Out Of Rage's big Download review 2025

Another year, another unpredictable set of weather requirements for Download Festival. Whilst the dust (quite literally) settles on the hallowed Donington hills, we witnessed another wonderful edition of live music, and the first without Andy Copping in the driving seat. The result, a rather exciting set of statement pieces that truly made the festival shine. Masked mysteries, Sleep Token headlined with brilliant tenacity, and President decided to take its inauguration on UK soil. Malevolence obliterated during their (not-so-secret) secret set, and somehow we got to witness... the Vengaboys? We certainly love to party, and they set the tone for the entire weekend. Here is what we caught at Download Festival this year.

Out Of Rage made the collective decision to provide coverage at Download Festival after discussions with our community. In light of the recent speculation surrounding the EHRC guidance on the definition of a woman, and the use of toilets at Donington, we want to reiterate our support for transgender people. Inclusivity is so important, especially within heavy music spaces, so making sure our basic human rights are accessible to all is the bare minimum.

SLEEP TOKEN - Neve Saltmarsh 

The Ritual for Saturday Night's headline slot was simply harmonious. Starting the show off with Look to Windward harmonies and pink petals scattering across the crowd, it is the simple statement that Sleep Token have arrived. Playing songs such as Vore, Emergence, The Summoning and Caramel, even going as far back in their repertoire as The Love You Want and Thread The Needle, the band showed an immense array of emotions and passion for the moshing singing crowd below. Ending on the title track Take Me Back To Eden, a shower of green lasers covered the stage. Whoever said Sleep Token shouldn't have been a headliner was simply wrong.

KORN - Amy Smyth

After 31 years of being a band and playing back when the festival went by the name Donnington, Korn finally made their way to be one of the three Headliners of the entire Festival, and their set did not disappoint. Every soul from the very front to the very back row was moving, mosh pits began to open up before the curtain even dropped, and crowd surfers kept security on their toes for the entirety of their set. The band played all of their greatest hits from across the years, leaving every single fan satisfied. The set was absolutely legendary, the band kept the energy in the arena sky high for the entire set with their vigorous energy, we can only say we feel sad for anyone that missed out, what a way to close out the entire Festival!

PRESIDENT - Claire Elizabeth

Welcome to the Inaugural Presidential Rally! President's first live appearance, and what a treat it is to be at Download 2025. The Download Debut was definitely one of the weekend's most exciting moments, and it had the crowd to show for it. We had only 2 songs pre-released, and you could feel all the anticipation in the air. From the Dogtooth Stage, there were festival goers as far as the eye could see, and anticipation was in the air. There may be speculation about the masked singer, but one thing that we do know from the set is that this artist can scream. Fans were treated to three unreleased tracks, all showcasing the serious talent from this band. Powerful, mysterious and unforgettable. President has definitely arrived, and we can’t wait to see what comes next. 

MALEVOLENCE (SECRET SET) - Ben Blissett

With much speculation as to what the secret set at download could be this year, a leak revealed that Malevolence would grace the avalanche stage and ensue utter chaos upon the crowd. Performing only a handful of songs, the band certainly ushered in a new era, making their first appearance at the festival since they played the Opus Stage in 2022. The set was violent, explosive and gave Download just a taste of how Malevolence does things. This set was one you would’ve been a fool to miss; they picked only bangers that would constantly keep the crowd moving, they made their statement and left, it was fantastic.

SPIRITBOX - Han Hallett

Three years after playing the Avalanche stage back in 2022, Spiritbox took to Download’s Apex stage this year, and they absolutely killed it! Courtney’s stage presence and crowd interaction, causing absolute pit chaos, really added that extra piece of greatness to their amazing performance. The band played some of their biggest hits, such as ‘Circle With Me’ and ‘Holy Roller’ and delivered some personal messages, screaming, ‘This one goes out to all the people I hate’ to introduce their newest heavy hitter ‘Soft Spine’.  Their appreciation towards fans and new listeners alike spilled into their passionate musical delivery. Spiritbox were so deserving of playing the mainstage this year, and being able to see the women in metal being so heavily appreciated was a beautiful sight to see.

