuck with the Sabaton decision and was glad I did. They came on stage and blasted through the superb ‘Ghost Division’ and ‘To Hell And Back’, which were two songs that I particularly wanted to see. The crowd really got into them and a sea of horns were relentlessly being thrown towards the stage throughout both tracks. It was then that my subconscious took over and I left 2^nd to walk to main and the draw of Volbeat. I’m glad I have seen Sabaton and would gladly do so again, preferably when there isn’t somewhere else I’d also like to be. It wouldn’t surprise me to see them in higher positions at future festivals on these shores.

Volbeat – M – 9 – Heading round to Volbeat during the set meant taking a spot further back from the stage than I would’ve liked and I think this is what took something away from the set. Musically, they sounded brilliant and I can’t fault Michael Poulsens’ vocals, but it wasn’t quite enough to be able to give them the top score.  The other annoying thing about arriving late was that I turned up just after they had played ‘Lola Montez’ which is a personal favourite of mine. I liked the stage they had brought with them; it seemed simple but effective and gave the eye something else to take in. When they headlined Wacken in 2012 they proved that they are more than capable of making that spot their own, hopefully they will continue to get bigger in this country and carry on their rise up the line-up. I have now bought a ticket for their local show and am ridiculously excited about that.

Memphis May Fire – P – 5 – Back at the Pepsi Max tent and took a seat outside whilst these guys played out their set. They didn’t sound bad and had I been inside I reckon I would’ve enjoyed it, but it did enough to just sit down and listen to.

Against Me! – P – 10 – Wow! What an absolutely incredible set from this band. They drew a sizeable crowd and didn’t disappoint. This was punk rock as it should be; fast, bouncey and in your face. There wasn’t a lot of crowd interaction between songs but for this set that didn’t matter. Against Me! smashed through their songs and managed to fit 10 into the small half hour set, which certainly gave a good account of the calibre of their music. I left the tent wanting more, which I suppose is the desire of musicians and bands and hope that they will come back and tour over here.

Once again making the trek across the arena I had the unfortunate opportunity to see Steel Panther who were still on main at the time and getting 3 girls to make out on stage, because that’s just what they do. I saw their set closer ‘Death To All But Metal’ however, this year they didn’t bring out Corey Taylor for his vocals so they will get a mid-range 5. I really do see them going from strength to strength very quickly and shooting up festival line-ups, they are possible future headliners if the joke doesn’t wear off before then (it wore off for me about a month after their first album), but we shall see.

Seether – Z – 7 – Having seen Seether before and being disappointed with them, I gave them a chance to prove that I saw them on a bad day. Catching the last few songs at Download did prove that, they sounded really good and it would’ve been great to have been able to see more of them. ‘Fake It’ and ‘Remedy’ are two classic songs and seemed to get a great reaction from the crowd at the front of the stage.

The Pretty Reckless – Z – 5 – I was totally disappointed in this set and band. One of the bands I was looking forward to seeing before the festival and it was absolutely dreadful. The only reason they get a 5 is because I managed to see ‘Heaven Knows’, but I certainly won’t be rushing to see them again. At times it was like watching a Black Label Society show with how long and drawn out the guitar solos were. Taylor Momsens’ mic was too loud. And it was utterly boring. I was always going to be leaving early to head over to the tent, I just wish I’d done so earlier and been able to watch some of Alter Bridges’ sub-headline set.

The Used – P – 9 – Well, this was awesome, I really wasn’t expecting them to be as good as they were. I wasn’t sure if the large crowd was partly because Dillinger Escape Plan were headlining the tent, but it appeared that they loved every minute of The Used regardless. Apart from two songs showcasing the new album they didn’t play anything post-2007, which was when I was really into them, so that helped my enjoyment. In saying that, the new songs sounded damn good, ‘Revolution’ especially. The band were so appreciative of the fans and especially with how vocal they were.  Their style of hardcore-alt rock was a great way to begin the end of the festival and I would happily have had them as my final headliner. Except there was one more band to go before bidding farewell to Download 2014.

Aerosmith – M – 10 – One of those classic rock bands that adorn so many 'must see' band lists is Aerosmith. I did have trepidations before they started in the fact that a band that has been going for 44 years always carries the possibility of being poor live; Can a 66 year old hit every note like he could back in the day? Can the drummer keep the pace? Will the guitarists still be able to shred through solos like they’re taking a stroll through the park? Aerosmith answered those questions and more with a resounding hell yeah we can! So much so, I think I would have to say that they are the best band I have seen at Download over the last 3 years I have attended. Not to take anything away from the others, Aerosmith were just that damn good. The whole set was completely perfect in every sense. The setlist was incredible with all the big hitters there, lacking ‘Back In The Saddle’ but that can be my only gripe which is smothered by how much amazingness was included. The entire crowd singing along to ‘I Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing’, which has been one of my favourite songs since the film Armageddon was released, was a pure highlight for me. Seeing Joe Perry sing ‘Freedom Fighter’ was awesome and showed how much depth this band still has. After making my way to the back of the arena during the intermission I saw the encore of ‘Dream On’ &‘Sweet Emotion’ before leaving the festival site, and since learning that they also played ‘Mama Kin’. But I think I had definitely seen enough by this point to be stupidly happy on the way home.

Band of the day – Aerosmith, it had to be. Nothing compared to them across the whole festival.

Surprise of the day – Against Me!, full on, heart racing punk rock at it’s best.


And so we came to the end of this years’ festival and I have to say it may have been the best time I’ve had at a festival so far. Whether it was the decent weather, how well it was organised this year, the fact that it was quieter and so seemed more accessible, I don’t know. But Download 2014 will always be remembered for the ace time that was had.

I said at the end of last years’ review that I wouldn’t be attending any festivals in 2014, a quote that didn’t hold well. However, next year is all about the rugby world cup in England and attending as many games as possible so I may do some day tickets if the line up really calls to me but won’t be attending any full weekend festivals in 2015.
Many thanks for reading; I’m sorry you can’t get that time back.

Download 2013 Review - Knots, Iron and Fire.

After last years festival I doubted that Download could pull off a lineup that would be anywhere near as good as 2012. I was wrong. Although it wasn't as star studded as I would have liked, there was more than enough to keep me entertained. Including some bands that moved my music taste in a more alternative direction.

This year myself and friends decided to stay in a hotel. The weather at Download and Wacken last year really put me off camping again.
So on Thursday morning I left Portsmouth via coach to London and then got the train onto Derby. Only one issue with the travel was when going to board the train. Myself and a friend had booked through Megabus. His ticket said he had to check in 15 minutes prior to departure, mine didn't. He asked the steward on the gate who said not to worry about it and just head to the platform. As I went to go through the guy said 'You need to join that queue and get your ticket stamped'. This confused the hell out of me but as I only had to wait for a few minutes it didn't make much difference.
Now, most people will print out instructions and the like when they travel somewhere new. Me, being a smart man, decided not to print out directions to the hotel. And apparently my phone decided to agree with my idiocy by not allowing maps to load whilst outside the station. I knew it was in the general direction of Pride Park stadium and then opposite in the middle of an industrial estate looking area. As we kept getting closer to the stadium I couldn't see a road to take me parallel to it and ended up on the corner of the stadium. Now, research prior to leaving told me it was around a 26 minute walk from station to hotel and it had only taken us about 7 minutes to get this far, so I assumed it was still a fair distance from here. As I looked down the road the Travelodge sign was in sight. Slightly shocked but by no means disappointed by this, we walked the last couple of minutes and checked in.
The remainder of Thursday was spent drinking beer and watching TV (more entertaining than people shouting butt-scratcher). Now, I was happy with the decision to stay in a hotel however there were two issues with  this
1) I couldn't attend the Download Forums Boardie BBQ, which was a shame that I couldn't meet some awesome people.
2) I really wasn't excited at this time, normally you pitch your tent and you're at the festival and buzzing. Sat in a hotel doesn't quite have the same feeling. But, it would soon be festival times and all would be well.

Key: Bands will be set out as Band - Stage - Rating. All ratings are out of 10.

Friday
The shuttle bus drop off area is nowhere near where I was expecting it to be and so a fair walk is needed to reach the arena entrance. I had hoped to be getting a wristband even though I wasn't camping. So I was a little disappointed when there was no ticket booths in which to exchange my ticket. We queued in the weekend line and got to the front very quickly, only to be told that we need to get a wristband. I asked where from and was told back at the main entrance. So after trudging all the way back and once again seeing nowhere in which to do this I asked a steward, who told me and I quote 'for fucks sake, I wish they'd stop doing this. Go back and tell them you're not camping. If they still won't sort you out ask to see a supervisor'. Pretty straight up directions there so after walking back to the arena entrance and going to a different gate we got told that arena only wristbands were from a queue around the corner. As annoyed as I was that I was now going to have to go somewhere else again, at least this time I was told the correct location. Finally getting the wristband and getting into the festival I could relax.
The weather hadn't been too bad. However, there was some heavy rain before the first band and this already put a slight dampener (sorry) on my mood. But it was time for music so here we go.

Monster Truck - Zippo - 7 - A very enjoyable band to kick off the festival. They were a late addition after another band had to pull out and I'm glad I checked them out. It was their first time playing in the UK and they weren't phased by it at all. They are an out and out rock band and played a decent 20 minute set to open the music for me.

On the way to the next band I walked past Rise To Remain, they sounded pretty good and added another band to the list that I have seen.

Free Fall - Red Bull - 6 - These guys were good at what they do and their score may have been higher if I knew much of their music. This was the first time I had been in the Red Bull tent and I like the atmosphere in there.

