Damnation Festival: The Unmissable Bands
by Cat Finch
The highlight of the autumn gig going season returns this November! After a covid enforced break last year Damnation Festival returns to Leeds University and for the last time as 2022 will see the festival switch to Manchester.
So we’re going to pick out some bands on this year’s line up we think you simply CANNOT miss!
For 2021, Gav and Paul have rewarded the fans for their loyalty by adding a pre-show ‘A Night of Salvation’ on the Friday with some very special sets. Each one is so special we simply cannot choose between them and instead we suggest you check them all out!
On the Friday evening Svalbard will perform their latest album ‘When I Die, Will Get Better?’ in full. Akercocke return to their suited and booted on stage garb and will perform a very special ‘The Goats of Mendes’ 20th anniversary set. Following on, Orange Goblin celebrate their 25th anniversary (albeit a year late – thanks covid) with a career spanning set. This will be the first time the band play a selection of songs from each of their albums, in chronological order! And to close it all off, as the clock strikes midnight Raging Speedhorn will perform their debut self-titled album in full in a special once in a lifetime show!
Those four special sets will cost you just £25, a bargain!
Then the following day it all starts again, this time the university opens its four stages and DAMNATION will hit us with it’s full force.
There are twenty seven bands on the bill this year, and of course it goes without saying you need to check out Paradise Lost (performing Gothic in full) Godflesh and Carcass, but we are going to pick out a couple of other bands we really think you should be checking out!
Video Nasties were the break out band of 2020, with 'Dominion' (APF Records) topping mine and many other writers top ten lists of the years. Melding the horror movie genre perfectly with blistering riffing, these Scouse lads promise to put on one of the best performances you will see this Damnation Festival weekend.
Check them out @ 15:50 on the Cult Never Dies Stage.
Green Lung have just released an album of the year contender in ‘Black Harvest’ (Svart Records) and took Bloodstock by storm earlier this year. Their unique form of Sabbath worship is one not to be missed.
See them @ 16:40 on the Eyesore Merch Stage.
Conjurer have just signed to Nuclear Blast and became only the second band to play the trifecta of stages at Bloodstock (New Blood, Sophie and Main Stages) this year. These guys really are the great British hope in the metal world, as Brody explained to us earlier this year.
Catch them @ 18:15 on the ToneMGMT Stage.
And our final recommendation, if you are intrigued by the concept of sci-fi infused death metal, then get into the venue early doors to catch Cryptic Shift open up the festival!
The play the ToneMGMT Stage @ 13:00
All times quoted correct at time of publication. Timings subject to change.
Check out the rest of our Damnation Festival coverage!
Reviews
A Night of Salvation
Damnation Festival
Interviews
Gavin McInally - Festival Director
Paradise Lost
Video Nasties
Gama Bomb
Mountain Caller
Wode
Hellripper
Boss Keloid
Pre-Festival Coverage
Damnation Festival - The Unmissable Bands
Damnation: A Fans Retrospective - Part 1
Damnation: A Fans Retrospective - Part 2
