Distorted Sound Editorial’s Top Five Picks For Download Festival 2022

June 8, 2022 James Weaver

Download Festival is back! Despite the success of the Pilot last year gave fans a chance to recapture that festival magic whilst we still grappled with COVID-19, 2022 marks the full-return of the UK’s biggest rock and metal festival! With a hugely stacked lineup featuring a diverse cast of bands and artists, there is so much on offer across the weekend at Donington. Whilst we ran a full preview of what to expect at this year’s Download, members of our Editorial Team have now provided their individual top five essential bands to watch at this weekend’s festival!

James Weaver – Founder & Editor-in-Chief

SPIRITBOX – The Avalanche Stage

It’s not an understatement when we state that SPIRITBOX are one of the hottest bands within heavy music today. After taking the internet by storm with Holy Roller, debut album Eternal Blue lived up to the hype and established the Canadian metalcore band as a serious force. Making their Download Festival debut, expect The Avalanche Stage to be packed to the rafters as Courtney LaPlante and company throw down the gauntlet one minute with an avalanche of breakdowns then aurally charm the next. It’s set to be a performance to remember.

DYING FETUS – The Dogtooth Stage

Back in 2014, the #WhyNotDyingFetus hashtag rapidly evolved from a viral joke to having one of metal’s most visceral bands land a slot on the Download Festival main stage. Now, eight years, the Maryland bruisers take to The Dogtooth Stage to give a performance that will leave those in attendance with a serious case of whiplash. As arguably the heaviest band on the Download bill, expect metal at its most violent. Few will be left standing by the time their set finishes.

HOLDING ABSENCE – The Avalanche Stage

HOLDING ABSENCE are a special band and their ascent up the ranks shows no signs of slowing. Adored by many and led by the charming Lucas Woodland, who has one of the finest voices in alternative music today, HOLDING ABSENCE look set to be one of the festival’s highlights. The opening cry of “I’m alive!” as Celebration Song hits will be as euphoric as it will be memorable and we can only anticipate that these Welshmen will hold the audience in the palms of their collective hands from start to finish.

MALEVOLENCE – Opus Stage

Let’s face the facts, MALEVOLENCE are the hottest band in UK metal today. The Sheffield metallers have long held a solid reputation in the live arena, but the last 12 months have seen the band go from strength to strength. Riding high on the success of appearances at Download Pilot and Bloodstock and now armed with their stunning new record, Malicious Intent, MALEVOLENCE‘s appearance at Download is certain to be another landmark moment for a band who look set to dominate British metal for years to come.

FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND – The Avalanche Stage

The return of FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND has been a comfort for many within our world who are now hitting our late 20s and early 30s. As part of the first boom in emo decades prior, the Welsh outfit have both the nostalgia factor and an arsenal of tunes that will leave The Avalanche Stage rocking as they headline the stage on the Saturday. Expect an emotional outpouring of emotion as thousands sing in harmony to History and rewind the clocks as you bounce to Juneau.

Ellis Heasley – Album Review Editor

BIFFY CLYRO – Apex Stage

If you count yourself among the frankly baffling community of BIFFY naysayers then please just answer us this: what more could you possibly ask of a Download Festival headliner? Massive riffs? Check. Even bigger choruses? Done. A tight live set? Guaranteed. They’re progressive, creative, heavy and at this point pretty influential, and just because you’ve heard a few of their most polished tracks on mainstream radio doesn’t mean they aren’t going to absolutely crush it at Donington this year. This time set to close the festival with their second ever headline slot, they’re returning with not one but two cracking brand new albums in tow; expect sing-alongs, head-banging, and not a t-shirt in sight.

MALEVOLENCE – Opus Stage

By all accounts MALEVOLENCE‘s set at last year’s Download Pilot was one of the stand out moments of an incredibly special weekend. In the year since, they’ve only gone and cooked up one of the best metal records of recent memory in the form of Malicious Intent so with this set of ten wall-to-wall bangers fresh in everyone’s minds, it’s safe to say their slot on the Zippo Encore Stage on Saturday is going to be absolutely unmissable. Tracks like On Broken Glass and Salvation are practically begging for gigantic live sing-alongs, and you can all but guarantee a few bumps and bruises from what’s likely to be one of the most incendiary sets of the weekend.

PHOXJAW – The Dogtooth Stage

If you liked PHOXJAW’s incredible debut album Royal Swan back in 2020, chances are you’re going to have even more fun seeing them live. The Bristol-based noisemakers have made full use of the gradual re-opening in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, with appearances at a host of smaller festivals, support slots with the likes of PALM READER and THE WILDHEARTS, and some headline shows of their own. You can expect a ferocious show when they take to The Dogtooth Stage on Sunday afternoon, with setlist staples like You Don’t Drink A Unicorn’s Blood and Half House sure to have won over even the uninitiated by the time their second choruses roll around.