Strolling past the Jagermeister Acoustic stage I heard Avosetta playing. My thoughts on them were 'they play good music to walk to'. Other than that I can't say much about them
Continuing the walk back to second stage I unfortunately, caught some of the Architects. So I started singing in my head to try and block it out.

Uriah Heep - Zippo - 6 - Same rating as Free Fall for pretty much the same reason. They are a decent old school rock band but not knowing much about them didn't help.

Papa Roach - Main - 9 - The first time I have seen a band that gave my tastes a push towards this genre of music and they really didn't disappoint. I was expecting them to be a bit flat and for the crowd only to respond to the major songs but I was so wrong. The energy they had was unbelievable and every song was belted out furiously. One thing I found this weekend, which started during this set, was I seem to forget that certain songs were done by a band. This happened during To Be Loved and Lifeline. I am glad I can now say I've seen them and the fact they are playing Portsmouth later in the year may cause me to part with some money.

Europe - Zippo - 8 - First major clash of the weekend was Europe v Down. I planned on seeing Down all the way up until the Wednesday before Download, reason being I hadn't seen them before. That was until my brain reminded me that I hadn't seen Europe either, so they won. And I'm glad they did. Europe were awesome. Hearing the classics Rock the Night and Final Countdown was superb. Joey Tempest said exactly what was on everyone's mind 'We're here finally! Last year sucked but we're so glad to see you all here with us now'. These guys had released 3 albums by the time I was born and yet still had the energy and charisma to deliver a blinding set.

Volbeat - Zippo - 10 -  Excuse me whilst I put myself through a table for ever having the notion to miss this band. Second clash of the festival and one that will live in infamy, Volbeat v Korn. I know this clash really did split most of the Download goers in half. Volbeat were simply amazing. This was the third time I've seen them and the third time I haven't stopped singing and nodding my head throughout the entire set. I've already decided to get a ticket for their tour later this year and I really must recommend you do the same. Pure rock'n'roll blasting from the stage from start to finish. Including a cover of Breaking the Law and Raining Blood (in tribute to the late, great Jeff Hanneman) which I didn't expect them to play during this short set. I was a little disappointed not to hear Cape Of Our Hero from the new album but as i will see them on their tour I'm sure it will happen then. These guys know how to rock and smile from ear to ear whilst doing it. This is the first time I have seen them with new guitarist Rob Caggiano and he fits in perfectly. I cannot wait to see Volbeat again and can only see them rising up the Download bill in the future.

I did take a quick stroll over to Main stage to catch some Korn as I haven't seen them before and as with Papa Roach, they were a pioneer into my changing music taste. I managed to catch set closer Freak on a Leash and the band sounded brilliant. Hopefully I can see them again and spend more time listening to them but I will never regret the decision to see Volbeat instead.

3 Doors Down - Zippo - 6 - After seeing these guys in Manchester I decided to check them out again during the gap before BFMV on main. What a disappointment. They just really didn't deliver for me, hearing the classics again was nice but I just couldn't get into them. They threw in a cover of Megadeths Symphony of Destruction which was cool, but I'm still not sure why they did it. Seeing as I'd had that song in my head for the previous week maybe it was a premonition! One strange thing I noticed this weekend is bands were cutting their sets short for some reason. 3DD did this and it's another reason they score low.

Bullet For My Valentine - Main - 6 - So I moved over to see these guys earlier than planned but stayed at the top of the hill as I was going straight back to 2nd. This is one reason that I didn't give BFMV a high rating. The other reason is I have tried to get into them, I really have but I just can't. They are good at what they do and if they can release a couple more good records then they could develop into a headliner but not for me thanks. They did have some awesome pyrotechnics though.

Gogol Bordello - Zippo - 6 - After a decent mid afternoon card the ratings have dropped off. Again, this score isn't against the performance but more for the fact that I was stood way off to the side and my mind kept wandering from the music. It also didn't help that every song sounded the same. I'm sure if I'd been more central and in the crowd I would've enjoyed it more.

Black Stone Cherry - Zippo - 10 - I first saw BSC in 2007 at a local venue, The Wedgewood Rooms (capacity 500). To now be seeing them headline the 2nd stage at arguably the biggest rock festival in the UK was simply stunning. These guys were so humble with this spot, their only UK show this year. They said that Download were going to take the slot away from then because they weren't touring or plugging a new album but they wanted to do it. And then to see a huge crowd singing with them in the rain justified their decision to come over. They played a new song from their new record which sounded awesome. When it came to 'Things My Father Said', lead singer Chris Robertson asked the crowd to sing it because not long ago a friend's father had died and that this was the longest he'd been away from his newborn son. Cue the band starting to play, the crowd singing and Chris having to wipe away the tears. I don't think he realises how many fans BSC really have. This was an awesome show and I'm glad they were my main headliner for the first day of the festival.

Slipknot - Main - 9 - Managed to catch the first 3 songs before heading over to BSC, and the final 3 songs afterwards. They sounded really tight and friends that were a lot closer than I was said they were very good. The only reason I haven't given a 10 is because I didn't see the whole set and I was far back both times I watched. You know a band are getting a mental reaction when the barrier breaks....twice. The energy these guys have is tremendous, all the way until they powered through finisher Surfacing.

So, Friday was a fairly decent day for music. It was a shame that the early evening bands weren't as high scoring as I would've hoped but never mind.

Saturday
A couple of friends had day tickets for the Saturday and as luck would have it, appeared on the shuttle bus I was on in the morning. So it was cool to have a catch up with them. I showed them where the day tickets queue was and then went into the arena for the next day of music.

UFO - Main - 7 - Great start to the day with some old rock. Another case of knowing more songs than you realise and are able to sing along to. I was hoping that they would cut Doctor Doctor from their set and then play it live later to open Maidens set. This wasn't to be but it was still an enjoyable opening set.

Heaven's Basement - Zippo - 8 -  I have finally managed to see Heaven's Basement! And they were really good, playing some heavy rock to make sure everyone was awake. They play such catchy tunes as well, thoroughly enjoyable band. The type of music you can just nod along to and hopefully I'll manage to catch them again soon.

Hardcore Superstar - Zippo - 7 - I was really looking forward to seeing these guys and although I wasn't disappointed, I felt something was missing. Maybe it's because I don't know a lot of their material or maybe it's that they don't work on an outside stage. Either way their score dropped slightly.

As I left second stage the rain decided that it wasn't heavy enough and so proceeded to hammer down. Anyone who has been to Download will know that it takes roughly 5 minutes to get over to 3rd stage and the safety of a tent. This was where I was headed for my next band, now slightly worried that everyone will have sought protection from the rain and I wouldn't be able to get in. However, by the time I had reached my destination, there wasn't a cloud in the sky and I was already starting to sweat in the sun! This year, Downloads weather really did epitomise the British summer.

Earthtone9 - Pepsi Max - 6 - I stood outside the tent for this set because a) there was no room inside and b) the sun was helping to dry out my trousers that were soaked through. I enjoyed what I heard and think that, had I been inside, they would have scored higher. I'd like to see them again so that I could have a better opinion.

Black Star Riders - Main - 9 - Who better to rock out on main stage than the new form of Thin Lizzy? Their own stuff is sounding really good and a lot more hard rock than the previous stuff released under the Lizzy name. It was great to hear the classic songs Boys Are Back In Town and Jailbreak. But they stole the show by playing Whiskey In The Jar, a song that I absolutely love and had such a fanboy moment when the opening bars erupted from the stage.

Katatonia - Zippo - 6 - I had a similar situation to Gogol Bordello during this band, my mind just kept wandering into space. I think this is due to the fact that I'm not a huge fan of Doom Metal. Saying that, I was impressed with their sound and will give them some more air time when listening to music. I did think that the lead singer was Cousin It from the Addams family until he moved the his hair from in front of his face. Plus, anything is better than Mastadon!

Karnivool - Zippo - 6 - I haven't listened to Prog Rock for a while now and I need to rectify that. Karnivool were really enjoyable . They got a much bigger crowd than I expected and I think more than the band expected as well. It was a nice set to just chill out with and let the feet have a bit of a rest.

Alice In Chains - Main - 8 - Again, I was stood quite far back for this set. But, I really enjoyed AIC more than I thought I would. It looks like William DuVall has really stepped up to the frontman role and is doing a fine job with it. They are another band that play songs that made me think, 'oh, didn't know this was by them'.

Managed to get back to 2nd stage in time to catch Lit's set closer My Own Worst Enemy, so I was happy about that.

Thunder - Zippo - 8 - How come all the great bands are from back in the day? A superb set from these guys. They just looked so happy to be playing and I'm glad I managed to see them. After the festival I was chatting to someone who's daughter used to fancy frontman Danny Bowes. And when seeing that he now has short cut grey hair asked, 'what happened to him?', the trials of getting old eh?

I then took a stroll across to 3rd stage and managed to catch Motorhead playing Ace of Spades and Overkill. This was cool as they are 2 of my favourite Motorhead songs.

Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats - Pepsi Max - 7 - Before entering the tent, I proposed having a smoke. We then moved back from the tent, and then a little further back and then a little bit more. The sound guys had obviously got pissed off with the rides blaring out music next to them and so turned the volume up. I ended up standing outside for the set and really enjoyed it. UA&TD sounded really tight and drew a fairly large crowd by the end of the set. They play psychedelic doom which is a pretty cool genre, truth be told!

