“You’re like an angel’s song. I’m on my knees, waiting for the sound.“
In terms of scale, Download is the undisputed king of annual metal festivals in the UK, and the twenty-second iteration offers another wealth of alternative acts from across the spectrum. Across three days and four stages, Donnington Park will host over a hundred acts, including debut performances for the likes of House of Protection, Amira Elfeky, and McFly and a fresh crop of mainstage headliners in Green Day, Sleep Token, and Korn – the last time this happened was 2010 (not including the 10,000-capacity Download Pilot). With everything from pop rock to progressive metal to deathcore on offer, here is our top ten must-see recommendations for Download 2025.
FRIDAY
Graphic Nature
Download has certainly caused a stir with its choice of headliners this year, but beyond the main stage there are spades of quality. We don’t mean this in a handwaving “something for everyone” way – even the smallest stage boasts some of the most exciting, genre-defining acts from the UK and beyond. Graphic Nature have been a long time favourite at Boolin Tunes since their early singles and two stellar albums. They are the premiere nu-core band on our shores if not worldwide, channeling Harvey Freeman‘s struggles with mental health and modern society into claustrophobic bangers. On their second visit to Download (the first being 2023), Graphic Nature are sure to turn the Dogtooth stage into a smelter; like a nightclub from The Matrix, trapped at the moment the fight scene begins.
Svalbard
Each evening, the Dogtooth stage has selected distinct themes for its last few bands. On Friday this means going from modern alternative underground to grand, triumphant, and ephemeral, as Apocalyptica, Eivør, Alcest and Svalbard put forward the case for the atmospheric and folk side of heavy metal. Svalbard balance the two extremes of grit and serenity by merging hardcore with blackgaze. They’ll also continue the theme of lyrical vulnerability, with their recent sets focusing on tracks from The Weight Of The Mask, concerning lost heroes and the struggle of living with depression.
Gore.
And, speaking of Friday’s Dogtooth line up, Gore. are yet another favourite around these parts. Having featured in our ‘ones to watch‘ for last year, signing to Spinefarm, and rounding out 2024 with a vulnerable EP in A Bud That Never Blooms, the Texas trio have really carved out a niche for themselves. Each track packs a punch, whether that be in the heart-wrenching “Doomsday” or furious metalcore effort “Babylon“. Sometimes you head to the festival early, mostly as an excuse to grab a pint (or two), and stumble across a gem. For many at Download XXII, that will be Gore.
STARSET
Known to take to the stage with a live cellist and violinist even at festival appearances, STARSET are one of the most theatric artists at this year’s Download. Their unique blend of cinematic rock (with a djentier tinge of late), politically-charged lyricism, and enigmatic frontman Dustin Bates‘ veritable wardrobe of intergalactic space robes is sure to make for a spectacular performance. Few bands can claim to have graphic novels, let alone justify them, but with two under their belt and a third on the way, STARSET continue their legendary narrative with an evening billing on the Opus Stage.
SATURDAY
Static Dress
Whilst their strong visual aesthetic and a track record of hit after hit points to a well-oiled machine, the secret to Static Dress‘ success is graft. After a trio of consecutive performances from 2021 to 2023, and then a year off, Static Dress return to Download to make their Apex Stage debut. With the recent release of face-melter “face.” (no pun intended), and a couple of unreleased songs played on their ongoing Crying Across The USA tour, Static Dress are winding up to their biggest year yet, and they are sure to set Donnington Park alight.
Loathe
Taking to the stage immediately after are Loathe, with whom Static Dress played a one-off tour with in Brooklyn just last month. Loathe‘s unique brand of shoegaze, nu-metal, and metalcore was an instant hit, and 2020’s I Let It In, and It Took Everything immediately cemented itself as a classic. Since then, the Liverpool quintet have toured relentlessly, but on the music front had only released an instrumental album, a standalone single, and reimagined recordings of their song “Is It Really You?” in collaboration with Sleep Token and Teenage Wrist – and none of these more recently than 2022.
