So being in California and especially now there aren’t really very many music festivals. I mean sure back in the day there were traveling ones like Ozzfest, Warped Tour, Gigantour, and Mayhem Fest but unfortunately, if you want to go to any sort of music festival, you really have to go to Europe or even South America. That’s why when festivals like Sonic Temple or Louder Than Life happen it’s kind of a big deal and it’s exciting. Out here in California, we really only have one festival and that would be Aftershock in Sacramento. Now living in Southern California by LA means that if one wants to attend Aftershock, it’s really like going on vacation. You can almost call it a retreat, but with metal and rock bands. Now this year (2025) is my second time going, and I had an absolute blast. If you’ve ever listen to the podcast, you’ll know that this festival gets referenced a lot and the reason for that is because it’s a really good way to determine as to what bands are going to be going out on tour closer towards the end of the year and early next year. So this is my recap of the 2025 Aftershock Festival so with that, let’s take a look………….
Day 1: So unlike last year, I actually got there right as the gates opened and the weather was just really weird. It went from raining to warm back to raining again back to warm to cool then back to warm. I don’t know the weather can be weird, but aside from that, I pretty much stayed at one of the smaller stages called the Coors Light stage.
- Snot: so the big reason why I got there right when the gates opened this year was because these guys went on at like 12:15 in the afternoon. I was fortunate enough to see them back in February of this year in their hometown of Santa Barbara and I got to say they’re just a ton of fun. If you have not seen them yet next time they are playing in your area please go see them. Honestly, I can’t think of a better band to kick off this festival. Their new singer Andy really gets the crowd going and sounds so much like Lynn it’s uncanny. As I said, definitely the perfect band to start this whole thing. Score: 10/10
- Nails: so I had seen this band earlier this year. I believe they were opening for Obituary and when I saw them then tell me their songs all started to sound the same. They actually kind of reminded me a lot of that band Job For A Cowboy (although I much prefer this band because that band is absolutely terrible) in the way that after the third song, it all kind of runs together. I didn’t really get that this time. There was a little bit of variation between the songs and they were entertaining and they do make for a good opening act. They do have that one song that I like called You’ll Never Be One Of Us and what I do like about their songs is they’re short and sweet. Overall, a decent follow up and I’m giving their performance 8/10
- Cattle Decapitation: tell me this is another band that is just your average one of the male death metal bands. Like they’re nothing special, but they’re also good to see if there’s no one else that you’re really into. Again if you miss them, you’re not really gonna be missing much but at the end of the day they’re fine. The singer does move around a lot and is entertaining to watch as is the rest of the band, but again nothing special. I’m gonna give this one 7/10.
- High On Fire: now this is one of those bands that kind of left my radar. I had seen them once before I want to say back in 2010 when they opened for Anthrax and they were great back then and they’re great now. They were definitely one of those surprise bands that put on one killer performance, and they have almost like a Sabbath kind of feel to them. Their riffs are chunky, and the guitar tone is absolutely crushing. Definitely one of the highlights of the day and I’m going to give this performance 9/10. Definitely a band that I want to see live again.
- Carcass: ah yes Carcass. Seeing this band is almost like seeing an old friend because you know exactly what you’re going to get and every time you see this band they have always put on a great show. I’m really glad that after the 2008 reunion they decided to keep going because this is absolutely one of those bands that you need to see live if you’re into death metal. I mean for crying out loud they’re one of the pioneers of European death, metal and for good reason. If you have not listened to their album Heartwork then stop reading this and go listen to that album. But seriously, I honestly cannot say enough great things about this band and how great they are live. One thing I also noticed is that since the first time seeing them, Jeff Walker has really come into his own as a front man. He is a lot more engaging and he definitely has one of those unique death metal voices. I am absolutely giving this 10/10.
