Welcome to the first of three preview features for Download Festival 2015 where we’ll be taking you across all four stages and picking out the best bands to see. We’re kicking things off by looking at the Third and Fourth Stages, with them called The Maverick Stage and Jake’s Stage for the event this year. So without any further ado, time to get planning!
Andrew W.K.
Who’s ready to party? There won’t be a bigger party anywhere else all weekend than when Andrew W.K. hits the stage on the Saturday night, needless to say there will be some absolute scenes during Party Hard. He has perhaps been one of the most in demand requests from fans for years now, and finally in 2015 he’s going to bring the kind of lunacy and chaos unrivalled by any other artist on the line up. He’s right in the midst of ‘clash central’ on Saturday night, but even if you only ending up being able to pop by for a bit, it will be one of your performances of the weekend, we promise.
Top tracks: Party Hard, We Want Fun, Ready To Die
Andrew W.K. are headlining The Maverick Stage on Saturday at 7:55pm
Sylosis
Sylosis released one of the best albums of the year so far with Dormant Heart and have been impressing on the live circuit ever since. The Reading based unit have grown and grown in recent years and could very well make the kind of impression at this year’s event which will see them propel to the Main Stage sooner rather than later. They’re likely to fill out the tent, so get there early!
Top tracks: Leech, Mercy
Sylosis are playing The Maverick Stage on Friday at 5:45pm
Krokodil
Krokodil released an absolute blinder of an album in the latter part of last year and, again much like Sylosis; make an even bigger impression once they get on stage. The band are still very much in their infancy having made their debut at last year’s event, but with a line up consisting of members from Sikth, Gallows, Slipknot (COUGH) and Mr. Daniel P. Carter himself then you can see why they’re making strides quickly.
Top Tracks: Sun Riders, Reptilia Familiar, Shatter
Krokodil are playing The Maverick Stage on Friday at 1:55pm
Madball
The word ‘legends’ gets thrown around a lot, but whether you’re a fan of Hardcore or not you know full well that these guys are legends in that scene. Their most recent release Hardcore Lives contained tracks showing that this is not a band who are likely to slow down any time soon. The venom and aggression is still there in abundance and these veterans of the game will be no doubt giving it their all to show everyone how it is done.
Top Tracks: Set It Off, Pride
Madball are playing The Maverick Stage on Sunday at 5:15pm
Code Orange
Very much following on with the Hardcore trail of thought, Code Orange are a much younger band than Madball in the fact they only have two studio albums to their name, but live they bring a ruckus which would even have the veterans taken aback. Their album I Am King, released last year, received widespread critical acclaim and for good reason so expect a set based mainly around that.
Top Tracks: Dreams In Inertia, My World
Code Orange are playing The Maverick Stage on Sunday at 2pm
Evil Scarecrow
Evil Scarecrow fairly dub themselves “The finest Heavy Metal Band ever to write a song about a robot!”. That in itself should sell it, but for those who have no idea, Evil Scarecrow are a band who don’t take themselves too seriously and write tracks about robots, crabs and everything else in between. Their live sets have gone down very well at Bloodstock the last few years so it will be good to see them grace the hallowed Donington turf now as well.
Top Tracks: Robototron, Crabulon
God Damn
As we noted in our coverage of Camden Rocks, God Damn are a band who are beginning to gain more and more momentum in recent months. They opened for the Foo Fighters in Manchester and being one of the most hard working bands on the circuit at the moment has seen them receive positive press with every single show. The brother’s will be keen to make another big impression at Download this year.
Top Tracks: Heavy Money, Shoe Prints In The Dust, Horus
God Damn are playing Jake’s Stage on Friday at 1:50pm
Dub War
Dub War were a late addition to this year’s line up, replacing a slot in which a band had pulled out, but WHAT an addition. Dub War were Benji Webbe’s band before he joined Skindred and to say it is rare to see them playing shows these days would be an understatement. Much in the same vein as Skindred, Dub War mix a bit of Reggae with Metal and Punk to create a unique and brilliant sound. This could be one of the set’s of the weekend.
Top Tracks: Gorrit, Words Of Warning
Dub War are playing Jake’s Stage on Saturday at 5:40pm
Crobot
Part of the ever expanding and brilliant Nuclear Blast roster, Crobot bring a dose of the psychedelic to their breed of Rock and are firm favourites with us here at Room Thirteen. Their debut album Something Supernatural is again a record which has received widespread critical acclaim and having toured with the likes of Clutch, The Sword and Truckfighters you know you’re on to something special.
Top Tracks: Legend Of The Spaceborne Killer, Skull Of Geronimo, Nowhere To Hide
Crobot are playing Jake’s Stage on Saturday at 2:20pm
Suicidal Tendencies
Suicidal Tendencies formed just under 35 years ago and have inspired a whole host of bands across heavy music. Their intense breed of Thrash has caused for these veterans to have a hell of a cult following, many of which will no doubt be descending on Download come next weekend. With their set in the tight sweaty confines of the Fourth Stage it is pretty fair to expect scenes of complete carnage.
Top Tracks: Institutionalized, You Can’t Bring Me Down
Suicidal Tendencies are headlining Jake’s Stage on Sunday at 10:05pm
Beasts
Beasts are another impressive UK based band beginning to really make a name for themselves at the moment - and another band who you may have seen dotted around some of the smaller festivals this year. With this lot, they’re definitely a lot better live than on record, so if you check them out beforehand and you’re a bit 50/50 definitely get yourself down because they’re impressive.
Top Tracks: My Girl Is A Serpent
Beasts are playing Jake’s Stage on Sunday at 11:50am
The Ghost Inside
The Ghost Inside are a Metalcore band borne out of the influx in the early 2000’s. The fact they’re one of the bands still standing tall in 2015 says a lot, as they’ve been able to consistently deliver, live in particular, despite so many member changes. There is a lot of good Hardcore and Metalcore at Download this year, and The Ghost Inside are definitely amongst those. Big riffs.
Top Tracks: Chrono, The Great Unknown
The Ghost Inside are playing The Maverick Stage on Sunday at 6:25pm
Every Time I Die
Rounding this list off then are a band who again have ploughed through numerous line up changes to remain in good stead within the Heavy Music scene. They’re often dubbed ‘Metalcore’ but they definitely bring a far Punkier edge. Front man Keith Buckley is an enigma unto himself on stage, always delivering punishing shows. So again, if you’re after some chaotic riffs and all round madness you’ll do well going to the Every Time I Die show.
Top Tracks: Wanderlust, Thirst
Every Time I Die are playing The Maverick Stage on Saturday at 5:35pm
So there we have Part One of our three Download Festival previews this year. Plenty of top bands to get your teeth sunk into as you plan ahead for the biggest weekend on the Festival calendar. Keep your eye on the site for the next two previews!
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