Until last week, that is, when they surprise dropped a song they had recently been playing live: “Gifted Every Strength“. Loathe‘s six-minute self-produced odyssey of a comeback effort is gnarly and complex, with a guitar tone of pure filth. Hard, fresh, and unabashed, flitting between psychedelic fuzz, progressive rock, and their staple cacaphony, it is a perfect fit for Loathe in 2025 – and for Download. Few songs this year will provide equal opportunity to dance and take an elbow to the face (respectfully).
Sleep Token
It is hard to think of a metal band in recent memory with such a meteoric rise to greatness than Sleep Token, and to the subsequent fame which is so incongruous with the group’s emphasis on letting the music speak for them. Nevertheless, mask or no, the quartet’s penchant for theatrics, tight individual performances, and already stellar catalogue mean that they put on one hell of a show. One marked with black paint-stained sweat and tears.
With their forthcoming album, Even In Arcadia, set to release this Friday, fans will no doubt be excited to discover which of the new material will be debuted on this massive stage. From a 600-capacity intimate acoustic show in a post-COVID landscape to being the stars of the show to over 100,000 people this coming June, Download will be the biggest live test for the masked collective yet; and it is sure to be one they meet with swords blazing.
SUNDAY
President
When President were announced out of the blue back in February, their marketing sent shockwaves across the community – not least from Sleep Token fans anticipating a collaboration. Sharing a management agency, as well as their mutually cryptic approach to marketing (perhaps a purposeful brand synergy), made this inevitable. However, while this frenzied association proved to be untrue, and the owner of the President trademark was discovered, the reality will be just as exciting for many, for a legend of the scene appears poised to return.
As of now, a countdown is set for May 16th – a month before the festival kicks off in earnest. To what? Who knows. Whether the music drops then, or the project blueprint itself is simply unveiled, President‘s set in June is likely to be as tight and creative as any brand new project could ever dream of.
“At Download Festival, the inauguration begins. […] History will be made.”
Spiritbox
The sixth and final band beginning with S in this article are Spiritbox. Since last playing Download in 2022, Canadian metalcore outfit Spiritbox have released two acclaimed EPs and kicked off 2025 with an album, Tsunami Sea, which is sure to make many people’s end-of-year lists. The quartet have a plethora of hits to choose from, and songs like “Fata Morgana” and “Circle With Me” are sure to tear up the stage. Frontwoman Courtney LaPlante, famously confused with Poppy at this year’s Grammys, has the stage presence and vocal range to hang with the best of them.
Lorna Shore
When we interviewed vocalist Will Ramos back in 2021, upon joining the band, few could have expected the sonic and commercial heights that Lorna Shore would go on to reach. Already a respected, even revered, name in deathcore circles (and rightly so), the addition of Ramos‘ face-melting vocals and undeniable charisma was the final piece of the puzzle which launched them to unprecedented popularity. The inordinate, animalistic breakdown of “To The Hellfire” exploding across social media was just the beginning, and the New Jersey quintet find themselves in the penultimate slot on the Opus Stage.
That is not to say that their selling point is simply Armageddon: sweltering synths, soaring symphonics, and refined riffs have proven to be the considered underbelly of Lorna Shore‘s music for a decade, and will create the perfect atmosphere for one last hurrah on Sunday night. The deathcore royalty put on one hell of a show.
While our coverage has coincidentally focused on the Dogtooth and lower-mainstage, there are a plethora of fantastic acts from all walks who are well worth seeing if you have the time: Dayseeker, Fit For An Autopsy, Lastelle, Northlane, Poppy, Unpeople, Unprocessed, VOLA, Vower, Whitechapel, and Amira Elfeky to name a few. Secret sets have also seemingly been confirmed, as well as District X offerings including Vengaboys and an acoustic set from Funeral For a Friend.