Reggae-metallers Skindred will bring Hit The Deck to a crushing close this April and with the band poised to make a major splash with their new LP, you know their set is going to be one of the best headlining performances in the festival’s history. Widely acknowledged as one of the most enthralling live bands on the planet, the Newport destroyers have been a perennial force for musical innovation since emerging from the ashes of frontman Benji Webbe’s former band Dub War back in 1998. Fingers crossed Hit The Deck will see its very own Newport Helicopter!

Sheffield 5 piece While She Sleeps enjoyed much success following the release of 2012's 'This Is The Six' which included collecting the gong for Best British Newcomer at the Kerrang! Awards 2012. After the unfortunate setback of vocalist Loz Taylor requiring throat surgery, the band are back with new record Brainwashed and look set to continue exactly where they left off, setting the live circuit alight worldwide with their distinct brand of metallic hardcore. Miss them at your own peril.

Toronto hardcore mob Cancer Bats release their highly anticipated fifth album studio 'Searching for Zero' this March and the band will be playing anthems old and new across the weekend in Nottingham and Bristol.

Brooklyn indie rock unit A Great Big Pile of Leaves was founded by guitarist/singer Pete Weiland and drummer Tyler Soucy, Connecticut natives who moved to New York after their band Farewell to Arms split up in 2007. Their sound was rooted in both breezy classic indie pop and '90s American underground acts like the Dismemberment Plan.

The 5 piece from Castleford, Leeds have been riding a constant tornado of success since forming back in July 2012. They have been delivering their mix of exciting guitar fuelled rock music through relentless and explosive live shows all over the UK, all backed by consistent sold out single releases.

Melodic metallers Ashes join us at Hit The Deck this April after their recent tour with Glamour Of The Kill and the release of their debut EP 'We Are The Darkness That Turns Into Light'. Packed a live set that's been described by Hit The Floor magazine as "Full of riffs and brutal vocals", we know this quartet will be looking to make a huge impact in Bristol and Nottingham.

Being the first UK band to ever join Fearless records, Brighton pop-punks As It Is have been gaining momentum over the past year and with their debut album 'Never Happy, Ever After' set to take the band to the next level, their Hit The Deck slot is definitely going to be one to watch.

Croydon's aggressive melodic rock trio, Bad Sign will appear at Hit The Deck 2015 to prove they are a band to be taken seriously. After tearing up and down the UK repeatedly this year and last, we can't wait for them to take the stage.

The exciting Black Peaks founded in 2013, will be bringing their cross between aggressive hardcore and the atypical characteristics of math rock to Hit The Deck 2015. Being described as "Exceptional" - BBC Radio 1, Zane Lowe. We look forward to their set at this year’s festival!

Having formed over the Summer of 2013, Brawlers feature current and ex-members of bands as diverse as Dinosaur Pile-Up, Leftover Crack, Castrovalva and Martyr Defiled. With only a handful of gigs under their belt, including supports for No Age, The Icarus Line, Gnarwolves and more, the band's reputation for raucous live shows has already gained them a loyal following and much media support.

Steeped in a hard rock swing, brash punk energy, metallic bombast, and a healthy helping of death rock, these three musicians—Jimmy Calabrese [vocals, bass], Bobby Calabrese [vocals, guitar], and Davey Calabrese [drums]—established a diehard following and garnered immense critical praise outside of the traditional system, emerging as underground luminaries from their native Phoenix, AZ.

City of Ships is an active three-piece progressive / “post-” influenced rock band originally from Pensacola, Florida, United States formed in 2005. Members live in New York City and Austin, TX. Their third full-length album, “Ultraluminal” will see release on March 20, 2015 via Golden Antenna (EU) and Translation Loss (US).

After recently touring with the likes of Zoax and Fort Hope the quintet bring their anthemic punk rock to Hit The Deck 2015 this April. Formed in January 2012; five guys living in Southampton bonded over a love of Roger Daltrey, broken guitars and Lurhmann’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’.

Dead Harts formed in late 2009 and hail from Sheffield, England. The Steel City has produced much metal talent recently but none with such passion and energy from the stage as this 5 piece outfit. Blending together elements of hardcore, metal and punk with experimental overtones and drawing heavily on their influences, namely Norma Jean, Stray From The Path and The Chariot these lads mean business.

Bath quintet Decade have been riding a huge wave following the release of their debut album 'Good Luck' and if their recent tours supporting A Day To Remember and The Used are anything to go by, their Hit The Deck set is going to be one of the weekend's highlights.

Devil Sold His Soul burst onto the UK underground metal and hardcore scene in 2004. Their debut album, ‘A Fragile Hope’ saw the band take their position as one of the most respected underground bands in the UK with their visceral and captivating live shows. After two intense years of touring throughout UK, Europe, Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, the band unleashed their self-produced third album, ‘Empire Of Light’. Received to critical acclaim across the board, the album cemented their position as one of the UK’s most respected and revered metal acts.

Fronted by Arthur 'Ace' Enders, The Early November is an American rock band from Hammonton, New Jersey. The group formed in 1999 and signed with Drive-Thru Records in 2002. After a four year hiatus, the band re-united in 2011 and continued to make new music as well as celebrate the 10 year anniversary of their pop punk debut Room's Too Cold.

Former My Chemical Romance axe-man Frank Iero has been riding high with his new project FrnkIero AndThe Cellabration and their debut record 'Stomachaches'. It's a safe bet their set will be one of the wildest of the weekend.

In a scene saturated by sound-alike bands, the time has come to evolve or be left behind. Hacktivist bring their signature "Djent" Rap Metal to Hit The Deck 2015. With their most recent release "False Idols" and playing some storming support slots with Enter Shikari, their set is not one to be missed!

