Download is just a few days away and we're catching up with some of the biggest and best bands on the bill. We had a quick chat with Sepultura's Andreas Kisser about how special Donington is and drinking snake blood.
How excited are you guys to be playing Download festival?
“We are very excited and so happy to be back at Download festival, it’s one of the most important festivals for heavy music and to be there is just fantastic. I think it shows the great moment that Sepultura is living right now.”
How important is it to you to play the hallowed ground of Donington?
“It’s almost sacred. We did Monsters Of Rock and Download, I think I’ve played three times at the ground and it’s magical. It’s also the ground where Ayrton Senna did so much of his training and races, including his first test in a Formula 1 car – this is very special for us Brazilians since he is a national hero.”
Who do you recommend to watch at Download this year?
“There are so many great names but I would love to see Joe Bonamassa, Black Label Society, Phil Anselmo, Killswitch Engage and many others. It’s too bad we have only one day at the fest.”
Who is more metal out of the headliners Avenged Sevenfold, Linkin Park or Aerosmith?
“I think Avenged Sevenfold has more of the metal characteristics in their music but all three of them have some relation to metal world.”
What is your best festival memory?
“The sea of yellow shirts at the first Donington we did in 1994. Sepultura released the yellow shirt connected to the World Cup that was going on in the USA at the time. That day we outsold Aerosmith on merch, it was insane.”
What are your three essential items to take to Download?
“My guitars, my amps and a cold beer.”
What is the most metal thing you’ve ever done?
“I drank snake blood in Indonesia in 1992, pretty metal right?”
Sepultura play the Zippo Encore Stage on the Saturday of Download. Get your tickets here.
