After dropping teasers for an announcement, Download Festival have announced a new wave of bands, adding seventeen names to an already stacked lineup. The legendary Megadeth, having recently celebrated their 35th anniversary, are set to headline the second stage on Friday and punk rock legends Descendents will be headlining the Avalanche Stage, playing Download for the first ever time in their massively influential career. Creeper frontman Will Gould will not only be playing with Creeper at Download 2021, but now also with his new project Salem. The UK duo, consisting of Will and Matt Reynolds (Howard’s Alias, Skylar), have just unleashed their debut self-titled EP, featuring the huge single ‘Destroy Me’. Will Gould says: “Excited and humbled to announce that Salem will be performing at this year’s Download Festival. Looking forward to staying out of the sun with you all in 2021.” Blackpool pop punk favourites Boston Manor have been flying the flag for pop punk both here and in the US, and are swiftly gaining momentum on both sides of the Atlantic after releasing their fantastic third album ‘Glue’ earlier this year. Welsh death metal titans Venom Prison have also been busy making a name for themselves, winning Best New Band at the Golden Gods in 2017 and going from strength to strength ever since. They recently released their career retrospective Primeval featuring two rapturously received new tracks showcasing bold new steps for the band, including the mammoth ‘Slayer of Holofernes’. Also hailing from the UK are London hardcore five-piece Renounced, exciting new emo outfit Static Dress, Lancaster rock band Massive Wagons, and London reggae punks The Skints. Along with some of the UK’s finest are Ireland’s The Scratch whose style is described as heavy metal-tinged Irish folk. From a little further afield, American rap metal band Fire From The Gods, Seattle-born guitarist and vocalist Ayron Jones, Boston groove rockers Dead Poet Society, New York technical death metal four piece Uncured, Canadian rock band Monster Truck and Australian metalcore heroes Northlane will be joining the bill. And from an unknown location are the travelling troupe clown horde The Injester, ready to unleash their own brand of theatrical scaremongering on Donington. ANNOUNCED TODAY Ayron Jones Boston Manor Dead Poet Society Descendents Fire From The Gods Massive Wagons Megadeth Monster Truck Northlane Renounced Salem Static Dress The Injester The Scratch The Skints Uncured Venom Prison Download Festival will take place 4-6 June 2021. Day tickets are on sale now via downloadfestival.co.uk/tickets.