Queens Of The Stone Age - Main - 9 - I saw QOTSA at Rock am Ring in 2008 and didn't overly enjoy it. Mainly due to it being 1am and being very tired. This time I was delighted at how great they were. Josh Homme is a fantastic frontman and looked much happier in himself. They ripped into their set with a ferocious tenacity that didn't let up until they left the stage. Classics No One Knows and Feel Good Hit Of The Summer mixed in well with stuff from the new album. I wouldn't be surprised to see them headlining festivals in the not too distant future.

Kvelertak - Pepsi Max - 8 - Again, this set was observed from outside the tent. And they didn't disappoint. It's the second time I've seen Kvelertak and the second time I have been left with my ears ringing. These Norwegian rockers really know what they are doing and if you haven't yet, go see them.

Iron Maiden - Main - 10 - Well, what do I say about Maiden? A lot of people have said they had sound problems, I only thought it was at the beginning with Bruce Dickinson's mic and once he had asked for it to be turned up everything was right with the set. To have a Spitfire flyover before you take to the stage was something truly incredible to see. And then for Maiden to rip through the Maiden England setlist was just truly special. They had headlined Donington back in 1988 and they played the Maiden England set back then too with the addition of Sanctuary and Wrathchild. Bruce acknowledged this the first time he addressed the crowd with, 'Hello Monsters of Rock 1988'. I really cannot fault Maiden from Saturday night, for me they were perfect. And that's without mentioning the stage show with Eddie and the interactive backdrops. Iron Maiden won't be able to go on forever but, based on this performance, the old rockers still have some life left in them yet.

Sunday
After a 20 minute delay opening the gates, with no explanation as to why, the final day of Download 2013 was to begin.

Sacred Mother Tongue - Main - 9 - And to kick it off with a huge score, SMT really shook out the cobwebs from the crowd. Such heavy riffs complimented with clean vocals. This was an incredible beginning to the day. I wish I had seen them before as the half-hour set didn't really do them justice.

Cancer Bats - Main - 10 - How I haven't seen CB before I have no idea. However, they did not disappoint. Frontman Liam Cromier looked extremely pleased to be up there after they had to be cancelled last year and they really ripped into their set. Solid anthems Bricks & Mortar and Sorceress were sent screaming from the stage. Add in a cover of Beastie Boys 'Sabotage' and finish the set in the crowd singing Hail Destroyer, and I don't think anyone there was standing still. These guys will only get bigger and I for one, can't wait.

Coal Chamber - Main - 9 - I think this was the most surprising set of the weekend. They were incredible. 40 minutes of searing riffs and screaming vocals. I have seen DevilDriver (frontman Dez Fafara's other band) a few times and so seeing him rap was quite odd indeed; however, he did it without falter. They really didn't look like a band that had only reformed less than 2 years ago. This is nu-metal at its best and they really know what they're doing. Hits Loco and Sway went down really well with the crowd and, after announcing a tour for later this year, I think a lot of new fans have been created.

Graveyard - Zippo - 6 -  I was a little disappointed with this band, but that was probably due to the first three sets of the day being that damn good! It was a decent showing of blues-infused rock and I found it to be more easy listening after the heavier sounds of Coal Chamber & Cancer Bats. But they are still a relatively new band so I will keep an eye on how things develop with them.

Masters Of Reality - Zippo - 8 - I really don't know how to categorise this band: they seem to be influenced by all sorts. That being said, they were a great band to see and listen to. They didn't get too much reaction from the small crowd they drew, due to clashing with Five Finger Death Punch. But, I think they were the perfect type of band to spend the early afternoon bobbing along too. A comical moment happened with lead singer Chris Goss saying 'we've got to fit 20 years of music into a half hour, guess you'll have to come to our show to hear the rest'.

Amon Amarth - Zippo - 7 - These guys had sound issues to begin with, they also came on late due to dragging the Viking ship stage with them. However, for the 4 songs they did manage to play, they were very good. Including a song that will be coming on their next album and that sounded awesome, so I'm really looking forward to that release. I saw them do a longer set at Wacken last year and they were brilliant then. They definitely seem like a band that will need a decent length set to play more of their material. But who can't love Viking Metal!!

Stone Sour - Main - 10 - Corey Taylor's second appearance at this year's Download was an absolute stormer. I really like this band and their mix of heavy and softer music. I was shocked that they played 4 songs from the new album House of Gold & Bones parts 1 and 2, but as that included Gone Sovereign and Absolute Zero, they can be forgiven. Corey got extremely emotional during Bother, the fans really have made this guy their God and even he seems to find it hard to accept this status. They've played a cover of Black Sabbaths 'Children of the Grave' at some of their shows but the fact they included it in this set was amazing. Giving tribute to bands, whom without there probably wouldn't be a metal scene today, is one thing that I really like to see bands do. And the fact that they really to pound this tune out well is just phenomenal. Set closer '30/30-150' was almost earth shaking! I'd like to see these guys bounce back from the underwhelming HoG&B albums and really throw all of their old sound back into the studio and return with records like Come What(ever) May again.

Red Fang - Pepsi Max - 7 - The volume in the tent still seemed to be at 15 so I took a seat on the grass and listened in the sun. This was some pure rock during the early evening. Although I think the weekend had caught up with me and I just felt wiped out. I'd like to catch them again to give a true reflection of them.

Newsted - Pepsi Max - 10 - What happens after you leave arguably one of the greatest metal bands on the planet? Answer: Start your own band who are pretty damn good! I was expecting a decent thrash band to keep me entertained, instead I heard one of the best sets of the weekend. And this was from a band formed just last December! The few songs they have written so far, with an album due out later this year, have some very catchy tunes with a superb blend of melody and percussion involved. And hearing Whiplash live was something special to add to it. Jason Newsted was overjoyed at the reaction the crowd gave him and if they keep this sort of level up then they could be returning on one of the bigger stages quite easily.

P.O.D. - Pepsi Max - 5 - I have never been more disappointed in seeing a band that I was so looking forward to. I thought the bass was way too high and distorted the vocals, nor were vocals as fresh as I was expecting. P.O.D were one of the bands that got me into alternative music and I can't say I have ever walked away from a performance as deflated with a band than I did on Sunday. I managed to stay until Youth of a Nation was played, and being just as disappointed with that I left the tent to catch a longer portion of the next band.
I have just heard on TeamRock Radio that they've had reports that P.O.D were a roaring success, shame I wasn't listening to the same thing they were!

On the way to 2nd stage I had to endure 30 Seconds To Mars. Now, I dislike them on record but it's bearable. Live.....well, they sounded truly and completely awful. I'm so glad I wasn't staying there as I really would've done myself an injury just to get away!

A Day To Remember - Zippo - 9 - I'm going to say it straight off the bat, these guys will headline festivals. They really are that good. They have been described as a fusion of  emo, hardcore and metal, and I can't disagree with that. They were a lot heavier than I expected but the huge crowd they drew loved every minute of it. Throwing inflatable balls and toilet paper into the crowd was such an awesome sight. The only part of the set I disagreed with was asking for crowd surfer surfers, crowd surfing is pretty dangerous on it's own without then asking someone else to stand on them. As expected the crowd obliged and I saw a lot of people at least attempting it and most people falling and disappearing into the crowd. Mild concussions and bruises aside, ADTR were truly awesome. And, with a headline tour coming up this year, the step up the festival lineups could happen quite soon.

LimpBizkit - Zippo - 9 - I guarantee this rating would be a 10 had I stayed for the entire set. They weren't even part of my Download plan until I watched the live stream from Rock am Ring. Limp really have turned a corner with their live performances and are now not a disappointment but rather a huge nu-metal force again (if you disregard the album Gold Cobra). Great entertainers playing what can now/soon will be called rock anthems. Stayed to hear Rollin', Nookie and Hot Dog, 3of my favourite Bizkit songs so I was incredibly happy. Also, Fred Durst is currently sporting a cracking beard.

Rammstein - Main - 10 - I'd like to start by saying that Rammstein outside loses something from their indoor show. Now that's out of the way, wow Rammstein were absolutely incredible! The setlist was mostly as to be expected with a shock addition of Wiener Blut, but using the majority of their back catalogue and using it well. The response to Du Hast was stunning, even to the band! I maintain that there will never be a better stage show than that of Rammstein. Everything they do fits in to the music and is just a sight to see. I enjoyed the piano version of Mein Herz Brennt, it was something different to the furious pace at which the band tear through their songs. At the end of the set, Till Lindemann thanked the crowd with 'we love you', this seemed 100% more emotional than previous times I have seen them. I doubt they will forget this date for a long time. There are huge rumours that the band will be calling it a day soon and if this is how they've signed off in the UK then no-one present will have bad memories from their time witnessing the Gods of fire and metal doing what only they do best.

And that concluded my Download Festival 2013. Bringing with it some awesome sets, some not so awesome sets and so much fire that Hell is probably empty right now.

I highly doubt I will do any festivals next year, bar a ridiculously unbelievable lineup. But for those who don't know, Download 2014 will take place on the weekend 13-15 June.

Many thanks for reading.

Summers - 364 Album Review

Summers are a rock band from Southampton, Hampshire, England.
They comprise of: Crash Summers - Lead Vocals, Ricky Summers - Bass & Vocals, Jason Sepala - Guitar & Vocals, Joedy Rose - Guitar & Vocals, Andy Pope - Drums & Vocals.
The band are influenced by the likes of Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, Thin Lizzy and Aerosmith, among others.
And have just released their début album '364'. Which is the reason I am writing this blog. So without further ado, here is my review of 364.

Shot In The Dark - A strong opening riff kicks off the album with a sense of things to come. Clean vocals take hold over melodic guitars and a dramatic drum track. The echoing vocals of 'Catch Me' certainly represent this catchy tune and it is a very positive opening song. The band have laid out their intentions to entertain and captivate their audience.