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE - Neve Saltmarsh

Being the second to last act on the main stage Sunday, Bullet For My Valentine sure warmed the crowd up in the best way possible. After finishing the Poison/Ascendancy tour with Trivium, Matt Tuck announced after the first song (Her Voice Resides) that they would be performing the iconic The Poison album one last time, specifically for us downloaders. And so the album was performed, with a lively headbanging crowd to receive. After finishing the album and our voices were a little sore, the BFMV singer said "This is going to be an expensive f*cking song, lets f*ck it up" after going over their time, and blasted out the classic Waking The Demon for one last mosh. Bullet For My Valentine, you legends.

MCFLY- Lisa York

McFly at Download is a sentence we never thought we would hear. Ending an already amazing day, closing on the Avalanche stage were Pop heavyweights McFly. The Tent was already at capacity, with barely any room, but outside, you could tell that everyone was excited for this set. Ranging from classics which included Stargirl and Obviously, Red and ending with the staple song of 5 Colours In Her Hair. Danny, Tom, Dougie and Harry have never played Download Festival before in their 20 years on the music scene, and this set didn’t disappoint. Amongst the hits, they did a melody with small nods to Metallica and Rise Against to keep the Download veterans happy.

WEEZER- Mia Gailey

Weezer’s Friday evening slot at Download felt like a mismatch—reliable, but far from electrifying. While they delivered the expected hits (“Beverly Hills,” “Buddy Holly,” “Island in the Sun”), the set lacked the urgency or edge to truly connect with the heavier crowd. Frontman Rivers Cuomo seemed content to coast on nostalgia, and despite tight musicianship, the energy never quite lifted off. A bizarre “Enter Sandman” tease fell flat, and deeper cuts left casual fans restless. For a band capable of weird, wonderful risks, this felt frustratingly safe. At a festival built on chaos, Weezer played it far too clean.

BLEED FROM WITHIN - Lisa York

Following on from Sweden’s Orbit culture, early afternoon on the Apex stage, enter Scotland’s finest metal band Bleed from Within, full of Chuggy guitar goodness and screams with the blast beats we all know and love. Opening with Levitate, a fan favourite from their past album, to a packed main stage. Scott and the boys bring so much energy to a sun-soaked audience. As Zenith began to play, Scott asked the crowd to get on their feet in a Slipknot duality way and jump up once the riffs came in. The visuals and pyrotechnics were incredible; this was a huge moment for the band in their long career and very well deserved. Closing the set with In Place Of Your Halo from the new album Zenith.

SEX PISTOLS - Ben Blissett 

My word, the age of this band absolutely did not show, with a brand new energy brought by Frank Carter, The Sex Pistols dominated their headline Opus Stage set. Greeted by some rain, you could feel the excitement around the fans, young and old; all came together for a celebration of an incredible album that pretty much everyone knew the words to. The energy from the crowd was pretty overwhelming so much so that Frank tried to get a circle pit around him but it was too chaotic to do so, leading to the crowd becoming animals as one of the best punk bands in history played their hearts out for the Download crowd; this was truly a special set.

BOSTON MANOR - Zuzanna Pazola

Boston Manor was the 3rd act of the day on Friday’s Apex Stage lineup, and they absolutely did not disappoint. Opening the set with ‘Floodlights on the Square’, they immediately had the crowd jumping, screaming, and dancing along. We got to hear a mix of tunes from their latest album, ‘Sundiver’, and some older tracks, including ‘Halo’ from their 2018 album ‘Welcome to the Neighbourhood’, much to the delight of the hundreds of clearly die-hard fans in the crowd. By the last few songs of the set, we’d witnessed tens (if not hundreds) of crowdsurfers sail past, and there was at least a pit or two happening at all times. Frontman Henry Cox had impeccable vocals throughout the set, and the entire band were super tight from start to finish.

