A Night Of Salvation and Damnation 2024….
Held on Friday 1st November and Saturday, 2nd November 2024 at the BEC Arena in Manchester, A Night Of Salvation and Damnation Festival 2024 once again brought together metal fans from all over for an intense, genre-spanning celebration of extreme music. This year’s festival was packed with an exceptional lineup across three main stages—Pins & Knuckles (Main Stage), Holy Goat Brewing, and Eyesore Merch. The festival was a dynamic showcase of the best in metal, from pioneers of the genre to emerging, boundary-pushing acts. This post provides a full rundown of the performances, including a look at A Night of Salvation on Friday, 1st November, which kicked off this unforgettable weekend with exclusive sets and special performances.
A Night of Salvation: An Unmissable Start to Damnation Festival 2024
The 2024 edition of Damnation Festival kicked off with A Night of Salvation on Friday, 1st November at the BEC Arena in Manchester, bringing fans exclusive performances that set the perfect tone for Saturday’s main event. Known for hosting unique sets across stages hosted by Lou’s Brews, Cult Never Dies and Pelagic Records often featuring rare full-album performances, A Night of Salvation offered fans a variety of extreme metal experiences, from atmospheric and progressive to brutal and cathartic, making it an essential part of the Damnation experience.
In no particular order, the lineup for A Night of Salvation included…
Decapitated, the Polish death metal titans who delivered a crushing set to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their album The Negation. Known for their precise, technical guitar work and punishing drumming, Decapitated brought fierce energy to the crowd, running through classic tracks that showcased their impact on the death metal genre.
The Ocean brought their distinctive blend of post-metal and progressive elements to the night. Known for intricate compositions and profound, philosophical lyrics, The Ocean filled the stage with an immersive, dynamic sound. Their performance was a deep dive into heavy, atmospheric riffs and shifting tempos, captivating fans with tracks that felt like sonic journeys.
Employed to Serve, one of the UK’s most explosive hardcore bands, brought ferocity to the stage, blending hardcore and metalcore in an intense, high-energy set. Known for tackling themes of mental health, resilience, and personal struggle, their performance was a cathartic release, driven by Justine Jones’s searing vocals and pounding rhythms that had the crowd surging with adrenaline.
Discharge electrified the crowd with their signature D-beat sound, blending aggressive punk energy with thrash elements. Known for influencing genres from hardcore to death metal, their set featured classics like “Hear Nothing See Nothing Say Nothing,” showcasing their raw power and timeless influence.
Insanity Alert brought thrashcore energy to the lineup, providing a fast-paced set filled with humour, fury, and infectious riffs that had fans moving from start to finish. Their blend of thrash and hardcore punk delivered a much-needed burst of chaotic fun, energizing the crowd with mosh-friendly tracks.
Cult of Fire closed the night with a ritualistic, Eastern-influenced set Black Metal set. Known for their dramatic stage presence and unique blending of black metal with Eastern scales, they left the audience spellbound with their otherworldly performance.
Mizmor delivered a raw, emotional set filled with slow, crushing riffs and mournful passages, making for one of the night’s most introspective performances. Known for blending doom metal’s weight with black metal’s intensity, Mizmor’s sound is both heavy and deeply personal, resonating with listeners on a profound level.
Mourne, representing doom metal from the UK, contributed an earthy, dark sound that combined heaviness with slow, melancholic riffing. Their music felt like a slow descent into darkness, and the band’s deep tones and crushing delivery created a brooding, intense atmosphere that perfectly suited the night’s lineup.
Fen added an atmospheric black metal dimension, with haunting soundscapes and introspective themes inspired by England’s natural landscapes. Their performance was both intense and meditative, offering fans a reflective experience that contrasted beautifully with the evening’s heavier acts.
Underdark opened the proceedings with their atmospheric black metal sound. Their set was intense and layered, offering a powerful closing experience that encapsulated the night’s diversity in extreme metal.
LLNN, the Danish post-metal band, brought an unrelenting performance full of dense, crushing riffs and bleak atmospheres. Fusing elements of sludge, doom, and hardcore, LLNN offered a powerful, dystopian soundscape that left a deep impression on the audience.
A Swarm of the Sun captivated with their minimalist yet powerful post-metal sound. Their slow-building, atmospheric tracks were filled with melancholic beauty, creating an immersive and cathartic experience for the audience.
A Burial At Sea added an experimental post-rock element, replacing Hippotraktor with a performance that combined intricate guitar work with expansive, ambient passages. Their music transported listeners, balancing heavy and melodic elements that showcased the band’s creativity and dynamic range.
Sugar Horse brought a unique mix of post-rock, doom, and experimental soundscapes to the stage. Oscillating between crushing riffs and delicate moments, their emotionally charged performance showcased a genre-blending style that left a lasting impact.