WILL HAVEN – The Dogtooth Stage

Making their first ever appearance at the UK edition of Download Festival are veteran Sacramento noise-metallers WILL HAVEN. Quite how this hasn’t happened sooner is unclear, but with the band’s established penchant for complete and utter sonic chaos, you can count on this one being pretty special. Having recently released the typically cacophonous and crushing Wings Of Mariposa, and with a full album expected later this year, their Saturday afternoon slot on The Dogtooth Stage provides a chance not only to hear expected classics like Carpe Diem and Saga, but also the potential to get an early glimpse of new material from these criminally overlooked post-hardcore legends.

LOATHE – The Avalanche Stage

Another band whose set at last year’s Download Pilot felt particularly special, there’s no doubt LOATHE will want to take things even further when they grace The Avalanche Stage this Saturday. Fresh off of a couple of dates supporting the legendary GLASSJAW here in the UK, and with a sizable tour of the US with CODE ORANGE now also under their belts, one can expect the Liverpudlian metalcore crew to have taken everything they’ve learned from such experiences and channelled them into their ever-improving live show. These guys could and should be headliners one day, so don’t miss the chance to say you were there at the beginning (ish).

Jack Press – Live Review Editor

MEGADETH – Opus Stage

What’s better than headbanging your way through thrash metal’s finest prime cuts on a Saturday evening? It’s been six long years since MEGADETH hit the hallowed grounds of Donington, and their first UK festival appearance since Dave Mustaine beat throat cancer. So, with the follow-up to 2016’s Dystopia waiting to be unleashed, and the biggest bag of heavy metal tricks up their sleeve, their second stage headliner is one you won’t want to miss. Whether it’s Vic Rattlehead rallying up the crowd, the Peace Sells circle pits, or the Hanger 18 air-guitar battles, there’s something for everyone from these Big 4 members. And with LACUNA COIL also playing the festival, it’s fingers crossed Cristina Scabbia will join MEGADETH on stage to deliver their magical duet on A Tout Le Monde.

BURY TOMORROW – Apex Stage

What do ARCHITECTS, BRING ME THE HORIZON, and BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE have in common? They’ve all played pivotal sets on the Download Festival main stage before dominating British metal. And now it’s BURY TOMORROW’s turn to follow in their footsteps. Whilst 2020’s career-best Cannibal broke the UK Top Ten, COVID-19 cut short it’s victory tour. And then founding member and co-vocalist Jason Cameron called it quits, too. But the ultimate underdogs are back, sounding bigger and better than ever. With two new members and two new songs, they’re ready to cause a ruckus on the main stage. Except chaos to kick off in the pits as they launch into the likes of Cannibal, Man On Fire, and No Less Violent. And don’t be surprised when the sing-alongs cause the ground to shake on Earthbound and Lionheart. Want to watch history unfold? Don’t miss BURY TOMORROW.

A.A. WILLIAMS – The Dogtooth Stage

Sometimes you just need to sit back and soak in the beauty of a British festival. And there’s no better way to do it then the ethereal experience of an A.A. WILLIAMS set. Leave your blast beats and mosh pits at The Dogtooth Stage’s doors, as you worship at the altar of A.A. WILLIAMS death gospel. This classically-trained musician pops post-rock, folk, goth, and metal into a pot and cooks up a haunting, goosebump-inducing experience. Her ghostly vocals slip through your skin, and in the shadow of this stage’s tent, it’ll echo into the very fabric of your soul. It might not be what you’d expect at Download Festival, but its bound to be one of weekend’s highlights, and the only set that’ll break your heart and mend it together again.

IRON MAIDEN – Apex Stage

It’s been 6(66) years since IRON MAIDEN headlined a festival on their home turf, so you can bet their Saturday night headline set will be one for the ages. It’s the first time their Legacy of the Beast tour will take place in the UK, and unlike its 2019 leg, they’ve got bangers like Writings On The Wall and Days Of Futures Past from new album Senjutsu to throw in, too. Of course, the Legacy of the Beast’s selling point has been no songs newer than 2006, giving rarities like Revelations, Sign Of The Cross, and For The Greater Good Of God memorable airings. And let’s not forget the sensational stage show that comes with any IRON MAIDEN set: they’ll be battles between Bruce Dickinson and mascot Eddie The Head during The Trooper, some of the greatest solos you’ve ever seen, and who knows, maybe you’ll see a spitfire or two for Aces High. Whatever the weather, IRON MAIDEN will do what they do best: be heavy metal’s heroes once more.

