R&b
Morning, campers! It’s time for Download day two and as a hundred thousand people wake up sweating in their tents, it’s clear we’re in for another hot one. If yesterday provided a masterclass in excellent heavy metal past and present, today is a showcase of the stunning variety of newly-conceived genres that alternative music has to offer, with a headline set from newly-minted legends Bring Me The Horizon, who return to Download in the top billing for the first time. It’s a monumental – and powerful – moment to see a band break into that top tier, especially after their last full-length album was straight pop, and it’s testament to their talent and sound evolution. We’re on tenterhooks – but more on that later!
Our first session is with doom-punks Witch Fever over in the Dogtooth Stage. It’s a welcome dose of shade both literally, musically in their trudging, howling riffs, and verbally as vocalist Amy Walpole calls out people in the scene taking sexual assault allegations lightly. Witch Fever never shy away from a tricky topic, with their discography riddled with unnerving, disquieting accounts of religious trauma and reflection, and they deliver a captivating service to this excited, transfixed congregation.
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Over on the main stage, a glowing neon ‘NOVA’ graces centre stage. Download crowds wait with bated breath – before the tension is lifted as ‘Fire & Ice’ rings out over the field, the punk rockers Nova Twins taking to the stage with a formidable swagger. The bratty, tongue-in-cheek sass of the twins is irresistible, meaty bass grooves bolstered by razor-sharp lyricisms and snarls. As vocalist Amy Love struts and flounts around, falling to her knees and screeching her throat raw, it’s clear that it’s been a long, long time since anyone has asked “Who Are The Girls?”. As closing track ‘Choose Your Fighter’ cruises into gear, it’s clear that everyone in the crowd knows who these ladies are – and they’re absolutely smashing it.
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Manchester’s very own pop-punk darlings Hot Milk take to the main stage in the afternoon sunshine with all of their trademark bravado as if they were headlining. They tear through a setlist full of their characteristically angsty coming-of-age anthems, and we’re all too keen to belt out the lyrics of ‘Teenage Runaways’ as if we’re fourteen and heartbroken although the median age here is certainly well beyond. Han Mee and Jim Shaw share vocal responsibilities, which gives Han a chance to throw herself around, run down to the crowd, bounce from one corner of the stage to another and writhe on the stage to her electro-infused breakdowns – so ferociously that she ends up with bloody knees by the time the set is up.
Though it doesn’t feel quite right seeing them in dreamy sunshine against blue skies, Pendulum have got the power of their sound on their side, and within a couple of beats of their sizzling drum and bass, the sunset has morphed itself into a laser beam and we’re all moving like it’s midnight, mid-rave. The Aussie electro-rock titans have carved out their position in the rock scene, and the crowds have come along to the main stage to pay their dues today, cutting moves from the main stage back up to the Ferris wheel. And they’ve brought us a surprise, too, in the form of Bullet For My Valentine’s Matt Tuck who joins for a rendition of new single ‘Halo’. ‘Tarantula’ is conspicuously absent from the setlist, but Pendulum have put on a show lively enough that we can just about let it slide.
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Metalcore staples Architects are warming up the main stage before Bring Me’s mega set, and they do so in total style – fans filing, eager to throw themselves into the thick of the pit, are blinded by Sam Carter’s glittering trousers from miles off. The glitzy showmanship serves as a sharp juxtaposition to the group’s reliably brutal sound – opener ‘Nihilist’ serving up exactly the punch fans have been waiting for. Carter’s vocals are ringing out gloriously, every gut-turning “BLEGH” absolutely top-notch. Carter takes a moment to give a nod to the guys headlining tonight too, brimming with pride – the two bands having risen through the ranks together, the back-to-back lineup on the Apex Stage is a true triumph for the pair of them. To celebrate, Carter truly throws himself into the rest of the set, and fans match the levels commendably. Crowd surfers fly for ‘Royal Beggars’, Carter going down to hug and sing alongside a sweaty fan who gets over the barrier. As the mighty ‘Animals’ marks the end of the set, fans are truly energised, a whirl of eager pits happily sending the band off in style.
Our impending headliners have done a lot of sonic exploration over their career, and having enjoyed excellence across the heavy music spectrum today, it feels fitting to squeeze in a bit of synth intrigue before we head to Bring Me, so it’s up to the Dogtooth Tent to catch Carpenter Brut. Replete with a dizzying light show, a sound that’s both futuristic and deliciously 80s, and a crowd bubbling over with excitement, it’s a flawless segue into the nighttime.
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The buzz for Bring Me The Horizon has been bubbling all day – it’s a rare thing for Download to get fresh blood on the top tier of their line-ups, and Bring Me are sure to do it justice. Famed for their post-modern approach to metalcore, it seems like they’re aiming for a set that is equally as contemporary and quirky as their sound. Video-game-like graphics tease fans, ‘POSTHUMAN 2 – PRESS ANY BUTTON TO START’ plastered on the screens, before the AI-like E.V.E is projected onscreen, welcoming everyone into the show.
And, finally, the time has come. Open on the fresh new single ‘AmEN!’, the set gently eases fans in before crashing into the familiar bangers. When ‘Teardrops’ kicks in, the set truly takes form, bodies starting to fall into the groove. A stellar back to back of hard-hitters only amps up the ferality, the force of ‘POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR’S blistering ‘Dear Diary,’ getting just as eager of a response as the iconic ‘House Of Wolves’. It’s brillant hearing Oli Sykes’ truly knock out a belter of a growl too – the man is making a statement, pitching his flag on the Download main stage, and he rightfully deserves to be there.
In terms of production, there seems to be an AI/technological horror at play. It’s slightly scattered, the idea pivoting around E,V,E (presumably a play of ‘Parasite Eve’), yet it at times feels not entirely considered. In comparison to the rich graphics of the group’s stunning pair of Malta Weekender headline sets, it feels like somewhat of a downgrade. The random introduction of gimp-suited, horned, alien-like creatures also feels a touch confusing at times.
But, thankfully, it doesnt take away from the force of the group’s consistently magnificent back-catalogue of tunes. The surprise of Evanescence’s Amy Lee featuring on ‘Nihilist Blues’ is a true treat, her voice fusing into the fabric of the woozy, electronic-infused track with ease. And as the fabulous ‘Shadow Moses’ rings out, fans howl wholeheartedly. Sykes’ is equally as delighted, throwing himself around the stage like a giddy schoolboy as he soaks up the screeches of the crowd. By the time ‘Can You Feel My Heart?’ marks the close of the set, the field is deafening – it’s sharp reminder of just how much Bring Me have impacted the heavy scene, how appreciated their tunes truly are. Totally stellar.
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Words: Emily Swingle + Ims Taylor