Superhero - After the first few seconds luring you into thinking this is going to be a slow ballad-esque song, the guitars rip open and the drums belt out. It's only the second song of the album and the band have a settled sound that is very pleasing to the ears. The lyrics are clean and have you singing along before you know it. Plus, any song that eludes that Batman is a whore has to be a winner! I really enjoy this style of rock; clean-cut, strong riffs and a fantastic blend of bridging from strong to soft.

Girls - No messing with the opening of this song, blasting straight out the speakers and not slowing down. It is foot tapping, head nodding, pure rock. The lyrics are well written and are greatly complimented by the melodic riffs from the guitars and an unrelenting drum beat.

And after a 5 minute break to try and get that chorus out of my head we can move on. Damn, that is a catchy song.

Too Late - A slower paced ballad breaks into the rapidness that this album has held during the first 3 songs. It shows the depth of change this band have already cultivated for themselves. A great sounding song that holds the attention and keeps that foot moving. Again the lyrics are so well penned they have you singing along in no time. My only gripe is that it seems to end abruptly. This is no bad thing but I was still singing along when the next song jumped in!

Sometimes - And jump in it certainly does. After the slowness of Too Late, this song fires straight up with belting drums and melodic guitars. The track bounces along nicely and with the style that this band has shown to enslave the ear from the offset. The ending sees the lyrics trailing off into a blend of riffing from the guitarists and the unrelenting drum beat which has worked so well throughout the album.

Steal Away - These guys really like to play with the listeners. Another song that opens with a relaxed tune, soon scares the pants off you when the amps are cranked up. This song is a salute to the masters of rock with a real fun rocking vibe. Once again, the lyrics are decidedly catchy and, soon enough, there is nothing you can do to stop yourself singing along.

Let's Make Love - Another song that showcases a differing sound the band have in their repertoire. Resonating guitar sounds blend over the top of the drums before the vocals drift into the melody. The song then picks up and rolls over the chorus with a brutal power. This is a superb contrast with the smoothness of the verses and the band have clearly worked the tempo change to perfection.

Billy - Speaking of changing tempo. Wow! 'Billy' shoots from the starting blocks and doesn't stop. This song flies along with fast paced guitars, quick lyrics and a drum track which makes me wonder if Andy Pope has more than 2 arms! This song is just 3 and a half minutes of pure energy flowing from the speakers. Summers seem to have picked up every rock sound available and nailed it as their own.

Let's Go Round - This could be re-titled 'Ode to Motley Crue'. Another great track which picks you up and ensures your head is nodding until its conclusion. This is a really enjoyable song that allows the guitarists to have some fun throwing solos around. I can't think of a time I sung so much during the first listen of an album! Some inspired lyric writing has taken place on this album and the audible entrapment of each song is amazing.

Told You So - A change of sound on this track shows the influence Bon Jovi has had on the band. Softer vocals on top of a hard rocking track. A fantastic guitar riff carries the flow and creates a melody bouncing off the hard hitting drums. Another bout of continuous foot tapping plays out through this high-spirited and playful tune.

Terminator - This song begins with a futuristic electronic sound before the ever present riffage and exuberant drums of this band kick in. The pace fastens into another energy fuelled track filled with guitar solos abound. I feel this song would be the perfect opener for a live set, with it's audio track building up whilst the band enter the stage and then they kick in as the lights go up. But that's just my opinion.

Rock Machine - And so we reach the final song of the album. Another audio track introduces the song and then the guys jump in feet first with a hard rocking tune. It's a really animated song that makes great use of the backing vocals to join it together. This is a real lively and energetic song to finish the album with. And it seems the guys may be looking to put a message across as to their future intentions with the lyrics 'Can't stop the rock machine'.


Summers could have just jumped straight out of the 80s music scene to bring a fresh new sound to the current rock fans. This is a superb album and I can see Summers becoming a huge hit with the fans of this music. Each song has a lot of energy and are well crafted. The lyrics have been well written and are unbelievably catchy.
 I apologise if this review has sounded bias towards the band but I have never enjoyed a first listen to a début album as I have with 364.
The album is available on iTunes, and I'm sure from other music selling places.

Many thanks for reading.

Wacken 2012 Review - 23 Years Harder : Faster : Louder

On Wednesday 1st August 2012, myself and Mike once again boarded a plane to take us to Germany. We left from Heathrow's Terminal 5, which is very nice although apparently it can take over 30 minutes to get to your gate if it is located in C section. But ours was in A, so that didn't bother us.

One helpful thing about returning to a foreign festival is that travel in that country is so much easier. So, we took the underground from the airport to the central station of Hamburg and then boarded the train to take us to Itzehoe. Once there we bought our shuttle bus tickets and were directed straight onto a waiting bus. This was turning out a lot easier than normal.

One small sidenote to make is that, before the festival we had kept an eye on weather forecasts and it wasn't looking too good. The reason for telling you this will become apparent later on.

The first difference to previous visits to Wacken happened once we were queueing to exchange our tickets. Normally, they would tear the barcode off and give you your wristband. This time, however, they scan your ticket and returned it to you. Then you walked to the side of the stall to exchange for the wristband. I don't know why they have added this ticket scanning but it didn't add more than 2 minutes to our waiting time so it didn't overly matter. Once we had our wristbands and  gift bags, we went to look for a spot to set up our tents. We went back to the area we had used the past two times we had been to Wacken and set up. By the time we'd got the tents up, we were sweating in the bright sunshine and temperatures that must have been pushing the high 20s.
So after a little chilling out time we ventured into the Village to grab our festival shirts, watch the football tournament and just have a general look around. We then headed to where the new tent and 3rd stage was located just to test how long it would take to walk from the arena to the tent and found it would be roughly 5 minutes to re-locate. Deciding against going into the tent we strolled back to watch the conclusion of the football tournament. After a stop at the local supermarket for water, orange juice and a sandwich, we spent the evening chatting and chilling out in the tents. A very calm and quiet start to the festival.

Stage Key: True Metal = TM, Black = B, Party = P, WET = W, Headbangers = H. (WET & Headbangers were both situated in the Bullhead City Circus Tent). All ratings out of 10, 10 being the best score a band can receive.
MB = Metal Battle (Battle of the bands) winner from that country.

Thursday

Awoke Thursday to some more glorious Wacken sunshine. We strolled to the Bullhead tent to watch the first bands of the festival. We planned to see the end of Russkajas' set but ended up getting there a little too late, wasn't the end of the world since neither of us were bothered about seeing them. We both knew that it was the biggest tent in Europe but the closer I got to it, it really wasn't that impressive. That was until we walked inside. Just wow! It was gigantic! With two decent sized bars, two Relentless bars and the two stages side by side.

Danko Jones (Spoken Word) - H - 7 - Lead singer of the band, Danko Jones, had an hour slot in which he spoke about KISS. Danko is a huge KISS fan and every year sends in a new character idea for the band. This was a very funny segment and the pictures of himself dressed as each character was very good. The only nag I had with this part was when he stated that he had never had a reply from the band. OK, so we now know you haven't had a reply, he then told us that after every one of the 20 times he has done it. That got on my nerves a bit. However, then he spoke about a cover up he has found, that drummer, The Cat, Peter Criss died in 1978. This was quite funny as he had amassed a lot of "evidence" on future albums and tours that the drummer had passed away and KISS were trying to cover it up. I found this to be a very enjoyable start to my festival, although maybe an hour was a bit too long to be talked at, still, a solid 7 for Danko as it was very funny and entertaining.

FaaneFjell - MB Norway - W - 5 - The first music of the festival was delivered courtesy of some viking metal. Never a bad way to start. They were good and very entertaining.

Dead By April - H - 8 - I was quite confused for this band, as they drew a fairly large crowd. I asked Mike where they were battle winners from to discover that they are an actual band and that the MB winners were only on the WET stage that day. Any band that can get a bunch of metallers to make hearts in the air with their hands is doing something right! They were a very good band, with 1 screamer and 1 singer. I really like acts that use both vocal styles and will definitely be keeping an eye out for these guys again.

Exuviated - MB Belgium - W - 5 - These death metallers were great at what they do. I just didn't overly enjoy it.

Wolli & Die Band Des Jahres - H - 6 - A German festival has German speaking and singing bands, who knew?! A great cover of Johnny Cash's Ring of Fire helped their cause as I understood what was happening during this song.

Hone Your Sense - MB Japan - W - 6 - Some melodic death metal followed and they were the first ever winners from Japan to play at Wacken. They were fairly enjoyable and looked very happy to be playing at the festival.

Skyline - B - 8 - This band played at last year's festival and were enjoyable then. I found them even better this time. Mainly because they played a cover of Rammstein's Engel. They were joined by Doro Pesch when they covered 2 of her songs, We are the Metalheads and Raise your Fists, these songs I find are like the anthems of Wacken.

Jim Breuer - TM - 7 - Didn't catch all of this comedian/singer's set, but what I did hear made me laugh a lot. He turned the children's song BINGO into a metal tune for the next generation of metalheads. He had help doing this from Ozzy Osborne (Black Sabbath), James Hetfield (Metallica), Angus Young (AC/DC) and Rob Halford (Judas Priest). Obviously these metal icons didn't join him on stage, instead he did fantastic impressions of each. This set was perfect for the Thursday afternoon after some fairly intense metal to begin the festival.

