Wolves In The Throne Room and Pig Destroyer among the first names announced for Damnation Festival 2021

This year has been quite chaotic and unpredictable, but despite the curret state of uneasiness, certain festivals around the globe have been trying to stay afloat by taking a gamble. One such event is Damnation Festival, which has revealed the first fourteen names that will take part in its 2021 edition, with thirteen more left to be announced. At the forefront are the North American atmospheric black metal mystics Wolves In The Throne Room and fellow North American grind masters Pig Destroyer, the death metal standouts Blood Incantation, doom metal purveyors Pallbearer and thrasher outfit Onslaught. Also confirmed are Bell Witch and Aerial Ruin – performing their amazing funereal collaboration, Stygian Bough -, as well as Morne, Year Of No Light, Regarde Les Hommes Tomber, Esoteric, Bossk, Sylvaine, Boss Keloid and Irist. 

Regarding the announcement, organiser Gavin McInally said: “This year has been a disaster for everyone involved in our ‘scene’ so we were desperate to put together the best line-up possible and give ourselves and Damnation fans something positive to cling to for 2021. With at least another 13 bands to be added to this stacked bill, we think we’ve managed it. Tying down the likes of Pig Destroyer, Onslaught, Pallbearer and Morne from the poster which sold more tickets in less time than any previous event was a must and we’re hopeful we’ll reconfirm the likes of Gatecreeper and Devil’s Master too, once their future plans are a bit more clear. But being able to add the likes of Wolves in the Throne Room, Blood Incantation and a special collaboration by Bell Witch and Aeriel Ruin was incredible and the line-up as it stands, with the prospect of several stage headliners to be announced, is unreal.”

He added: “We offered fans refunds when 2020 was cancelled and little more than a handful took us up on that, so we’re already where we’d expect to be by next summer, sales wise. And as a thanks to everyone who has been so supportive during this year, whether it was being patient with the festival’s future, the raffle or even the Damnation Versus podcast, we’re putting tickets on sale at the 2019 price of £49 until midnight tomorrow. To be clear, we’re still planning to add a main stage headliner if that band’s plans will be carried over to next year. Several big names in death and doom will also be added in the coming months.”

Damnation Festival 2021 takes place in Leeds University, UK, on November 6th, 2021. Tickets are available for 53 pounds and can be purchased online, here.