# Damnation Festival

Damnation Festival is an annual one-day heavy metal music festival currently held at Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester. It was held at Jilly's Rockworld in Manchester from 2005 to 2006 and then at the University of Leeds from 2007 until 2021. It is organized by Gavin McInally and Paul Farrington.

## 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.
| 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.
| 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.
| 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.
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 the 24th of 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. 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.
This appearance was Mistress's last show and Rotting Christ's only English show for 2009.
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.

## 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 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.
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.
| 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. 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

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.
| 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 |
4 exclusive sets were played the day before:
* Svalbard - When I Die, Will I Get Better?
* Akercocke - Goat of Mendes
* Raging Speedhorn - Raging Speedhorn
* Orange Goblin - 1 Track per Album

## Damnation 2022

The festival was held at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester for the first time. The festival is now the largest indoor metal festival in Europe. Ministry (band) were originally booked to headline the festival but pulled out due to the cancellation of their European tour. Godflesh were announced as the replacement as well as 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 festival was held over two days, November 3 and November 4, at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre in Manchester. Ahab were originally booked to play the Eyesore Merch Stage but pulled out due to illness. They were replaced by Bossk. Tuskar were originally booked but were replaced by Din Of Celestial Birds. Despite the last-minute changes, the festival continued to deliver an outstanding lineup, featuring bands like Electric Wizard, Enslaved, and Katatonia, ensuring an unforgettable experience for attendees.

### 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 Coworker

### 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

Damnation Festival 2024 took place 2/11/24 at the BEC Arena, Manchester.

### A Night Of Salvation

| Loose Bruce 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 Beverlast Memoriam Fuming Mouth 200 Stab Wounds Hexis Gillian Carter Enforced | Ahab Inter Arma Dool Hangman's Chair Black Tusk Rezn High Parasite Pijn |