- Testament: I I think the last time I saw these guys was in 2022 in Ventura and I thought of that show. They were just fine but maybe being in Sacramento it was more of a home town show because oh my God did they absolutely crush it that night!! They were so energetic and they just sounded absolutely killer!! They played a lot of of their newer stuff which I am more of a fan of, but they also played their classics like Into The Pit and The Haunting. I also forgot that standing up against the barricade during a band like this is not the smartest thing to do because there were a lot and I mean, a lot of people crowd surfing. But you know that’s the price you pay for standing up against the barricade. Aside from that, though they were just so much fun and I really forgot how great they are live. Chuck Billy is one of those front men that really gets into it and he air guitars and he waves at the crowd and just does a lot of really good crowd engagement. And of course Alex and Eric are just such a great guitar team. I also think this is one of the few times I got to see them with Steve Di Giorgio on base and he is one hell of a bass player I mean, just look up his discography he’s played with some really great bands. Overall another really fun performance and I’m going to give this one an absolute 10/10.
- Good Charlotte- this is one of those kind early 2000s bands that I had seen at a Warped Tour in like 2004 or something and I gotta say they’re fun but not really something that I’m into. There were a lot of kind of older people there with their kids and I get it. You know you wanna get your kids into the music that you were into in like high school or whatever but they were just something to watch before the next three bands went on. I will say they brought out members of the band Sum 41 and from what I heard, they played some of their songs. I did record a video of the song Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous because I will even admit it’s kind of a fun song and it does bring me back a little bit but again this is one of those fans that was something to watch. I’m gonna give this one 3/10
- Blink-182: I think it it’s been even longer since I’ve seen this band live and they’re a lot of fun. It’s always great seeing Mark, Tom, and Travis playing these songs together because they really are just a great group of musicians. They’re funny they’re engaging and again their songs are just a lot of fun. Now the way this festival was set up. I couldn’t stay for the entire set so I had to jump around from stage to stage in order to see the other two bands that were on at the same time but the songs that I did see were fun. I mean, these are songs that I remember hearing in high school in middle school so that did bring back a lot of memories. Definitely a really fun show and I would see them again. I’m gonna give their set 9/10.
- Hatebreed: so this is one of the other bands that was playing during Blink and much like Carcass, seeing these guys do their thing is definitely like seeing an old friend. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bad performance by these guys and to me they’re the definitive metal core band. Jamie, as always has a great command of the stage and really gets the crowd going and it was really cool seeing Wayne back playing again!! Again with this band you really just can’t go wrong so I’m going to give them 10/10
- Acid Bath: alright so this was the third band that was playing at the same time and I did go over to where they were playing to try to maybe catch a couple of songs, but I swear it was so packed that I couldn’t even see anything which is why if you go on my Instagram, you won’t really see any videos of them because I literally couldn’t see anything it was that crowded. So the song that I heard sounded fine, but I was just like I’m gonna go back and finish watching Blink because I can’t see a damn thing. So I’m not going to give them a score because I only really saw one or two songs but the songs that I did see we’re good but I just couldn’t see the band so I don’t really have a fair way of scoring them.
Day 2: alright so yesterday was mostly spent at one of the smaller stages and a good chunk of the day was spent watching mostly metal bands so for this day, I guess you could say it was more eclectic. There was some rainy weather and by the time I got to the festival, it was really humid and not that comfortable if I’m being completely honest, but that soon kind of faded away and here are the bands that were seen that day……
- Lacuna Coil: I honestly cannot remember the last time I saw this band. It had to have been in like 2007 or something, but let’s just say it’s been a really long time so I guess it was time for a refresh and this was one of those other bands that I had just kind of written off and younger me thought that they were not that great. I had heard some of their newer stuff here and there and I liked what I heard but I just didn’t really care enough to go back and listen to the rest of their material. I must say seen them now they seem to have more of an edge. I either completely tuned them out or really just wasn’t paying attention because they actually have really good songs. I also didn’t know that they did a song with Randy from Lamb of God and they brought him out to play that song. This is definitely one of those bands that I need to go back and listen and I’m definitely considering putting them on the chopping block for a future review. I’m gonna give them 9/10.
- Failure: so if anybody’s listened to the Audioeclectica (if you haven’t, you definitely should because it is amazing and awesome) you’ll know that my fellow cohost Brian is a massive and I mean massive fan of this band and I had one assignment this weekend that was to see Failure. Let’s just say that I did not “fail” to see them. You can definitely tell that this crowd was older, and it was probably the most kind of calm group of people. Like they were just there to appreciate the greatness of this band. I can actually easily see why they are so influential to so many bands. They played a good amount of material from each album and man these guys I gotta say are criminally underrated. Like it’s a damn shame that they played so early in the day and they had such a short set because I really wanted them to play longer. I’m gonna go ahead and give this performance 10/10.
