So then we reach our fourth and final part of the mega Download Festival line up and where else is left to explore? Well the top two stages obviously. We’ve gone through each day and given you our picks on the absolute ‘must-see’ shows.

Friday

Rammstein - (Main Stage, 21:10pm - 22:50pm)

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Where better to start than with the German maniacal machine that is Rammstein? When the band headlined the festival in 2013 the organisers had to actually plan ahead in building a bigger stage in order to allow for all of their fireworks and shenanigans. You don’t have to like Rammstein to enjoy a Rammstein live show. In fact you wouldn’t even need to like Metal to enjoy a Rammstein show. As a spectacle they’re frankly unrivalled, there just isn’t a band who can even get close to them in this day and age. On top of the fact they deliver a phenomenal ‘show’, as an actual live band they’re absolutely flawless as well. They’ve not released any new material since they were last on tour in the UK so expect a setlist filled with hit after hit after hit.

Korn - (Main Stage, 19:00pm - 20:10pm)

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As you will have seen in Part Two of our Download Festival Preview, Korn have a strong history at Donington Park and with the fact that they’re currently in such a rich vein of form at the moment they genuinely have the potential for stealing the show this year. Korn at a festival for just over an hour ploughing through crowd pleasing hit after another - what's not to like?

Killswitch Engage - (Main Stage, 16:10pm - 17:00pm)

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Yet another band who seriously have the potential of staking a set of the weekend claim on Donington are the ever reliable Killswitch Enagage. Their most recent album wasn’t perhaps met with the same level of fervour as Jesse’s first comeback album, but as a live unit they very rarely disappoint. There hasn’t been a better frontman in Metal live than Jesse Leach at some points over the last few years as he’s truly grasped the opportunity of his second stint in the band and run with it. Their cover of Holy Diver will more than likely trigger the biggest sing along of the day.

Babymetal - (Main Stage, 15:00pm - 15:40pm)

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Ah Babymetal. Who would have thought that a few years after writing a preview of a rival festival where this lot opened the Main Stage we’d still be talking about them now? This is a fad which hasn’t died, instead developing in to an absolute monster. Babymetal played a sold out show at Wembley Arena recently, and after the announcement that they are also set to play a show in Japan to over 100,000 people, Copping’s initial dislike of the idea couldn’t help be overturned. They’ll get a huge crowd, still at this stage mainly of confused observers, but we can honestly say it’s a unique experience watching this J-Pop Metal play any show.

All Time Low - (Second Stage, 20:55pm - 22:05pm)

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Headlining the Second Stage, All Time Low’s mega popular breed of Pop Punk will generate a hell of a lot of day tickets alone with a crowd base extremely passionate following them from show to show. Whilst they may lack the grittier ‘Punk’ edge, being more of a Pop band let’s be honest, but they’ve got some seriously catchy tunes. In a genre not necessarily famed for ‘great’ live bands, All Time Low have received widespread critical acclaim for their performances so there is no doubt that whilst going up against gargantuan competition on Main, they’ll still deliver a big show.

Glassjaw - (18:15pm - 19:00pm)

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We’re including Glassjaw on this list because, well, they’re a genuinely brilliant and original band, but there placing on the bill does raise some concerns. This is a band who’s sound is far more suited to an enclosed, smaller environment, so to play the huge Second Stage early evening will be interesting. There is no doubt that this is a band who give it their absolute all during live shows so we’re not doubting they’ll put on a great show, we just hope the crowd gives them the kind of investment they truly deserve.


Saturday

Black Sabbath - (Main Stage, 20:50pm - 22:30pm)

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The almighty. The band who started it all are set to return to Donington one last time this weekend in what promises to be an emotional and powerful performance, one that will head directly for the Download Festival history books. Whilst the tour itself appears to be never-ending, billed as “The End” this is Black Sabbath’s last ever run and whilst you may snigger and say you’ve heard that before, this time it really does seem to be true. This may well be your last opportunity to catch the almighty Black Sabbath - just don’t miss it.

Deftones - (Main Stage, 18:40pm - 19:50pm)

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Deftones are on an absolute roll at the moment with the brilliant Gore released earlier this year the band played an absolutely huge sold out show at Wembley Arena this past week, spearheading their way towards another big one at Donington this weekend. The band are at a stage in their career where they’ve got just over an hour in which they’ll smack out nothing but hits and you’ll walk away upset they didn’t play certain tracks. One of the best bands in all of heavy music and still absolutely unstoppable.

