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DOWNLOAD ADDS SOME METAL MAGIC
TO ITS DIVERSE 2008 BILL

Download Festival has announced a fantastic motley crew of metallers to this year’s line up, showing yet again how much the festival represents all walks from the ‘rock’ way of life! Leading the metal charge are Testament, Municipal Waste and Trigger The Bloodshed all who bring a slice of brutality to the weekend. Joining them on 13, 14, 15 June at Donington Park are Brigade, Exit Ten, Comeback Kid, Valient Thorr, Chiodos, Animal Alpha, August Burns Red, Rose Tattoo and Hostile.

Testament are very much representative of their name, and are the ultimate quintessential modern heavy metal band. Amazingly, 2008 will mark their Download debut. Breaking onto the thrash metal scene alongside Metallica, Anthrax, Slayer and Megadeth, Testament have had two Top 40 UK albums and will be looking for a third this year with new album ‘The Formation of Damnation’; which is up for a Metal Hammer Golden God award for Best New Album of the Year .

Hailing from Richmond, Virginia, blazing thrashers Municipal Waste have been, in their words, ‘spreading their shred’ across Europe since 2006 with tours alongside Sick Of It All and GWAR and are firm favourites of the Radio 1 Rock Show. This will be the first time they have played Download.

Bath based grindcore/death metal exponents Trigger The Bloodshed have only been together for a year but they have impressed the rock magazines already with their brutal, heavy as hell formula.

Brigade have been going since 2003 and have supported the likes of Hawthorne Heights, InMe and Aiden whilst their star has been ascending. Praise from the rock press and TV channels has been plentiful and they bring their Brit-rock to Download for the first time this year.

Exit Ten have enjoyed comparisons to Killswitch Engage, Shadows Fall and Sikth and have become a firm staple of the UK metal/ hardcore scene. Tours with Deftones, Avenged Sevenfold and Every Time I Die, as well as playing Download in 2006 has seen them hone their metalcore, and this year they release their first full-length album ‘Remember The Day’.

Comeback Kid make their Download debut and fly in all the way from Winnipeg, Canada with their hardcore punk sounds. Now on Victory Records, the band have so far garnered a steady reputation through word of mouth alone.

Michigan post-hardcore outfit Chiodos have already enjoyed a wealth of critical success with their first two albums both hitting the Billboard Top 200. Having been unable to join The Offspring, Incubus and Coheed and Cambria at Australia’s Soundwaves Festival this year the band will be pleased to be able to join all three at this year’s Download.

Valient Thorr will be flying their proverbial spaceship into Donington this June, bringing their conspiracy theories and legions of ‘Thorriers’ with them! The last two years have seen them out on the road with Fu Manchu, Eagles of Death Metal and The Sword, and will be releasing their fourth album in June.

Birmingham metallers Hostile will be heading to Download for the first time having become regulars on the UK live circuit. They will be undoubtedly looking to their fellow Brit metallers Judas Priest and Motorhead on the weekend for some tips!

Rose Tattoo will be travelling from the southern hemisphere to join Download this year, ready to show the crowds the fruits of the last twenty years of solid Australian blues rock. Led by Angry Anderson, their first four albums were produced by Harry Vanda and George Young who also worked with AC/DC. 11 albums on, there’ll be plenty for them to sing about at Download.

Norwegian rockers Animal Alpha have already won themselves and impressive reputation in their home country and are now looking to extend this across Europe.

Christian metalcore outfit August Burns Red are looking at a very busy summer with dates locked in from now until August across the globe, including th

Metal legends ANTHRAX have announced a short spring tour, kicking off with a warmup club show at Chicago’s Double Door on May 28th, 2008. The Chicago warm-up show will be the band’s first live performance with their new singer Dan Nelson. In addition to the band’s classic hits from their 25 year career, ANTHRAX will for the first time ever perform brand new material from their current writing sessions. After the warm-up show, ANTHRAX will then fly to Los Angeles and join Iron Maiden on their “Somewhere Back In Time” world tour. ANTHRAX is direct supporting Iron Maiden at the May 30th and 31st shows at Irvine, CA’s Verizon Wireless Amphitheater.

ANTHRAX’s Charlie Benante says “Playing with Iron Maiden again is such a thrill for us! We can't wait to be a part of these two magical nights.” Guitarist Scott Ian adds, “It is an absolute honor to be asked to open the Irvine shows for the Kings of Metal Iron Maiden. Anthrax’s tours with Iron Maiden are my all time favorites. Up The Irons!!!” Lastly, bassist Frank Bello exclaims, “I saw them 2 weeks ago and sang every word. They’re better than ever!! I can't wait to play with them again!! Good times!!”

ANTHRAX is currently writing for their new album. This will be their first studio album since 2003’s “We’ve Come For You All,” and also their first album with Dan Nelson on vocals.

ANTHRAX Spring 2008 Tour Dates:

May 28 – Chicago – Double Door (warm-up show)

May 30 – Irvine, CA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (direct support to Iron Maiden)

May 31 – Irvine, CA – Verizon Wireless Amphitheater (direct support to Iron Maiden)

For tickets, please go to www.ticketmaster.com.