HERIOT – The Dogtooth Stage

If you want to see the future of British metal, you better be the early bird who catches the worm that is HERIOT’s festival-opening set on The Dogtooth Stage on Friday. Despite just 12 songs to their name, they’ve stolen the Radio 1 airwaves, found fans in metal royalty like LAMB OF GOD’s Mark Morton and MACHINE HEAD’s Robb Flynn, and toured with everyone from SVALBARD and ROLO TOMASSI to NAPALM DEATH and TERROR. And they’re arriving at Download Festival having just dropped one of the hardest, heaviest, and simply best debut EP’s of the last decade in Profound Morality. So, you better bet they’re going to give it their all, with the monstrous Enter The Flesh and crushing Coalescence shaking up your cornflakes early doors. If you want to see the set everyone spends the weekend talking about, make sure you don’t miss HERIOT.

Laura McCarthy – Introducing Editor

BARONESS – Opus Stage

BARONESS have for a long time been a band that make layers of progressive sounds feel accessible and fun without alienating old school rockers, newcomers to the festival, or their core fanbase. If you’re unfamiliar BARONESS at this point, however, then you’ve severely missed out. The four piece have play a progressive style the still has a feeling of hard stoner rock to it. A constant at Download Festival for many years now, there’s a reason they’re always welcomed back. The impressive skills of John Baizley and Gina Gleason to belt a harmony while playing some chunky progressive riffs is a must see. Likewise, just soaking up the heavy sound powered by drummer Sebastian Thomson and the multi-instrumental work of Nick Jost, the stellar stage presence and clear comradery between the band is superb.

ORBIT CULTURE – The Dogtooth Stage

A many should be waiting to see live is ORBIT CULTURE. The Swedish four piece have accumulated a fair back catalogue of three albums and several EP’s in their nine years of hard work, and gone from strength to strength with their material. A fusion of thrash and melodic death metal, their approach to song writing is as passionate as their performances. Combining ominous, colossal death metal with the intensity and vitality of thrash, they’ve taken two very well known formulas and made them their own. Having never played Download Festival before, they’re a must see!

BLUES PILLS – The Dogtooth Stage

You can’t go wrong with some solid psychedelic rock when sitting in a field, be it rain or shine, and BLUE PILLS are just the ticket to get your head in the festival frame of mind on Friday. Infectious riffs and thumping baselines blend and meld with the incredible vocals that will have your head turning and spinning as soon as you’re touched by them. The Swedish rockers play with ease and swagger, bringing the best parts of the sixties and seventies to the stage, with Elin Larsson’s undeniably intoxicating vocals being the cherry on the cake.

LOATHE – The Avalanche Stage

LOATHE have taken the UK metal scene by storm in the short time we’ve had the pleasure of consuming their superb heavy metal. Emotionally engaged and brimming with massive energy throughout all their back with a sense of massive purpose, the band push into metalcore, nu-metal and even some shoegaze elements on their later material, there’s something for everyone to take from some of Liverpool’s best. It’s no secret that 2020’s I Let It In And It Took Everything has seen heralded as an exceptional piece of work, and for any fan’s who’ve not experienced them before this record, will want to take this opportunity to chance that.

SLEEP TOKEN – The Avalanche Stage

SLEEP TOKEN are for lack of a better word, a phenomenon. They’ve taken the metal world by storm and drenched us in their poetic, dreamlike music. Haunting, progressive sublime cinematic music at download might not be what you’re expecting, but absolutely no one who catches SLEEP TOKEN will be disappointed. Their affinity towards electronica might make them feel a little out of place against more traditional metal bands at Download Festival, but their distinction from anything else on the billing makes them an absolute must see. With two masterpiece albums to delve in to, the only worry is if you’ll get anywhere near them as they play The Avalanche Stage.

Tasha Brown – Heavy Music History Editor

SLEEP TOKEN – The Avalanche Stage

Download Pilot may have had SLEEP TOKEN headlining the second stage but this year sees the mysterious ensemble slip down to The Avalanche Stage. With last year’s immense UK tour and a glowing session at The Room Below this March, time will tell if Vessel & Co should have been placed higher on the bill. Rolling 2019’s Sundowning and last year’s This Place Will Become Your Tomb onto the hallowed grounds of Donington Park for the second time, Friday’s twilight ritual promises to be one of simple grandiosity. While they may not be gracing the Opus or Apex stages as they perhaps should, the band’s power to pull crowds in their droves should call for a packed section wrought with emotion and elation. As the tour cycle threatens to draw to a close, we await every second of SLEEP TOKEN with much anticipation.

