Damnation Festival

Damnation Festival
Genre	Heavy metal, extreme metal
Dates	October/November
Locations	Jilly's Rockworld, Manchester, England (2005–2006) Leeds Student Union, Leeds, England (2007–2021) Bowlers Exhibition Centre, Manchester, England (2022–present)
Years active	2005–present
Capacity	6,000 (since 2022) [1]
Website	damnationfestival.co.uk

Damnation Festival is a yearly heavy metal music festival held each November at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre (BEC) in Manchester, England. It is described as the biggest indoor extreme metal festival in Europe, ^{[2] [3]} with more than 40 bands playing on three stages and a capacity of about 6,000 attendees. ^[1]

Damnation was first held at Jilly's Rockworld in Manchester from 2005 to 2006 and then at the University of Leeds from 2007 until 2021, before moving to the larger BEC arena and becoming a two-day event. It is organized by Gavin McInally and Paul Farrington. ^[4]

Damnation 2005

The first Damnation Festival was held on 16 October 2005 at Jilly's Rockworld, Manchester, England. Fifteen bands performed on two stages, headlined by Raging Speedhorn and Entombed. ^[5]

Main Stage	Terrorizer Stage
Raging Speedhorn Sikth Charger Fourway Kill The Inbreds Forever Never Allerjen Amends to the Dead	Entombed Gorerotted Gutworm Conquest of Steel Mercury Rain Nailed Dawn of Chaos

Damnation 2006

The second annual Damnation Festival was held on 15 October 2006 at Jilly's Rockworld, Manchester, England. Fourteen bands performed on two stages, headlined by The Haunted and Akercocke. ^[6]

Jägermeister Stage	Terrorizer Stage
The Haunted Skindred Biomechanical Murder One Head-On Kingsize Blues Evile	Akercocke Stampin' Ground Ephel Duath Send More Paramedics Mistress Madman Is Absolute Speed Theory

Damnation 2007

The third annual Damnation Festival was held on 20 October 2007 at Leeds Metropolitan University, Leeds, England. There were eighteen bands performing on two stages, headlined by Kreator and Anaal Nathrakh. ^[7]

Jägermeister Stage	Terrorizer Stage
Kreator Amen Orange Goblin Raging Speedhorn Panic Cell The Inbreds Romeo Must Die Malefice	Anaal Nathrakh Kataklysm Aborted 1349 Narcosis Ted Maul Man Must Die Lazarus Blackstar Soulfracture Dead Beyond Buried

Damnation 2008

The fourth annual Damnation Festival was held on 22 November 2008 and saw the festival move to another new venue at University of Leeds, Leeds, England. The change of venues allowed the festival to expand to three stages incorporating seventeen bands headlined by Carcass, Cathedral and Pitchshifter. ^[8]

British band Raging Speedhorn were initially booked to play their last show at the festival, but cancelled in favour of a last tour in Japan. Carcass would make this show their only UK show on their comeback tour.

Jägermeister Stage	Terrorizer Stage	Rock Sound Stage
Carcass My Dying Bride Sigh Onslaught Taint	Pitchshifter Napalm Death Benediction The Berzerker Desecration Red Mist	Cathedral Devil Sold His Soul Ramesses *shels Latitudes Mountains Became Machines

Damnation 2009

The fifth annual Damnation Festival was held on 24 October 2009 at University of Leeds, Leeds, England. The organizers announced the festival would again cover three stages but open doors earlier to prevent clashes between bands. ^[9] The headline acts for 2009 were Life of Agony, Lock Up and Jesu.

Jägermeister Stage	Terrorizer Stage	Rock Sound Stage
Life of Agony Therapy? Destruction Anathema Electric Wizard The Gates of Slumber Firebird	Lock Up Rotting Christ Akercocke Mistress Negura Bunget Mithras Charger Nazxul	Jesu This Will Destroy You A Storm of Light Minsk Manatees And So I Watch You from Afar Stand-Up Guy Rinoa

Life of Agony's headline slot was their only UK appearance in 2009. ^[10]

This appearance was Mistress's last show and Rotting Christ's only English show for 2009. ^[11]

Negura Bunget and Extreme Noise Terror were originally booked to play the Terrorizer stage but both pulled out. Negura Bunget played a make up set in May 2010 at sister festival Deathfest.

On 3 June Entombed were announced on the festival line up. On 23 June the bands management issued a statement announcing that the band would not appear at the festival. ^[12]

Damnation 2010

The sixth annual Damnation Festival was held on 6 November 2010 at University of Leeds, Leeds, England. The Dillinger Escape Plan and Paradise Lost ^[13] co-headlined the Jägermeister Stage, whilst Discharge headlined the Terrorizer stage and Alcest the Rock Sound Stage.

