Ten Bands You Must Check Out At Damnation Festival 2025

Damnation Festival is right around the corner and there has never been a year quite like it. After all, we all only turn 20 once.

Taking place across two full days at the BEC arena in Manchester (8th & 9th of November), this year’s festival line-up is simply staggering, not just because of the quality on offer, but the variety. From post & shoe gaze to thrash & death metal, to hard rock, EDM, & black metal, Damnation can proudly boost that the metal scene has mighty representation across the genre spectrum this year (as they can most years).

It is going to be great but who are you excited to see? I can tell you that the Clashfinder I did was on absolute joke. Not only do I need to be in several different places at once, but I won’t be eating, drinking, or using the bathroom at any stage.

Of course, I know I must (and will) be more realistic but just look how strong that line-up is!? It’s so strong that coming up with 10 bands for this list was absurdly tough. However, like the brave soldier I am, I persevered. Here are 10 bands I think you must see at Damnation Festival 2025.

Saturday: 1230 – 1305 (Pins & Knuckles Stage)
Overhead, The Albatross

Ireland continues to produce some staggering music in modern times, and one band that is getting more and more attention, for all the right reasons, is the instrumental post-rock band, Overhead, The Albatross. They might be on early, but I’m convinced that they’re going to draw in a massive crowd and those in attendance will come away changed by the beauty on offer.

Saturday: 1620 – 1710 (Pins & Knuckles Stage)
Orbit Culture

Armed with a banging new album and a hefty reputation for head banging heavy sets, Orbit Culture are going to be one of the hits of the festival. Over the years they have grown into such a formidable name, so I’m expecting this to be loud, intense, and so damn addictive.

Saturday: 1930 – 2020 (Pins & Knuckles Stage)
Deafheaven

Blackgaze, metal, post, whatever you want to call Deafheaven, the one thing everyone can agree on is that they’re a phenomenal band. One who is enjoying a ton of recent love following one of the best albums of this year, which saw the band return to their heavy roots. I can’t wait to hear the new songs played live and I can tell you now that 50 minutes onstage simply isn’t going to be enough time.

Saturday: 2205 – 2300 (Holy Goat Brewing Stage)
Gaerea

The ‘dark horse’ of the festival, while it does seem like more and more people are finding out about Gaerea’s brilliance, not enough know just how great they are live. This will be one of the most talked about sets afterwards, and I am expecting the stage to be packed out for the extreme metaller’s delightful showcase of blackened noise.

Sunday: 1200 – 1230 (Meliora Stage)
Hidden Mothers

I can’t think of a better way to start the Sunday of the festival off, even though I suspect there will be plenty of sore heads around the place at this time. Fear not, Hidden Mothers have the immense post-black/screamo/gaze sound to clear the mind of cobwebs. They’re a stunning band, don’t miss them.

Sunday: 1230 – 1305 (Lou’s Brews Stage)
Conjurer

This is Conjurer’s time. Having released their finest work to date, the UK metallers are now bringing those songs to the masses and I can’t bloody wait. The early afternoon of Sunday’s Damnation is so strong, and it’s the likes of Conjurer that make it so. I can’t wait to hear Let Us Live and scream along to it.

Sunday: 1305 – 1340 (Meliora Stage)
Din of Celestial Birds

You might need a break from the heavy at this stage, so might I suggest you go see the immense Din of Celestial Birds, close your eyes, and be whisked away on a bed of beautiful instrumental post rock? Deep and layered music that translates to the live stage perfectly, they’re an unmissable band.

Sunday: 1715 – 1755 (Cult Never Dies Stage)
Hellripper

Hopefully, at this stage, you have your second wind if you went too hard and heavy on the Saturday. If not, Hellripper will wake you up. Dependable as f**k, the blackened thrash and speed noise that this band delivers is eye-watering and ear-bleeding stuff. Always capable of giving us a good old head-banging time, I expect this set to be killer.

Sunday: 1930 – 2020 (Lou’s Brews Stage)
The Haunted

We really don’t get enough of The Haunted here in the UK, so when they do pop over, they are almost always a must see. A pioneering force in Swedish heavy metal, with the festival beginning to come to a close, this should be one of the last major highlights.

Sunday: 2210 – 2200 (Lou’s Brews Stage)
Amenra

We began this list with a post band, so let’s end it with post band, albeit one that sits on the heavier side of things. It’s Amenra, they’re a staggering band live, and while they are summarised as post, their sound is broader and more varied. For some, it might be the last band they see of the festival weekend, and what a way to end it, if that is the case.