devin townsend project

Download Festival announces 20 more bands

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Download Festival, the world’s premier rock event has announced another plethora of bands, from legends and new talent alike, including Devin Townsend Project, Suicide Silence, Code Orange and many more. Download Festival takes place on 9 – 11 June 2017 at the spiritual home of rock in Donington Park, Leicestershire.

New to 2017, The Avalanche Stage shines a spotlight on everyone from the biggest global acts, to the latest breaking bands. Headlined by the previously announced Sleeping With Sirens, Simple Plan and The Dillinger Escape Plan, the Avalanche Stage will be hosted by new music champions, Kerrang’s Fresh Blood.

Alex Baker, presenter of Fresh Blood on Kerrang! Radio said: “Right now, there is an undeniable, electric excitement about new music in the air and as soon as we saw the new Avalanche Stage we just had to be involved. It was clear from the get go that one of The Avalanche Stage’s aims was to ensure that there was a dedicated space for these new bands within the festival. Download has always been amazing at supporting new talent and I’ve always admired them for that – so it was a no brainer to get as involved as much as humanely possible!”

Metal behemoth, Devin Townsend Project will be making their welcomed return to Download Festival, featuring living legend and ex Strapping Young Lad frontman, Devin Townsend.

On playing the festival, Devin said: "Download! Amidst a crazy year, we have been invited to play at one of my favourite festivals in the world. The band is rocking better than ever, and we are fired up to have some fun with you guys. We look forward to blowing the roof off the place. See you there!"

The hottest name in hardcore, Code Orange are torchbearers for their genre and will excite festival goers with a crushing set. Twenty years on from the release of ground-breaking album Roots, Max & Iggor Cavalera reunite to perform the seminal record in its entirety to the Download crowd.

Having influenced heavy music with their rapid twin vocal and tech metal, groove masters SikTh will bring the Main Stage mosh pit to life. Deathcore stalwarts Suicide Silence are back with tracks from their eponymous fifth album and are set to deliver an incomparably powerful live set atDonington this summer. Joining them are unmissable supergroup elite, Krokodil who are set to impress with their immensely forceful metal, and UK stoner rock legends, Orange Goblin with their heavy hammer, steel toed riffs and fistfuls of attitude.

Renowned for his wild live shows and fiercely loyal fan base, Ohio rapper Machine Gun Kelly has received waves of critical and commercial success with sophomore album General Admission, which he’ll be bringing in abundance to Download this June. Aussie rock heroes Sick Puppies will serve up their tooth rattling rock and hard hitting hooks that will send the Download crowd wild. Led by the incredible Johnny Hawkins, San Antonio rockers Nothing More have cemented themselves in the top echelons of modern rock and will be bringing their ferocious live performance to Donington.

Having previously supported Iron Maiden, metalcore outfit The Raven Age stride between melody and brute force, and will be returning to Download for another epic performance. They’ll be joined by tour de force of energy, Yonaka, and country rock n’ rollers Blackwater Conspiracy.

The dark and volatile Perturbator completes the trio of Dogtooth Stage headliners alongside the previously announced Exodus and Wednesday 13. Prepare to be lost in his technoir, dark synthwave as he closes the Dogtooth Stage for 2017. Dublin’s grunge pop rockers OTHERKIN will riff their way through infectious songs with a raucous energy, whilst London five piece, Drones will be out to deliver a barrage of hardcore punk for the Download Festival audience.

Having supported the likes of rock legends Black Stone Cherry and Halestorm, The Fallen State will bring soulful vocals and unapologetic rock to Donington. Expect a distinctive mix of pop, punk and new wave from London/LA duo Love Zombies, chaotic and energetic indie punk from Blackwaters, gritty modern blues fuelled rock from Bristol natives Tax The Heat and soulful rock n’ roll from Nashville’s Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown.

Download Festival is the home of rock music and takes place on the sacred grounds of Donington Park, which have been associated with rock since the eighties. The festival attracts rock icons to its Main Stage, plus some of the best and hottest new acts in the world. AC/DC, KISS, Metallica, Def Leppard, Guns N’ Roses, Rage Against The Machine, Slipknot, Linkin Park and many more have all headlined its Main Stage.