Jägermeister Stage	Terrorizer Stage	Rock Sound Stage
The Dillinger Escape Plan Paradise Lost earthtone9 Sabbat Lawnmower Deth Rolo Tomassi Panic Cell Mutant	Discharge Anaal Nathrakh Hecate Enthroned Fukpig Short Sharp Shock The Antichrist Imperium Bonesaw Colonel Blast Diascorium	Alcest The Ocean Esoteric October File Maybeshewill Fen The Mire The Construct

Damnation 2011

The seventh annual Damnation Festival was held on 5 November 2011 at University of Leeds, Leeds, England. The festival covered three stages, headlined by Devin Townsend Project, Ulver and God is an Astronaut. ^[14]

Decapitated were forced to pull out after surviving a plane crash. Returning from their US tour, the plane was forced to make a landing with no landing gear in their native Poland. ^[15]

Jägermeister Stage	Terrorizer Stage	Zero Tolerance Stage
Devin Townsend Project Godflesh Grand Magus Evile Turisas Illuminatus Xerath	Ulver Decapitated (withdrew from festival) Doom Chthonic Dragged into Sunlight Shining A Man Called Catten Cerebral Bore	God Is an Astronaut Amplifier Altar of Plagues Talons Astrohenge Conan A Forest of Stars Humanfly

Damnation 2012

The eighth annual Damnation Festival was held across three stages at the University of Leeds student union, Leeds, England, on Saturday 3 November.

Jägermeister Stage	Terrorizer Stage	Eyesore Merch Stage
Electric Wizard My Dying Bride Primordial Gama Bomb Textures Devil Sold His Soul Hawk Eyes	Pig Destroyer Belphegor Aura Noir Vreid Extreme Noise Terror Winterfylleth Hang the Bastard The Atrocity Exhibit	Amenra Maybeshewill 40 Watt Sun Bossk BlackListers Wodensthrone Ravens Creed

Damnation 2013

The ninth annual Damnation Festival was held across four stages at the University of Leeds student union, Leeds, England, on Saturday 2 November. The event was headlined by Carcass in their only UK headlining show of 2013 following the release of their new album.

Jägermeister Stage	Terrorizer Stage	Eyesore Merch Stage	Electric Amphetamine Stage
Carcass Katatonia God Seed SSS Shining (NOR) Twilight of the Gods	Rotting Christ Vallenfyre Negură Bunget Dyscarnate Voices The Afternoon Gentlemen Diamanthian	Cult of Luna Crippled Black Phoenix The Ocean Rosetta Year of No Light Tides from Nebula Dirge	Conan Moss Serpent Venom Palehorse Slabdragger Black Magician Iron Witch

Damnation 2014

The 10th Damnation Festival was held at Leeds University Union on Saturday 1 November and featured a total of 26 bands across four stages. The sold out event saw a crowd of approximately 4000 in attendance.

Headliners for the event were UK death-metal act Bolt Thrower who played their only UK performance for 2014 at the festival. ^[16] October File were booked to play the festival but were forced to withdraw prior to the event, they were replaced by Dyscarnate.

Jägermeister Stage	Terrorizer Stage	Eyesore Merch Stage	PHD Stage
Bolt Thrower Saint Vitus Orange Goblin Raging Speedhorn Stampin' Ground Dyscarnate	Cannibal Corpse Anaal Nathrakh Revocation Winterfylleth Aeon Xerath Amputated	Fen Wodensthrone A Forest of Stars CODE Falloch Obsidian Kingdom Bast	Ahab Monarch! Sólstafir Hark Black Moth Atlantis Corrupt Moral Altar

Damnation 2015

The 11th Damnation Festival was held at Leeds University Union on Saturday 7 November and featured a total of 27 bands across four stages. The event was headlined by At the Gates.

Jägermeister Stage	Terrorizer Stage	Eyesore Merch Stage	Electric Amphetamine Stage
At the Gates High on Fire Sólstafir The Ocean Oathbreaker Savage Messiah	Primordial Asphyx Keep of Kalessin Vreid Voices Wiegedood The King Is Blind	Mono Amenra Altar of Plagues Maybeshewill Crown Talons Tacoma Narrows Bridge Disaster	40 Watt Sun The Wounded Kings Witchsowrrow Ghold Sea Bastard Ohhms Undersmile

Damnation 2016

The 12th Damnation Festival was held at Leeds University Union on Saturday 5 November.

Jägermeister Stage	Terrorizer Stage	Eyesore Merch Stage	Stagey McStageFace: 4th Stage
Electric Wizard Abbath Cult of Luna & Julie Christmas Oceans of Slumber Hang the Bastard Hark	Enslaved Akercocke Ne Obliviscaris Venom Prison Mithras Svalbard Attan	Ufomammut Black Tusk Bossk Sinistro Erlen Meyer Conjurer Dialects	Ingested Dread Sovereign The Infernal Sea Employed to Serve Darkher Gets Worse Kroh

Damnation 2017

The 13th Damnation Festival was held at Leeds University Union on Saturday 4 November.