LOATHE - Amy Smyth

The Apex stage early in the day is debatably one of the hardest spots to play, many times it causes delays and cut sets, as well as having to play to fans that may not be there for you. But of course, Loathe brought the pit to life with their midday set. Lead singer Kadeem sauntered around the main stage even though it was their first ever time playing it, and he rocked the crowd with his infectious dance moves. The band took every moment they could to thank everyone for being there, despite the early set time, the pit reciprocated with brutal mosh pits and crowd surfers. They left the stage with fans chanting for one more song after their set was unfortunately cut, but they did not waste one moment on stage. 

DAYSEEKER - David Waites 

Powerfully beautiful” is how we would describe Dayseeker’s set. This was their first time at the festival and their first time in the UK since 2015, and they left their mark - permanently. Opening with their latest single “Pale Moonlight” got the crowd hyped up, and from then on it was an incredible transition of emotions. Songs such as “Without Me” and “Homesick” (dedicated to Rory Rodriguez’s late father) were soul-stirring. Their cover of “My Immortal” silenced the crowd to stand in awe. They ended with “Neon Grave” just to show how much of an impact this band will have on the Metal Scene. The way they infused metal-core and the melodic harmonies left the crowd in a somewhat dream-like state.

GRAPHIC NATURE - Neve Saltmarsh 

Graphic Nature, the hardcore-handbanging-face-stomping stanking band, made the Dogtooth stage explode for 25 minutes. Kicking off with the killer track Locked In from their 2024 album Who Are You When No One Is Watching, the crowd came alive and a sea of thrashing skulls and bodies before vocalist Harvey Freeman could open his mouth. Continuing onto the song Sour, this band never failed for a single moment to get every person in the tent bouncing. Keep an eye on this band, because I know that much more will be coming, and it is not to be missed.

VENGABOYS - Libby Percival

If you were fighting your way to the Avalanche stage for Busted in 2024, you’d have thought it coudn’t get more chaotic, but then Vengaboys were added to this year's lineup. Campers flooded into District X on the Thursday night to see the unexpected yet highly requested addition performing in the overflowing Doghouse tent. The set was complete with pop up buses with ‘Vengabus’ on the side brought by a group of attendees, confetti and giant colourful balloons while they played their popular hits including “We Like To Party”, “Up and Down” and “Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom” as well as their take on some popular rock songs.

DEAD PONY - Claire Elizabeth

Glasgow’s Dead Pony truly lit up the Avalanche stage with an undeniable stage presence. I turned up to the set only really knowing the name of the band, and due to it being an earlier set on the Friday, I didn’t know what to expect, but Dead Pony did not disappoint. Lead singer Anna Shields didn’t just sing, but she danced, bounced and owned the stage with her vocals and charisma. The entire band's energy pulled the crowd in and owned the stage. The riffs and beats feel very Paramore meets Nirvana, equalling a powerhouse performance with some fun mosh pits and huge cheers. Definitely a surprise highlight of the weekend and easily one of the most fun sets to watch.

AMIRA ELFEKY - Zuzanna Pazola

Hailing all the way from the States, Amira Elfeky did an amazing job warming up the crowd inside the Avalanche tent on Sunday. For those unfamiliar with her sound, think Evanescence mixed with Deftones and Lana Del Rey - beautiful and haunting, with some heavier instrumentals that had the crowd hyped. Amira opened her set with ‘Take Me Under’ from brand new EP ‘Surrender’, showing off her stunning vocals and setting the bar high for the rest of the performance. Near the end of the set, we got to hear hits like ‘Will You Love Me When I’m Dead’ and ‘Tonight’, which of course garnered a huge reaction from the crowd; it felt like every single person in that tent knew all the words. It was, unfortunately, quite a short set but it still had the room to be completely mesmerising. 

ARCHERS - Amy Smyth

If you were lucky enough to be in the arena early Saturday and catch Archers, you may have discovered one of the most underrated bands on the lineup. After their EP 'Temporary High' was released on Friday, they took to the Dogtooth stage just before midday. The energy was overly present, despite the early set, and rockers still recovering from their Friday night antics. They had half an hour to show Download what they're made of and they brought their A game, being their first ever time playing in the UK, lead singer Nathaniel paraded around the stage as is he owned it while the rest of the band supported with the same fiery energy.

