Top Eight Bands You Must Watch At Damnation Festival 2022

October 31, 2022 James Weaver

Since its humbling beginnings in Manchester 17 years ago, the success story of Damnation Festival is not only a cause for celebration for the UK’s festival calendar, but for the metal world as a whole. Placed in November, outside of the jam-packed summer months, year on year, the one-day festival brings together a lineup from across the heavy music spectrum; from black and death to doom and post-metal, psychedelia to thrash, Damnation is one unique treat for the heavy music aficionado. Making a short journey back across the Pennines to the city where it all began, 2022’s iteration is not only a return to Manchester, but the biggest Damnation Festival yet. With a mouth-wateringly stacked lineup, we pick out eight bands from 2022’s billing (including Friday’s A Night Of Salvation pre-show) that are worth your time and attention when 6,000 metalheads descend to the BEC Arena.

1. PIG DESTROYER – Pins & Knuckles Stage

When Damnation Festival lost main stage headliner MINISTRY back in September, for some, alarm bells were starting to ring. With mere months until the event, questions were asked to who could come in at short notice to fill the void of the coveted headlining slot. The answer, as it turns out, was already there. Four bands. Four classic album sets. Talk about making the biggest Damnation to-date even more of a must attend show. PIG DESTROYER are one of the most respected bands of their genre and 2001’s Prowler In The Yard is regarded as a staple of the grindcore genre and Damnation will see the band perform the entirety of their visceral second record. Expect 36 minutes of sheer aural carnage and a pint is on us for the first person we find reciting the menacing album opener, Jennifer, in its entirety.

2. ITHACA – A Night Of Salvation

Alongside the heavy hitters of established international bands, Damnation Festival boasts its reputation as bringing through genuinely exciting fresh talent. VENOM PRISON to CONJURER, SVALBARD to ALUNAH, GODEATER to CRYPTIC SHIFT, the festival is becoming a well-respected proving ground for the next generation of metal. And looking to follow in the footsteps of those that did it in prior years comes ITHACA. Landing a slot at the A Night Of Salvation pre-show, the British band will surely capitalise on the surging moment generated from appearances at this year’s ArcTanGent and the release of AOTY-contender They Fear Us. Expect an incendiary and captivating performance from one of the brightest sparks in UK metal today.

3. CONVERGE – Pins & Knuckles Stage

CONVERGE are one of the most celebrated bands in metallic hardcore and Jane Doe is regarded as one of the most influential records of not just hardcore, but heavy music in its entirety. Just as the other bands mentioned in this list, Damnation sees the band take to the stage to perform their seminal record in its entirety and it will be pure fucking carnage. From the frenetic opener of Concubine, all the way through to the title track, as the last band of the festival, CONVERGE will close Damnation with the biggest of bangs. This will be a set that will go down in Damnation Festival folklore.

4. INCANTATION – Holy Goat Brewing Stage

For over thirty years, INCANTATION have been ruling the roost as one of death metal’s most visceral bands. Sticking firmly to the brutal playbook, the band’s track record of pulverising riffs is incredibly consistent, and for UK fans, Damnation proves to mark a rare appearance from the band on UK soil. Supporting latest album, 2020’s Sect Of Vile Divinities, expect to hear several new slabs alongside celebrated favourites from 1992’s timeless Onward To Golgotha. Whilst they might not be the most experimentally adventurous band on the lineup, but sometimes you just can’t beat good old traditional death metal to provide a surge of adrenaline. And INCANTATION will provide just that.

5. PUPIL SLICER – A Night Of Salvation

Akin to their compatriots ITHACA, the rise of PUPIL SLICER in recent years has been nothing short of exhilarating to experience. Nauseating name aside, their genre-splicing sonics is brutal enough on record, but live, its a different beast entirely. Manic, chaotic and utterly memorable, the band are a hit on the live circuit; as outings supporting ROLO TOMASSI and festival slots at Bloodstock and ArcTanGent can attest to. As they begin to close the book on Mirrors‘ cycle, A Night Of Salvation will be a fitting swansong for their debut full-length record and will excite fans for what is coming next.

6. GREEN LUNG – Eyesore Merch Stage

Having to withdraw at the eleventh hour due to COVID complications last year, 2022 sees occult hard rock outfit GREEN LUNG return with a point to prove. As thoroughly disappointing as it was that we didn’t get our fix of bombastic riffs and swirling psychedelia 12 months ago, the wait will be worth it. Still in support of last year’s excellent Black Harvest, the band will surely air a healthy amount of their newest cuts alongside celebrate tracks from 2019’s Woodland Rites, all whilst the riffs connect like a hard-hitting punch and vocalist Tom Templar will showcase his qualities as a truly excellent frontman. Sure, the clash with American black metallers WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM is a tough pill to swallow, causing many a dilemma for those who are fans of both bands. But if you’re on the fence, we implore you to at the very least, experience a song or two from this excellent band.

7. AT THE GATES – Pins & Knuckles Stage

AT THE GATES are one of the most respected and revered bands within metal and any excuse to watch the Swedes live in action is always met with the utmost enthusiasm. Whilst post-reunion records (2014’s At War With Reality, 2018’s To Drink From The Night Itself and 2021’s The Nightmare Of Being) have all proved that the band still have the fire in their collective bellies, 1995’s Slaughter Of The Soul still stands as the band’s magnum opus. And at Damnation Festival, we get to hear the record performed in its reality. Whilst the likes of the title track, Blinded By Fear and Suicide Nation have been staples of the band’s live sets for many a year, the very chance to hear deeper cuts like Unto Others and Need in the live environment as the band run through the record from front to back will be something that will live long in the memory of those that can say “I was there”.

8. BELL WITCH & AERIEL RUIN: STYGIAN BOW – Holy Goat Brewing Stage

BELL WITCH shot to prominence in 2017 through Mirror Reaper, an 80+ minute epic of monolithic doom and jaw-dropping artwork from the late Mariusz Lewandowski. 2020’s Stygian Bough Volume 1 saw the band collaborate with AERIAL RUIN, the acoustic folk project helmed by Erik Moggridge, was a curious proposition but one in which saw the two styles combine to glorious effect. Damnation will see the project grace the live stage for what will be one of the more unique performances of the day as we anticipate those present will be captivated towards the stage and lost in the massive sound from the first note to the last.