Jägermeister Stage	Terrorizer Stage	Eyesore Merch Stage	Tone MGMT Stage
Bloodbath Sodom Paradise Lost Warning Myrkur Pallbearer	Agoraphobic Nosebleed Dying Fetus Nails Dragged into Sunlight Vallenfyre Wiegedood Disentomb	Nordic Giants Leprous Agent Fresco Big Business Psychedelic Witchcraft PG Lost Body Hound	Grave Pleasures Psycroptic The Great Discord Mutation Beyond Creation Leng Tch'e Wren

Damnation 2018

The 14th Damnation Festival was held at Leeds University Union on Saturday 3 November.

Jägermeister Stage	Tone MGMT Stage	Cult Never Dies Stage	Eyesore Merch Stage
Napalm Death Ihsahn Entombed A.D. Anaal Nathrakh Ne Obliviscaris Cancer	Vader Batushka Celeste Saor Lik Fukpig Leeched	Ghost Bath Mourning Beloveth A Forest of Stars Bong Insanity Alert Møl Hundred Year Old Man	The Ocean Monuments Årabrot Rosetta Ohhms Caligula's Horse Vola

Damnation 2019

The 15th Damnation Festival was held at Leeds University Union on Saturday 2 November.

Jägermeister Stage	Tone MGMT Stage	Cult Never Dies Stage	Eyesore Merch Stage
Opeth Mayhem Alcest Primordial Mgła Raging Speedhorn	Venom Prison Gaahls Wyrd Birds in Row Inter Arma Blood Red Throne Carnation Godeater	Imperial Triumphant Crowhurst Mork Voices Earth Ship Dawn Ray'd The Infernal Sea	Big Business The Vintage Caravan A Pale Horse Named Death Jo Quail Lord Dying Wheel Alunah

Damnation 2020

Damnation festival was cancelled in 2020 due to ongoing regulations around music venues during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Damnation 2021

The 16th Damnation Festival was held on 6 November 2021. Green Lung were originally booked to play the Eyesore Merch Stage but had to pull out due to a member of the band testing positive for COVID-19. They were replaced by Svalbard. It was also the last time it would take place at Leeds University. ^[17]

Jägermeister Stage	Tone MGMT Stage	Cult Never Dies Stage	Eyesore Merch Stage
Carcass Paradise Lost Godflesh Onslaught Bossk Evile	Memoriam Conan Conjurer Gama Bomb Man Must Die Party Cannon Cryptic Shift	Esoteric Hellripper Winterfylleth Wode Video Nasties Urne Abduction	Year Of No Light Regarde Les Hommes Tomber, Sylvaine Svalbard Dvne Boss Keloid Mountain Caller

There were three exclusive full-album performances:

• Svalbard - When I Die, Will I Get Better?
• Akercocke - The Goat of Mendes
• Raging Speedhorn - Raging Speedhorn

Damnation 2022

The 17th Damnation Festival was held on 5 November 2022, for the first time at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester. Ministry were originally booked to headline the festival but pulled out due to the cancellation of their European tour. Godflesh were announced as the replacement. There were four exclusive full album performances:

• Converge - Jane Doe
• At The Gates - Slaughter of the Soul
• Godflesh - Streetcleaner
• Pig Destroyer - Prowler in the Yard

Pins & Knuckles Stage	Holy Goat Brewing Stage	Eyesore Merch Stage
Converge At the Gates Godflesh My Dying Bride Pig Destroyer Full of Hell Insanity Alert Irist	Decapitated Despised Icon Misery Index Wolves In The Throne Room Incantation Bell Witch & Aeriel Ruin: Stygian Bow Oceano Distant	Elder Pallbearer 40 Watt Sun Green Lung We Lost the Sea So Hideous BRUIT ≤ Frayle

Damnation 2023

The 18th Damnation Festival was held over two days, 3–4 November 2023, at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester. A smaller event called "A Night of Salvation" was held on 3 November. It included bands billed for the main festival performing exclusive sets.

