Relive this year's Download festival through the power of photography
(Image credit: Kevin Nixon)
Download festival (aka Heavy Metal Christmas) is over for another year. Over three days we saw the great and the good from the world of rock 'n' roll tear through a sun-drenched Donington Park, leaving tens of thousands of us with ringing in our ears and a hangover to last a lifetime.
If you weren't there, or if you were and your memories are too blurred by partying, we've put together this day-by-day gallery from the weekend. There's Avenged Sevenfold, Marilyn Manson, Shinedown, Parkway Drive, Body Count, Bullet For My Valentine and loads more!
Day One
Avenged Sevenfold, Jonathan Davis, Bullet For My Valentine, Andrew WK and more!
Image 1 of 11
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
Boston Manor
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
Avatar
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
Marmozets
Photo by Kevin Nixon(Image credit: Kevin Nixon)
Andrew WK
Photo by Kevin Nixon(Image credit: Kevin Nixon)
Jonathan Davis
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
The Bronx
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
Volbeat
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
You Me At Six
Photo by Kevin Nixon(Image credit: Kevin Nixon)
Bullet For My Valentine
Photo by Kevin Nixon(Image credit: Kevin Nixon)
Avenged Sevenfold
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
Avenged Sevenfold
Day Two
Parkway Drive, Corrosion Of Conformity, Black Stone Cherry, L7 and more!
Image 1 of 9
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
Von Hertzen Brothers
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
The Struts
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
Corrosion Of Conformity
Photo by Kevin Nixon(Image credit: Kevin Nixon)
L7
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
The Temperance Movement
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
Thunder
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
Black Stone Cherry
Photo by Kevin Nixon(Image credit: Kevin Nixon)
Plini
Photo by Kevin Nixon(Image credit: Kevin Nixon)
Parkway Drive
Day Three
Marilyn Manson, Shinedown, Body Count, The Hives and more!
Image 1 of 11
Photo by Kevin Nixon(Image credit: Kevin Nixon)
Greta Van Fleet
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
Koyo
Photo by Kevin Nixon(Image credit: Kevin Nixon)
Black Veil Brides
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
Body Count
Photo by Kevin Nixon(Image credit: Kevin Nixon)
Meshuggah
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
Shinedown
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
Myrkur
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
Marilyn Manson
Photo by Will Ireland(Image credit: Will Ireland)
Baroness
Photo by Kevin Nixon(Image credit: Kevin Nixon)
The Hives
Photo by Kevin Nixon(Image credit: Kevin Nixon)
Rise Against
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Luke Morton joined Metal Hammer as Online Editor in 2014, having previously worked as News Editor at popular (but now sadly defunct) alternative lifestyle magazine, Front. As well as helming the Metal Hammer website for the four years that followed, Luke also helped relaunch the Metal Hammer podcast in early 2018, producing, scripting and presenting the relaunched show during its early days. He also wrote regular features for the magazine, including a 2018 cover feature for his very favourite band in the world, Slipknot, discussing their turbulent 2008 album, All Hope Is Gone.
