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So it was a decidedly damp end to Download 2010 but a little bit of rain (ok, there was quite a lot) wasn’t going to spoil another spectacular weekend of rock and metal action.

We’ll be reviewing all the big names and bringing you news from behind the scenes all this week but before all of that we’re delivering our annual snapshot of the Castle Donington festival.

If you want to know the best and worst of Download 2010 – including the bands that rocked and the acts which rolled – read on.

And don’t forget to stick with rushonrock throughout the summer with High Voltage the next big date in our packed diary. Read the rest of this entry »

With less than 24 hours to go until the greatest rock and metal festival on the planet kicks off we’re continuing to bring you the rushonrock guide to the must-see bands at Download 2010.

And despite a series of patchy shows in the UK during the last 12 months there are few mightier metal monsters than thrash legends Megadeth.

Main man Dave Mustaine continues to write some of the best heavy music on the market and his angst-ridden attitude hasn’t waned over the years.

But perhaps he’s becoming just a little mellow – this summer sees a hatchet burying of sorts as he plays live shows alongside former employees Metallica. We feel Megadeth are due a big UK show and Saturday’s Download set could be it. Read on for our guide to the US giants. Read the rest of this entry »

Kan you ever be too old for Kerrang!?

As a spotty teenage boy reading the magazine on Newcastle’s Metro 20 years ago I was well used to the weird looks and disdainful sighs every time I reached inside my satchel and whipped out the latest edition.

Back then I didn’t fit into the Kerrang! demographic because I went to a posh school, wore a smart uniform and had hair cut above the collar. Read the rest of this entry »

Slovenians Elvis Jackson are building up a big fanbase across continental Europe and now the boys have set their sights on breaking the UK.

Always keen to give new talent a break we’re delighted to bring the band on board and we’ll be watching their progress with interest.

In the meantime read on to discover what mates axe slinger Berto tick when he’s not belting out EJ classics live. Read the rest of this entry »

The decision to announce AC/DC as the first headline act for Download 2010 has given the UK’s premier rock and metal festival a huge shot in the arm.

A band synonymous with the Monsters Of Rock event of years gone by – and an act still riding high on the back of their best album for more than 20 years – is the perfect tool to inspire a tickets rush. Read the rest of this entry »

We’ve been talking up their prospects for some time and now AC/DC are confirmed as the first of this year’s Download headliners!

The 2010 Donington Park event takes place from June 11-13 and rushonrock will be there to bring you all of the rock and metal action.

And we’re still confident Kiss could join Brian Johnson and co. later this year for what would surely be a double header worthy of the old Monsters Of Rock monicker. But what about the rest of the confirmed bands? Read the rest of this entry »

If you missed them first time around then prepare to be introduced to your New Year new best friends as Canadian troupe Priestess bid to make it big in 2010.

Familiar to a handful of UK fans following their 2007 support slot on Megadeth’s tour, the trad metal monsters have shared stages with the likes of Black Label Society, Converge, Mastodon and Motorhead.

And February will see the band return to British shores for a brief tour with Big Elf – just a fortnight before new album Prior To The Fire gets its UK release. “It wasn’t exactly the easiest record to make,” said singer/guitarist Mikey Hepner. Read the rest of this entry »

Here at rushonrock we just love Christmas – well, at least until everyone forgets to check our Amazon wishlist and we miss out on Megadeth’s new record on vinyl and a vintage Ratt T-shirt. So this month we’re finding out what the rockers out there really, really want.

Over to Hysterica singer Annie De Vil: “I could say that I want world peace – it would be nice but it’s not true. What I really want is a heavy metal man.”

Don’t hold your breath but it’s ‘rock week’ on X Factor on Saturday.

There have been various pictures of the Lenny Kravitz-esque Jamie Afro wearing an AC/DC T-shirt splashed across the press.

And the big name guests are Bon Jovi – set to perform their new single after announcing a series of o2 Arena shows for 2010. Read the rest of this entry »

Testament – Trial By Fire (Skolnick/Peterson/Billy) b/w Nobody’s Fault (Tyler/Whitford) 1988

Taken from the album The New Order, which hit 136 on the Billboard Hot 200 and ultimately broke the band as a commercial prospect, this Testament classic still sounds massive today.

Had there been a big five when it came to thrash metal monsters breaking out of the US in the late 80s then Chuck Billy and his bombastic crew would have made the cut.

As it was the Big Four – Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer and Anthrax – enjoyed even greater success and remained in a superstar club all of their own. But tracks like Trial By Fire prove Testament’s class and those of us who have witnessed the band live in 2009 will testify to the fact that they’re still going strong. Read the rest of this entry »