TREMONTI – Opus Stage

TREMONTI‘s Marching In Time finally gets the touring cycle it deserves as Mark Tremonti‘s solo band continues their Euro Festival run with a stop at Download. Ahead of their UK tour starting in just two weeks, the crowd will be treated to a taste of live material from the newly released record. The balance will be an interesting one as their set aims to encompass tracks from across the band’s five album catalogue. With Marching In Time leaning further into TREMONTI‘s thrash influences, we’re eager to see how this will manifest. TREMONTI‘s penchant for massive soundscapes sets to dominate Sunday afternoon’s Opus Stage. We may be aiming high in hoping for a rendition of the blistering Bleak within the 45 minutes but at this point, we’re so overjoyed to have the band back on British soil that we will scream and sing along to anything on the setlist.

SPIRITBOX – The Avalanche Stage

Making their much-anticipated debuts on British soil and at Download Festival, SPIRITBOX‘s stint on The Avalanche Stage on Sunday afternoon comes with a hearty dose of pressure. Though with glowing reviews across their festival run and BRING ME THE HORIZON‘s Malta Weekender, this Canadian outfit should find themselves right at home in Donington Park. Fronted by Courtney LaPlante, the metalcore trio are set to burst out the gates with material from the critically acclaimed Eternal Blue. The potential of SPIRITBOX‘s Download appearance is massive with the inclusion of singles Holy Roller and Circle With Me. As their two headlining London dates sold out in mere moments, this may be the only chance UK fans get to see the band this year. Just the thought LaPlante‘s bone-rattling cry of “circle with me” rippling through the crowd at The Avalanche Stage is enough to get us pumped for the 30 minutes of carnage.

MALEVOLENCE – Opus Stage

Got Malicious Intent? MALEVOLENCE sure will as they hit the Opus Stage on Saturday. Since their appearance at last year’s Download Pilot, their rise has been meteoric. From Bloodstock to supporting ARCHITECTS, this band moves from strength to strength with ever improving live shows. The middle of Download Festival may just be levelled with this vicious brand of hardcore. The band is everywhere you look right now and Saturday afternoon will only bolster that. Running through huge riffs and cavity-hollowing screams, Big Riff isn’t the only energy the Sheffield outfit will be bosting. With no sense of hyperbole, high octane simply isn’t enough to describe the energy MALEVOLENCE are set to unleash. It’s too early to say whether this will be the set of the weekend but speak to us after the brutal Still Waters Run Deep and you will be met with pure ecstasy.

KISS – Apex Stage

Whatever your opinion on them (and their personal opinions) KISS live shows are nothing short of opulent. Making their return to Download for the first time since 2015, KISS light up the Apex Stage on Friday night. Gene Simmons recently stated the band would be retiring from touring out of love towards their fans but that obviously can’t happen without a tour across the globe. Regardless of the reasons why, the band have a career spanning almost 50 years with 20 studio albums and a whole host of other material. Donning the famous face paint and spangled boots, Paul Stanley will lead the charge for a delightfully nostalgic trip back in time to the band’s heyday and beyond. Will this be the last time we catch the American powerhouses on tour? We withhold comment on that for now but will relish the opportunity to finally tick this one off our list.

Sabrina Ramdoyal – Photography Editor

ORBIT CULTURE – The Dogtooth Stage

If hiding underneath a rock is a favourite pastime, then a little known Swedish melodic death metal outfit will be cutting through The Dogtooth Stage with their recognisably fiendish material which cannot be missed. While ORBIT CULTURE’s 2020 full-length album Nija was highly recommended since hitting the underground airwaves, their latest EP Shaman and their livestreamed Pulse Of The Maggots performance were the unadulterated examples of harnessing their technique for mass appeal without lacking an inch of sonic detail and presence. All while the pandemic was running riot! It had not stopped the quartet from are a showcase of incredible song writing talent, and hopefully one that will open doors for ORBIT CULTURE to eventually be headlining festivals soon. The perfect catch on a Sunday evening to prove their worth!

BURY TOMORROW – Apex Stage

There has not been one moment where BURY TOMORROW has surrendered to any metalcore trend or cliché after a rough couple of cycles. With a fresh approach in their arsenal and music that further expands their recognisable sound encyclopaedia with new singles DEATH (Even Colder) and LIFE (Paradise Denied). This is a band that is surging forward in their own way, and producing what is certainly BURY TOMORROW but more – voluminous, punishing and emotionally vicious, it is lovely to have them back and it’s safe to say that BURY TOMORROW have surpassed themselves from their releases Black Flame and Cannibal. You can imagine the explosion of support going through the roof once the troupe walks out in the open for the world to hear.