- Fear Factory: so I feel like up until today the powers that be have always prevented me from seeing this band. To be honest, I don’t know why but for whatever reason it just didn’t happen until now. Basically this band is just Dino Cazares at this point, but the people that he got are really good musicians and their new singer Milo does a brilliant job. Again, this was another set that I thought was way too short, but the songs they played kicked ass and I really want to see them again when they come through LA. I’m giving this performance 10/10.
- Kerry King: much like with his previous/other band Slayer, you know exactly what you’re getting. Now again I had seen him earlier this year when he did his first headlining run and again it was great then and it was great now. The other musicians that he has in this band are absolutely bad ass and singer Mark sounds remarkably a lot like a young Tom Araya. Now I was expecting a good amount of Slayer songs, but they only really played one and that would be Disciple and it actually sounded better with Mark. But again, it’s just a really fun band to see live especially if you’re a Slayer fan. They may not be touring, but this is the next best thing and honestly, I still hold that opinion that maybe that’s for the best because this is kind of better. Again, just an absolutely bad ass performance and it’s going to get another 10/10.
- The Dillinger Escape Plan: OK so this one I had kind of a raised eyebrow and the reason for that is because it’s basically these guys playing songs off of their Calculating Infinity album and some of the pre-Greg songs. Honestly, I really really wanted to like this more because I have never seen this band and if I’m being honest, I was kinda let down. Not that they were bad or anything, but this band absolutely needs Greg Puciato. It’s easy to see why Greg and Ben ended it because I mean it was good, but it wasn’t great. In between songs when Dimitri would talk to the crowd, it was very kind of monotone and just low energy. It’s also weird seeing a bunch of guys with gray hair and beards moving around the stage like they were still in their 20s. I mean it was entertaining, but just a little odd. Overall, I expected more and I think I gotta say as it stands right now I would much rather go see Better Lovers. I’m giving this performance 7/10.
- Bruce Dickinson: I feel like when it comes to solo acts it can either be great, terrible or just ok. I am very happy to say that this was a great performance like I was genuinely surprised as to how good it was. Now I had seen Steve’s solo project British Lion at last year’s Aftershock and I thought it was just ok. Like I wouldn’t go and revisit that anytime soon, but this one was surprisingly great. If you’re expecting anything close to Iron Maiden you’re not gonna be really disappointed. It’s energetic and not quite thrash metal but it kind of teases it a little bit for some songs. Bruce is just one of those front men that knows how to command a crowd and knows how to engage with the audience. In my opinion, he has got to be one of the best frontmen ever in music. Doesn’t matter the genre. He just knows how to engage with the crowd and that is one of the secrets to this band and his other bands success. I’m going to give this another 10/10.
- Knocked Loose: so when you’re at a different stage, waiting for a band to go on there will always be another band playing on the screen so you have something to watch before. This time it was Knocked Loose and I had seen them last year and thought that they were nothing special and my opinion has not changed. I mean, I don’t get why people love them as much as they do but whatever you like what you like. There are far worse bands out there than these guys and from what I saw this time, I’m giving it 6/10
- Lamb Of God: again there are another one of those bands that you really just can’t go wrong. This was probably the most crowded stage that I’ve been to so far but it’s for a good reason. I mean it’s Lamb Of God and they are just one of the best metal bands out there. They put on one killer show, and they even premiered their brand new song Sepsis which really makes me look forward to the new album. Now I know I’m probably in a minority on this one, but their drummer Art Cruz absolutely brings new life to their older songs. He’s been with them for a good while now and honestly, I like him so much better than Chris Adler. But aside from that like every time I’ve seen this band. This was just another great show. It should be no surprise that I’m giving this one 10/10.
- Exodus: finally!!! FINALLY!!! Rob Dukes is back in the band and everything feels right. Honestly, this guy never should’ve left the band and I am so glad to see him back with this band playing these songs because he just makes all of their songs so much more brutal. Maybe I’m saying that because when I first got into this band, it was when he was there singer but how anybody can say he’s not the best front man for this band is beyond me. I mean, as usual Gary, Lee, Jack, and Tom killed it and watching these guys do what they do is an absolute blast. I thought that they were going to play mostly songs off the first album, but I was very happy that they played a good variety of other songs. This is one of those bands that I will do my best to see them if I can especially with the lineup that they have. I’m really looking forward to their new album in 2026. I just know it’s absolutely going to crush. Once again, I am giving this performance 10/10.
