Download Festival 2013 Reviewed: No Nonsense Metal Reviews

No Nonsense Metal Reviews 

Download Festival 2013 Reviewed

SLIPKNOT
Rating: 10 = Life Changing, 1 = life ruining

  With a line up as good as Downloads, there is no wonder that 90,000 Metal hungry headbangers have descended on Donington Park to attend the most Metal event of 2013. For 3 days a year, this vast site is home to one of the UK's most prestigious festivals. Anyone lucky enough to attend this congregation of Metal pilgrims will know, Download is something you will never forget. Whether your camping on Wednesday, in for the long haul, just going for the day, or there for 2 days like No Nonsense Metal, then you know that its something not to be missed.

   As you might expect, the weather doesn't exactly suit the high spirits here. The on and off showers don't fill bands and fans with much confidence, but at the end of the day, that is British weather for you. Due to unforeseen circumstances, No Nonsense Metal only arrived for the third band on. The British rising stars of breakdown laden pop versed Metal-Core, Asking Alexandria [7], deliver a energetic performance. Show casing some new material from upcoming album, From Death To Destiny, which is met with ravenous applause. Next up is Nu-Metal veterans, Papa Roach [6]. Wisely basing their set-list on their classic tracks, they still rather bluntly fail to impress. The days saviors of all things Metal award show be given to Down [9] and particularly ex-Pantera legend, Philip H. Anselmo. Dripping with southern charm, Mr. Anselmo leads an obedient crowd through recent heavyweight, "Witchtripper", as well as classics like "Bury Me In Smoke" and "Stone The Crow". Its safe to say that following a set as good as Down's is not going to be easy, especially when everyone is either already exhausted or off in search of some serious alcohol. Over on the Zippo stage, the Danish force that is Volbeat [8], is drawing an impressive crowd for a 6 o'clock slot.

Volbeat

With ex-Anthrax shredder, Rob Caggiano, on hand to assist in the the task of laying waste to thousands of necks and ten times as many plastic cups, Volbeat certainly leave a lasting impression. Musical tributes to the likes of Johnny Cash and the recently departed Jeff Hanneman, are played with as much passion and energy as what the crowd fuel back at the band. Over on the Pepsi Max stage, American Metal-Core crew, Motionless In White [9], are taking this opportunity to win over as many spectators and please as many fans as possible. However, judging by the fact that the tent is completely packed with manic moshers, it would appear that Motionless In White are in fact preaching to the converted. Their enthusiastic performance

Motionless In White

of old favorites "Immaculate Misconception" and "Puppets", as well as newer tracks like "A-M-E-R-I-C-A", leave you with the feeling that Download might not see this band on the Pepsi Max stage again. Bullet For My Valentine [8] have been allocated the task of keep the ever growing crowd energised and interested while they wait for the headliners. "Temper Temper" and flaming renditions of "Scream Aim Fire" and "The Last Fight", go some way to completing the job. It wont be long before Bullet For My Valentine will be headlining festivals of this

Bullet For My Valentine

size, but in the mean time, performances like this will keep the fans more that happy.
   Finally the time has come. The time some people have been waiting 4 years for. The time that feels as though it has taken an age to finally come. If you haven't worked is out already, then its time for Slipknot [10]. A set abundant with perfectly reproduced fan favorites, it becomes increasingly obvious that no band will ever be able to match the intensity of this show. Rarely aired bruisers like "Get This" and "Gently", are sang back to the 8 menacing masks on stage, like hymns at a religious congregation. The fact 90,000 convulsing puppets manage to break the safety barriers, twice, goes some way to representing both the volume of people witnessing this performance, and just how much energy everyone present has bottled up for this night. The classics drop one after the other, all met will seemingly endless energy and enthusiasm, and through the mists of pyrotechnics and jump-suits not a single disappointed soul is found.

   Its always an invigorating experience when you watch a band live that maybe you were skeptical about, only to be left pleasantly surprised. That is certainly the case watching Escape The Fate [8]. Their rock infused Metal-Core makes for an encouraging set, with songs new and old been warmly received by the impressively large second stage crowd. Even Craig Mabbitt's sinful waste of Jack Daniels, by using it as

Escape The Fate

shampoo, gets an approving roar from the crowd. Up next is the polar opposite to Escape The Fate. Swedish death-doom masters, Katatonia [9], put on one of the best performances of the weekend. Clashing with Mastodon will never be a good thing if a band is hoping to have a large audience, but that doesn't deter

Katatonia

Katatonia. They lay down fan favorites and hidden gems, resulting in the most upbeat doom set of the entire weekend. If you like seeing a tent full of people flailing around uncontrollably, then you would have almost certainly enjoyed Heart Of A Coward [6]. There is no denying that both crowd enthusiasm and musical brutality were both present, but sometimes metallic slabs of Death-Core just aren't enough to keep a crowd interested. Kings of Rock' n 'Roll, Motorhead [6], have an enormous audience at the main stage, and just as many technical problems it seems. Obviously classics like "Damage Case" and "Stay Clean" are live favorites, but you can't help but feel that these legends would benefit immensely from a longer set and a indoor venue. The Pepsi Max Stage is home to the most interesting band of the evening. That band is the Taiwanese Metal force of Chthonic [10], accompanied by a traditional orchestra, armed

Chthonic

with a selection of traditional Taiwanese instruments. During tracks such as "Supreme Pain For The Tyrant", "Takeo" and "Oceanquake", not a single head was static among the sea of raised fists and horns. So once again, the time has come to witness another long awaited event. Iron Maiden [10] finally returning to the UK and specifically Donington Park, armed with their highly anticipated, Maiden England set. So maybe the weather doesn't seem to be as great as we would have liked, but that didn't stop Maiden from having a Spitfire flying over the arena before their set. If that isn't the greatest display of power of the weekend then nothing is. Technical and sound difficulties aside, Maiden's set is classic after classic, rarely aired gems like "Afraid To Shoot Strangers" and "The Prisoner" are delivered like gifts to a field of people who have completed a pilgrimage to witness this event, and waited many months for this to finally come.

   Even without being there for the final day, after the performances of the first 2 days of Download, even the most experienced of Metal-Heads will have had their Metal thirst quenched. Until next year, tales of this momentous occasion will be exchanged, and for many years after that, the legacy of Download 2013 shall reside with in the hearts and minds of people lucky enough to be there. Its not going to be easy topping the best line up Download has even scene, but however they do it, see you all there again next year. Bring on 2014!

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