Sepultura & Les Tambours Du Bronx - B - 8 - We had made the decision to leave this set early as we saw them here last year and they were overlapping with a band that I really wanted to see. However, what we did see was fantastic as this year there was a difference...... 16 extra drummers on the stage, hitting metal drums and it fits in with Sepultura's sound perfectly. The songs they have written together are sounding very good and it would be great to see this combination again.

Winterstorm - W - 5 - Got into the tent a little bit early and caught the end of this band's set. They are the Metal Master winners for this years festival and sounded pretty good. The mid-range score reflects the fact that I only heard one song.

Amaranthe - H - 10 - 3 vocalists sounds very overkill on the small headbangers' stage but it works beautifully. 1 screamer, 1 male singer and a female singer. There were some sound issues at the start of the set but these were quickly sorted out and one of the main bands I was looking forward to seeing at the festival played an incredible set. They only have one album so were able to play a fair amount of them and it was just brilliant. I hope they release a new album soon and tour the UK.

U.D.O - TM - 9 - Got back into the arena to see this set. And I'm really glad I didn't miss it. Although not knowing many UDO or Accept (lead singer Udo Dirkschneider's first band) songs, the entire set was very enjoyable and it was great to see Doro out on stage again. An appearance by Mr Lordi, in full monster gear, was .......interesting.

Saxon - B - 10 - Just WOW! Saw them in May and they were amazing then. This set blew that clear from my mind. Saxon were simply, totally and completely on form. Most metal bands really enjoy playing at Wacken and for Saxon it just seems to be home for them. From the opening storm of Heavy Metal Thunder, all the way through to a medley of 747 and Princess of the Night (as they ran out of time to play them both in full), they were stunning. Biff Byford announced that when they retire, they will play their final show at Wacken. I need to be there for that! A drum solo saw Nigel Glockler's stage lifted into the air before the band came back out. At the beginning of the encore, the bassist, Nibbs Carter played along the crowd barrier on someone's shoulders. The whole set was awesome and it was obvious that the band thoroughly enjoyed themselves too.

Volbeat - TM - 10 - Michael Poulsen kept asking the crowd to 'bring the noise', but I think that is a more apt thing to help describe Volbeat's headlining set, they were phenomenal! I was so happy when these guys were announced to play on a Night To Remember, even though a lot of people didn't think they were the right choice. Personally, I think they proved those doubters wrong. They had special guests in the form of Barney from Napalm Death, Mille Petrova from Kreator & Michael Denner from Mercyful Fate. Showing that genre doesn't matter in metal, as long as you have a good time and enjoy the show. Volbeat blasted through a 20-song set and it would've been great to see them carry on for longer. For me, this was the perfect way to end the first full day of Wacken 2012.

Friday

Some more sunshine and high temperatures on Friday morning made the decision simple: shorts and trainers. We made our way into the arena slightly later than planned as the first band on that day weren't a major draw and so we decided to just catch some of it.

Betontod - P - 7 - They were a very enjoyable band to start the day with. Again, speaking very limited German, I didn't really know what was going on. However, seeing as they were quiet at times I could hear what was happening on the Black stage. The main reason we went to see Betontod, was so that we didn't have to see Endstille. I stick by that decision.

Sacred Reich - TM - 8 - This was a very enjoyable band and set. They haven't released a studio album since 1996 and yet all their old stuff was played as if they had just written it. They had a huge mosh pit and told everyone not to do a wall of death but instead a circle of life, before starting to sing the Lion King. And then a moment of unexpected genius, a cover of Black Sabbath's War Pigs. They have been playing a few live shows since they reformed in 2007 but it doesn't look likely that there will be a new album, which is a shame based on what I saw.

Oomph! - P - 10 - I saw these German Industrialist metallers at Rock AM Ring in 2008 and they were good then. This time, they all came out on stage dressed as sailors with the lead singer also plastered in Dark Knight-inspired Joker makeup. And blew away the sizeable crowd they had received. A lot of clapping and jumping throughout the set and Oomph! clearly enjoy what they do. The set ended with a mass singalong to Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life - that was very unexpected!

Kamelot - TM - 9 - Saw them at Wacken 08 with their previous vocalist. This time, the new singer seemed just as good. He was able to carry all the notes of the old songs and it was a great show. Some awesome pyro was used and they played my favourite Kamelot song, When The Lights Are Down. An awesome set from an awesome band.

However, during this set it began to rain. And continued to rain. And then the lightning (& thunder, I presume - the band was LOUD) started. And then the rain got ridiculously heavy. We found out after the festival that in half an hour, 50 litres per square metre had fallen! So, as you can understand, we were soaked to the bone. This made the decision quite easy, go back to the tent and dry off. Annoyingly it stopped raining the second we got to the tents. This was when I found that my tent wasn't as waterproof as I had hoped.
After drying out my tent and putting duct tape along every seam, we decided to chill out for a couple of hours. It was a shame to miss bands, who were: Overkill - Seen before; The BossHoss - No Idea; Coroner - Just to miss Opeth. So nothing too bad. Obviously it's always annoying to miss bands but after that amount of rain I was in a bad mood and wouldn't have enjoyed anything.

Hammerfall - TM - 8 - Went back into the arena in clean, dry clothes in time to see Hammerfall. The Swedish power metallers blasted through their 1 hour set in glorious sunshine and were a great band to see.
It was great to see that the Wacken crew were already starting to pump some of the standing water out of the arena but the mud had already claimed the ground and people had already started to wrestle in it. Why? I hear you ask. That is a good question! The Holy Ground of Wacken is a farm throughout the year when it isn't a festival site. So I wouldn't want to know what was in the under soil. Not only that, at festivals, people aren't the cleanest either. So rolling around/walking barefoot in this mud is clearly not a good idea!!

Dimmu Borgir & the Czech National Symphonic Orchestra - B - 10 - This was one of the main draws for Wacken 2012. Dimmu always put on incredible shows, including when I saw them in a 450 capacity room in November. But this was something else! This was truly superb! I know that metal can be fused with classical but surely Norwegian black metal would be a step too far? Not at all. The sounds blended perfectly and Dimmu seemed very grateful to the orchetra and choir for doing it with them. Even some of the orchestra had corpse paint on! This really was an incredible set and I'm glad the weather cleared up so that I could enjoy it.
We planned on seeing In Flames and Kobra & The Lotus after Dimmus set. But with the earlier weather, the facts we'd seen K&TL two months previous and that I am not a massive fan of In Flames, we decided to call it a night.

So, on day 3, some awesome bands and some awful weather! Here's hoping that the final day of bands would be truly special.

Saturday

I was awoken at 7am on Saturday morning by idiots riding round on quad bikes. After I had stuck my head outside of my tent I saw that it was the police that were making so much noise. And were, in fact, flattening the mud with their wheels and there was also a tractor following them to help compact the mud down. This was, in principle, a great idea. However, on Saturday morning it continued to rain on and off and by the time we went into the arena it was coming down fairly heavily. This meant that the Wacken staff were delaying letting people into the arena, presumably as they were laying hay and pumping the ground. So the first band we were seeing started 10 minutes late, this wasn't the end of the world, I'm just glad I didn't miss them.

Delain - B - 7 - I think it's safe to say that symphonic metal is my favourite of the genres. And Delain did not disappoint. A great set to start the final day even though we cut it short to see the next act we wanted to. One of the reasons they got a lower rating than I would usually have scored them was the fact it was still raining and I was in a fairly bad mood due to this.

Walking through the Wackinger village we walked past the small Wackinger stage and caught a little bit of Santiano's set. They seemed pretty good and made use of a digeridoo, which was cool to see.

Manticora - W - 6 - As we walked into the Bullhead tent we caught the last song from these Danish metallers. They sounded really good and if it hadn't been for Delain in the arena, I would probably have caught more of their set.

Henry Rollins - H - 10 - Saw this guy doing spoken word at Reading festival 2008 and he was extremely funny then. This time he was even better. He spoke about his childhood, emails he receives and his work for National Geographic. This was the perfect way to cheer me up and I haven't laughed so much in a long time. If you get the chance to see this guy, please do. He is fantastic at what he does and I hope I get the chance to see him again.

Napalm Death - B - 8 - After seeing Barney sing with Volbeat on Thursday I was really looking forward to this band and they didn't disappoint. Extreme metal in the sunshine really does blow away the cobwebs on the final day of a festival. I was glad they played their Dead Kennedy's cover of Nazi Punks Fuck Off, Wacken have a very firm metalheads against racism policy and it was a great song to send that message across.

Axel Rudi Pell - TM - 8 - I thought this band were German, they're not. I thought it was a random name, it's actually the name of their guitarist. Anyway, this was a good set and a very enjoyable melodic metal band to see. I did find myself becoming bored during some songs, however the solos were nigh on perfect and so they keep a high score.

Sick Of It All - P - 9 - The hardcore punkers from New York delivered a fantastic set and made the Party stage their own. An hour of their best songs and a great way to spend an evening. I think their own headline shows would be fantastic and hopefully they will tour with their new album later this year.

Testament - TM - 10 - I had opted to give Testament a rating of 9. But the more I think about their set, the more I think it was one of the best of the festival. They had a giant pit for the entirety of their time and blasted out all the songs I wanted them to play. Including Into The Pit, Practice What You Preach and Over The Wall all back to back. Testament ended their set in brutal fashion. They have been going since 1983 and they don't look like stopping anytime soon.
During their set they pulled down banners emblazoned with 'Free Randy', in association with the Lamb of God frontman's incarceration in a Czech jail with charges of manslaughter against him. When lead singer, Chuck Billy, returned to the stage he announced, "Randy is free", eliciting a giant cheer from the crowd. Turns out that on Friday August 2nd, a second appeal to bail Randy was granted and he is now back in his hometown in America.