- A Perfect Circle: this is the band that I’ve kind of been looking forward to seeing for a good while and they’re a great band. They have great albums and I’ve heard a good amount of people say that they were really looking forward to seeing them and even before this festival people would just say how great they are live. I must say, though I was a little bit letdown. They were just such low energy. I mean, they sounded great. The songs sounded amazing, but there was nothing on the screen, there were a lot of people, and their stage had a lot of smoke so you could barely see Maynard or any of the other guys. I did catch glimpses of Billy Howerdel and Josh Freese but aside from that I couldn’t really see much. Again it really is too bad that they were such low energy and from what I saw Maynard just stood there, kinda off to the side because for some reason he doesn’t want people to see him or whatever (I swear to God, this guy’s ego is just ridiculously stupid). Again the song sounded good, but I just wish they were more energetic not that this band is a super high energy band, but they just had really low energy. I can honestly say that after seeing them here they’re one of those bands that I don’t really need to see again. I’m glad I saw them and I’m going to give this performance 6.5/10
- Deftones: now I had heard and seen online that these guys just put on sort of an average set but I’m very happy to say that they were really really good. This is my first time seeing them and I gotta say I would absolutely see them again. I can’t believe I’m even typing this, but they were so good. This was another one of those packed stages and for good reason I mean this is a hometown after all and maybe that’s why it was so good but I definitely want to see them again. Now they did play some songs that I’m not a big fan of but overall it was a good set and I couldn’t think of a better place to see them then in their hometown. Again another 10/10.
Day 3: this day was kind of weird because the scheduling for the bands that I wanted to see seemed to have a lot of gaps. But once I got there, it didn’t really feel like it. There weren’t as many bands that I wanted to see but the ones that I did were great. I did see some kind of crappy bands, but the ones that I was there for did a great job. Let’s take a look…….
- Kittie: I’ve been actually really wanting to see this band for quite some time now and I must say they did not disappoint. Morgan and the rest of the band did such an amazing job and what was even cooler was at the end of their set they did a poster signing at some clothing booth or whatever and they were all just so nice. But aside from that they put on an absolutely killer set and it really makes me hope that they have an upcoming tour sooner rather than later. I feel like this band came out at kind of a weird time, but they are another one of those bands that I will be putting up on the chopping block very very soon. I’m going to give their performance 10/10.
- Slaughter To Prevail: this was a band that I had only really heard about. I never really gave much thought into seeing. There were some friends that said that they were a lot of fun and I thought they were just kind of gimmicky but once they started playing, they were just so much fun. I’m not really too familiar with their material but the songs that they played I thought were bad ass. I will definitely be checking out their albums, and this was another one of those crowd favorites. I’m gonna give their performance 9.5/10.
- Trivium: another crowd favorite but seeing these guys is always a good time. I know that this is the first show to kick off their upcoming tour 2025 tour and if you’re going to any of their shows, and you were here, this is the perfect pregame of sorts. After seeing them in 2007, I didn’t really have any desire to see them again, but I’m glad that I’ve seen them since then because there are another one of those bands that put on great shows. At 45 minutes they played a fairly good amount of material and again if you have not seen this band, definitely go to so. This one gets another 10/10.
- Chevelle: I think I’ve only seen them one other time and that was at KROQ acoustic Christmas show back in 2004 and I thought that they were fine then and nothing special. Seeing them now, though I thought that they were really, really good to me. They obviously are influenced by the band Tool but they’re more of like if you put Tool and Helmet in a blender. Again, another one of those bands that is a crowd favorite and I thought that they did great. Only reason why I didn’t really put any videos of them up on my social media because I only really know there are two radio hits and I just think those songs are OK. They’re not that special. Their performance was good and I’m gonna give it 9/10.
- Three Days Grace: OK so this is another band that while I was waiting for Gojira to go on, they were on the screen. The band is OK I guess the singer not a bad singer but this band really isn’t my cup of tea. Again, they weren’t bad they weren’t good, but I just don’t really care for this band. I can see why some people would like them, but I just don’t and they probably won’t be going on my chopping block. I’m gonna give the performance that I saw 4/10.
