LIMP BIZKIT returns to SONISPHERE this year after putting on one of the weekend’s highlights at the inaugural event in 2009. Taking the stage before festival closers SLIPKNOT, the multi-million selling rockers appear as special guests on the APOLLO stage on the Sunday night for their only festival appearance in England this year. Armed with new songs off of the forthcoming “Gold Cobra” album, the appearance marks the first opportunity for fans to hear the new songs live in this country, as well as smash hit singles like “Rollin”, “Nookie”, “Break Stuff”, “My Way” and many more.

The last time THE SISTERS OF MERCY played at an outdoor UK festival, shell-suits were being swapped for baggy jeans, home taping was the biggest danger to the recording industry and the world wide web had just been made publicly available on the internet for the first time. A lot has changed since then, but the unclassifiable blend of rock, pop, punk, dance and psychedelia that THE SISTERS OF MERCY are famous for has stood the test of time, becoming classic in its own right. It is with huge pride and excitement that we welcome THE SISTERS OF MERCY to SONSIPHERE for this rare festival appearance - their first in the UK in 20 years - and the midnight outing of unforgettable songs such as “Dominion”, “Temple Of Love” and “This Corrosion”.

Welsh rockers KIDS IN GLASS HOUSES join the SONISPHERE line up this year. As an unsigned band, KIGH garnered a huge amount of support from the rock press and media, more than many established bands could hope for. Having played alongside the likes of Lostprophets, Manic Street Preachers, 30 Seconds To Mars and many more , demand for the band was stratospheric by the time their debut album was released in 2008. In the few short years since then, their ascent shows no sign of slowing down and with work on a new album set to commence in the near future, there’s a chance fans at SONISPHERE could be hearing some brand new tracks alongside favourites such as “Me Me Me”, “Easy Tiger”, “Give Me What I Want” and “Matters At All”.

GALLOWS are no strangers to SONISPHERE, having lain waste to BOHEMIA last year. It’s been quite a year for the Watford punks; performing at RATM’s victory parade in London, secret sets at Reading and Leeds and revisiting their roots on the “Back To The Dives” tour, culminating in an extremely moving and emotional set at London’s Electric Ballroom at the end of last year. In 2011, the beast is being freed from the cage, with GALLOWS leaving the tent behind for the great outdoors. Guitarist Lags comments: “Now we’re playing outdoors which means there’s even more space for you, yes YOU, to get wild with us on the Saturday.”

Towards the end of 2003, the UK lost one of its most prized possessions when ONE MINUTE SILENCE announced they were taking an indefinite break. With a fanbase built largely on the reputation of their live shows where anything could (and did) happen, where roofs were once raised and walls shook with the raw energy of OMS’s politically charged alt-metal their absence was felt in venues across the country,. Now, after an eight year hiatus, ONE MINUTE SILENCE return to fill the void at SONISPHERE. Frontman Yap warns: “Been too long. Missing the pit, missing the vibe, missing the fans. Time for round two. Unfinished business. Expect mayhem.”

Having performed at numerous shows on the European leg of SONISPHERE 2010, VOLBEAT make their KNEBWORTH debut this year after being forced to cancel last year’s scheduled UK tour. Frontman Michael Poulsen can hardly contain his excitement: “We’re delighted to be at Sonisphere in the UK this Summer; we did appear at some of the Sonisphere events in Europe last year, playing on the same bill as The Big 4, which was an amazing experience. And now we feel like spoilt kids cos we’re getting the chance to do it all over again in the UK! This show means a lot, because we had to cancel the UK tour we had lined up late last year. We were really upset not to be able to come over, but I saw the doctor after a show in Hamburg and he advised me not to continue with the tour – I was having terrible pains in my chest and down the left side of my body, I could hardly breathe… Anyway, we’re back on track now – see you at Sonisphere!”

Making their only UK festival appearance of 2011, French metal powerhouse GOJIRA join the line up at SONISPHERE KNEBWORTH. With sonically dense sounds and bludgeoningly heavy rhythms, GOJIRA have let their music do the talking, working their way through the underground while prolific contemporaries champion their cause, resulting in tours alongside the likes of Lamb Of God, Children Of Bodom and even being hand-picked by Friday night headliners METALLICA to support them on their US tour in 2009. Their set at KNEBWORTH promises to be one of the hardest hitting of the weekend, and one not to be missed.

Homegrown heroes InMe return to SONISPHERE this year, after having had such a blast last year. “We’re honoured and absolutely over the moon to be returning to Sonisphere!” say the band, who ended 2010 performing all four studio albums in their entirety at four separate sold out shows. “The show last year was easily one of the best times we’ve ever had as a band and we hope to step things up even more in the Bohemia Tent this year. People overuse the word ‘epic’ but last year’s Sonisphere weekend was exactly that, in capitals. EPIC! Colossal love to all of the Sonisphere team from InMe!”

Fresh off a UK tour with Darkest Hour, Canadian prog-metal mentalists PROTEST THE HERO come to SONISPHERE for the first time, armed with a heap of new songs from the forthcoming “Scurrilous” album, released next month. Guitarist Tim Millar states: “We haven’t played many festivals in Europe and hear so many amazing things! I’m stoked to be a part of Sonisphere and getting a full European festival experience this summer. Not to mention all the great bands we will be performing alongside”

Straight off the back of completing their sixth (as yet untitled) studio album, THE MARS VOLTA have confirmed their return to the UK for an exclusive performance at this year’s SONISPHERE. The El Paso Grammy award winners will be bringing their unique blend of Latin-American infused psychedelic prog rock to KNEBWORTH to headline the SATURN stage for an unforgettable, excitingly visceral and wildly energetic set. Over the last decade, THE MARS VOLTA have earned huge critical acclaim and kudos from both musicians and media alike, with musical masterpieces like “Inertiatic Esp”, “Televators”, “The Widow”, “Wax Simulacra”, “Teflon” and “Since We’ve Been Wrong” dropping jaws the world over. With the promise of these - and possibly some new songs from the forthcoming album - don’t miss THE MARS VOLTA’s only UK show of 2011, playing just before BIFFY CLYRO take to the APOLLO stage. Says guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López: “We’re stoked to come and play. Everything I’ve heard about the festival has been positive, I’m sure it’ll be great. Playing live for me is the best part of being in a band, I can’t wait to get back out there. I’m excited to play the new songs.”

Another band making their SONISPHERE debut is Sweden’s mighty OPETH. Having formed over 20 years ago, OPETH have pushed the boundaries of a plethora of genres by seamlessly incorporating elements of prog, folk, experimental jazz and classic rock with a style firmly rooted in Scandinavian death metal, creating a legacy of sound that consistently evolves and excites. Frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt - who really should check out the awesome line up - says: “We’re chuffed about the invite to play Sonisphere in the UK. Not sure who else is on the bill, but I guess that info is just a click away. Regardless, we’re coming to play to YOU, first and foremost and anything else wouldn’t matter at the end of the day. Always loved playing to the UK crowds, and I’m sure this gig will be no exception. See you there!”.