A Melodic Hardcore / Rock 5 piece hailing from Myrtle Beach SC, Hundredth are looking to bare down heavily on the crowd of Hit The Deck this year. With the anticipation of a new album in the works, we cannot wait for their set!

Introducing IDIOM, a DIY quartet of veracious males from the South West of England whose mission is to bring down the house. In a few short years IDIOM have already shared stages with the likes of DevilDriver, 36 Crazyfists, Skindred,Young Guns, InMe, Bring Me the Horizon, From Cancer Bats and Everytime I Die.

JOHN COFFEY is a five-piece band from the Netherlands that creates loud and raucous rock ‘n roll. Influenced by bands such as Every Time I Die and Refused, they recorded their third album 'The Great News' last summer at Mailmen Studios, with American producer Matt Goldman (The Chariot, UnderOath etc.)

JPNSGRLS — pronounced “Japanese Girls” — formed in Vancouver in 2010 with a lineup that includes Charlie Kerr, Oliver Mann, Chris McClelland & Graham Serl. The band have been described as a mix between Dillinger Escape Plan, Modest Mouse and Dinosaur Jr - we can't wait to see how this translates on stage for Hit The Deck!

Hailing from Boston MA and described by Rolling Stone as “a perfect hybrid of Neurosis and the Smiths” Junius formed in 2003. The band shared stages with the likes of Mastodon, Bad Religion, Valient Thorr, Howl, Orbs, Rosetta, Tombs, God Is An Astronaut, Irepress and many others. Their doom-laden metal will entrance you and sail you away to another world at this years Hit The Deck.

North California rapper, MC Lars, will be gracing the stage at Hit The Deck 2015 this year. He is set to release his 4th full-length studio album the Zombie Dinosaur LP, at the end of this coming summer. With hits such as: "iGeneration" & "Singing Emo", MC Lars is worth checking out.

Monuments are going to be a must-see set at this year's Hit The Deck! The progressive metal band were formed by now former Fellsilent guitarist, John Browne, and former The Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza guitarist and Josh Travis. The band has released two full-length albums via Century Media Records, Gnosis and The Amanuensis in 2012 and 2014 respectively.

Belgian based dark hardcore outfit; Oath Breaker bring their melodic, fast, full frontal assault to this years Hit The Deck. The band are currently touring with While She Sleeps, Cancer bats and Hundredth. Be sure to catch their set to ensure your face is thoroughly thrashed repeatedly with riffs.

Birmingham's Oceans Ate Alaska aim to take listeners on an emotional journey through unpredictable arrangements (both heavy and melodic), ruthless riffs, and unforgiving gutteral vocals; setting an atmospheric landscape that showcases the band's technical skill.

The explosive Rolo Tomassi mark their milestone 10 year anniversary this year as well as the release of the band's fourth studio album 'Grievances', which is set for 1st June through Holy Roar Records. This slot is going to be as volatile as they come.

The Swellers got their start in 2002 when brothers Nick and Jonathan Diener and a friend got together and recorded some demos in their basement. By 2009, the band had inked a deal with Fueled By Ramen and began touring with Paramore, Less Than Jake, Motion City Soundtrack, Bayside, The Vans Warped Tour and more. They released their first full-length album for the label, Ups and Downsizing, later that year, which put the guys on the international map with critical acclaim and a rigorous worldwide touring. Having decided to call time on their band in 2014, this show comes as part of their 'Farewell' tour.

Tellison are a four-piece band hailing from Bethnal Green London, UK. Formed out of a shared love of unsuccessful indie rock bands of the late 90s and early 00s. Recently signed to UK independent label Alcopop! Records, Tellison's fresh and quirky style of songwriting will be welcomed with open arms at Hit The Deck 2015.

From starring in everything from Rookie of the Year to the American Pie series, he’s been a part of the pop culture zeitgeist since he was a kid, and his music reflects his experience. Thomas describes his sound best; “I think of it as John Mayer writing the melody, Bruce Springsteen singing and The Foo Fighters backing it all up. The new material definitely feels that way. It’s a little heavier, but it still has that pop influence."

Ups and downs, victory and defeat, hope and despair. Life probably provides more stumbling blocks than stepping stones. For this very reason, it’s nice that there are musicians like TIM VANTOL that accompany you not only on the sunny side of life, but also help you through rainy days, when you’re swallowing down your sorrows at some dimly lit bar. Because going down is way easier together.

Renowned for the fierce, dynamic live performance that they deliver at every show, When We Were Wolves are a five piece post-hardcore band from Bridgend/Newport, South Wales. Since forming in July 2011 the band have built up a strong following within the South Wales metal scene within such a short space of time.

Scotland's knack for producing incredible power trios continues with The Xcerts. Two Scots and one Brightonian have taken the emo pop template and run with it. After some impressive independent demos and releases, independent label Xtra Mile snapped The Xcerts up to release their début album, 'In The Cold Wind We Smile', which showcased infectious choruses and eloquent lyrics, while brave follow-up Scatterbrain upped the dynamic and textural tempo. The Xcerts can, and will, move in any direction they want and continue to spread their frenetic, fuzz-laden rock.

You Blew It! might be one of the last great hold-outs in the emo revival that took over the last decade. More sane than Algernon Cadwallader, less sonically-spacious than Cap’n Jazz, YBI! cherrypicks from 90’s emo and indie in a fashion that many have aimed for but few have achieved.

Formed in 2013, London-based band, ZOAX are a band set on creating music that inspire themselves in a seemingly stale and incestuous gene-pool. Still retaining the heaviness of their peers whilst infusing a broad focus on groove and melody, the 5 piece have succeeded in moulding a sound that sets them apart from the monotony of the masses.