Megadeth - (Main Stage, 17:00pm -18:00pm)

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Another show which is set to be very emotional in the wake of Nick Menza’s recent death, Megadeth as a live band at the moment are the best they’ve sounded in a long time. With Kiko Loureiro taking over on lead guitar and the incredible Chris Adler taking up duties behind the kit, Megadeth are a band who have ultimately been hit and miss over the years, but they’re well on form now so definitely worth checking out.

Skindred - (Second Stage, 19:15pm - 20:15pm)

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Skindred are another band who have a strong history at Donington and yet again this is a band who frankly do not disappoint live. Have Skindred ever played a live show? No, pretty much. This will be one of the most fun sets all weekend, and despite Saturday being clash central, we strongly advise getting over to the second stage for at least some of this.

Architects - (Second Stage, 18:05pm - 18:45pm)

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Now whilst a lot of the bands we’ve spoken about on this feature so far have a solid history with Download Festival, Architects are on the brink of the biggest stage of their careers. The new album All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us is probably the best thing they’ve ever made and with a live show as good as theirs backing it all, there’s a genuine feel that we’re looking at a band who are about to break in to territory beyond anything they’ve seen before. Looking across the Second Stage all weekend, they’re going to blow everyone else away.


Sunday

Iron Maiden - (20:50pm - 22:50pm)

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We’ve harped on quite a bit in this feature about a host of bands who have a strong history with Download and/or Donington, but no one comes close to Iron Maiden's marriage with the hallowed turf. Donington belongs to Iron Maiden, and with them closing out the whole weekend come Sunday Night it’s likely to be the biggest sing-along of the lot. Whilst we don’t agree that every other band should close down for them (in fact it is a level of arrogance which defies logic), they will put on a good show. Prepare to be bombarded with Iron Maiden merch and Trooper beer all weekend.

Disturbed - (17:00pm - 18:00pm)

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Another huge band on this year’s Main Stage, Disturbed returned last year, releasing the critically acclaimed Immortalized and showing a level of form live high enough to make it look like they’d never been away. Whilst the new stuff doesn’t even come close to the older crowd favourites, should they include their cover of The Sound Of Silence in the setlist it will make for very interesting viewing indeed.

Jane’s Addiction - (19:25pm - 20:35pm)

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Easily one of the most exciting components on the 2016 line up, Jane’s Addiction are not a band who play shows in the UK often so this may well be one of those shows you’ll sorely regret missing if you end up losing track whilst ambling around the food stalls eight pints deep. You need only look up their set-lists from shows in the last year to see that they’re absolutely not messing around when it comes to smashing out the hits. A hugely influential band who’s headlining slot on the Second Stage is one of the most exciting additions in that particular spot for many years. Jane's Addiction are set to conquer the festival with their debut Donington performance.

Billy Talent - (18:10pm - 18:55pm)

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Whilst we may have been left puzzled by some of the slots chosen for bands this year, the double whammy of Billy Talent in to Jane’s Addiction is a stroke of genius. Billy Talent are heading towards the release of their new album Afraid Of Heights (29th July) so it will be cool to see some new material injected in to a live performance which rarely disappoints. It doesn’t matter what size stage they’re on, and what time in the day, Billy Talent will always be able to get the crowd going, especially when they crack out the likes of Viking Death March and Red Flag. Absolute bangers galore.

Amon Amarth - (12:00pm - 12:40pm)

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The last time we checked out Amon Amarth at Download Festival it took so long to set up the longboat they only ended up being able to play through about three tracks. Whilst obviously fun, hopefully with a set this early, and this short, they’ve left the over the top stage production at home so they can just smash through one brutal track after another. With Jomsviking the band really returned to form, with it easily being the best thing they’ve released since Twilight Of The Thunder God. Superb band to blast those hangovers clean out of you come early afternoon Sunday.


So then those are our TOP picks from the top two stages at Download Festival this year. We are truly excited to descend on Donington once again providing you with one of the most in depth and honest reviews as a result. Stay tuned with us across the weekend via Twitter (@roomthirteenmag). See you all in the field!

Download Festival Preview Part 1: http://roomthirteen.com/features/1168/Download_Festival_2016_Preview.html
Download Festival Preview Part 2: http://roomthirteen.com/features/1169/Download_Festival_2016_Preview.html
Download Festival Preview Part 3: http://roomthirteen.com/features/1171/Download_Festival_2016_Preview.html