Review by Sheri Bicheno for MPM
The last day of Download Festival on a glorious Sunday morning. Waking up to the smell of breakfasts and people still snoozing off Saturday’s after party shenanigans – but it was time to get down to the Dogtooth Stage, I wasn’t about to miss what was about to wake up Download’s Sunday morning.
Spitting Glass have been one of the most anticipated bands to see live since they popped up out of nowhere at the end of last year and laid down a line up of combined forces from Fit For An Autopsy, Viscera, Osiah and A Night In the Abyss.
With a sold out London show and mini tour just before Download armed with new single Full Send, it’s no wonder on a Sunday morning, the Dogtooth Stage had filled considerably to witness the chaos about to unfold.
Kicking off with Full Send, I’ve said it before but Danny Yates is one of the best drummers in the modern underground music industry.
The dudes kit skills absolutely slaps and here in a new offering, he wields blast beats and melodic double kicks twisted with his intricate cymbal work that give the backbone of pace to this opening track.
Joe Bad hurls blistering gutturals along the tempo of elaborate tech arrangements that lay in the strings of Dave Ball and Chris Keepin’s riffs, which combine with the splintering anchor of Rueben Bescoby’s bassnotes.
Second track Deadweight sees a circle pit form and Joe commands the crowd to put their middle finger up to stalkers for Monitor Me.
We’re taken through an violent storm of crunching breakdowns that snap necks and stunning guitars that churn filthy riffs and punishing rhythm sections, blending together into one big chaotic fury.
I have been waiting for this and it has not disappointed.
It’s the first time the band has gotten together officially in person and they end their set leaving the crowd stunned with 1HP.
With crowd interaction, screaming some lyrics back to the stage, everyone goes nuts – a sea of people jumping to the beats and giving the energy back to the stage with this speed induced banger.
Cannot wait to see these guys return. Stunning.
Heading over to the Opus Stage, Mammoth has a huge gathering waiting for them.
The End echoes out some serious fret picking and loud drum clashes to introduce the track before launching into skipping electro guitar riffs and baritone rich vocals of Wolfgang.
Another Celebration At The End Of The World gives an upbeat, beautiful energy that lifts you with its turned up rhythm sections and low ebbed bassnotes. There’s an air of 90’s rock mixed with some stunning solos and trembling riffs that install a feel good mood in its chords.
Its two years since MammothWVH played at Download, and changing to new title Mammoth after The End cam out last year indicates the band are whole. They are on fire at Download this year, full of punchy drums and colliding riffs that make their energy fun, anthemic and a breath of fresh air.
We’re taken into the performance of another track from the latest album in the form of The Spell packed with hooks, huge melodies and totally mesmerising vocals before I Really Wanna launches crowd interaction into the mix.
Shouting the chorus back to the stage, Wolfie has the crowd in the palm of his hands, controlling the vibe into an air of fun, a little saucy and a little cheeky with the winding solos, seductive vocals and high energy.
This band are always so much fun to watch. Amazing vibes.
Over now to the Apex stage, I’ve been wondering what the vibe would be for our very own dynamic queen of alternative rock, Røry.
And this right here is one of my favourites of the day…
With spirited energy, Røry runs out on stage and immediately, a warm and very down to earth air fills the stage.
With a key synth rippling out, an electronic offering with melodic guitars introduce ANTI-DEPRESSANT.
Røry exhibits off the bat her dynamic ranges between pop cleans and dance induced rap vocals here and then we are catapulted into DEAD GIRL WALKING where drum n bass, trap, metalcore and dance synths entwine.
Huge glimmers of guttural screams lace through the track and along with some heavy guitars in between the dance tones injected throughout, we see here exactly how diverse Røry is.
“Download, for the next 45 minutes, you belong to me.” Røry addresses a roaring and full arena.
With a more visceral and heavy offering with if pain could talk, what would it say? and an upbeat but hugely personal insight to Røry’s songwriting with UNCOMPLICATED, I feel rooted to the spot watching a story unfold of getting through hardship and navigating life of loss, grief, betrayal and getting back up again.
This is so powerful and I cannot believe my ears when Røry explains that she was at the last hurdle of giving up with her music before she decided to change her appearance, post on tiktok and then was discovered. Now on main stage Download!
ALTERNATIVE touched upon an alternate life where trauma didn’t exist. Huge guitars and drums enhance the feelings on this track and this is where feelings really started to kick in around the audience.
That is until… Røry introduced one of the heaviest tracks DEGRADATION, that was finished by touring guitarist Miles Kent. Devastatingly he passed before the rest of the the album could be finished and playing it live.
With tears, Røry unveils STRANGE and dedicated it to Miles and her mother.