 

ANNOUNCED TODAY

BLACKWATER CONSPIRACY

BLACKWATERS

CODE ORANGE

DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT

DRONES

KROKODIL

LOVE ZOMBIES

MACHINE GUN KELLY

MAX & IGGOR CAVALERA

NOTHING MORE

ORANGE GOBLIN

OTHERKIN

PERTUBATOR

SICK PUPPIES

SIKTH

SUICIDE SILENCE

TAX THE HEAT

THE FALLEN STATE

THE RAVEN AGE

TYLER BRYANT & THE SHAKEDOWN

YONAKA

 

Deftones only UK show will be at Sonisphere!

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SONISPHERE welcomes DEFTONES to the superb bill for their only UK appearance of 2014. Groundbreaking and highly influential, the alternative metallers have been setting new standards in exciting rock performance since the seminal album ‘Adrenaline’ came out in 1995. With a reputation for being one of the most dazzling and uncompromising bands on the planet, DEFTONES have, throughout the years, been garnering praise, success, and too many accolades to mention, selling millions of records and winning the adoration of their peers. With classics such as ‘Back To School’, ‘My Own Summer (Shove It)’, ‘Change (In The House Of flies)’, DEFTONES are poised to set KNEBWORTH ablaze with a show to die for. Says drummer Abe Cunningham:
 
"Greetings to ALL!!! We are absolutely stoked to be part of Sonisphere's return and of course to have a chance to once again play a show with Iron Maiden, especially on the hallowed grounds of Knebworth. Until then…!!!!

FRANK TURNER has a work ethic like no other, climbing his way up from the dive circuit to the arena limelight, claiming widespread praise and critical plaudits along the way. Outside of his own live shows, Frank has also broken into mainstream consciousness with the honours of performing at the Olympic Opening ceremony, and more recently, appearing on TV’s Celebrity Mastermind. With SONISPHEREheadliners IRON MAIDEN as his chosen specialist subject, Frank – who boasts an Eddie tattoo – won the Mastermind challenge with his superior knowledge of the metal legends. It does not take much imagination to appreciate the delight he has on learning he will share a stage with his heroes for the first time:
 
Says Turner:
 
“I'm excited to be playing Sonisphere this year, and super excited to be playing the same stage as the first band I ever fell in love with – Iron Maiden; it's definitely going to be my festival highlight for 2014.” 
 
Turner will be appearing at KNEBWORTH with his band as FRANK TURNER & THE SLEEPING SOULS, having recently completed an incendiary UK arena tour in support of fifth album ‘Tape Deck Heart’.
 
Hot off the success of their recent UK Tour with Less than Jake, Californian Ska-punk pioneers REEL BIG FISH come to KNEBWORTH armed with a hyper-kinetic live show, juvenile humour and ironic covers of new wave pop songs. With a fun filled attitude and massive dancefloor fillers such as  ‘Sell Out’ and ‘Take On Me’, their set will undoubtedly prove once more that REEL BIG FISH is one of the most dynamic and accomplished bands of the genre, as they take to the SATURN stage for a Sunday Ska Punk Party.
 
PROTEST THE HERO have carved an identity for themselves that is thought of as profoundly revolutionary within heavy music and 2014 has already seen them complete a hugely successful UK headline tour, including a sold out show at London’s Electric Ballroom. The band effortlessly balances high-minded artistry with wit and whimsy, substantive viewpoints with wanton tomfoolery, and masterful musicianship with true song-craft. SONISPHERE can’t wait to see them spread the magic of their spider-fingered arpeggios, walloping bottom-heavy brutality and dynamically theatrical vocals as showcased on their fourth album ‘Volition’.
 
Says the band:
 
“Europe knows something about doing festivals right. We are blown away every time we come over in the summer and take part in the fun. One of the highlights this summer is going to be Sonisphere! We are just finishing a UK leg of a tour and the turn outs have been great so I can only imagine what it will be like at Sonisphere.”
 