MOTHICA - Libby Percival

Mothica made her mark on the Avalanche stage, kicking off the set strong with ‘Casualty’, a catchy and upbeat song with a powerful message to get the crowd hooked. We were also treated to Mothica’s own version of Bring Me The Horizon’s ‘Can You Feel My Heart’ and the set concluded with a cover of ‘All Star’ by Smash Mouth, both great additions to the setlist for those unfamiliar with Mothica as it meant everyone could feel involved and sing along as well as adding humour. The set was extremely well-rounded and perfectly captures the range of what you can expect from an artist like Mothica.

SPLIT CHAIN - Mia Gailey

Split Chain stormed the Avalanche Stage, delivering a visceral blend of nu‑metal grit and shoegaze atmosphere that filled the tent with emotional intensity. Though still early in their journey, the Bristol quintet commanded the crowd, ripping through new cuts like “bored.tired.torn” and “I’m Not Dying To Be Here” with urgency and conviction. Frontman Bert Martínez‑Cowles paused mid-set to thank the audience for their time and support, forging a genuine connection amid the chaos. It was a bold, cathartic set—proof that Split Chain aren’t just gaining traction; they’re carving out their own path, fast and fearlessly.

HOUSE OF PROTECTION - Claire Elizabeth 

House of Protection kicked off their Avalanche Stage set with a wicked rendition of ‘Pulling Teeth’, setting the tone for an intense performance and one of the most energetic of the weekend. They hit the stage with pure ferocity, which continued into the crowd, resulting in one of the biggest mosh pits nearly taking over the majority of the tent. At one point, frontman Stephen Harrison leapt into the pit, microphone in hand and screaming alongside his fans made pure chaos and an unforgettable experience. Alongside Aric Improta’s explosive drumming, raw aggression and connection were delivered in equal measure. Closing with ‘It’s Supposed To Hurt’ left the crowd hungry for more, definitely a great introduction to the band!

UNPEOPLE - Libby Percival

Unpeople rocked the Avalanche tent playing their self-titled EP in full, all members confidently commanding the stage. Alongside this was a newer release, ‘The Garden’, which came out late last year; this concluding song also saw guitarist Luke Caley jump into the crowd whilst still performing, evidencing the trust and control the band have with an audience. The band may only have six songs to their name so far, but with their talents and powerful stage presence combined, Unpeople will soon be playing bigger stages with many hits under their belts.

STATIC DRESS - Ben Blissett

Despite starting at ELEVEN O CLOCK IN THE MORNING, Static Dress pulled in a pretty impressive crowd with even more impressive mosh pits; opening with ‘face.’ they made sure to waste no time getting into the nitty gritty of this set, with only a short 20-25 minutes they packed a punch, showing them to be the little band that could, equipped with pyro, incredible energy and an amazing performance it made for a great set. 

TROPHY EYES - David Waites 

It was clear to see when the first notes of “Blue Eyed Boy” were played that high energy and chaos ensued inside the Avalanche tent. This set wasn’t just for the fans — it was a statement: Trophy Eyes belong at Download, and the Aussies proved that. “Enmore” and “Kill” tore through the speakers, with newcomers and die-hard fans alike, everyone was locked in — the tent was unified. Belting every lyric like it was tattooed to their bones. It was raw. It was real. It was everything this band stands for. Thirty minutes flew by, and before you knew it they were waving goodbye to the fans, and honestly, it felt criminal to cut it off there. With a back catalogue like theirs, they could’ve owned that stage for an hour easy. Like so many others packed into that tent, I walked away searching the dates for their next UK tour - desperate for more of that Trophy Eyes energy. 

VENUS GRRRLS - May Pierce

This Leeds-based five-piece showcased their trademark Romantic sound and Riot Grrrl influences in a performance dripping with theatrical allure. Lead singer, GK, was a magnetic presence, shifting between sweet melodies and guttural growls with effortless command. VENUS GRRRLS might as well have cast a spell over the crowd. Their hypnotic vocals and cascading riffs are sure to capture the attention of the first-time listeners gathered under the Avalanche stage on midday Saturday. With the eerie crows cackles from their latest single, Eighteen Crows, haunting the tent, these Witches left the audience well and truly enchanted at their Download debut.  

