With a line up already boasting *IRON MAIDEN, RAMMSTEIN, MÖTLEY CRÜE* and * SLAYER* amongst others, SONISPHERE KNEBWORTH has announced another seven fantastic acts, showcasing the diversity and range of music it has to offer. A welcome addition to the SONISPHERE line up, in their seven years *FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND* have chalked up some amazing statistics: the band have sold considerably more than a million records; all four of their albums have gone into the UK Top 20; they have three Gold records; have graced countless magazine covers, been the subject of broadsheet profiles and tabloid features; their tours sell out the nation’s larger venues in a matter of minutes; worldwide – from America to Russia, Singapore to Australia, Japan and beyond – they have a following more loyal than bands considered their equal. And, most importantly, they rock. Making their SONISPHERE debut this year are British Rockers *FIGHTSTAR*. 2009 was a hugely successful year for the London four-piece - a top 20 album with their third and most successful record, “be human”; two sold out headline tours which included Shepherds Bush Empire in November; an appearance at T4 on the

Beach, Radio 1’s Big Weekend and the iTunes festival as well as having 4 singles playlisted at Radio 1. Their MySpace site has racked up 2.2 million profile views and the band drew huge crowds at the Download and Reading and Leeds festivals. All this leaves *FIGHSTAR* more than qualified to deliver a memorable set at KNEBWORTH and one you won’t want to miss. Says frontman CHARLIE SIMPSON: *“Playing Sonisphere at the legendary Knebworth ground is going to be incredible! This festival has come out of nowhere to compete with the likes of Download and Reading/Leeds, so it will be an absolute must for any rock fan this summer. There are so many great bands playing over the three days and we are honoured to be part of the line-up.” In the eight years between 2001 - 2009, *SKUNK ANANSIE* left a gaping hole in the UK rock scene, so we’re delighted that these recently reformed rockers will be joining the SONISPHERE 2010 KNEBWORTH line up.  The multi-platinum selling act came crashing onto an unsuspecting rock scene back in 1994 with what lead singer Skin labelled “Clit-Rock” - described as an amalgam of heavy metal and black feminist rage. They went on to conquer the world with their unique style, with their impressive live show securing nominations at various awards ceremonies. Now, the attendees of SONISPHERE KNEBWORTH get to see why, as the band deliver hits such as “Weak”, “Charity” and “All I Want”. Unless you’ve had your head buried in the sand for the last three years, * GALLOWS* is a name synonymous with attitude, aggression and hardcore punk rock. Since 2007, the fearless *FRANK CARTER* and co have punished music fans the world over with their refreshingly real take on punk, earning a reputation as one of the most formidable live acts on the scene. Like the demented grandchildren of SONISPHERE stage sharers IGGY & THE STOOGES, * GALLOWS* promise to bring an element of danger to the weekend’s proceedings, as they spit out tracks like “Abandon Ship”, In The Belly Of A Shark” and Top 40 single “Staring At The Rude Bois”. Flying in from Chicago, *MADINA LAKE* bring their catchy blend of pop-punk and alt-rock to the SONISPHERE stage. Since their first outing here, the band’s rise in the UK has been nothing short of spectacular. First hitting the UK in support of Paramore in late 2006, the band found themselves selling out the very same venues they were opening at mere months later, and the success story snowballed from there. Gracing numerous magazine covers, securing BEST INTERNATIONAL NEWCOMER at the 2007 Kerrang! Awards and subsequently appearing on the 2008 Kerrang! Tour, by the time 2009’s “Attic’s To Eden” was released, MADINA mania was unstoppable, and shows no sign of stopping as they make their way to SONISPHERE 2010 - apparently a lifelong dream for bassplayer MATTHEW LEONE: **"Meeting the cast of "Revenge of the Nerds", and playing Sonisphere are the last two things on my bucket list.  Come August 2nd, I'll be that much closer to calling it a life with no regrets." **Family Force 5* is one of the great success stories of artist development in contemporary music today. Their debut CD has quietly scanned 125,000 + copies and their live show has been seen by tens of thousands, earning them a reputation as one of the hardest working band's in America, with a performance that is second to none. You may have heard Fearne Cotton giving UK debut single Dance or Die a spin or two, or maybe you caught these guys tearing it up across the UK in February with Cobra Starship. FAMILY FORCE 5 returns to the UK for their first ever UK festival performance at SONISPHERE KNEBWORTH; Expect hip shaking, move making, sing-a-long dance rock a plenty! In the words of Keytarist/Vocalist Naddady "we're at war. Dancing is our weapon, and our party is ready to pull the trigger." Formed initially as a tribute to last year’s SONISPHERE headliners METALLICA in 1993, *APOCALYPTICA* have become leading force in their own right. Armed with three cellos and a metal-as-hell drummer, *APOCALYPTICA *have become a firm festival favourite, as they offer alternative takes on bands such as METALLICA, SEPULTURA and PANTERA, as well as their own material. Don’t let the presence of classical instruments fool you - these Finns play hard and heavy, and will have no problem working up a frenzy amongst those in attendance. Look out for a very exciting announcement with more bands next week, and many more acts to be announced in the coming weeks and months.

Tickets for *SONISPHERE KNEBWORTH* are on sale now at
www.sonispherefestivals.com


Line up so far:

*IRON MAIDEN **
RAMMSTEIN *
*ALICE COOPER *
ANTHRAX  *
APOCALYPTICA *
BRING ME THE HORIZON *
THE CULT *
FAMILY FORCE 5
FEAR FACTORY
FIGHTSTAR
FUNERAL FOR A FRIEND
GALLOWS
HENRY ROLLINS (SPOKEN WORD) *
IGGY & THE STOOGES *
MADINA LAKE
MÖTLEY CRÜE **
PAPA ROACH *
PLACEBO *
SLAYER *
SKUNK ANANSIE

** Only UK performance of 2010
* Exclusive Festival Performance