POWERWOLF – Apex Stage

If you haven’t heard of POWERWOLF before, let us explain why the German powerhouse are the ones to watch. Imagine SABATON but instead of war and tanks, their song collection is about werewolves and creatures that go bump in the night. They’re certainly not for every listener. However, just by their stage presence and tongue-in-cheek demeanour, you can expect to let yourself loose to appreciate their animated selves having a great time! Just have a look at their sold-out home crowd in their native Wacken Open Air in 2019. That was where the collective have gained their much-gained audience. With their new record Call Of The Wild released last year, it has added more joy to the expect an extravagant show to match with their ever bombastic soundscapes.

A.A. WILLIAMS – The Dogtooth Stage

Making her debut presence on The Dogtooth Stage, A.A. WILLIAMS has proven herself to be a uniquely brilliant artist who connects with darkness, abstraction and delicacy to make music that genuinely touches the audiophile in a way only those rare musicians can. What makes it even special are those who can relate their nature just by sitting down and playing the songs. A.A. WILLIAMS has an otherworldly expression, which sings about pain in a calm approach. With lyrics expressed with such melancholy and forlorn, she gives a passionate timeline of dark orchestral sounds that one can get lost in.

SLEEP TOKEN – The Avalanche Stage

The slogan ‘Worship’ has come a long way and it has rightfully gained its title. Since rising from the shadows in 2016, the congregation led by their leader Vessel has demonstrated exactly why their cult is growing ever stronger and seeing no stops to it. From their enchanting Download Pilot show and sold-out tour in the same year, the anonymous communal SLEEP TOKEN have taken the heavy music world by storm. Thanks to their incorporation of their tech-heavy instrumentations, wide cinematic soundscapes and touches of pop sensibilities. Their stage presence is mesmerising, and as equally convincing. You will see this Friday (and for those who have missed their last appearance) that the gathering set will again be proof of why SLEEP TOKEN are heralded as one of the most exhilarating new bands to materialise from the UK’s burgeoning alternative metal scene.

Dan McHugh – Assistant Introducing Editor

MALEVOLENCE – Opus Stage

MALEVOLENCE are arguably one of the hottest bands in metal right now, fresh off the release of their phenomenal Malicious Intent album they are poised to dominate any stage they can get their hands on. You can bet that they will have the crowd eating out of the palm of their hands with their incendiary energy levels and penchant for killer hooks.

SPIRITBOX – The Avalanche Stage

SPIRITBOX have rocketed in popularity since the release of Holy Roller back in 2020. Little did we know this was only the tip of the iceberg as Eternal Blue brought the fire in impressive fashion. They are guaranteed to have The Avalanche Stage bouncing. Adrenaline fuelled riffs and stunning vocals, what more could you ask for on the final day of a festival? Enjoy them on one of the smaller stages before they become too powerful to contain.

THE GHOST INSIDE – The Avalanche Stage

THE GHOST INSIDE have experienced more turmoil in their careers than anyone would ever hope to encounter. A horrific bus crash almost derailed everything and nobody would’ve blamed them for calling it a day. We are not blessed with their presence very often here in the UK so to see them return to tear The Avalanche Stage a new one with the pile of anthems at their disposal will be a sight you’d be daft to miss.

ORBIT CULTURE – The Dogtooth Stage

ORBIT CULTURE are not newcomers by any means but their significant graft and passion for their music has proved dividends as they are finally getting the recognition they so rightfully deserve. 2020’s Nija was the catalyst even when their extensive touring plans were thrown out of the window due to that slightly inconvenient pandemic. Whilst a lot of people are happy to pull up a camping chair and chill out by mainstage you will always find the hidden gems stashed away on the lower stages and this bunch of Swedish metal maestros are a shining example of this.

BLEED FROM WITHIN – The Dogtooth Stage

Scotland’s brightest shining star BLEED FROM WITHIN continue to go from strength to strength, somehow maintaining their frighteningly high quality with each passing release . Their freshly unleashed Shrine album has staked its claim for album of the year. They have plenty of anthems in their arsenal to turn The Dogtooth Stage into a whirling dervish of limbs at the drop of a hat and could well be the performance of the entire festival. Miss them at your peril as by the time festival season comes back around you won’t be seeing them on a stage this compact.