Norma delivered a dynamic progressive metal set, merging post-metal, prog, and ambient sounds. Their complex, layered arrangements offered a captivating experience, balancing heaviness with haunting melodies that perfectly suited the festival's atmospheric vibe.
And that line up was just the warm up to the main event…
Damnation 2024: The Main Event
Damnation Festival 2024 returned to Manchester for another incredible celebration of extreme music, bringing together metal fans from all over for a relentless showcase of heavy sounds, intense performances, and exclusive experiences. The festival was headlined by a powerful mix of bands across three main stages: Pins & Knuckles (Main Stage), Holy Goat Brewing, and Eyesore Merch. Each stage offered a unique slice of the metal landscape, with top acts from around the world taking the spotlight. Here’s a full rundown of the epic lineup and the sponsors behind each stage.
Pins & Knuckles Stage: The Powerhouse of Damnation
Sponsored by Pins & Knuckles Merchandise, a leader in high-quality custom band merch and apparel, the Pins & Knuckles Stage hosted some of the most iconic and powerful acts at the festival. With a lineup that included everything from post-rock and symphonic black metal to melodic death metal and grindcore, this stage was an epicenter of musical intensity.
A.A. Williams
Opening the main stage was London’s A.A. Williams, whose haunting blend of post-rock and dark folk captivated the audience. Known for her deeply emotional songwriting, A.A. Williams weaves together soft, haunting vocals with atmospheric instrumentation, creating a sound that is equal parts beauty and melancholy. Her performance was a testament to her skill in creating an intimate connection with listeners, setting a powerful and contemplative tone for the day.
Celeste
Following A.A. Williams was Celeste, a French band known for their visceral fusion of blackened post-metal and sludge. With dissonant guitar work, relentless energy, and an intense stage presence, Celeste delivered a dark, immersive experience. Their sound is unyielding, pushing the boundaries of metal with heavily distorted guitars, oppressive atmospheres, and haunting visuals that amplify their intense, introspective themes.
Gatecreeper
Bringing a raw, old-school death metal sound to the stage, Gatecreeper from Arizona played an unforgiving set packed with heavy riffs and unrelenting aggression. Known for their straightforward approach to death metal, Gatecreeper pays homage to the genre’s roots while adding their own twist, creating a sound that is gritty, fierce, and impossible to ignore. Their performance at Damnation reaffirmed their status as a powerhouse in the death metal scene.
Ne Obliviscaris
Ne Obliviscaris, the progressive metal visionaries from Australia, captivated the crowd with their fusion of intricate compositions, harsh and clean vocals, and violin arrangements. Their sound is unique within the metal world, combining technical skill with emotional depth. Ne Obliviscaris brings together elements of classical music, black metal, and prog, creating an experience that feels as much like a symphony as it does a metal concert.
Nails
California’s Nails delivered one of the most aggressive sets of the day, blending grindcore and hardcore punk into fast, explosive tracks that left the audience breathless. Their signature “powerviolence” style is relentless, with short, intense songs that are as furious as they are cathartic. Known for their uncompromising approach to music, Nails’ set at Damnation was a display of sheer aggression and raw energy.
Bleeding Through
Taking the stage for a special performance of their landmark album This Is Love, This Is Murderous in its entirety, Bleeding Through delivered a nostalgic yet powerful set. This California metalcore band seamlessly combines brutal breakdowns with melodic elements, creating a sound that’s as emotional as it is aggressive. Their set at Damnation was a celebration of the impact that This Is Love, This Is Murderous has had on the metalcore genre and an unforgettable experience for fans.
Russian Circles
Chicago instrumental post-rock band Russian Circles brought their emotive, riff-heavy soundscapes to Damnation. Their music, free from vocals, relies on intricate compositions and powerful dynamics, creating intense, cinematic moments that left the crowd mesmerized. Known for their ability to convey deep emotion purely through instrumentation, Russian Circles were a standout act on the Pins & Knuckles Stage.
Cradle of Filth
Closing the main stage was Cradle of Filth, the UK symphonic black metal legends. Performing an “Old School Ritual” set, Cradle of Filth brought fans back to the band’s roots, playing classic tracks that defined their early career. Known for their gothic aesthetics and Dani Filth’s signature high-pitched screams, Cradle of Filth’s theatrical and intense performance was the perfect end to a monumental day on the main stage.
Holy Goat Brewing Stage: Hardcore and Death Metal for the Purists
The Holy Goat Brewing Stage, supported by the craft beer artisans at Holy Goat Brewing, offered a relentless lineup of hardcore, thrash, and death metal that catered to fans looking for raw, intense sounds.
Enforced
Virginia thrashers Enforced opened the Holy Goat Stage with a high-energy set that captured the raw, unfiltered aggression of crossover thrash. With intense guitar riffs and rapid-fire rhythms, Enforced’s sound is a call to action, blending punk urgency with thrash ferocity to create an infectious live energy.
