The U.K.'s biggest rock and heavy metal festival has finally announced the headliners and line-up for next summer. Slipknot, Tool and Def Leppard will be headlining the 15th annual three-day festival, with the latter performing their best-selling album, Hysteria, in full.
Taking place at Donington Park in Leicestershire June 14-16, the Download Festival will host an array of rock, metal and punk groups from all over. Joining the bill are Slash, Whitesnake, Rob Zombie, Trivium, Carcass, Underoath, Reel Big Fish, with more names to be announced in the coming months.
Check out the official first announcement here:
Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliot said his veteran rock band is "delighted" to return to the festival, stating:
"The festival has a very special place in our hearts and it’s such a great place to play. We will be playing Hysteria in full – yes, in full – plus a load more of the hits, and we are going to put on a very special show for our UK fans. Can’t wait to see you all there.”
The Sheffield natives headlined the festival twice, in 2009 and 2011. Their upcoming performance will mark their only U.K. performance of 2019.
Slipknot, who are currently working on a new album, have performed at the festival five times so far. Metealheads, rejoice: frontman Corey Taylor says the band has demoed 20 songs so far that are “really, really good.” They just have to pick and choose which will make the album.
Tool will be returning to the Download stage for the first time since 2006, the same year they released their last album, 10,000 Days.
In June, the band announced that a new album was in the works, and last month, frontman Maynard James Keenan took to Twitter for another status update:
Could the 12-year wait for new music finally be coming to an end? It sure looks like it.
“Some say the end is near / some say we’ll see (a new album!) soon..."
Keep an eye on the official Download Festival website for upcoming information and line-up announcements/changes.
Tickets go on sale this Thursday, October 25th. You can buy them here.