Cradle Of Filth - B - 4 - A very generous 4 at that. The band are good at what they do and very entertaining. The growling vocals of Dani Filth and Caroline Campbell are very good. And then, unfortunately, there is the other thing that Dani Filth does that makes Cradle of Filth one of the worst bands I have ever had to endure. He produces a sound that would make dogs run for cover. This high pitched screeching sound that makes you wonder what has happened to his testicles that makes him want to torture everyone listening. Even just remembering it is giving me earache. And it's not like it would totally ruin the songs if it was the odd one dotted around the set, it's just that it's at the beginning, middle and end of every fucking song! So, for that, fuck you Dani Filth!

I really needed something epic and fun to repair the damage that awfulness had bestowed on me. And what better way than with Viking metal!

Amon Amarth - TM - 9 - One of the original announcements for this year's festival and one of the reasons for purchasing a ticket so early on. And they did not disappoint. The band looked really happy on stage and played a strong set. I really enjoy this band's music and am glad I have had the opportunity to see them.

Scorpions - B - 8 - It was great to see these guys on their farewell tour. But I felt there was something missing. I don't know what I expected from them but they just didn't seem to 'bring it'. However, what I saw was enjoyable and the instrumental with all the band members simply rocking out was awesome to see. They had some incredible pyro and a tv screen instead of a back drop that always makes live shows look more spectacular.
Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a cloud sandwich, in the middle of these two clouds there was a fairly constant flashing. I came up with 3 options to what this could be: 1) The lights from the Black and Party stage were being reflected between the two clouds; 2) The clouds were over the Trash of the Titans field which hosted fire and electricity shows, so this could be reflections from that; or 3) There was a massive thunderstorm on the way. Sure enough, four spotlights were directed skywards as one of the clouds slowly planted itself over the top of the arena and then began to throw sheets of rain down onto us festival goers. It wasn't even a light sprinkle that grew, it was literally as if someone had knocked over a bucket. We had decided not to see Ministry or Edguy in favour of a little extra sleep before travelling home the next day. But this change of weather made up my mind to not bother hanging around for Machine Head who I had seen just two months before. So we headed back to the tents when, rather annoyingly, it decided to stop raining. No matter though, I was able to hear the last three bands of the festival in between bouts of sleep. They sounded very good.

It was a shame to finish the festival like this but I still had a great time and saw some amazing bands.

Sunday

Awoke to warm sunshine once again, which was slightly annoying after the previous night's ending. But we packed up our stuff and made our way to the shuttle buses. The journey back to the airport seemed much easier and less busy this year. We had a 45 minute wait at Elmshorn which seemed unnecessary but still got to Hamburg airport six hours before our flight.
Something Mike took advantage of last year was the showers at the airport so I decided to copy that idea this time. Anyone who has been to a festival before will know how incredible the post festival shower is. And having it before you travel home is just completely glorious!
We then spent our time wandering the airport, using the internet room and buying a few presents. The flight home was simple enough (with a spectacular aerial view down onto the Olympic Park and the Shard) and then we had to get a bus from the plane to Heathrow's terminal 5. This isn't a problem but I was surprised that we weren't able to dock at the gate. After collecting our bags and meeting Mike's parents we set off for home.

That was when I discovered the awful and shocking news that there had been a death at this year's festival. It appears to have been a tragic accident but nonetheless upsetting. My thoughts and condolences go to the victim's family and friends.

The first band's announced for next year's festival are: Deep Purple, Anthrax, Nightwish, Sabaton, Arch Enemy, Doro - 30th anniversary show, Lingua Mortis feat. Rage, Amorphis & a special acoustic show and Subway To Sally.

And so that was my take on Wacken 2012. Thank you very much for reading.

DOWN10AD 2012 Review

This year I made the decision to head to Donington Park for my first ever Download festival. This decision came very late as I had previously planned to only go for the day on Saturday to see Metallica play the Black Album in full. However, the Download organisers built such an incredible lineup I had no choice but to attend for the full festival.
This was the 10th anniversary of Download and they pulled out all the stops to make it a special occasion. Unfortunately, the weather hadn't got the memo. But more on that later.

 So on Thursday 7th June, we packed up my little car and headed north. The drive up was uneventful and extremely easy. We had a laugh following an Audi who didn't know that indicators existed and then we noticed that the weather was getting progressively worse. We had heard that the camp sites were already like mudbaths from a friend who had travelled up on the Wednesday, but were hoping that we could get there, find a spot and pitch the tents before it started to rain, alas. We arrived at the entrance and saw that the South car park entrance was blocked off and cars were being directed down the road.  So we ended up in West car park on a lovely tarmac surface, this was the first win of the weekend. That win feeling lasted until we got off the shuttle bus outside the entrance to the site and ended up in ankle deep mud. Fortunately, we had put on our wellies after getting out of the car.

We got through the wristband exchange and then struggled through the village and camp sites until we found a patch to set up. After setting up, we were soaking wet and muddy so decided to chill in our tents for a couple of hours. Then we strolled to the village to buy blankets and towels as these were definitely needed during a typical British summer. The boardie takeover was happening Thursday night but with the weather and lack of energy after trudging through ankle deep mud we decided that we wouldn't go and just try to get some sleep before the festival truly began.

Key: Stages - Jim Marshall (Main Stage) - JM. Zippo Encore (2nd Stage) - Z. Pepsi Max (3rd Stage) - P. All ratings are out of 10.

Friday:

The arena opened at 12 with the first bands due on at 1pm. We were going to visit the Zippo stage first to catch Six Hour Sundown. However, once we got to the entrance there was an announcement that they were still tidying inside and that gates were delayed. This was contradicted by an electronic message board that said the arena would be shut until 2 as the ground conditions were unsafe. This prompted a lot of booing in the waiting crowd as the state of the camp sites must have been worse. A few people got on others shoulders and wrestled and asked for things to be thrown at them which helped provide some entertainment in the freezing cold wind and rain. We were finally let into the arena at 2 and I can't see what they had done as the ground was awful, a few grass patches amid the many bogs of mud. And there was no information regarding stage times or if bands had just been cancelled or moved to other times. This was quite poor of Download in my opinion as there were plenty of big screens that could just have stated that the early bands would not be performing. We headed to second stage to see if Six Hour Sundown were playing and to use the toilets after waiting around with no facilities nearby.

Red, White & Blues - Z - 6 -    We hadn't planned on seeing this band and didn't stand around to see them. But as we walked pass to go to the toilets and again as we went back towards main stage we caught a fair bit of their set. I really enjoyed them, they seemed to have a lot of energy for a band that were thrust into opening the festival and their rocky-blues sound was a great start to the festival.

Fear Factory - JM - 7 -    These guys won the Icon award at last nights Golden Gods and I can see why. They powered through their set and included classics such as Linchpin and Edgecrusher. If I get the chance to see them again I definitely will, they were a good band to really open my Download experience with. And it was great to see Dino Cazares back on the guitar with them.

After Fear Factory we wandered off in search of some warming food and ended up near second stage. As we queued we listened to the band that were playing and said we recognised them but couldn't think who it was. Until the backdrop was shown on the screen and it all fell into place.

Terrorvision - Z - 6 -    These served as great background music as I waited to get some food. They seemed to be very happy onstage and had drawn a fairly large crowd who were all bouncing around to the music. It was nice to see Terrorvision as I was happy that they got announced and didn't think I would get to see them. I was very impressed with the sound quality on second stage as the wind had picked up but it was still very audible from a distance away from the stage.

NOFX - JM - 6 -    I stood at the top of the hill for most of their set and was impressed at how good they still are. They played a great set and included some ummm "interesting" jokes in the middle. I'm glad I can now say I've seen NOFX as they were one of the bands that got me into punk.

We headed over to second stage a little early as I had seen the crowd for the next band there was, unsurprisingly, huge. Europe are a classic rock band that everyone wants to see as they can say they have seen The Final Countdown live. This, however, was not the case on Friday. Their set was due to start at 16.10 and last 40 minutes. By half 4 there was still no sign of the band and the crowd were beginning to get restless. This was followed by an announcement that they wouldn't be playing at all. Apparently a few people at the front were singing The Final Letdown at this point and rumours began as to why they hadn't shown up. The band released a statement on Facebook on Saturday which read like this:

"We're so gutted!
Not making the gig at Download 2012 happen.
A sincerely heartfelt apology to the people that came to see us at Download and ended up waiting in vain. We tried everything we could to get there in time but in the end it was beyond our control. We have now learned that there were perhaps up to 20000 people waiting in front of our stage at Download to check us out and that there was a massive reaction when the organisers announced Europe couldn't make it!!!! That makes this whole thing even harder to take! We had so been looking forward to this gig!

It started already early in the morning at the airport. Three band members were two hours late flying into Heathrow due to bad weather and backlog at Heathrow. Then we battled up towards Donington in the tourbus. More bad weather and severe traffic prevented us from making up the time necessary. We spent another two hours stuck in traffic. We asked for police escort or smaller cars to transport us the last bit, but they simply couldn't get to us.

In a last desperate effort as we we were getting close to the venue we sent our crew (running) by foot to the venue so they could start setting the gear up! as the tourbus couldn't move through the traffic close to the gig.

In the end we just couldn't make it. We were so close, that's why the organisers announced things so late from stage. However, the organisers at Download were cool and invited us to next years Download.

What a truly surreal and disappointing experience. But I guess shit happens and life goes on!"

So that explains why they didn't turn up. I am disappointed not to have seen them but as Joey said, shit happens.