A Night of Salvation

Pins & Knuckles Stage	Church Road Records Stage	Eyesore Merch Stage
Katatonia Leprous Enslaved Bossk Viking Skull	Deadguy Heriot Din of Celestial Birds Inhuman Nature Celestial Sanctuary	Akercocke Sigh The Infernal Sea Ninkharsag The Suns Journey Through the Night

The following exclusive album sets were performed for A Night of Salvation:

• Katatonia - Dead End Kings
• Leprous - Coal
• Enslaved - Below the Lights
• Akercocke - Choronzon
• Sigh - Scorn Defeat
• Bossk - Audio Noir
• Viking Skull - Chapter One
• Deadguy - Fixation on a Co-Worker

Damnation

Pins & Knuckles Stage	Holy Goat Brewing Stage	Eyesore Merch Stage
Electric Wizard Enslaved Katatonia Amenra Julie Christmas Unearth Khemmis Nordic Giants	Anaal Nathrakh Rotten Sound Deadguy Undeath Strigoi High Command Crepitation Coffin Mulch	Maybeshewill Bossk Sigh Downfall of Gaia OHHMS Ashenspire Kurokuma Laster

Damnation 2024

The 19th Damnation Festival was held on 1–2 November 2024 at the BEC Arena, Manchester.

A Night of Salvation

Lou’s Brews Stage	Cult Never Dies stage	Pelagic Records Stage
Decapitated The Ocean Employed To Serve Discharge Insanity Alert	Cult of Fire Mizmor Morne Fen Underdark	LLNN A Swarm Of The Sun Hippotraktor Sugar Horse Norna

Damnation

Pins & Knuckles Stage	Holy Goat Brewing Stage	Eyesore Merch Stage
Cradle of Filth Russian Circles Bleeding Through Nails Ne Obliviscaris Gatecreeper Celeste A.A. Williams	Dragged into Sunlight The Ruins of Beverast Memoriam Fuming Mouth 200 Stab Wounds Hexis Gillian Carter Enforced	Ahab Inter Arma Dool Hangman's Chair Black Tusk Rezn High Parasite Pijn

Damnation 2025

The 20th Damnation Festival was held on 8–9 November 2025. The main festival was expanded to two full days. As a result, the 'Night of Salvation' event was moved to a smaller venue, The Bread Shed, in central Manchester.

A Night of Salvation

The lineup for the 2025 Night of Salvation was kept secret until the show. The 400-capacity event sold out in twenty minutes with no bands announced. ^[18]

• Raging Speedhorn
• Conjurer - performing Mire in full
• Stampin' Ground - performing Expression of Repressed Violence/Carved from Empty Wounds
• Deadguy - performing Near-Death Travel Service

Saturday

Pins & Knuckles Stage	Holy Goat Brewing Stage	Eyesore Merch Stage
Corrosion of Conformity Pertubator Deafheaven High on Fire Orbit Culture Messa Castle Rat Overhead The Albatross	Gaerea Wormrot Panzerfaust Brodequin Portrayal of Guilt Deadguy Necrot Devastator	The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die , Ef Gost Afsky Dimscura Meryl Streek Zeruel Oryx

Sunday

Lou's Brews Stage	Cult Never Dies Stage	Meloria Stage
Napalm Death Amenra The Haunted Anaal Nathrakh Pig Destroyer Primordial Onslaught Conjurer	Wiegedood Spectral Wound Author & Punisher Hellripper Raging Speedhorn Stampin' Ground Code Ted Maul	Warning Mantar Nordic Giants Devil Sold His Soul Psychonaut Coilguns Din of Celestial Birds Hidden Mothers

In an interview with The Razor's Edge, festival director Gavin McInally confirmed the festival would continue as a full two day event. ^[19]

References

1. "Festival Preview: Damnation Festival 2023". Distorted Sound. 26 October 2023.
2. "Top 10 bands you must watch at Damnation Festival 2025". Distorted Sound. 5 October 2025.
3. "ZT Interrogation: Damnation Festival organiser, Gavin McInally". Zero Tolerance Magazine . 14 October 2022.
4. "About Damnation Festival". Archived from the original on 19 March 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
5. "Damnation 2005 Lineup". Archived from the original on 23 September 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
6. "Damnation 2006 Lineup". Archived from the original on 20 September 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
7. "Damnation 2007 Lineup". Archived from the original on 20 September 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
8. "Damnation 2008 Lineup". metalstorm.
9. "Damnation 2009 Festival Details". Archived from the original on 7 September 2012.
10. "Damnation 2009 Life of Agony Details".^{[ permanent dead link ]}
11. "Damnation 2009 Mistress/Rotting Christ Details".^{[ permanent dead link ]}
12. "Damnation 2009 Entombed added then removed from the bill". Archived from the original on 24 June 2009.
13. "Damnation 2010 TDEP and Paradise Lost co-headline". Archived from the original on 7 November 2010. Retrieved 23 September 2010.
14. "Damnation 2011 Line-up". Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
15. "Decapitated pull out of Damnation after surviving plane crash". Archived from the original on 5 November 2011.
16. "Damnation Festival - Official Website". Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
17. "Damnation Festival 2021 Review". louderthanwar.
18. "Live Review: A Night of Salvation 2025". The Razor's Edge. 8 November 2025.
19. "Interview: Gavin McInally of Damnation Festival" . Retrieved 29 September 2025.

External links

• Official website
• Official MySpace