Gillian Carter
Florida’s Gillian Carter added a powerful dose of post-hardcore and screamo, offering emotional depth combined with ferocity. Known for their introspective lyrics and dynamic sound, Gillian Carter’s set was raw and visceral, taking the crowd through a range of emotions while maintaining a gritty, punk edge.
Hexis
Denmark’s Hexis brought a blackened hardcore assault to Damnation, blending black metal’s dark atmosphere with hardcore’s immediacy. Their performance was intense and oppressive, filled with relentless riffing and visceral energy that captivated the crowd and left a lasting impression.
200 Stab Wounds
200 Stab Wounds, hailing from Ohio, delivered an unfiltered death metal performance that was brutal from start to finish. Known for their heavy, old-school death metal influence, their set was packed with crushing riffs and guttural vocals, giving the audience an intense, relentless experience.
Fuming Mouth
Massachusetts’ Fuming Mouth brought a unique mix of death and doom metal, offering a slower, more crushing sound than the preceding bands. Their dark, foreboding tracks captivated fans with their doom-laden atmosphere, creating a powerful contrast on the Holy Goat Brewing Stage.
Memoriam
Formed by ex-members of Bolt Thrower, UK-based Memoriam brought a blend of death metal with lyrical themes of war and loss. Their set was both intense and emotionally charged, delivering classic death metal with a maturity and depth that only seasoned musicians can offer.
Dragged Into Sunlight
The enigmatic Dragged Into Sunlight captivated fans with their chaotic blend of black metal, sludge, and noise. Known for their dark and intense live performances, Dragged Into Sunlight filled the stage with a sinister atmosphere, delivering a performance that was both immersive and unsettling.
The Ruins of Beverast
German blackened doom project The Ruins of Beverast closed the stage with an atmospheric, layered performance that blended black metal with dark ambient and doom influences. Their set was haunting, creating an immersive, otherworldly experience that provided a fitting close to the Holy Goat Brewing Stage.
Eyesore Merch Stage: The Unmissable Experimental and Atmospheric Soundscapes Stage
The Eyesore Merch Stage, supported by Eyesore Merch, brought a lineup celebrating genre-bending and atmospheric metal. Known for quality band merchandise, Eyesore Merch’s support helped bring an incredible lineup to this stage.
Pijn
UK post-rock/sludge band Pijn opened the Eyesore Merch Stage, captivating the audience with their cinematic soundscapes. Their dynamic compositions, which move from gentle melodies to powerful crescendos, created an immersive experience that set the tone for the day.
High Parasite
High Parasite followed with a thrash-meets-death sound that added intensity to the stage. Known for their high-energy riffs and relentless pace, High Parasite brought a raw power that resonated with fans looking for new sounds in thrash and death metal.
REZN
Chicago’s REZN took the stage with their signature psychedelic doom, delivering an immersive, atmospheric set that transported listeners. Their layered, meditative compositions were as heavy as they were hypnotic, creating a deeply captivating experience.
Black Tusk
Southern sludge metal band Black Tusk injected high-energy grooves into the Eyesore Merch Stage with their raw, gritty sound. Known for their powerful live performances, Black Tusk’s set was filled with intense, riff-driven tracks that had the crowd moving from start to finish.
Hangman’s Chair
French doom rockers Hangman’s Chair delivered a haunting performance with their melancholic, atmospheric sound. Known for their emotive lyrics and dark, gothic themes, their set was both introspective and powerful, resonating deeply with the audience.
Dool
Dutch dark rock band Dool brought a mix of gothic, post-punk, and metal influences, captivating the crowd with hypnotic melodies and charismatic stage presence. Their unique sound and theatrical performance added depth and diversity to the Eyesore Merch Stage lineup.
Inter Arma
Known for their genre-defying approach, Richmond’s Inter Arma delivered a powerful blend of sludge, doom, and black metal. Their performance was dynamic and intense, filled with shifting textures that kept the audience engaged and showcased the band’s versatility.
Ahab
Closing out the Eyesore Merch Stage, German doom legends Ahab delivered a slow, crushingly heavy set inspired by seafaring tales. Their epic compositions provided a powerful and haunting conclusion to the stage, leaving fans in awe of their atmospheric and deeply resonant sound.
Damnation Festival 2024: A Celebration of Heavy Music
Damnation Festival 2024 was an incredible gathering of metal talent, featuring some of the genre’s most respected artists alongside promising new acts. With standout performances across the Pins & Knuckles, Holy Goat Brewing, and Eyesore Merch stages, this year’s festival delivered on every level. From brutal death metal to atmospheric post-rock, Damnation offered something for every metal fan and reinforced its status as a cornerstone of the UK metal scene.