We left the Zippo stage and went to get a decent spot at main for the next band who I was really looking forward to seeing, as I haven't done since 2006.

Billy Talent - JM - 8 -    I really like Billy Talent and this set was no exception. They played all my favourite songs and seemed really happy to be at Download. We found a spot of semi-grass to stand on to the left of the stage and had a great view and sound for the show. Halfway through their set, following Rusted from the Rain, Benjamin Kowalewicz said he was disappointed that their friends in Cancer Bats had been cancelled earlier due to the crap British weather and so were going to allow them to play during their set. So Cancer Bats walked on and played Hail Destroyer. I was very happy when this happened as I have never seen Cancer Bats before and have wanted to for a long time. I thought it was a magnificent gesture from Billy Talent and shows that music is family and not just entertainment.
Liam Cormier, lead singer of Cancer Bats said that they had been given a slot on 3rd stage to close out Friday night after missing the first slot that day. This was great news, although we weren't sure what time they'd play. But I'm not sure why Download couldn't have announced that so that people knew what was going on.
Billy Talent closed their set with Red Flag and then we went to go and see Skindred play an acoustic set on the small Jagermeister stage.

Well, that was the plan. But we couldn't get near the stage so had to abandon that plan. Then I saw one of those things that you can never unsee, also bringing back bad memories of Wacken 2008. And that is a girl squatting and doing her business. I know guys piss wherever just because they can but a girl doing it was very strange. Especially in broad daylight! Anyway, we hurried past that scene and took up a similar position to that we'd had for Billy Talent.

Machine Head - JM - 8 -    Fantastic live band that did not disappoint. I'm still surprised they didn't play Davidian but the set was still very enjoyable. And it was great to hear some songs off the new album, Unto The Locust. It was announced over the weekend that Machine Head will be headlining Bloodstock later this year. If they take the energy and stage presence of Friday to that, they will destroy it.

Opeth - Z - 5 -    We got to second stage a little earlier than planned and caught the end of these guys set, the final song to be exact. Now, the low rating for Opeth is by no means a bad thing against them musically. It's just that this is the 5th time I have seen them and I just cannot get into them. They still get a mid range rating seeing as they can play well and Mikael Åkerfeldt does have a good voice. But they just aren't for me I'm afraid. I used them more for filler music before the next band and so that I didn't have to watch the bloody 30 second Zippo video that played on a loop whilst no bands were on.

Nightwish - Z - 9 -    A Top 5 Band - Nightwish were amazing! The only reason they didn't get a full 10 rating was that they seemed to have some sound problems and it just felt like something was missing. That small gripe aside, they truly were brilliant. I wanted to catch their set at Download to decide if seeing them at their own show again is a good idea. Simply, yes, yes it is. Anettes voice was really on form. As were the entire band on their instrument of choice, especially during the long instrumentals they played. This included an impressive organ on the small stage. It was fantastic to hear some songs off of Imaginaerum, where Storytime is becoming a favourite of mine. They also paid tribute to the late, great Gary Moore by playing Over The Hills And Far Away. I got very annoyed at the guy in front of me as he spent the whole set moaning that Anette is too much like the old singer (that would be Tarja, buddy). And laughing when her sentence structure was a little off, perhaps because she's Swedish? Anyway, that guy was a dick. Nightwish were amazing and it has been announced that they will be playing in the UK later this year. That may just have to be attended.

We were going to pop into the Red Bull tent to see Gallows but decided against it as we knew it would be busy and getting back out to mainstage would be rather difficult. So, we found a decent spot at mainstage and awaited the first headliner of the festival.

The Prodigy - JM - 6 -    And waited we did. Turns out we could've seen Gallows as Prodigy decided that 9pm was too early for them to play. And made the crowd wait for a full half hour before taking to the stage. This was irritating as I wasn't overly fussed about seeing them and it was  seriously cold just standing around watching an empty stage. We had already decided to leave at 10, which meant we only saw 5 songs but they did include Omen and Poison so that's OK with me. I was amazed that security didn't seem to react when a flare was lit and a smoke grenade was thrown but who am I to worry about crowd safety.
Now, there are a few exits out of the arena, all highlighted by big electronic boards. What you're not told is that, apart from the main entrance/exit, these extra ones don't open until after the final band. It would make more sense if the boards read: 'Exit for camp site. Open at 22:45'. But after a not so fun trudge back through the mud we arrived back at our tents to enjoy a 5 minute beer in the cold before retiring to bed. I thoroughly enjoyed my first day of Download festival, minus the weather.

Saturday:

Woke up to a dry start to the day which is always nice. Unfortunately, our friend Paul had to go home as he was in a serious amount of pain and it would've been a lot worse if he has stayed. We struggled through the mud and into the village where we were met with an interesting sight,  hay. And a fair amount of it. Now, whilst waiting for the arena to open on the Friday, Mike had mentioned using hay or wood chips to combat the mud. Whether someone heard him I don't know but it was sure as hell easier to walk on.
No problems getting into the arena this time and so day 2 of mega loud live music was due to begin.

As I Lay Dying - JM - 8 -    After seeing AILD last year at Wacken, I knew they would put on a great show. And they really did. Tim Lambesis said that usually they don't go to sleep until late morning and so were still awake. There was definitely no tiredness as they powered through their set. This was a great way to start the day with a band who just seem to keep getting better.

Fozzy - Z - 8 -    I saw Chris Jerichos band at last years Soni and they were, once again, epic. If there's one thing you need to do in life, it's watch Chris Jericho headbang, it's amazing how he doesn't throw his back out everytime! That said he is a genius frontman and got everyone going on a chilly morning. Plus his vocals were spot on for the all too short set. I need to see Fozzy indoors as apparently it is an even greater show. Near the end of the set Jericho asked God for a personal favour for no more rain. And I think everyone in the audience prayed too!

Halestorm - Z - 8 -     Didn't know a thing about this band when they were announced but after having a listen on Spotify the decision was made to check them out. And what a great decision that was. I'll definitely be buying a ticket for their show in Portsmouth later this year. A fantastic hard rock 'n' roll set for Saturday morning. 'Lzzy' Hales vocals were clean and strong and the guitars were superb. Arejay Hale, drummer, kept everyone entertained by smashing the crap out of his kit. Standing on the snare, kicking over the hi-hat and just generally rocking out! Halestorm are a great live band who need to be seen if you get the chance.

Ginger Wildheart - Z - 8 -   I've wanted to see Ginger/The Wildhearts for a while now, so this set was a must see for me. I was hoping for a mix of old Wildheart songs and some from Gingers new 555% album, and that's what he played.  I was so happy to hear Very, Very Slow and Inglorious. It was a great set and he got  a decent crowd. the only problem was when Ginger was singing through a megaphone to start the set and the mic didn't pick it up. But nevertheless, a great set and I'm happy to have seen Ginger. Now just to await my signed copy of the new album.

Trivium - JM - 10 -    A Top 5 Band - Absolutely superb set from the Floridian metallers. Matt Heafys voice is still going strong on the screaming and singing parts. They're a band that admit that the UK really made them a force in music and thanked the crowd on more than one occasion. It's nice to know that bands appreciate the fans and play a set that makes you know you're getting what you paid for. During The Deceived, Matt said that in 2005 they had 7 circle pits and he wanted to equal that. He was rather astonished that he had lost count after seeing 10. At Wacken last year, I said that Trivium were amazing, this year was no different. This set was definitely one of the highlights of the weekend.

Gun - P - 8 -    We headed over to the 3rd stage for the first time of the weekend and waited outside for Gun to finish their set. What I heard from them impressed me a lot. And the reason their rating is so high is simply because their cover of Word Up was fantastic. That's all I have to say on those guys but it would be cool to see them at their own show one day.

Anti-Nowhere League - P - 9 -    We popped in the tent to see these punk rockers as a means to stay the hell away from Steel Panther on main stage. They were amazing! Punk is such a great genre of music and it was fantastic to hear So What by the original writers. It was strange as I didn't think I knew much by them but, as the set went on, I picked up on songs that I have heard and enjoyed in the past which made the set really enjoyable. For guys that have been doing this for 30+ years they showed they still had the energy and pleasure of playing for their fans.

A quick mention to Steel Panther who we heard the end of as we made our way from the tent to main stage. They played Death To All But Metal, that was cool. Right, back to the real music.

Tenacious D - JM - 7 -    When I saw them in 2008 they were brilliant. On Saturday, not so much. I don't know if it was because we were further back than I would've liked. Or if the sound quality wasn't great. But something was really lacking. The set was mainly made up of songs from the new album which was good as I hadn't heard any off it yet. And to see the giant 'Fenix' as the backdrop was.....a sight to behold. There was an odd moment when a guy in a green monster suit came onstage during Deth Starr and Kyle shot him with a Nerf gun. Still, it was a good set that was a little disappointing for me.

Kids In Glass Houses - Z - 6 -    We caught most of their set whilst waiting for the next band on. They weren't bad, they just weren't good either. I understand why they were booked for Download but it just didn't fit in with my music tastes. It was cool to see the lead singer, Aled Phillips, climbed into the crowd to sing the final song. As with Opeth, it was cool to add another band to list for the weekend but they were definitely only time fillers for me.

Skindred - Z - 10 -     A Top 5 Band - This time last year I had not seen Skindred, I have now seen them 3 times! And each time has been as good, if not better, than the last. They played all the classics and got everyone doing the Newport Helicopter, which is definitely a sight when the sun is shining on loads of people. Benji is an awesome frontman, getting the crowd involved the entire way through the set and it is great to see this band flying up the ranks in metal music.  After seeing this set and some videos on Youtube, I am really gutted to have missed their acoustic set on the Friday. A brilliant live band who will be reggae rocking for many years to come.