This one had me in tears too – it’s a cathartic track for those who still feel the pain of losing someone close and life after loss.
The melodics and beautiful vocals turn this track into its live setting of living that moment and remembering the feeling of desperately wanting those passed on to be here for one last conversation – and how that conversation would go.
With a new release coming in September and a following tour with Delilah Bon, Rōry will be crafting her ability to unite people again very soon – and i cannot stress enough to go and see her.
Next at the Apex Stage, New Delhi giants Bloodywood have returned and every time I see these amazing guys, they never lose their ability to keep real to their genuinity whilst growing more and more into one of the most established bands to come out of their country.
Opening with epic and catchy drum soundscapes for Dana Dan, Karan Katiyar spins out on stage wielding his crushing riffs, colliding with the thundering dohl and drums of Vishesh and Sarthak.
Catchy, full of punchy beats and splintering vibes, Jayant Bhadula notches the heaviness up with his roaring gutturals that give space for Raoul Kerr’s clean rap vocals to compliment the pace and intensity of the song.
A track standing against sexual assault and being part of hope for change, it’s a powerful message of solidarity – the vibe from the crowd responds with ferocity with this message and huge pits open up.
Raoul and Jayant explain that metal is not big in India and that the support from the UK has been huge since the beginning.
Glimmers of strings and flutes introduce Aaj – a striking offering full of crunching riff notes and Roshan’s binding bass notes to bring heaviness across the beautifully melancholic flute work of Karan before a collision of Indian influenced heaviness hits us with one of the more recent offers Nu Delhi.
Giving off the heaviness of djent and the bounce of hip hop, the crowd is bouncing around me and the band does not stop moving!
Making sure their delivery is striking but fun, everyone on stage bounces, jumps, headbangs and sets the place up in the air.
Goddar takes us back to album Rakshak which makes you feel the unity around you and Jayant’s intro to Bekhauf talks about fear being a choice really cranks up the energy! The track is frantic, with voiced Babymetal vocals and the circle pit was thriving.
I adore watching these guys every time – their energy never drops and it’s a time when unity is rife amongst the crowd.
Secret set time! And the Dogtooth Stage was as brimful as it was for Drowning Pool yesterday.
I feel like Download once again, absolutely listened to their followers – as soon as the stage was introduced and mentions of turning Download into DREDLOAD…
Offfft we knew what was coming!
The star wars death march rang out and wooooah the absolute vibe when out came Mikey Demus, Arya Goggin and Tommy Gleeson from the side and back of the stage.
Then Benji Webbe dances out to the stage in a fluffy white monster hat and immediately sets the crowd roaring and bouncing to Set Fazers.
Pumping energetic riffs and groove infused drums, the whole tent is bouncing whilst Benji unleashes his signature growling vocals with rhythmic cleans injecting some melodocs into the party.
And thats essentially what every Skindred show has been – a big party of unity and good vibes with some very real subjects thrown in.
Weather you’re headbanging, moshing or just vibing, you’re part of something.
“Thank you so much for being our friends.” Benji addresses the crowd. “Thank you for getting this new album to number one!”
You Got This celebrates individualism and encourages people to embrace their uniqueness.
Another reggae heavy track that pulls in so many different flavours of sound on top of it – metal, R&B and rap but with HUGE riffs from Mikey and Tommy.
Boom! Shake The Room by DJ Jazzy and The Fresh Prince rings out before melting into the grinding Gimme That Boom, completely blowing the Dogtooth roof off.
Beach balls are flying everywhere and the ground beneath us is shaking.
Skindred are seasoned at putting on an exceptional show everytime. With respects to Ozzy Osbourne, the crowd sings with Benji to War Pigs before closing with Warning where hundreds of tshirts are doing the Newport Helicopter, going hard to end a stunning set.
Over to the Opus Stage and Tom Morello is about to unleash a hell of a set.
With a grand gospel-esque opening, Roman Morello jumps and lays down a hell of a riff before Tom Morello fret works intricate notes into the intro of Soldier In The Army of Love.
Chugging notes and a fusion of punk and hip hop vocals, this kicks off the mood of rebellious empowerment over the crowd and silent venom towards the people that play injustice on the world’s state of affairs.
“If you love rock and roll and hate fascism, we’re gonna create an anti fascism earthquake!”
And incomes Adjourn it – a call for justice against the world’s leaders and their followers indicating hatred and segregation spreading.
This was a collaboration when it came out between Tom and Roman Morello with Serj Tankian – what better group to be a voice for the people against ICE and everything that has been happening in recent times.
With another tribute to Ozzy Osbourne in the form of a shortened Mr Crowley, Tom tells us he had the honour of being a curator for the Back to the Beginning show last year for Ozzy.
