Damnation Festival First Line Up Announcement for 2025

Damnation Festival First Line Up Announcement for 2025

With Damnation Festival expanding to two days for its 20th anniversary in 2025. They've come out of the blocks strong with their first announcement for next year!

French synthwave standout PERTURBATOR, Swedish thrashers THE HAUNTED, US grind kings PIG DESTROYER and UK doom legends WARNING are the first names announced for Damnation’s two-day 20th anniversary bash.

They’ll be joined at BEC Arena, Manchester, on Saturday and Sunday, November 8 and 9, 2025 by the original line-up of Singaporean grindcore trio WORMROT, reformed UK hardcore stalwarts STAMPIN’ GROUND and the long-overdue UK debut by American death metallers BRODEQUIN.

GAEREA, MANTAR, HELLRIPPER, FRAIL BODY, GOST, MERYL STREEK and CRIPPLING ALCOHOLISM complete the first incredible wave of acts, with 34 bands, including headliners, still to be announced.

The Haunted, who headlined Damnation 2006 at Jilly’s Rockworld will return to the UK for the first time in eight years.

They said: “We’re proper chuffed to be part of this killer line up at next year’s Damnation! Can’t wait to see you in the pit!”

Stampin’ Ground added: “We said we wouldn't, but how could we resist? What better excuse to celebrate 25 years of our 'Carved From Empty Words' album than a joint birthday bash for Damnation's 20th?

“We go back a ways with Damnation, and look forward to blowing the stage doors off the BEC Arena for you!”

Warning fans can look forward to hearing classic and new material as the band return to the live arena.

They said: "On the eve of the 20th anniversary of our Watching from a Distance album, we are proud to be invited back to perform at Damnation's 20th anniversary, where we will play the album in full, alongside new material.

"This will be our only UK performance of 2025. We look forward to seeing you at Damnation."

Wormrot added: “The original Wormrot is back. Can't wait to burn Damnation to the ground."

And Hellripper said: “Our last appearance at Damnation in 2021 was one of my favourite shows we’ve played to this date, and it’s a festival you can trust for a good weekend… so I’m delighted we will return, bringing total mayhem and our relentless goat hailing to Manchester!”

On finally making the trip to the UK, Brodequin said: "This performance marks a significant milestone as it will be our debut show in England, and we are deeply honoured to contribute to a festival with such a rich legacy of exceptional bands over the years.

"The UK has been a profound source of inspiration for us since our inception, making this opportunity to perform at Damnation Festival even more meaningful. We eagerly anticipate sharing a selection of our favorite songs, reconnecting with friends from around the world, and forging new connections with the incredible community this festival brings together."

Damnation organiser Gavin McInally said: “This is the most exciting opening announcement we’ve ever put together with absolute gems everywhere you look, from Perturbator hosting a main stage rave to Meryl Streek throwing an Irish punk rally.

“We have Stampin’ Ground returning to call for a wall of death the length of BEC Arena, Warning will play their doom masterpiece Watching from a Distance, The Haunted reuniting with Damnation in the same city they last played the festival.

“It will be Pig Destroyer’s only UK show, and it’ll be carnage. Brutal death metal fans will finally have the chance of see Brodequin without taking a flight to the States and Wormrot will also make their Damnation debut with their original line-up in tow.

“Gaerea are one of the most requested black metal bands we’ve seen in recent years, Mantar are long-overdue their Damnation debut and Hellripper, Frail Body, Gost and Crippling Alcoholism add a further touch of class and diversity to this opening salvo - from the best of blackened thrash to screamo.”

He added: “But this is genuinely just a flavour of what’s to follow. We sold 1,700 blind and if we can do that again with the bands announced today, we’ll allow our imaginations to run wild for our 20th birthday bash.

“Instalment tickets can be bought for £5 (plus the full booking fee) and the next payment isn’t due until February.”