We’re still recovering from the sonic battering that was November’s Damnation, and now, as the new year kicks in, the festival has dropped its first wave of bands set to take over the now?hallowed BEC Arena in Manchester and it’s already shaping up to be another landmark year for Europe’s biggest indoor metal festival.
The first thing that hits like a brick to the jaw? The surprise returns.
Gorerotted are the immediate “holy hell” moment. The UK deathgrind legends who originally disbanded in 2008, later resurfacing as The Rotted, are now resurrected in full force and ready to unleash their filthiest chaos on Bowlers. Joining them are fellow UK death metal titans Benediction, the Brummie wrecking crew primed to level the place all over again.
The shocks don’t stop there. Medulla Nocte, Fange, and Black Sheep Wall – three names many of us never expected to see on a bill again and are all stepping back into the spotlight. Judging by the reaction online, we’re clearly not the only ones losing our minds. Damnation’s tradition of pulling bands back from the grave is very much alive… or undead.
Then comes the blackened triple?threat: Ultha, Dödsrit, and Lamp of Murmuur. Ultha’s UK?exclusive set is already looking essential, especially after their crushing performance at Fortress Festival in 2023. Dödsrit and Lamp of Murmuur continue their ascent as two of the most exciting forces in modern black metal, each carving out their own frostbitten path.
Adding even more texture to the day are Cabal, Holy Fawn, Slow Crush, Intercourse, and The Moth Gatherer, bringing a wide spectrum of heaviness, atmosphere, and noise to keep the energy shifting and the crowd guessing.
And then we reach the top of the announcement: NOLA sludge royalty Eyehategod guaranteed to headline with a set so grimy we’ll all need a shower afterwards, and Walls of Jericho, blessing Manchester with their exclusive UK performance of the year. That alone is worth the ticket!
If this is just phase one, Damnation 2026 is already looking absolutely feral and with 32 more bands still to be announced, we’re bracing ourselves for some pure, unrelenting brilliance.
BEC Arena in Manchester – 07th – 08th November
Get Your Tickets Early – Because This Will Sell Out!
https://www.damnationfestival.co.uk