Roman Morello shows his exceptional skills as a guitarist on the solos here and completely blows the crowd away. His abilities are not just in the solos and riffs but he definitely delivers his own style into things – huge soundscapes and intricate sections whilst seamlessly putting them into place.
Its an emotional set, with a mashup of Bombtrack Know Your Enemy, Sleep Now in the Fire amd Bullet in the Head warping around eachother and ending in an exceptional rendition of Cochise, we’re then led into a version of Audioslave’s Like A Stone.
Tom explains some of his favourite times playing Download before was with Chris Cornell – and his picture appears on the screen as Tom and co play a deeply moving offering of Like A Stone with the crowd singing the lyrics.
Some truly powerful moments nestled in this set before we land straight into the pissed off energy of R.A.T.M Killing In The Name.
Oooft – the whole place heaved, headbanged and shouted the lyrics back to the stage as Tom riffed his way through and Eric Gardner wields the kit with precision and skill.
Power to the People ended the set on an adrenaline charged crowd that left people fuelled up for their next viewing.
I stayed behind at the Opus for Mastadon and for a sunny Sunday afternoon, hit the spot.
Introducing stunning mandolin acoustics into a haunting explosion of heavy riffs, Tread Lightly is a ghouling mash up of sludge and progressive notes.
Pyro shoots to the sky for the impending crossover of speedy riffs and bleeding harmonies from Nick Johnston and Bill Kelliher.
Brann Dailor’s vocals are wailing with melodic tones and keep the progressive paces of this track shaped through the keys.
The Motherload serves as a slower paced however huge drum fuelled offering with tempo change galore within the winding direction of the guitars.
Dedicating to fallen brother Brett Hinds, new track Your Ghost Again brings in heavy as granite riffs with waves of melodic and haunting tremors of vocals and guitar harmonies.
It is stunning in its live setting, grabbing all the elements of melancholy and visceral energy to convey a message of missing out on final goodbyes to loved ones.
Crystal Skull is venomous, twisting energy that emits thrashing guitars and progressive notes with twists of throat singing whilst Black Tongue takes us a trip down memory lane with it’s sludging and hard hitting drum leads.
Crack The Skye is one of my favourite Mastodon tracks. The intro is so beautiful with its acoustics lacing through melodic heavy riffs and succumbing to impending danger with the skittish cymbal work and scorching vocals.
Here are some incredible soundscapes that have moments of atmospherics with some sludgy but thrashy riffs.
Announcing a new album coming out later in the year, we end on an early Mastodon number with Blood and Thunder.
Another star wars death march fills the Opus and here, Florida metalcore giants A Day To Remember kick off the end of Download’s Opus Stage.
Chuggy riffs fill the stage for The Downfall Of Us All from early 2000’s. Early era nostalgia straight into the crowd.
I’m Made Of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of? kept the crowd moving with punchy drums and fret dancing riffs as Jeremy McKinnon delivered teeth rattling screams and high end cleans.
2nd Sucks came in as an evolved and djent fuelled, striking delivery. A HUGE energy with gutturals and harder, more refined guitars and basslines from Neil Westfall and Kevin Skaff.
The middle of the set brought forwards newer tracks like Miracle, Paranoia and All My Friends (which saw a huge bunch of people lined up behind the drumkit) and the Friends theme tune making a cameo.
Touching on their extensive discography, the whole vibe left the audience wanting more and bouncing along with them.
Taking the opportunity to go and catch something a little different and for the past few years, Download have made sure there is something for everyone. Incorporating dance, pop and something a little nostalgic in the last few years, this year it came in the form of rave legends Scooter at the Avalanche Stage.
Sounding the alarm for suspense – knowing an absolute banger is about to drop.
Full on party mode tuned in, brand new track Rave From Outer Space got the crowd pumped.
Beach balls flying in the air and a fantastic backdrop of space and bright lights of blues and pinks shine from the stage.
Pyro flies up from the stage in time with the beats and a line of dancers enter the stage.
H.P Baxxter is as energetic as back in the early 2000’s with his MC and hyping the crowd. He skits across the stage and gets the crowd jumping to Jay Frog’s upbeat turntables.
Coloured strobes dancing across the stage and into the crowd, huge summer time feelings creeped in for Weekend!
Driving beats blend seamlessly through the colours of sound and bring in such a euphoric feel to the crowd. Everyone is going nuts!
We Love Hardcore went hard with a happy hardcore edge blending into Marc Blou’s punchy winding synths.
