Download Festival 2023 – Saturday. Lake Malice had the benefit of being in the shady (cooling wise not characteristic) Avalanche tent, which shouldn’t take away from the fact that they completely killed it.
In a short time, the duo have been on an unstoppable rise and having played the RIP stage at Download last year. this was their time to bring out the big guns.
Alice Guala is an absolute pocket rocket, racing and diving throughout the set, keeping their set ridden with Hardcore Metal energy and what I can only imagine to be a very high step count.
Their music is a mixture of Nu-Metal with pop anthem drum and bass beats with overriding hardcore elements. The crowd go damn wild for them as Guala screams, “Let’s get this party started!”
But Download on a Saturday needs no helping hands. Soaring vocals which switched between clean tones and powerhouse screams, it’s no wonder they’re the next hot thing on the scene.
Ice Nine Kills
Clowns, chainsaws, knifings of the beloved Download dog mascot, mechanical boney claw contraptions? It can only mean one thing: Ice Nine Kills have entered the Apex stage.
In an Alice Cooper, Wednesday Thireteen-esque way, INK completely own the main stage with their endless bloody theatrics and musical brilliance. But compared to their compare-ees, the band brings out some insane punk-Metalcore songs with some duel vocal screams from frontman and guitarist Spencer Charnas as they contort their abilities to make one heck of a performance.
Their songs each play out separate shows of their own, with one based on the film IT and another focusing on some kind of gruesome motel killing. It’s entirely intoxicating and just so great to watch.
Dressed in suits, the band don Texas Chainsaw Massacre masks and various props that add to their already packed-to-the-brim songs.
It’s a real masterclass in performance to the max, setting the bar high for what’s to follow. Great thematic songs with some madly good musicians to play them. I’ll be looking for my ticket for their next UK show ASAP.
Antisaint
One of the things I also love about festivals is the chance to stumble upon acts that instantly blow you away. Antisaint was one of those. The Wyoming natives brought their all across the pond in an early-ish set that totally brought down the house.
The Dogtooth stage was in heaps of grunting applause as the deep-voiced, deeper riff-chugged four-piece tore the place apart with their Heavy Metal thud. Will definitely be checking them out and keeping up to date with when they’re next over in the UK.
Take Part: Are you at Download this year? Who are you looking forward to see? Want to get in touch and tell us how it’s going? Email MetalTalk Editor Steve Ritchie to tell us how it’s going for you. Download@MetalTalk.net.
Download Festival 2023
MetalTalk Download 2023 coverage can be found at MetalTalk.net/tag/download-2023
Download 2023 will see the festival celebrate its 20th anniversary with an additional day, meaning four days of live music in total. Download Festival 2023Â was a record breaking year.
This year’s MetalTalk team is:
Photography:
For Download 2022, visit MetalTalk.net/tag/download-2022
