I am definitely not eighteen anymore. Although generally relieved by this knowledge, it does mean that festivals have become a bona fide endurance test; staying up drinking my weight in alcohol for five days is not possible without an equal amount of time spent in bed proceeding it. So as we reach Download festival late Thursday night, where over indulging is not just a must, it's a given, I'm thinking tactics. Planning the nights where I will party the most and the ones where I will “take it easy”. The conclusion? Shut up, grab a beer, and start pretending I'm eighteen again.

I've found myself at Donington a few times over the years, making this my fourth year of attendance. A few changes from previous this time round however, most notably on this occasion being the acquisition of an RIP wrist band. This allows you to pitch up tent by your car (right next to the arena too), and gives access to some extra amenities, the best of which being a late night cider and ale bar where a pint can be purchased for as low as three pounds. Having access to your car this close to the arena was a god send, even if it was just to escape the madness momentarily. In a few more years I might give in and opt for camping here too, but as it stands I like being in the thick of it with all the punters. I may not be eighteen but I'm not an old comfort seeker either (not for now at least).

Utilising our RIP wristbands, we strolled through the back entrance on Friday morning and into the guest area. Now this was a novelty that definitely didn't wear off. Here you can find a cash bar (say goodbye to tokens), a number of tasty looking independent food vans and toilets that always have loo roll. After purchasing my first drink of the day we entered into the main arena, and kudos to the organisers as the set up was the best it's ever been. I steered away from the main stage for most of the day, finding the smaller stages more to my interest. Getting my second taste of Royal Blood this year at the Pepsi Max stage definitely warmed me into the afternoon. They've had a fast rise into the limelight and deservedly so. This noisy two piece are loud and dirty, and their track 'Little Monster' was ingrained into my brain for the remainder of the weekend, leaving me eagerly waiting in anticipation for their first full release.

I couldn't help noticing a large number of zombies stumbling around, and I'm not talking about the usual kind you see at festivals. I'm talking about the brain eating, slow walking, un-dead kind, the type of reception you get when Rob Zombie is in town. Having never managed to catch him on other occasions there was nowhere I'd rather be. He commands the stage like he owns it, and his band (featuring the likes of ex Manson Johnny Five) keep the songs blasting out and the crowd dancing. A night time spot might have suited them better, with a lack of lights and pyrotechnics being my only qualm to an otherwise flawless set. As most of the festivals' attendees hung around waiting for Avenged Sevenfold I made the sensible decision to catch Opeth, whose disdain for the aforementioned was vocally expressed. Brutally heavy and progressive there is some serious musicianship here, guitar parts equally eerie and evil, rhythms tight and grooving. An excellent ending to a busy first day.

Saturday's sun was blazing over a sea of people as Killswitch Engage took the stage. I've seen them a number of times before, from Dubai's Desert Rock to previous years at Download, and am never failed to be impressed by them. At sixteen they were one of the bands that got me listening to metal again and with new/old singer Jesse on vocals I felt the nostalgia creeping in. Hearing the likes of 'My Last Serenade' and others from 'Alive or Just Breathing' with the original vocalist was definitely a highlight, but their new material also made an impact, proving their relevance within the contemporary modern metal scene.

American Head Charge put on quite a show later in the evening to a packed out Pepsi Max stage, and although I'm not familiar with a great deal of their seemingly large back catalogue, I still thoroughly enjoyed it as much as everyone else clearly did. Saturday was the busiest day by far and this can greatly be attributed to Linkin Park's promise to play the entirety of their seminal debut album 'Hybrid Theory'. Here comes the nostalgia again, this time taking me back to my twelve year old self. I was glad to have caught a cheeky half hour, as they put on a hell of a show, leaving me bewildered as to how Chester keeps going like he does for well over an hour. Unfortunately (for them) their presence was overshadowed by a certain tech-metal band, whom I and many others have been waiting to reunite for some time. Sikth were influential in the rise of the UK's tech and groove metal scene, and getting a taste of what's in store for their UK tour was a seriously awesome end to Saturday's music.

I've never left a festival before it has finished, but due to work commitments and travel times this was an unfortunate necessity on Sunday night. I wasn't leaving without getting my fill though, so I marched my way over to the second stage for the first time over the weekend to see Sepultura. They've been playing their brand of Brazilian influenced metal for some twenty years and counting, showing everyone at Download how the veterans do it. An acoustic set from Nick Oliveri might not be the most obvious choice for Sunday festivities, however it definitely was the right one. Hearing renditions of 'Auto Pilot' by Queens of the Stone Age and 'Green Machine' by Kyuss provided a refreshing take on songs I already loved, all melded together with trademark Oliveri madness. 

The grand finale came in the form of Aerosmith, whose last appearance at Download left me slightly disappointed, with a lack of hits played. Not this time round though, with hits coming left right and centre. Everything I wanted them to be four years ago they were on this night, swaying along to everything from 'Sweet Emotion' to 'Cryin'', and of course the obligatory 'I don't Want to Miss a Thing'. Steven Tyler may be getting on a bit but he can still hold his own as far as I'm concerned.

Dragging out an encore and playing well over the curfew I headed back to the car with the fading sequels from Tyler in my ears. Maybe it was the relatively sensible Sunday drinking, or less trudging between camp and the arena, but I left feeling surprisingly fresh, considering the circumstances. Sonisphere may have the more impressive line up of the heavier festivals this year, but away from the line up Download felt like it was taking a step in the right direction this year. Let’s wait and see what next year has to offer.

Review and Photos: Liam McMillan & Chris Poots