Biffy Clyro - JM - 6 -   Only saw one song as we got a spot for Saturdays headliner. They were pretty good and the song we saw was a favourite of mine, The Captain, so that was cool.

Metallica - JM - 10 -    A Top 5 Band - Saturdays headliner were those guys from Metallica, playing the Black Album in full. And owning Donington Park. Myself and Mike went to Paris in May to see this show and if it was un-fucking-believable then, it was absolutely sensational this time. Seeing 80K+ metalheads going mental is such an incredible scene and Metallica will keep making it happen. The Ecstasy Of Gold sent that, all to familiar, shiver up my spine and then 'Tallica exploded on stage with Hit The Lights. And the third song was a tour debut and made me smile from ear to ear, The Four Horsemen was belted out and it seemed like the entire crowd was taken aback at this choice. In a good way, of course. Hell And Back was played out fantastically just as it was in Paris. The band played through The Black Album and then returned for their encore of Battery and One. This took them upto 22:58 with Download having a strict curfew of 23:00. I presumed that this would be one of the most memorable Metallica sets with them being unable to finish with Seek & Destroy. This was not the case as James Hetfield announced that they would play one more song, to the pure delight of the metal fans still cheering. And to the horror of noise pollution officers for miles around. Once again Metallica proved that they are still a tremendous force in live music and will always put on incredible shows.

We spent the Saturday night and early Sunday morning chatting and drinking with our camp site neighbours. And Mike provided plenty of entertainment when he put his wellie boots on the wrong feet and trotted to the toilet and back. It's no wonder he's still in pain now!

Sunday:

And so the final day of music at Download 2012 was upon us. And on waking up, the heat was unbelievable! I thought it was just in the tent but when going outside there was this yellow globe in the sky in a sea of blue. Everyone around the camp seemed very confused at this event. However, it did mean that the mud had dried slightly and was easier under foot. So we made the final stroll into the arena, sweating but not from the struggle of the walk for once. The main entrance from the village to arena was shut so we had to walk out and around the site. This meant us passing the Queue for the shuttle bus to West car park. And yes Queue was meant to be capitalised! It was huge, so that wasn't going to be fun when we had to leave on the Monday morning. But oh well, there was a day of music ahead.

Kobra & The Lotus - Z - 7 -   I really enjoyed Kobras set. A good rock 'n' roll start to the morning and they will become much more mainstream with more coverage. They supported Judas Priest a couple of weeks ago and I am a bit gutted to have missed them based on this set. However, I have now seen them and enjoyed what they played.

Black Spiders - Z - 9 -    These guys are a fantastic live band. They like to get the audience involved whilst kicking the hangovers and tiredness to dust. It would have been nice to see them have a longer set, but seeing the brilliant KISS Tried To Kill Me is always a fun time. There were a lot of foam hands in the crowd with the middle finger raised which is fast becoming synonymous with this band. Black Spiders are another band who will keep going from strength to strength and I, for one, am very pleased about this.

We Are The Ocean - Z - 5 -    I was really looking forward to seeing this band and have done for a while. And I was extremely disappointed with what I saw. They have recently lost a band member but they just didn't seem good at all. Maybe they don't suit the outside stage but I hope it was just an off-day for them. We only stayed for three songs before moving off to get a spot at mainstage.

Kyuss Lives - JM - 8 -    Meant to see them at Wacken 2011 but ended up being too tired to walk across the arena to the stage they were playing on. I am really glad I made the decision to see them this time though. They played a fantastic set and had a large crowd moving along with their solid riffs and deafening beats. The new bassist Billy Cordell slid in easily to replace Nick Oliveri, who has once again left the band. A thoroughly enjoyable set and Kyuss really do Live(s).....Sorry.

Reckless Love - P - 6 -    Caught the end of their set from outside the tent as we waited for the next band. They seemed pretty good, a bit too Steel Panther-y for me. But still, a bit of fun on a sunny afternoon. Their song Hot is very catchy and if they weren't going for the schtick of 70s Glam Rock I think I would have been more favourable of them.

Edguy - P - 10 -    A Top 5 Band  -    I remember when Edguy were announced for Download and how much I ran around the house in pure happiness! And they really didn't disappoint. I only have one problem with their set and that's that it was only 30 minutes. Tobias said that, as it was a short set he wouldn't talk too much. Especially about Germany v England penalties, as he is a Bayern Munich fan (cue huge cheer from the crowd, most of whom probably weren't Chelsea fans but oh well). Hearing Superheroes again was brilliant. Edguy are an incredible band and I hope they tour here again.

Shadows Fall - P - 7 -    I sat outside the tent for this set and I'm pretty glad I did. It sounded insane! I don't remember Shadows Fall being that heavy but they did sound really good. The tent was fully packed for them and there were also a lot of people outside singing along. Shadows Fall are a massive force in metal music and, with a new album this year, they will be for a long time yet.

Black Label Society - JM - 6 -    It took us at least 5 minutes to walk from the Pepsi Max stage across to mainstage. That time was fully filled with a solo from Zakk Wylde. Don't get me wrong, a guitar being shredded to fuck is an awesome sight/listen. But BLS do it for too long and too often. I've never been a massive fan of this band and that opinion really didn't change after this set. Musically though I can't fault them so they get a run of the mill 6 rating.

Lamb Of God - JM - 9 -    Such a great band. I never get bored of seeing or hearing them. And apparently neither do any of the thousands who also saw them. The size of the circle pits scared me even though I was a good distance away! LoG played a strong set including all my favourite songs. They had so much energy from beginning to end. DevilDrivers drummer, John Boecklin joined them onstage to play guitar on the final song, Black Label.

Shinedown - Z - 8 -    This was a brilliant set from a brilliant band. They drew a huge crowd which was quite surprising as they clashed with Megadeth. But it didn't phase the Floridian rockers. They played a decent set and lead singer Brent Smith climbed into the crowd during Bully and let the crowd sing parts of the chorus. I always enjoy seeing this band live and will hope to do so again in the near future.

Refused - Z - 9 -    WOW! What a return! I really like Punk bands and Refused are one of the best, but this set was just incredible. From start to finish, the energy and furiousity they played with was unbelievable. Frontman Dennis Lyxzen said that he often looks at their lyrics and wonders if they can still sing them today. then decided that today they are more meaningful than ever. Anarchy reigned supreme for this set and Refused can certainly still pack a punch after saying they would never reform. They closed their set with New Noise which is such a fantastic song. Long live Punk.

Dropkick Murphys - Z - 9 -    Irish punk-folk-rock at it's very best. this was just such a fun set to be involved with. People were headbanging, skanking, singing, bouncing. Just anything you wanted to do was OK with Dropkicks. They played all their classic songs and even threw in a cover of AC/DCs TNT, which was particularly brilliant. If you haven't seen this band yet, you really need to.

I heard some of Soundgardens set as I waited for the others to get a spot for the main event of the weekend and I didn't understand what was happening. There seemed to be a guy meditating with shit guitars playing around him. I'm sure if you're a Soundgarden fan then it was great but I just didn't get it.

Anyway, the next and final band of the festival is what life is all about. They would be a top 5 band but that wouldn't be doing them justice.
A black curtain came down over the front of the stage and the crowd started to go nuts. And then from behind the curtain a familiar voice bellowed out "Hello Download, I can't hear you", this sent the noise to the heavens! A video played on the screen showing promo vids and shots from gigs throughout the bands history and riffs from the bands songs played.

Black Sabbath - JM - 10 -    They were unbelievable. Everything was spot on from the very beginning to the firework finale. Ozzys voice was near on perfect, which was great as I was a little worried after his performance at Wacken last year. Tony Iommis shredding seemed to come to him as easy as breathing. Geezer Butler shook the floor with every pluck of the bass. And Tommy Clufetos, in place of the missing Bill Ward, hit the skins as if he was a founding member of the band. Every single thing about the band and the set was incredible. Ozzy showed he still had skills when he pulled out the harmonica to play on The Wizard. Tony, Geezer & Tommy owned Donington whilst playing the instrumental Symptom Of The Universe. There was simply nothing at fault with Black Sabbath on Sunday and I can honestly say I feel privileged and still overwhelmed that I have seen them. Tony got such an incredible reaction and Ozzy made the show about him, even though Mr Iommi just took it in his stride as if chemotherapy is just a walk in the park! The set closed with Paranoid and the stage exploded in fireworks and lights. The band seemed so happy being back together and the new album is eagerly anticipated.

On the walk back to the tents I was pretty speechless. I seriously couldn't believe that I had just seen Sabbath! We decided to get an early night as we had the fun of packing/leaving and travelling to look forward to the next day.

Monday:

There was no more rain on Sunday night or early Monday morning so the ground had solidified even more. Unfortunately not evenly, so the walk with bags still wasn't the greatest of fun. However, we got out of the village and made our way to the shuttle bus queue. Which was much shorter than it had been the previous morning so that was handy. We got back to the car, loaded up and left the car park... By way of major fluke seeing as there were no signs or stewards, but nevermind. The drive home was marred by traffic and the awful weather that seemed to envelope us as soon as we were onto the motorway. But none of that mattered as I was focused on the post-festival shower!!

So that concluded my first Download festival experience.  And what an experience it was! Apart from the mud! I never want to see mud again! But that can't be helped. The Download organisers put together a fantastic lineup and I am happy with the bands I saw. I have memories that will last a lifetime and some bands to keep an eye on in the future.