Damnation Festival announce first nine bands

Damnation Festival have revealed the first nine bands for this year’s festival!

After a monumental 2019 edition of the festival that saw the likes of MAYHEM, OPETH, GODEATER, VENOM PRISON and more lay waste to Leeds, now, the first nine bands for this year’s festival have been announced!

Leading the charge in this evening’s announcement is US kings of grind PIG DESTROYER who will perform their first and only UK show in five years at Damnation. They will share the stage with English thrash metal giants ONSLAUGHT, who will also perform their only UK show of 2020 at this year’s festival.

Also confirmed for this year’s festival are American doom quartet PALLBEARER, death metal standouts GATECREEPER and sludge masters MORNE bolster the first batch of bands while the event’s 16th edition includes the first UK show for 12 years for New York’s avant-garde trio BEHOLD… THE ARCTOPUS. There will also be several exciting UK debuts in the shape of US thrashers, HIGH COMMAND, the black metal punk mayhem of DEVIL MASTER and a band earmarked to take the metal scene by storm this year, IRIST.

Speaking about performing at this year’s festival, PIG DESTROYER says, “it’s been eight long years since we’ve played Damnation. Unfortunately we had technical problems on stage that night so we’re looking forward to ‘redeeming’ ourselves. It was a really good time when we played and we’re excited about hanging!”

ONSLAUGHT says, “we are stoked to finally return to Damnation after 11 years! We recorded our very first live album Live Damnation at Leeds in 2008 so we have some very cool memories and can’t wait to come back. Once again it will be a very special occasion for ONSLAUGHT as Damnation will be the first and exclusive UK show following the release of our new album later this year. It’s gonna be brutal, see you all in the pit!” PALLBEARER adds, “we are honoured to return to the UK for the whirlwind of heavy music that is Damnation. We hope to see some old and new faces alike, and maybe we’ll play some old and new tunes for everyone.”

Damnation Festival 2020 takes place at Leeds University Union, Leeds on November 7th 2020. Tickets are available at last year’s price, £49 for one week only, and can be purchased here.

For more information on Damnation Festival like their official page on Facebook.