GOD FORBID are one of those bands you just can’t get enough of live. Always delivering a top quality performance, and having a great stage presence, they ripped into opening track ‘Better Days’ and never looked back as they were intent on getting the crowd going, well what there was of it. The venue was hardly a quarter full and didn’t look like it filled anymore when the headline act came on. Still, that didn’t get GOD FORBID down as they delivered a truly crunching and awesome set which included a few tracks from their latest opus ‘Earthsblood’ of which stood out were ‘Empire of The Gun’ and ‘War of Attrition’.

Other highlights of their set included ‘Anti Hero’, ‘To The Fallen Hero’ (as ever dedicated to Dimebag Darrell) and set closer ‘The End of The World’. This rounded off a wonderful performance from GOD FORBID, and an aching neck from some severe headbanging! Anyone going to Download Festival this year, and hasn’t seen GOD FORBID before definately needs to check them out.

Onto the headliners tonight and latino metal act ILL NIÑO took to the stage a few minutes late with what appeared to be technical difficulties with one of the guitars. Unfortunately this led to them cutting one song from their set, but despite this they delivered an excellent live performance. I’ve never been a massive fan of these, but in the live arena it sounded awesome. The mix of the slower latino style mixed with the heaviness worked extremely well and this was shown in the form of ‘God Save Us’.

Their set covered their four album back catalogue opening with the impressive ‘Finger Painting’ folowing closely into the aforementioned ‘God Save Us’. ‘This Is War’ set off a mini mosh pit considering the size of the crowd, but was still good to see the crowd appreciating the bands performance. Other set highlights included ‘My Resurrection’, ‘I Am Loco’ and ‘How Can I Live’ which gave you chance to have a bit of a sway. Set closer ‘When It Cuts’ brought an end to the nights precedings and looking back, it was a thoroughly enjoyable night all around. It’s just a shame there were not more people there to show their support.

ILL NIÑO Setlist: Finger Painting / God Save Us / This Is War / Lifeless…Life / My Resurrection / If You Still Hate Me / I Am Loco / Compulsion of Virus And Fever / Corazon of Mine / Te Amo…I Hate You / How Can I Live / The Alibi of Tyrants / Liar / When It Cuts