It just wouldn't be the same unless ROTW got their asses to Download to witness the highlight of the metal calendar in Donington Park. And this year the three day event, which featured over 100 bands, didn't disappoint. Blistering sets from the likes of Metallica, Trivium, Tool and Guns N Roses, meant that it may well have been the strongest line-up in the event's history.

With so many bands to choose from it was hard to get round the stages to see them all but highlights included the amazing Avenged Sevenfold who had the crowd going crazy during their Saturday afternoon slot and Bullet For My Valentine who, along with Lacuna Coil, were the surprise hits of the Sunday Main Stage.

Although we need to wait another year for the spectacle to happen again, there was plenty of news and gossip to keep us suitably entertained for a while.....

~ Josh Eppard, the drummer for Coheed and Cambria, took ill before their performance so the band played the show with their drum technician.

~ Lead singer of Amplifier reportedly chipped his tooth on his guitar but still played a fantastic five song set to open up the Main Stage on the Friday.

~ Avenged Sevenfold were spotted walking around the site after their set.

~ Hollywood actor Will Smith turned up to support his wife Jada Pinket Smith as her band Wicked Wisdom played an early slot on the Main Stage.

~ Soulfly's Max Cavalera joined The Deftones on stage for part of their set.

~ Down were the surprise band to open the Main Stage on Saturday to the delight of the people who had gathered early.

~ Korn frontman Jonathon Davis was rushed to hospital and unable to perform, but the band still played a somewhat shorter set with guest vocalists which included Matt Heafy from Trivium and M Shadows from Avenged Sevenfold.

~ Metallica closed the Main Stage on Saturday night with a set lasting over two hours.

~ Soilwork pulled out of their Sunday slot on the Snickers Stage due to problems with their guitarist, so festival goers were treated to a second performance by Devil Driver who had played the same stage on the previous day.

~ Eurovision song contest winners Lordi had an impressive turnout at the Gibson Myspace stage despite strong competition during their timeslot.

~ Several sources have reported that Axl Rose arrived in a helicopter a few hours prior to Guns N Roses headlining the Main Stage on Sunday.

~ It didn't rain.

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