Preview: Download Festival 2014

Undoubtedly the biggest, most uncompromising rock festival in the country - Download returns to Donington Park for 2014. We take a look at what to expect from this year's edition.

Jimmy Coultas

Last updated: 2nd Apr 2015

Photo: Download Festival

Having regularly welcomed the likes of Marilyn Manson, Iron Maiden, Metallica, HIM, Black Sabbath, System of a Down, Tool, and Guns ‘N’ Roses during it's long tenure, it's no wonder that thousands of die hard rock and metal fans make the annual pilgrimage to the monolithic festival.

This year sees a reliably enormous line up in store, with Friday welcoming dramatic heavy metellers Avenged Sevenfold (below), multi talented movie director / alternative metal powerhouse Rob Zombie, and tongue-in-cheek punk rockers The Offspring among its standout acts. Bad Religion, Anathema, Letlive and Dan Reed Network will also be involved in Download's powerful opening day.

Saturday sees NuMetal alumni Linkin Park make an exclusive appearance, with the energetic Californians only playing material from their barnstorming debut longplayer Hybrid Theory (below). It's a mammoth main stage line up which sees Linkin Park joined by emo bosses Fall Out Boy, Sheffield deathcore upstarts Bring Me The Horizon, and one of the very founders of metalcore Killswitch Engage provide a devastating bill on the second day's play.

Sunday welcomes one of the most celebrated hard rock bands of all time - Aerosmith. Since the 70s these guys have become one of the most iconic rock bands of all time, having cleaned up at ceremonies like the Grammy's, The American Music Awards and the People's Choice Awards repeatedly. Their appearance at Donington will be one of the rare opportunities to see the Massachusetts five piece perform some of the standout moments from their staggering back catalogue.

Alter Bridge, Steel Panther, The Pretty Reckless, Dillinger Escape plan and The Used are just some of the other Sunday highlights. It goes without saying then, that for genuine rock and metal lovers, Download is pretty irresistible, and with the festival featuring one of the friendliest crowds you're likely to encounter at an event of this magnitude, you've be daft not to.

Head here for your Download Tickets

Head here for the full Download Line Up

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