- Gojira: I’ve always said France is the land of truffles, foie gras, French cooking techniques, and Gojira. I swear this band never, and I mean, never puts on a bad performance. They’re just one of those bands that always has it and this performance was no exception. They did say they were finishing up their tour with Korn (I feel like they tour with them a lot, but it’s perfect) so I guess you could count this as the last night of that tour. Again, you were definitely packed in like sardines if you were there. I did try to get as close to the stage as I could, but there were so many people pushing and shoving that I had to get out of the pit. Again, though what can I say about this band that hasn’t been said they are just one of those perfect live bands. It should be no surprise that I’m giving this one 10/10.
- August Burns Red: again, another band to see before the headliner. I walked over to where they were playing on one of the smaller stages. Check them out for a few songs and then left. I’m not the biggest fan of this band and to me they just sound like any other generic kind of metal core band (if that’s how you want to classify them). Not my thing, but whatever I’m gonna give this 5/10.
- Bad Omens: OK so I know that this is one of those bands that people just seem to absolutely love and their stage was pretty crowded. I stuck around for three maybe four songs and the first song that I saw them like was kind of cool and I was like OK maybe they’re not as bad as I thought. Then they started playing the other songs and I was like alright I’m out. Seriously I can see why they were giving away tickets to last year’s Mayhem Festival. I don’t get the hype that this band has like people like this? I mean, I’m not trying to be super negative here but I really just don’t get the appeal that this band has. They’re really not that good and I’m not just saying that to be a jerk but I don’t know maybe someone who’s a fan of this band that’s reading this maybe further explain it. I just don’t get it. I am going to give this performance 0/10.
- Powerwolf: OK so I’ve seen a good amount of people wearing their shirts, and if I had my choice between a band that I had never really heard of and a band that I had sort of heard of that was really crappy. I’m gonna go with a band that I’ve never heard. I mean they’re a power metal band and that’s not really a genre that I’m super into. They were fine. I mean if I had to pick between them or Bad Omens then I guess I would probably pick Powerwolf. I mean the singer was engaging. It seemed like it was fun but again it’s not really my thing, but I would pick them over Bad Omens all day every day. I’m gonna go ahead and give their performance from what I saw 6/10.
- Korn: I think this is another one of those bands that I’ve never seen a bad performance from. When it comes to this band live, they’ve just always put on a great show. They got so many hits and singles and of course they played them all. But as soon as they went on, it was on!! As soon as you heard the opening for the song Blind, oh man did the crowd go wild!! From that song. It was just nonstop and it was great. Again, they might be one of those bands that I will try to see as much as I can because they truly are one of the best live bands that you can see. I am absolutely giving this one 10/10.
Day 4:
- Spineshank: OK so with these guys, they just wrapped up their US tour and I had heard mix things. I heard that some shows were better than others, but mostly that the singer seems like he gets winded quickly and is out of breath quickly in between songs. Unfortunately, those rumors are true now I’m not saying that they put on a bad performance because that’s definitely not the case but (and I’m not here to body shame anybody) if you’re going to play this kind of music you need to be in some kind of physical shape. If not, it just looks like you’re struggling to perform and that’s never a good luck. I gotta say overall I was a little bit let down and I’ll be seeing them again later in December of this year let’s hope that they can do a little bit better. I’ll go ahead and give their performance 7/10.
- Prong: this was my first time seeing these guys, and they were one of the bands that I was really looking forward to, and I must say they did not disappoint!! They definitely got the crowd going and played a good variety of songs from their catalog. You could definitely tell that they wanted to play longer but the set that they played was pretty damn good. I’m definitely giving their performance 10/10.
- Static-X: I believe the last time I saw them was last year at this very same festival. You know they’ve always been a really fun band to watch and while somebody may think it’s weird that they have a robotic mask of Wayne I think it’s kind of neat and the band is even been quoted as saying that Wayne would’ve found it hilarious. But aside from that you know, they’re just one of those bands that if they’re there, definitely go see them. I’ll give their performance 9/10 just a fun overall time.
