Download 2019 Countdown : 02. Rob Zombie, Zippo Encore Stage on Friday, 20:55 - 22:05

How things change! For thirteen long years, Rob Zombie seemed to forget Europe even existed. However under a decade later, as he slides effortlessly into his fourth Download appearance since 2011, Rob Zombie has inconceivably become the festival's modern day house band. And the reason he keeps getting asked back? Well, Monsieur Zombie brings the party each and every time. It's a slutty, debauched fetish party where every night is Halloween (the hallowed original, not his soulless remake), but it's a party all the same.

Download 2019 Countdown : 07. Skid Row, Zippo Encore Stage on Friday, 13:50 - 14:25

There was a time when Skid Row were huge, proper unit shifting and arena bothering huge. They were the last of the Hair Metal bands to go stellar before the extinction event when grunge came along and forced metal back underground. They were also one of the bands that crumbled first and fell furtherest. As they didn't have the back catalogue or solid fanbase of say Mötley Crüe or Aerosmith to fall back on, their audience disappeared over night.

Download 2019 Countdown : 11. Slayer, Zippo Encore Stage on Sunday, 20:45 - 22:15

Slayer are Metal and Metal is Slayer but pretty soon their furiosity and brutality will become but folk law, the stuff of legends as within months (not years, months!) they will lay down their instruments and cease to be. So this is last chance, city folks, the final ever UK show. Roll that around in your minds, one solitary finite opportunity to see the juggernaut that is Slayer on our shores.

Download 2019 Countdown : 12. Delain, Zippo Encore Stage on Friday, 15:50 - 16:30

Some band’s rises are stratospheric, going from nothing to public adornment seamlessly overnight. Others take the long way around, slowly but surely honing their art and bit by bit building a fanbase by the weight of sheer hard work. Delain are very much in that category as seventeen years into their career they are still a mid afternoon second stage booking.

Download 2019 Countdown : 13. Opeth, Zippo Encore Stage on Friday, 18:15 - 19:05

It is only as I write these short vignettes that I fully comprehend the treasure trove of metallic riches that this year's Download bill is. With so many nuggets of wonderfulness that clashes, difficult choices, partially seen sets, a lot of running around are sure to be the order of the day. There are some bands though who I will watch every second of, who will trump anyone else that happens to tresspasse onto their timeslot. Opeth are one such band as they are nothing short of magnificent.

Download 2019 Countdown : 16. Animal As Leaders, Zippo Encore Stage on Saturday, 13:50 - 14:25

From my recommendations so far, you are probably getting a pretty good idea by now that I like my Metal to be interesting and challenging. Well, there is nothing more interesting and challenging than Animals As Leaders. They produce highly technical, intricate and precise instrumental Metal that manages to never stay still.

Download 2019 Countdown : 17. Dream Theater, Zippo Encore Stage on Sunday, 19:00 - 20:10

Ahhh, Dream Theater! the thinking person’s Metal band. The band that the terms pompous, overblown and convoluted were invented for and believe me that they are all meant as high compliments. This is Metal as its most complex, self-indulgent and mind-blowing.