Well, it’s the final day. The tent is wrecked, that Slayer bucket hat you bought yesterday somehow turned into a soggy unicorn horn and you’re ready to never hear another Alan chant ever again. But hey, you’re at Download Festival, where it is illegal to be unhappy (it is not actually illegal, just frowned upon), so make your final trek to the arena and check out our top ten to close out your festival!
Fozzy
Fozzy are no strangers to Download, this being their third appearance and their second time on the main stage, but this time, they’re hitting it even harder! Fozzy’s most recent single, Judas, has quickly amassed over 3 million views on Youtube in a mere few weeks and it doesn’t look like it’ll stop anytime soon. Combine classic ‘80s rock influences with a modern metal tone and more stage presence than the Big 4 combined from front man, Chris Jericho (you might recognise him from…other endeavors) and you have one of the most severely underrated and passionate metal bands in the world, kicking off your final day at Download! (AJ)
Touche Amore
Download is known for the versatility in its bands. Touche Amore definitely aren’t the kind of band you immediately relate to Download, however they are more than capable of becoming one of your favourite bands of the weekend. With passion, soothingly raspy yet powerful vocals and lyrics, hard hitting but dynamic music, they define modern Post-Hardcore and opened the doors to this ever growing stylistic. TA bring a collective of five albums, five EPs and ten years of performance together in their thirty minutes on stage and make sure to connect with every single person giving them the time of day, so make sure you experience everything that Touche Amore have to offer! (AJ)
Fizzy Blood
An act that may be overlooked, but are likely to brew up quite the storm would be Fizzy Blood. Hot off the heels of a UK tour in support of While She Sleeps, these lads are ready to cause some chaos with their full throttle set of energy, blistering vocals and grungy guitar riffs. With their debut album set for release later in the year, you can catch them on the Avalanche Stage before they take the UK by storm! (DP)
Moose Blood
Moose Blood are one of the biggest hyped bands around right now. After touring with the likes of Lower Than Atlantis, A Day To Remember, New Found Glory and Neck Deep, among many others, they have come on in leaps and bounds since their debut album ‘Ill Keep You In Mind, From Time To Time’ in 2014. Since the release of their follow up ‘Blush’ last year, these guys have rocketed into the game with the big boys, now finding themselves sub-headlining Download Festival’s Avalanche Stage! (DP)
Basement
Basement have had a bloody good time of it as of late. After multiple sold out UK headline tours, opening UK arenas with Bring Me The Horizon, as well as playing shows and festivals all over the world since their reunion in 2014. Their latest full length in the form of Promise Everything was received with open arms (mostly to catch the crowd surfers) with a unique Grunge but Alternative style, with some metal influence sneaking in there. If you want grunge, you can do no wrong but to catch one of the UKs hottest bands on the Avalanche Stage. (AJ)
Alter Bridge
Giving Steven Tyler a run for his money on Sunday evening will be Alter Bridge’s very own frontman Myles Kennedy! One of the best front men around, so much so that even the legendary Slash himself picked him up to tour and record his solo projects with. With plenty of huge rock riffs Alter Bridge will be one of the acts to take the main stage by storm, and likely in their stride also! (DP)
Airbourne
There are complex bands, there are simple bands, and then there are bare bones bands. Airbourne occupy their own little section called ‘Airbourne only’, in which they have four members, four chords and a whole load of fun. Now making Download a regular stop on their touring schedule, the Aussies are not ones to back down, with riffs, solos and the most classic of drum, bass and guitar tones imaginable, Donington park is their pilgrimage. After seeing Airbourne, you are guaranteed to leave with your voice gone, your air guitar strings broken and an addiction for more as O’Keeffe and his merry men put on a show that is simply and uniquely unrivaled in 2017! (AJ)
Dead!
Also on the Avalanche Stage is Southampton formed rockers Dead!. Dead! Are a band that do things their own way. They have been working on their debut album, which based on recent single ‘ENOUGH ENOUGH ENOUGH’ will be a bloody mad one. These guys are full of energy and will have your socks rocked off in a short but sweet set on Sunday! (DP)
The Dillinger Escape Plan
What is left that hasn’t already been said when it comes to TDEP? Vibrant, commanding, influential, crazy, insane, genius, organic, original and a whole load of adjectives and you still cannot express what it is like to experience The Dillinger Escape Plan. After two decades of chaos and boundary busting music, the New Jersey group are bowing out on their own terms, but this isn’t a sad affair. This band have had a monumental impact on metal, without a doubt up there with the likes of Metallica, Machine Head and Avenged Sevenfold, yet they have still never quite hit it huge like the for mentioned, which is why being a TDEP fan is like being part of a secret club. As well as their music, they’re famed for their, simply, insane and crazy stage antics. Everything about a Dillinger Escape Plan show is entirely unpredictable, unfortunately though, there is only one guarantee and that this will be the last time you will ever see TDEP at Download, so, go are make it the best send off possible from Donington Park. (AJ)
Aerosmith
The biggest performance of the weekend is likely to be snatched up by the legendary Aerosmith. The ‘bad boys from Boston’ are arguably the biggest rock band to come out of America with over a 40 year run of innovative bluesy rock n roll. With hits such as ‘Walk This Way’, ‘Don’t Wanna Miss A Thing’, ‘Crying’, ‘Crazy’, ‘Livin’ On The Edge’… (The list is practically endless) its set to be one hell of a party. Stopping off at Download Festival as part of their ‘Aero-Vederci Baby!’ farewell tour, this could very well be your last chance to witness the Aerosmith live experience, making it completely unmissable! (DP)
Download Festival takes place on 9 – 11 June 2017 at the spiritual home of rock in Donington Park, Leicestershire.
For tickets and more information visit – www.downloadfestival.co.uk
Keep your eyes peeled for our NXT special coming very soon!
Preview – Adam Jones & Danny Peart