The lineup for the first-ever Australian edition of Download Festival has seen mixed reactions, with some music-lovers pumped and others disgruntled that their favourite bands weren’t named on the festival roster.
While the lineup does feature the likes of nu-metal icons Korn, Limp Bizkit, rap-rock supergroup Prophets Of Rage and punk legends NOFX, festival organisers were also in discussions with a number of big-name acts who didn’t make the final list of 29 acts.
Music Feeds understands that Download organisers were in talks with US metal legends Megadeth and Japanese metal band BABYMETAL, but neither band was secured for the festival.
Tonight Alive, who Music Feeds reported to be part of the roster prior to the lineup announcement, are also believed to be have had discussions with Download, but didn’t make the final lineup.
Megadeth last toured Australia in 2015, while BABYMETAL are still yet to bring their schoolgirl metal vibes down under. Tonight Alive, meanwhile, are set to perform at UNIFY Gathering in January, before touring the US and Europe until 18th March.
Download Festival will make its Australian debut at Melbourne’s Flemington Racecourse on Saturday, 24th March. Get to know the full lineup in our band-by-band walkthrough, below.
Get To Know The 2018 Download Festival Australia Lineup
(In no particular order…)
Get To Know The 2018 Download Festival Australia Lineup
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Korn
Festival organisers say the nu-metal legends' Download Melbourne show will be the only show of their upcoming trip down under. Korn last toured Australia as part of the now-defunct Soundwave Festival in 2014, and for a while were trying to schedule a 2017 tour of Australia. -
Bad Cop/Bad Cop
The only all-female act on the lineup, this LA punk quartet will bring their politically-charged new album Warriors to Australia for Download next year. (Photo: Lindsey Byrnes) -
Amon Amarth
No strangers to the pit, these Swedish metal legends have been telling tales of Viking mythology since the '90s. This time around, they'll be returning to Australia with their latest album Magma in tow. -
NOFX
Fat Mike and co. were scheduled to perform at Soundwave Festival in 2016, before the event went under. They'll return in 2018, backed by their latest album 'First Ditch Effort'. (Photo: Joe Leonard) -
Suicidal Tendencies
The band's ever-changing roster of hardcore punks hasn't stopped them from knocking out 13 studio albums over the past three decades. Their current lineup features Mike "Cyco Miko" Muir, Dean Pleasants, Jeff Pogan, Ra Díaz and ex-Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo. -
Sabaton
This Swedish war machine will leave a trail of destruction in its wake, as it powers its way through crowds with latest album The Last Stand. Bring your helmets. -
Chase Atlantic
This trio of two Aussie brothers and their mate make dark alternative pop that's dotted with rock and RnB influences. They dropped their self-titled debut album earlier this year. -
Gojira
The French quartet have been messing with our heads through their intricate metal compositions since 1996, and have played at the now-defunct Soundwave Festival (RIP) in the past. -
Arch Enemy
Fronted by Canada's Alissa White-Gluz, this Swedish band have spent two decades travelling the world with their melodic death metal, including their 10th and latest album Will to Power. -
Neck Deep
These English pop-punks might have an average age of just 23, but they're rising so quick it's making our heads spin. They unleashed their third album The Peace and the Panic in August. (Photo: Megan Thompson) -
Mastodon
The prodigious metal stoners released their seventh album Emperor of Sand this year, and will be touring Australia for the first time since 2015. -
Falling In Reverse
No stranger to controversy, Falling In Reverse's frontman Ronnie Radke will be the centre of attention during his band's Download set. In September he had a drink thrown at him after telling fans to "sit the fuck down". -
Good Charlotte
The Madden brothers were "hustling" for a spot on the 2014 Soundwave Festival lineup, but it didn't happen. They'll return with their latest album Youth Authority, for their first Aussie show since 2012. -
Prophets Of Rage
This furious supergroup features members of Rage Against The Machine, Public Enemy and Cypress Hill, and they recently revealed they were planning their Aussie debut for 2018 off the back of their debut self-titled album. -
Psycroptic
Hailing from the dark depths of Tasmania, these death metal heads have a stack of albums under their belts, and have toured with the likes of Nile and Deicide. Their latest album was released in 2015. -
Hot Water Music
These Florida punks have been in the game a looong time. They released their latest album Light It Up earlier this year, and that's exactly what they plan to do at Download next year. -
Ocean Grove
This Melbourne crew's debut album The Rhapsody Tapes has made some serious waves this year (an ocean's worth, you could say), and they're ready to rep some nu-metal for their hometown. (Photo: Thomas Elliott) -
Clowns
These Melbourne punks aren't clowning around. Their molotov cocktail of punk, hardcore, rock and melodic pop came to the fore earlier this year with their latest album Lucid Again, which they were kind enough to chat about in this track-by-track breakdown. -
King Parrot
The Melburnian trouble-makers are off chops, and are known for a thrash punk frenzy that's as arousing as it is brutal. Just watch this video for proof. -
Nails
This savage California grindcore outfit have gone hell for leather since forming in 2009, and will be touring Australia in support of their latest record You Will Never Be One of Us. -
Of Mice & Men
Now without their former frontman Austin Carlile, these California metalcore heroes last toured Australia with A Day To Remember in 2016. (Photo: Lindsey Byrnes) -
Limp Bizkit
Fred Durst and company went rollin' through Australia in 2013, and since then fans have been holding out for their long-awaited sixth album 'Stampede of the Disco Elephants'. (Photo: Chiaki Nozu / Getty Images) -
Issues
This Atlanta outfit are known for their hybrid of metal and punk, with huge melodies and touches of hip hop and RnB rhythms. Just don't doubt their heaviness. -
Northlane
This Sydney metalcore crew needs little introduction, having toured up a storm in the wake of their latest album Mesmer. They dropped a Silverchair cover recently -- could we see it played live at Download? -
Trophy Eyes
This Newcastle five-piece have been selling out tours and playing international festival since they released their latest album Chemical Miracle last year. -
The Story So Far
The hardcore-infused pop-punk group have been rocking out since 2007, and have three albums to their name. And that's The Story So Far. -
High Tension
These Melbourne metal punks have been dealing blows for the last six years, and they're not stopping anytime soon. -
Make Them Suffer
The Perth metalcore outfit released their third studio album ‘Worlds Apart’ in 2017, and completed a 140-date world tour (!) in the same year. -
Cast Down
This Melbourne hardcore/punk/metal outfit were the final band to be added to Download's debut Melbourne lineup, after claiming victory in a triple j Unearthed competition.
