Damnation Festival announce first eight bands

January 24, 2023 James Weaver

Damnation Festival have announced the first eight bands for this year’s festival!

After a blockbuster year last November, which saw the return of a fully stacked international billing and their biggest event yet at the BEC Arena in Manchester, now the annual one-day metal extravaganza have confirmed the first eight bands for 2023’s festival.

Belgian post-metallers AMENRA lead the charge in the first announcement, who will perform in a UK exclusive show, whilst doom metallers AHAB, Finnish grind merchants ROTTEN SOUND, blackened post-metallers DOWNFALL OF GAIA and US crossover thrashers HIGH COMMAND all will perform across the day in UK exclusive sets.

Rounding off the first announcement is British breakout act HERIOT, doom/crust outfit STRIGOI and ASHENSPIRE.

Speaking about the announcement, festival organiser Gavin McInally says, “this is just the start of what we expect to be the most exciting line-up we’ve ever put together. We’re already delighted with how this year is shaping up. Other than the IGORRR show in London, this will be AMENRA‘s only performance in the UK in 2023 and the prospect of their live ritual in an arena setting is worth the price of admission alone.

AHAB have been a huge hit with Damnation fans since pummelling our Eyesore Merch Stage with a memorable headline set nine years ago, and with the release of their brilliant new record, having them at Damnation for their only UK show in 2023 is a major coup. Similarly, having a rare slice of ROTTEN SOUND‘s grind and the polished blackened post-metal of DOWNFALL OF GAIA, alongside the UK debut showing for US thrashers HIGH COMMAND are several more reasons why Damnation is a must-attend event.

HERIOT are an example of everything that’s right with new British metal, STRIGOI offer a welcome dose of crusty death metal while ASHENSPIRE, who released one of the standout albums of 2022, will be a startling eye opener for those yet to discover their twist on avant-garde black metal.”