- 3 Inches Of Blood: oh man, I think the last time I saw these guys had to have been at an Ozzfest in like 2007. To me they’re nothing special. They’re just fun and I’m not going to put them on the chopping block or really seek out their albums, but there were whatever. It was nice seeing them, but what I really go to one of their shows on this festival? Probably not therefore I’m giving their performance 8/10.
- Machine Head: I honestly cannot remember the last time I saw these guys, but I think of all the bands that I’ve seen this weekend. They were probably the ones that I stood the furthest back. By that I mean, I was just waiting by the stage that Chimaira was about to take after these guys, but they were great. Robbie Flynn and company always put on a great show. Again, this is one of those bands that I don’t think I’ve ever seen a bad performance. They don’t really have an album that they are touring behind and in fact, I don’t even think they are out on tour right now, so when bands play shows like that, they kind of play a good variety of songs. I’ll give their performance 9.5/10
- Chimaira: I have been waiting a long time to see these guys again. Last time I saw them I think was at either Mayhem Fest 2010 or when they played in Ventura. Either way it’s been a really long time since I’ve seen them and they were absolutely bad ass. A good chunk of their set came from their album Impossibility Of Reason but they played at least one song from my favorite albums. My biggest complaint was that they should’ve played a longer set, but I’m glad we got what we got. Of course I am absolutely giving this performance a 10/10.
- In This Moment: much like 3 Inches Of Blood, the last time I saw this band was probably at that same Ozzfest or at a Warped Tour. And that was back in the early 2000s. I really hadn’t planned on seeing them but again it was another band to check out and I must say they have changed drastically. Like they are definitely not the same band as they were when I saw them. They’ve gotten very theatrical and they actually had a pretty cool stage set up. If it’s been a long time since you’ve seen them like it has for me, then this was definitely a little surprising. I didn’t actually dislike it but again I don’t think I would go out and see this band at one of their own shows. Either way it was entertaining and they sounded fine. I’m actually going to give this performance 8/10 I actually enjoyed this more than I would’ve thought.
- Crossfade: so I don’t know much about this band other than that they were formed in the early 2000s and to me they weren’t really anything special but they were just a good straight up rock band. I don’t really know much about these guys, but from what I saw they were just like I said fine. I’ll go ahead and give their performance 7/10.
- Devildriver: I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw this band and given the cancellations that either this band or Dez’s other band Coal Chamber have had I was a little surprised that they were able to play. I forgot that they’re just a fun band to see live. I will say that seeing this new lineup just made me miss the classic lineup. There was just something magical about that lineup not that this wasn’t good. It was fine, but maybe I just need to see them again. Either way they put on a great performance and I’m going to give it 8/10.
- Motionless In White: one of the bands that I saw while waiting for Mudvayne. I remember when I saw them last I didn’t like them and another one of those bands that I just don’t get it. And I still feel the same way. They weren’t that great I can see why some people would like them, but they’re definitely not my thing. I’m just not a big fan of whiny vocals and just overall I don’t think this band is that good so I’m gonna go ahead and give this performance 0/10.
- Hinder: again, another band that I just happened to catch while waiting as the back of their shirt says it’s divorced Rock and that’s precisely the vibe that I got from this band. Like I said a band to see while waiting didn’t really like him. Definitely wouldn’t see them again unless it was under these circumstances and it would have to be pretty dire. I’m giving this performance another 0/10.
- Mudvayne: much like with Spineshank, I had heard mixed reviews especially not so great things about Chad’s vocals. I gotta say you can tell his voice is definitely not what it used to be. It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great. The band was really good, but as I said, his vocals really have worn out over time. A majority of their set came from the LD50 album because they’re celebrating its 25th anniversary and that is my favorite album of theirs so that was nice. I’m glad I didn’t sell out the cash to go see them at their own show, but this was fine. I’m gonna give this performance 8/10.
- Marilyn Manson: this was another performance that I was going into not very hopeful because the last time I saw him it was bad. And I mean really bad so much so that I ended up leaving three songs in. He was drunk and stumbling around all over the place and it was a terrible performance. I must say I was very, very happy that none of that happened this time. I mean, talk a complete turnaround!! I mean forget how he was back in 2009. This performance was 50 times better. I mean, he absolutely crushed it!! of course he played all the hits and singles and a bunch of other great songs, but I was more than pleasantly surprised. I would also be remiss if I didn’t point out that one of his touring guitar players is none other than Reba Meyers (from Code Orange) and wow, does she have a great amount of energy. There are bands who have members with such infectious energy, and this was definitely one of those bands. She absolutely did the songs justice and she was just a lot of fun to watch. Again I can’t say enough great things about this performance and I can’t believe I’m typing this but it was just that good. I am absolutely giving his performance 10/10.
