Download is go! SLIPKNOT, TOOL and DEF LEPPARD will hit Donington in 2019. We just did a wee of excitement.

Slipknot, Def Leppard and the return of Tool head up a mammoth first announcement. Here comes the pain…

IT’S BACK. AND, judging by the three headliners it’s packing for 2019, it is not pissing about. Download has announced its first clutch of bands for next year, and we’re already very,

very excited.

Def Leppard, Slipknot and Tool are your headliners for the 17th edition of the UK’s biggest rock and metal festival, making this one of the biggest Downloads ever already. For many, the biggest news will be the official UK return of Tool, who will be coming to Castle Donington for the first time in 13 years to close out the festival in style on the Sunday night. The set marks their first appearance on these shores in any capacity since 2007, so put short: this is a Very Big Deal Indeed. While the enigmatic metal heavyweights have played sporadic shows around the States in recent years, announcing a headline slot at Download 2019 seemingly confirms what Maynard James Keenan first suggested at the Metal Hammer Golden Gods earlier this year: that Tool are back, for real, and that we’ll finally get new music from them in the coming months. While any concrete info on that front is still, unsurprisingly, thin on the ground (hey, we’re not wizards, people), it looks like Tool fans can finally get their hopes up for a brand new album.

Also confirmed to headline Download this year are Slipknot, who are returning to the festival for the first time in four years and also seemingly consolidating recent musings from the band that we’ll be getting a new Slipknot album in 2019. The set will fall on the 10th anniversary of The Nine’s first ever Download headline slot, so you can bet your ass that emotions will be running high. It’ll be all-out carnage come that Saturday night so pack your moshing shoes.

QUITE FRANKLY, DEF Leppard are certified Donington Hall Of Famers, having played both Download twice and Monsters Of Rock back in 1986, so their return to headline Download 2019 on the Friday night will guarantee some of the weekend’s biggest singalongs, especially as they’ll be playing their

Hysteria album in full. Is Def Lep’s third Download in 10 years too much? No.

It’s Def Fucking Leppard. It’s gonna be awesome. And if the Sheffield legends aren’t enough of a draw for classic rock fans, the addition of Whitesnake will certainly whet appetites. If you’re standing near us when Here I Go Again or Still Of The Night kicks in, we can only apologise. (Sorrynotsorry.)

Also confirmed to play Download 2019 is Slash, making a return to the festival after headlining it last year with Guns N’ Roses. While Slash playing solo summer dates might suggest that any more Guns N’ Roses activity is on the backburner for now, he’ll have Myles Kennedy et al in tow, so it’s probably safe to say we’ll be getting a stunning rendition of a Gn’R anthem or two for the second year running at Donington this June.

Last issue’s cover star and guest editor Rob Zombie will also be gracing the hallowed grounds of Donington with his presence, as will the mighty Trivium, Opeth and Die Antwoord. Everyone’s favourite Vikings, Amon Amarth, will be welcome invaders to the festival so bring your horns of mead and prepare to look like an absolute wally, rowing in the name of metal.

Also announced for the bill so far are Underoath, Delain, Skindred, Power Trip, Me First And The Gimme Gimmes, Reel Big Fish, The Amity Affliction, Carcass, Starset and Tesla, with more confirmations to follow in the coming weeks. We can’t wait.

TOOL’S SET WILL BE THEIR FIRST UK SHOW SINCE 2007