GRASPOP METAL MEETING 2013

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Following the announcement of IRON MAIDEN as the headliner for the final Sunday of Graspop Metal Meeting 2013, it gives us great pleasure to confirm SLIPKNOT as our top of the bill for Saturday 29 June. Saturday tickets are now available at www.graspop.be/en/tickets. Also confirmed: DOWN BRAINSTORM DEEZ NUTS - IN THIS MOMENTTHE SWORD - CLUTCH

About the new names:
SlipknotSlipknot may have released just four studio records and one live album in 18 years’ time but the metal ensemble from Iowa, still sells out venues worldwide. Not surprising, really, because few bands combine songs of this quality with a supercharged live show. Following a few necessary lineup changes, the daredevil nine-piece released their self-titled debut in 1999. Two years later, ‘Slipknot’ went platinum. Follow-up ‘Iowa’ (2001) took the world by storm and young metalheads in particular embraced both the music and the band’s stage appearance. In 2004, ‘Vol. 3: (The Subliminal Verses)’ cemented the band’s status and ‘All Hope Is Gone’ was released a four years later, following a new hiatus in the band’s career. When disaster struck in 2010 with the untimely death of co-founder and driving force Paul Gray, the future of the band hung in the balance. Slipknot haven’t released any new material yet but are currently putting together demos for a new album. In the meantime, the eight-piece Des Moines freak show is getting ready to tame the moshing masses of Graspop Metal Meeting for the fifth year in a row!

Down was one of the undisputed highlights of Graspop Metal Meeting 2009. The all-star band from New Orleans took no prisoners and got everybody moving, but what would you expect from a line-up including Crowbar’s Kirk Windstein and charismatic former Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo? If you caught their blistering show in Trix in October of 2012 you’ll know what we’re talking about. Just being able to announce their return to GMM gets our adrenaline pumping and their take-no-prisoners attitude is sure to set the arena on fire!

The German metal band Brainstorm was established more than twenty years ago and has been a force on the German power metal scene ever since. In other words, it was high time for an appearance at GMM. Unlike so many other power metal bands, there’s a slightly darker, King Diamond-esque feel to their music and this is just one of the reasons why they’ve been able to rise above the fray. They’ve recently completed several successful back-to-back tours in support of their latest album ‘On the Spur of the Moment’ (2011) and they’re already working on new material.

In This Moment made their Graspop debut in 2007. Their debut album ‘Beautiful Tragedy’ was well-received and took them on a tour of the European festival stages. Six years later, In This Moment is ready to reacquaint Europe with their brand of metalcore. Obviously the music is the main thing but singer Maria Brink’s good looks couldn’t hurt. More than enough reasons to catch their set!

Graspop Metal Meeting will include a small Australian enclave this year with metalcore band Parkway Drive and hardcore heroes Deez Nuts. These guys are quickly making a name for themselves and thanks to their high-octane shows and relentless mosh pits, they are particularly popular in Europe. Their third album ‘Bout It!’ is being released this spring and it’s promising to be another hardcore/hip-hop onslaught. As Deez Nuts themselves would say: tonight we're gonna party like there's no tomorrow.

With Clutch we’re adding a ‘damn good rock ‘n’ roll band’ to this summer’s line-up. They’ve shared the stage with top bands like Motörhead and Thin Lizzy and their live album ‘Full Fathom Five’ (2008) is a great example of what these guys are capable of. Their new record ‘Earth Rocker’ is scheduled for a spring release. Stoner rock, post hardcore, metal, grunge... the label doesn’t matter. Just remember that Clutch rocks and catch their show at GMM2013.

The Sword is yet another great band making its Graspop Metal Meeting debut this year. These Texans brew an interesting heavy metal cocktail spiked with a healthy dose of stoner rock and a generous helping of doom metal. Among their influences they cite the likes of Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Slayer. They’ve opened for Metallica on several tours so they’re used to performing in front of big crowds. This summer they’ll be introducing Europe to their new album ‘Apocryphon’ and we wouldn’t be surprised if The Sword turned out to be one of the highlights of GMM2013.

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