ARTIO - May Pierce

“It’s a short set, so let’s make it fucking count” - alt rock four-piece ARTIO commanded the Dogtooth stage on Saturday morning. With a solid turnout despite the 11AM slot, their cult following showed up in force, bringing infectious energy to the tent. The lead singer, Rae (they/them), was a force of nature, vocals cutting through with raw power, while the drummer matched every ounce of intensity, driving the set forward with relentless precision. Hit song 'Product of My Own Design'’ ignited the crowd, providing an effective wake-up call for anyone still shaking off the morning haze. With a strong stage presence and connection with the audience, ARTIO made sure to take up their well-deserved space on their first Download stage. Ones to watch? Absolutely. 

KIM DRACULA - Han Hallett

Kim Dracula started as a small musician promoting his original music and cover songs on TikTok. Now five years later, he has performed to a massive crowd on the Opus stage, then straight into an intimate sold-out EU tour! His music cannot be defined as one genre with incorporations of jazz, pop, synth and metal all coming together while also sharing political statements and world views throughout some of his songs such as ‘Make Me Famous’ and ‘Killdozer’ which were both performed along with a cutthroat version of the pop banger ‘Paparazzi’ by ‘Lady Gaga’. We think it’s safe to say he has earned many new fans after his electrifying Download set. 

LORNA SHORE - Han Hallett

Lorna Shore played the Opus stage, and the crowd did not disappoint! They played mostly newer songs along with their newest single, ‘Oblivion,’ which appealed to new and old fans alike. Lorna Shore played the Apex stage in 2023, but a smaller stage to condense the crowd was definitely a great choice this year, especially with the hundreds of crowd surfers showing their appreciation for the band. Despite technical issues resulting in all sound from the stage being cut, frontman Will Ramos remained positive. Unfortunately, due to this issue, ‘Pain Remains II: After All I’ve Done, I’ll Disappear’ was cut but this just made ‘Pain Remains III: In A Sea of Fire’ even more powerfu,l with the crowd full-sending it for the last song. 

JIMMY EAT WORLD - Nicola Small

Twelve years since their last Download appearance, Jimmy Eat World did not disappoint! Starting things off strong with the anthemic “Pain” had the crowd singing along from the first note. A string of beloved classics followed, including “Sweetness”, “A Praise Chorus” and “Bleed American”, keeping the energy high. “The Middle” was a clear standout (and let’s be honest the one we were all waiting for!) ,leading to a euphoric sing-along on a massive scale. This set left the crowd and the band beaming after a beautifully nostalgic hour of music.

LØLØ - Nicola Small

A newcomer to Download festival, LØLØ burst onto the stage in the Avalanche tent with high energy, confidence and charm. Her brutally honest lyrics, with themes of mental health and depression delivered in a delightfully upbeat pop punk package, struck a perfect balance for a mid-afternoon set. Opening with “Floor is Lava” (dedicated to the “anxious baddies”) had the tent moving instantly. A highlight was pom poms being tossed into the crowd, creating an impromptu emo cheerleading squad for “Debbie Downer”. As expected, the crowd went absolutely wild for “u turn me on (but you give me depression” and sang along to every word. The whole set was catchy and filled with raw emotion, leaving the tent buzzing.

JINJER- Katherine Russell

Jinjer destroyed the Apex stage on Sunday, firing up the audience and showcasing exactly why they could never fly under the radar. Tatiana commanded the stage like she was born there, radiating badass heavy-metal fairy energy and delivering impeccably powerful cleans to gutteral screams consistently. Drums, bass and guitar never faltered either, bringing relentlessly strong energy throughout. Tatiana introduced 'Fast Draw' to the crowd with "do you like hardcore?", proceeding to growl the crowd's faces off. An exceptional highlight was 'Vortex', with Tatiana then dedicating 'Someone's Daughter' to the "beautiful women" in the audience. Ending with their new track 'Pisces', it was an awesome end to an impactful set that I only wished was longer (and was in the mosh pit for).

Cover Photo: Nicola Small