- GWAR: this is my first time seeing this band with their new singer and I forgot how much fun GWAR shows are. I mean the musicians are pretty good in their own right but this is the kind of band that you go for the experience. Again, I’ve seen this band enough times to where I wouldn’t go to their own headlining show unless they had some great openers, but they’re just a fun entertaining band to see. I’ll give their performance 8.5/10.
- Roberto Zombie: ah yes Roberto Zombie. With him, it can go either way in terms of his performance. The last time I saw him and his band he was on it. When I first started seeing him, he would get winded and have the crowd sing most of the lyrics, but this time and the last time it wasn’t like that. He’s definitely stepped up his game in the last few years and he definitely did so here. Of course he played all the hits and singles, but he also played a good variety of his other songs. I’ll go ahead and give this performance 9/10.
- Cavalera Conspiracy: and so we’ve reached the end of this amazing festival sadly. But I gotta say this band was the perfect way to end it. This was Cavalera Conspiracy playing all of the Sepultura album Chaos A.D. Now they’ve gone out and played other Max-era Sepultura albums but this is the one that I’ve been wanting them to play the most. There was a little video intro and then once they took the stage, they did not let up. Chaos A.D. hands-down is one of the greatest metal albums of all time and they definitely showed you why. I also wanna point out that the last time I saw Soulfly, Max just kind of stood there and sang he didn’t really move around. This time however he was moving around and moshing on stage and it looks like he’s starting to get back in shape a little bit. Either way it was very reminiscent of the early days when he would move around on stage. I know that they are also on tour for the first leg and when they finally come through LA, I’ll definitely be going. I also want to point out the awesomeness that is Igor Cavalera!! His drum skills are some of the best and he is a monster behind that kit!! Again, I can’t see enough great things about this performance, and this was absolutely the best way to end this awesome festival!!! It should be no surprise that I am absolutely giving this performance 10/10!!!
The great thing about this festival and others like it is that you’re able to check out bands that you don’t know much about or bands that you probably wouldn’t go and see them on their own. At the end of the day, it’s just an overall fun experience and if you can go definitely do so. I know that I’m gonna make this a yearly tradition and you know it’s true what they say Music is the perfect escape and this is absolutely the perfect place but you can just get lost in and enjoy all of the great bands that are playing. There were definitely some surprises, but for the most part every single band that I saw was great. There is definitely something for everybody here and like I said it’s just a really fun time. So below I’m gonna try a few fun things. I’m gonna give the festival a grade, I’m going to pick an overall favorite, three bands that were the most fun, three bands that surprised me, and a new favorite (last year it was Halestorm), and I’m gonna rank the bands that I saw.
Festival Grade: A+
Overall Favorites: Exodus, Cavalera, Chimaira
Most Fun: Snot, Kittie, Chimaira
Surprise Bands: Marilyn Manson, Bruce Dickinson, Slaughter To Prevail
The New Favorite: Slaughter To Prevail
The Rankings (this is freaking hard):
- Cavalera
- Chimaira
- Exodus
- Carcass
- Snot
- Testament
- Marilyn Manson
- Hatebreed
- Slaughter To Prevail
- Kittie
- Prong
- Trivium
- Gojira
- Fear Factory
- Lamb Of God
- Failure
- Kerry King
- Korn
- Deftones
- Bruce Dickinson
- High On Fire
- Roberto Zombie
- Lacuna Coil
- Machine Head
- Static-X
- Chevelle
- Blink-182
- Devildriver
- Spineshank
- Mudvayne
- GWAR
- In This Moment
- A Perfect Circle
- The Dillinger Escape Plan
- Acid Bath
- Nails
- 3 Inches Of Blood
- Crossfade
- Knocked Loose
- Cattle Decapitation
- Powerwolf
- August Burns Red
- Good Charlotte
- Motionless In White
- Three Days Grace
- Hinder
- Bad Omens
Sinister Reviews 