5. Slipknot / Stone Sour
Where: Main Stage – Friday (Slipknot) / Main Stage – Sunday (Stone Sour)
It felt appropriate to group these two bands together as they are practically just as good as each other. Slipknot’s for those nu metal fans who love to windmill and Stone Sour is just an ounce more melodic. But seriously, fans of both will know what Corey Taylor’s like onstage. He always gets the crowd pumped and singing along – and he doesn’t do a half bad job himself. Prepare for madness.
FFO: Murderdolls, Biohazard, Pantera (I confess, I added those because I couldn’t think of any other bands the two sounded like, they are real unique after all)
4. 3 Doors Down
Where: Zippo Encore Stage – Friday
This is an interesting one. Not only are they a childhood band, and a real alternative band, but they’ve also got a singer who can really hit notes perfectly. You don’t get that quite often these days, especially with veterans like these. Expect sheds of tears when “Here Without You” is played, but expect a lot of dancing in the run up to that.
FFO: 12 Stones, Staind, Shinedown
3. Mastodon
Where: Main Stage – Saturday
Although it’s a shame they aren’t headlining a lower stage, there is still plenty of time for an exodus of sludge/stoner/prog metal to be played loud and hard. Their latest album “The Hunter” was incredible, and they were set to perform it in its entirety at Sonisphere last year. But we all know what happened to that festival. Who knows, maybe they’ll grace Download with that pleasure? Either way, this is a band you definitely don’t want to miss. I can see them potentially headlining this festival in years to come.
FFO: Neurosis, The Mars Volta, Thin Lizzy
2. Rammstein
Where: Main Stage – Sunday
Speaking of headliners, where better to include German industrial outfit Rammstein – Germany’s biggest musical export in the world? In their first appearance at Donington Park as well. Three things: fireworks, costumes/stage props and thunderous riffs – the likes of which you will have never seen before. That’s just it, part of the experience of Rammstein is just finding out what they will do onstage. You definitely have no excuse to miss them.
FFO: Rammstein, Rammstein and Ministry
1. Parkway Drive
Where: Main Stage – Sunday
You’ve probably seen this name come up a few times, but let me tell you now – their live shows don’t come around as often as we’d like. Each time the Aussie metalcore surfers play a festival they out-do themselves. Every song will be killer, and nobody will be left unsatisfied with what they see. Probably my favourite band to ever watch live, purely for their hybrid of crushing breakdowns, melodic hooks and catchy chants. Expect “blood in the water” as they themselves would say.
FFO: Just go and see them. You’d be a fool not to.
Now let’s just hope none of them clash, otherwise there will be a massive problem.
Other notable mentions: Down, KoRn, Young Guns, Turisas, P.O.D, Europe, Jimmy Eat World, Limp Bizkit, Rise to Remain, A Day To Remember, Motorhead, Katatonia, Red Fang, Hardcore Superstar, Papa Roach