From fitting farewells to outstanding headline slots to noteworthy sets from emerging and reliable names, 2019 proved to be another successful year for the Download Festival.
Here’s our full review #DL2019.>>
“All Better make it look so easy with enormous, pop-driven melodies… this is a band ready for prime time”
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“The Dangerous Summer have returned to their best… a fine piece of work”
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“When Remo Drive let their creativity shine, it can be rewarding”
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“a highly competent debut album… Quiet Lions demonstrate quality songwriting and the sound of a band with a strong identity”
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“Everything here is sure and solid, while never losing its sense of purpose”
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“‘I / II’ portrays MØL’s rise as much more than a case of meteoric hype”
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“‘The Disconnect’ is a solid, confident expression of their sound”
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As part of their brief visit to the UK, Angel Du$t were in a partying mood in London.
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With a bigger site, we went to check out how the new and improved Slam Dunk Festival North went down.
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“‘Cash In Hands’ musicianship may be minimalist and raw, but it’s rich in storytelling”>>
“‘Celebrity Mansions’ will undoubtedly polarise their long term listeners and confuse newcomers”
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“CHON confidently step back into their comfort zone… rich and rewarding”
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“There’s a lot to enjoy on ‘Disguise’, especially if you’re already on board with their goth-tinted brand”
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“Plague Vendor can chop and change between nihilistic noise-punk and more luminous alt-rock… it’s what makes ‘By Night’ so appealing”
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“Liberally sprinkled with Cave In magic, ‘Final Transmission’ is subtly adventurous”
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We sent Tim Birkbeck to see what the heavier side of the Slam Dunk Festival had to offer.
Read his review of the Hatfield leg of the weekend.
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“Frank Iero continues to keep us guessing… an adventurous, joyous, gritty and rewarding record”>>
Death Angel are once again staking their claim as the finest thrash band of the moment
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“‘Scream Through The Walls’ is a challenging melting pot of ideas”
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“Eat Dirt have more in common with your local punk acts that tear down tiny venues than they do mainstream punk”
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“‘Castles’ tries to really push the boat out and capture a huge, adventurous sound yet ends up feeling profoundly toothless”
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This month’s UTR roundup includes new releases from Like Satellites, Toreador, Kurokuma, Creature and The Shrine.
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