Download 2013

Over the past few years Download Festival's headlining announcements have moved earlier and earlier. In November 2010 it was the first time one of the headliners was announced in the calender year before the festival took place, that being for System Of A Down's reformation for the Saturday of 2011. Last year it was even earlier with the legendary Black Sabbath announcing on November the 11th not just their reformation but that they would also be headlining the Sunday night of 2012. This year it's been announced nearly two months earlier.

Up the Irons

That's right, the almighty Iron Maiden will once again be headlining Download and this time bringing their Maiden England set with them. There are various reasons as to why this has been announced so early. It could be to ensure Download sell as many tickets as possible and keep fans in the know of who'll be playing well in advance so they have plenty of time to save up, borrow or steal to get a ticket, thus avoiding the problems encountered by Sonisphere last year. It could also be that Maiden wanted to advertise their European tour now, so Download complied by announcing them earlier. Or it could be they think the world's going to end in 2012 so might as well announce it now while we still all have time.

Those lazy Mayans, not updating their damn calender

Either way it'll be Maiden's 3rd time headlining Download and 5th at Donington. Despite only being broadcast a few hours ago the moaners are already at it. 'They're old', 'They've headlined before', 'They've not burned enough churches' are some common complaints. Whilst they may be closer to hitting a century than a duck, anyone who's seen them recently can assure you that pull back the wrinkles and you wouldn't know. They've headlined before but then again Download's been going for 10 years now and had pretty much every big rock/metal band still around take up a headline spot at least once. Of the few names that often get banded around for new headliners, Rammstein and Van Halen are both once again rumoured to be headlining. Let's hope that Maiden being released first means they're making way for a fresh act to be announced later on.

Finally there's those who will no doubt claim Maiden, or another band yet to be announced, not to be 'metal' enough. There is no set scale for being 'metal'. Is Varg Vikernes not metal because he eats cornflakes? Is Kerry King not metal because he worked with the Beastie Boys? Is Ozzy not metal because his wife was on X Factor? (Ok that one's debatable. Although more fool anyone to claim the Prince of Darkness himself is 'not metal'). The point is, it doesn't matter. As always there will be around 100 bands at Download, from the heaviest of the heavy to the pop-rock crossovers. Don't start complaining because of one band, wait for the other 99 and then decide if you're going to fork out for a ticket or not.

Download will be announcing another act tomorrow morning at 10am http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/
I probably won't be up but if you are my money's on Rammstein for one of the other headliners.