Avast, ye landlubbers! Fans of the sonically adventurous will be delighted to see ALESTORM joining the festivities with their very own brand of True Scottish Pirate Metal. With a treasure chest of keytar laden, pirate themed, fist pumping folk metal, these scurvy dogs will have their most epic voyage yet as they sail the sea of SONISPHERE’s SATURN stage on the Saturday for a rum fuelled set of metal fun.
 
Since forming in 2001, Stoner/Psychedelic rock gods TRUCKFIGHTERS have released an impressive four albums, seven EP’s and a film depicting their lives named simply ‘Truckfighters’ in 2011.  With Josh Homme being one of their biggest fans, TRUCKFIGHTERS released fourth album ‘Universe’ earlier this year and are an exciting addition to the festival.
 
2014 is full of exciting promise from Ireland’s KERBDOG.  Having released two albums in the 1990’s to critical acclaim, disbanding and later reforming to sell out the London Garage on a special one off live appearance, 2014 will see the band release their first new material in seventeen years, and resurrect their electric live performance.  KERBDOG say it best themselves:
 
"We would have crawled naked across broken glass to play Sonisphere. To be invited to what is one of the greatest rock festivals on the planet as we release a new live album is a gift from the Gods. The Fans are in for an earth-shattering gig that will level buildings. End of."
 
Having landed support slots to The Stranglers and appearing alongside Billy Talent at the 2013 UK VANS WARPED TOUR, hotly tipped UK outfit MAX RAPTOR, who blend punk and rock to startling effect, are also confirmed to appear at SONISPHERE, where their hard-edge and angry sounds as shown on their debut album ‘Mother’s Ruin’ will resonate through the festival.

Says the band:
 
“Just had the awesome news we'll be playing Sonisphere 2014…. We used to go to a grubby rock club in Burton on Trent and listen to Maiden and now we're playing the same festival as them. Absolute dream come true.”
 
Bringing the kind of American punk rock that has drawn comparison to Black Flag for its hard hitting melodies and rhythm, ONLY CRIME will treat festival goers to a truly special show. With a line up led by Bill Stevenson (Descendants) and Russ Rankin (Good Riddance) the band looks set for a big 2014 with a new album in the pipeline and SONISPHERE is looking forward to sharing it with them. Checking in from the studio, the band said:
 
"We know it's been awhile since we have been overseas.  We have been working hard on the new record and are so excited to finally get back over there and give it all we've got."
 
Returning to SONISPHERE is one of the UK’s most anticipated new bands, BLITZ KIDS.  The outfit has been garnering praise from the likes of BBC Radio1 with their brand new album ‘Good Youth’ and single ‘Sometimes’. On the brink of big things, audiences would be wise not miss their appearance.
 
Says the band:
 
“It's a great honour to be playing at Sonisphere Festival for its big comeback to the UK! It feels like we're part of a big welcome home party. We played a few years ago on the smallest stage, and to be asked to play on the Bohemia Stage this year is a fantastic opportunity to step it up a few gears.”
 
SONISPHERE is excited to welcome Camden Town born and raised punk/rap artist ITCH to the weekend for the first time.  After fronting critically acclaimed, ground breaking band The King Blues for seven years, lyricist ITCH took his unique brand of poetry full force into the solo act he is today. Recent album ‘The Deep End’ sees his unstoppable ferociousness cemented in record and is sure to make an unforgettable live experience.
 
“I'm so excited to be playing Sonisphere, it'll be my first time there.
It's an honour to be playing the same bill as metal gods such as Chas and Dave” jokes ITCH.
 
British electro/punk rockers HOUNDS join the bill after releasing their debut EP as a cover mount with Metal Hammer.  Having proved their live credentials on tour with Stone Sour, as well as at appearance at SONISPHERE 2011, and citing THE PRODIGY’s Liam Howlett in the list of people they’ve worked with, HOUNDS shouldn’t be missed. Says the band:
 
“We can’t wait to bring the noise to Sonisphere this summer, we have been locked in an Air Raid shelter for months writing and recording our debut album so we feel like caged animals. The stage ain’t gonna know what hit it….”