Whirling through Maria I Like It Loud, God Save The Rave and a stunning reception for The Logical Song, they totally own the stage with their chaotic, hustling energy. Loud, fast, and so much fun, that dynamics are what makes them playing Download Festival like a breath of fresh air.
Now for something I was feeling the unknown for – as im leaving Scooter and heading to the Apex stage, I’ve realised that barring a couple songs, I’ve wanted to wait to witness Linkin Park in its new chapter live before sinking my teeth into them again.
Of course I grew up listening to Linkin Park and have a deep love of that – it’s not always easy for a band to pick up and move on from a significant loss.
It’s what Linkin Park have driven themselves to accomplish and in that, it teaches their fans that its ok to rebuild yourself.
With floating smoke and vapour visuals dancing across the screens, the main arena was absolutely packed.
With a countdown creating suspense, the crowd chant the band name as flickers of bright light and synth tones come from the stage.
Its a stunning moment as the crowd fills with silence and the Words and Castle of Glass introductions bind together to shoot right into your soul with elements of In The End’s tune.
The Emptiness Machine bursts onto the stage in exploding pink and purple colours.
Mike Shinoda is singing and the crowd is already shouting the lyrics back to the stage.
And then Emily Armstrong chimes in with a stunning vocal delivery. Her high notes are beautiful and match the tones between Mike’s cleans and Joe Hahn’s turntables and Colin Brittain’s tempo changing drums.
Green smoke emits from the stage and Mike shouts to pick it up!
Electronic scratch of turntables churn out for the first of nostalgic songs Lying From You.
Mike’s rap style vocals creep in and Emily’s voice comes into the singing scream sections.
The crowd sing back so loud, you can be forgiven for struggling to hear her at first.
But her voice tears through and she absolutely blows heads off with her high screams. It fits where its meant and its stunning.
The energy is off the scale.
“Download its good to be back – lets hear your voices on the next one.”
Crawling receives a roar of appreciation before the crowd launch into screaming the intro lyrics back to the stage. I have never heard a crowd sing lyrics back so loud before.
Emily has a melancholic take in her vocal delivery and makes it her own whilst giving the crowd the opportunity to join in.
It’s an iconic track for so many reasons and in this moment, so many people who have felt the lyrics growing up are here totally connected.
Pummeling through some of the most heartstopping offerings, Somewhere I Belong is just so beautifully powerful. Watching it just took me off my feet and I got wrapped up in that connection towards the stage, pint im hand, shouting back to the stage, heart in throat.
Another spectral tone set the stage before The Catalyst saw an electronic delivery and a unifying bridge of melancholic strings between Brad Nelson and Phoenix Farrell, just as the stage burst into pink confetti whilst the sun was starting to set.
What a beautiful moment!
After a small look into Mike Shinoda’s Where’d You Go settling into a melancholic mood,
I cannot emphasise enough how beautiful Waiting For The End was.
This was a moment that will stay with me for some time. A track that is close to my heart, watching it unfold live was an experience.
The stunning keys, upbeat of the trickle of synths and the nostalgic and stunning delivery Emily did of the vocals was just perfect.
Watching the dynamics between the band on stage for this was jawdropping.
So very powerful.
Calling for a ladies only mosh pit, we see Linkin Park is the first ever female fronted headliner of Download Festival! Two Face saw some killer gutturals from Emily and duo vocals of Mike whilst the riffs and drums keep a go hard or go home momentum.
Throwing through the catalogue of Linkin Park, One Step Closer was stopped to see if someone in the crush was ok – turned out they had lost a shoe! But afterwards, the vibe picked up where it left off and went into explosive offerings of What I’ve Done, Numb, Breaking The Habit and Heavy Is The Crown.
Papercut signalled the drawing towards the end though the energy was still in total full force before In The End drew tears.
The melodics, the low lights and sombreness set in and the crowd shouted the lyrics back the loudest for this one.
Crowd surfers making their way to barriers, this was one of the best moments.
Emily has a stunning voice and she brought so much of those feelings back in the day to the current time.
The whole band were on point and as Mike tells everyone its been an incredible night, launching into Papercut, its the last moment on the main stage at Download to get heavy.
That was easily one of the best headliners I have ever seen at Download Festival and not just because the music is nostalgic and full of outstanding musicianship, the crowd were completely connected to the stage.
Linkin Park allowed us to share a moment and it was nothing less than incredible.
It’s a privilege to have covered Download again this year. Mind is blown.
Thank you to Darren at Metal Planet Music, LD Comms PR, Costa Nostra, The Noise Cartel for this incredible opportunity.
To Pete Key for being an incredible photographer and for Jan and Caitlin for looking out for me!
Photography by Pet Key for MPM
Linkin Park Photos by Matt Higgs for Download Festival