Limp Bizkit, Anthrax and more added to Sonisphere 2014 lineup

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The Summer Fesitval Guide can reveal that Limp Bizkit will make a special guest appearance at this years Sonisphere UK which returns after a break away from Knebworth.

Also joining them is thrash legends Anthrax, Cranifex, Chas & Dave, Devin Townsend Project, Dropkick Murphys, Silverstein, The Virginmarys and Voodoo Six!

The inimitable LIMP BIZKIT return to Knebworth as special guests to THE PRODIGY. One of the biggest bands to emerge from the Nu-Metal scene of the 90s, LIMP BIZKIT’s insanely catchy and infectious rock has amassed them millions of album sales and the accolade of fastest selling rock album ever with “Chocolate Starfish & The Hotdog Flavored Water”. However, it is the live environment in which they truly shine – their upcoming sold out tour of the UK bears testament to that – and the prospect of mega hits like “Rollin”, “Nookie”, “My Generation” and “Gold Cobra” will provide the perfect warm up to the Friday night headliners at this exclusive festival appearance.

Limp Bizkit

 
TV has soap operas, literature has Shakespeare and Thrash… well Thrash hasANTHRAX. For 30 plus years, ANTHRAX have headbanged, stomped and moshed their way to the top end of the metal food chain, selling in excess of 10 million records, enjoying multiple Gold and Platinum albums and Grammy nominations, firmly cementing their position as one of THE BIG 4. Fast, furious and above all, fun, it just wouldn’t beSONISPHERE without ANTHRAX, who have graced the stage of every UK SONISPHEREto date, and continue the tradition to dose out the metal thrashing madness at their only UK festival of 2014. Scott Ian explains how it went down:
 
Phone rings…
Me: Hello. 
My manager: Do you want to play the 40th anniversary of Knebworth; Sonisphere Festival with Iron Maiden?
Me: (filling my pants with poo) Yes!
 
“It's one of those phone calls you only dream about. I'm so excited for Anthrax to be a part of the biggest and best Sonisphere ever! Can't wait to destroy Knebworth again!”

Anthrax 

Death metal has long been the most maniacal and viscous form of rock, but as each year passes, it becomes increasingly difficult to find new contenders to carry the torch and entice and surprise an audience that isn’t shocked or impressed by much. Fortunately for us, there’s CARNIFEX, who join this year’s line up for their first ever UK festival appearance. Last seen in the UK on the NEVER SAY DIE tour, where they punished audiences with their extremely brutal and superfast intensity, these San Diegans should enjoy a welcome return as they dish out the deathcore destruction at their first major UK festival.
 
"Carnifex is very excited to be a part of Sonisphere for the first time.” Says vocalist Scott Lewis. “We plan on bringing a massive set filled with your favourite Carnifex songs and tracks from the new album, you won't want to miss it."
 
In stark contrast to the chaos of CARNIFEX, SONISPHERE continues to uphold its tradition of keeping the line up wide, varied and with the odd cheeky surprise by welcoming CHAS & DAVE to the bill. The last time the legendary duo graced the stage at KNEBWORTH was in 1979, opening for Led Zeppelin. Since then, their love of genuine Rock’n’Roll, proudly cockney vocals and exuberant good humour has seen them become a household name across the country. Thirty-five years later, CHAS & DAVE’s appeal has never been greater or more varied, with audiences getting younger and new bands citing them as a major influence. The ultimate party hosts, the promise of a good ol’ knees up and sing along at KNEBWORTH will ensure the kind of magical moments festivals were invented for. Say the duo:
 
"We went down well at Knebworth in '79. Not surprised we got a return booking!"
 
Truly one of a kind, DEVIN TOWNSEND is a natural born visionary, artist and entertainer and one of the most uniquely insightful musicians of the 21st Century. Over 20 years, he has given the world metal faves Strapping Young Lad and the best puppet show the world has ever seen in Ziltoid The Omniscient, not to mention the incredible works recorded under his own name. In 2012 he brought these all together for the first time for Devin’s Retinal Circus at a sold out London Roundhouse for the most ambitious show of his career. Now he brings the DEVIN TOWNSEND PROJECT to SONISPHERE for his biggest UK performance to date. The man himself checked in to tell us:
 
“Amidst a year of relentless writing and planning, we are fortunate enough to be invited to a select few shows, and among the most cool is undoubtedly Sonisphere UK! It’s an institution that is really exciting, among bands we absolutely love. We can’t wait to take a studio break and come entertain you there. Thank you Sonisphere for the opportunity! =)” 
 
Celtic punks DROPKICK MURPHYS make their way over from the state of Massachusetts for their SONISPHERE debut. Arguably one of the biggest genuine punk bands out there, the ‘MURPHYS continue to surprise industry pundits by outdrawing high profile mainstream acts as headliners on major tours around the globe. With anthems such as “Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya”, “Rose Tattoo” and “I’m Shipping Up To Boston” – which provided the soundtrack to Hollywood smash The Departed –DROPKICK MURPHYS will no doubt have fists pumping and glasses raised high.
 
"We are psyched to see the Dropkick Murphys added to the list of amazing bands at this year's Sonisphere in historic Knebworth” says bassist Ken Casey. “We look forward to giving the equally legendary Sonisphere crowd a Dropkick Murphys show for the ages. See you in July!"
 
In 2011 SONISPHERE proudly boasted THE SISTERS OF MERCY’s first festival performance in 20 years. The result was a rammed to the rafters BOHEMIA, as Andrew Eldritch and his not so merry men gave spectators a late night feast of THE SISTERS’ unclassifiable blend of rock, pop, punk, dance and psychedelia. A rare occurrence,SONISPHERE is honoured and privileged to welcome back THE SISTERS OF MERCYfor their only UK festival of 2014. Says the band:
 
“We had such a good time playing Sonisphere in 2011 (for the Sisters' first UK festival in 20 years) that we're coming back, to celebrate 40 years of gigs at Knebworth. Christ, that's even older than us. We're looking forward to seeing you all (even though you might not see us).”
 
Post hardcore mob SILVERSTEIN join SONISPHERE 2014. Since their formation in 2000, the Canadian five-piece has become as close to a household name as you can get in the post-hardcore scene. After 5 full length albums, 3 EPs, a live album, mini album, and numerous 7” singles and collections, SILVERSTEIN have sold more than 1 million albums worldwide, played more than 1600 shows in 42 countries, and have been a staple on many festivals and tours.
 
“We are delighted to announce that we will be returning to the U.K. for a performance at Sonisphere.” Says drummer Paul Koehler. “This will be our only 2014 appearance, and we look forward to sharing the stage with some incredible bands!”
 
In 2011 THE VIRGINMARYS appeared on the SONISPHERE line up as an unsigned three-piece from Macclesfield. Fast forward three years and they are now considered one of this country’s brightest rock hopes. Tours with the likes of Slash, Skunk Anansie, Eagles Of Death Metal and Queens Of The Stone Age led to a deal with Double Cross/Cooking Vinyl who released their debut album last year, which in turn saw them earn the honour of Best Breakthrough Act at the 2013 Classic Rock Awards. Also enjoying huge success at radio in the USA, THE VIRGINMARYS progress shows no sign of slowing down, and we look forward to welcoming them back.
 
"Ace to have Sonisphere back in the UK and great to be a part of it again” chime the band. “Bring it on!"
 
Last but by no means least, London classic metallers VOODOO SIX join the 2014 line up. Releasing their latest album “Songs To Invade Countries To” in May of last year,VOODOO SIX spent the remainder of 2013 doing what any band with a new album would do, touring the hell out of it. However, the five-piece were in a slightly more enviable position than most, having the good fortune to play 28 shows in 18 countries to 300,000 people with SONISPHERE headliners IRON MAIDEN.
 
“We are very proud to be asked to play at Sonisphere UK”. Says bassist Tony Newton.“It is the 40th anniversary of live events at Knebworth, and will be a great celebration of rock music with a fantastic line-up. To be included in this event is a huge honour, and we will play our part in making it a memorable weekend”.