Aftershock 2024 was a swirling, ear-splitting vortex of chaos - four days of thunder, sweat and high-octane fury that tore through the California heat like a runaway freight train. But amid the madness, there were a handful of sets that didn’t just rattle the earth beneath our feet - they blasted through the noise and carved their names into the history of heavy metal with glorious abandon. These ten performances weren’t just shows, they were the savage heart of the festival itself, solidifying Aftershock’s place as one of metal’s holiest pilgrimages.

Shadows Fall

Shadows Fall’s inclusion was a conspicuous nod to both the resurgence of early 2000s metalcore and the Boston band’s role as pioneers in the New Wave Of American Heavy Metal. Their ferocious sound, honed over decades, ignited one of the weekend’s biggest pits, with tracks like King of Nothing hitting with lethal precision. Brian Fair’s dreads were a blur of motion as he crowd-surfed with abandon, and their razor-sharp musicianship underscored that Shadows Fall remain a dominant force in metal. 

Insane Clown Posse  

Insane Clown Posse’s highly-anticipated set was a glorious exercise in genre-defying bedlam, proving yet again that these psychotic clowns thrive on chaos. Throughout a sea of thousands, there was not a hater to be seen. As Faygo flew through the air and Fuck the World blasted, juggalos and metalheads united in a furious carnival of anarchy. ICP’s riotous theatrics and snotty defiance injected the festival with a wild energy, reminding everyone that swagger and rage can be just as potent as any riff.

Iron Maiden 

Iron Maiden’s Aftershock set was pure heavy metal theatre, with Bruce Dickinson’s boundless energy and operatic wails leading the charge. Before nearly 40,000 rabid fans, the band thundered through both timeless bangers and newer epics like The Death Of The Celts, conjuring a scale of grandeur few bands could even attempt. Harris’ galloping bass lines locked the crowd into euphoric singalongs, reaffirming that Maiden aren’t just legends — they’re an untouchable, living force in metal’s highest echelon.

Poppy  

Poppy’s Aftershock set was a jaw-dropping display of genre-melting audacity, seamlessly blending sugary pop hooks with skull-rattling metalcore riffs and pounding industrial beats. From the infectious bounce of V.A.N to her feral growls and thunderous breakdowns, she proved impossible to pigeonhole. More than just a performance, it was a fearless statement of intent - Poppy isn’t just part of metal’s future, she’s rewriting its very boundaries with unapologetic flair.

Evanescence  

Evanescence brought sweeping gothic elegance to Aftershock, with Amy Lee’s ethereal presence dominating the stage. Her vocals on Going Under and Bring Me to Life were spellbinding, and the band's lush, dark soundscapes captivated the audience. This performance was less about aggression and more about emotional resonance, offering fans a chance to lose themselves in Lee’s haunting melodies and powerful lyrics. Evanescence's performance was a powerful reminder that their music still resonates deeply, standing tall as a timeless force in a constantly evolving scene.

Judas Priest  

Judas Priest’s set was a masterclass in metal supremacy, a flawless parade of hits that catered to both diehard fans and newcomers alike. Rob Halford, still the Metal God in every sense, delivered his age-defying vocals with effortless power, while Richie Faulkner’s blazing guitar work kept the intensity red-hot. From Breaking the Law to Painkiller, Priest reminded everyone why they remain the gold standard of heavy metal’s enduring legacy.

Lorna Shore  

Lorna Shore unleashed an eviscerating showcase of blackened deathcore’s raw emotional power, elevating them from underground favourites to festival kings. Will Ramos’ vocal showcase, particularly during Pain Remains I and II, mesmerised even casual fans. This was a set that pushed the genre’s boundaries, mixing brutality with cinematic grandeur. Their performance was a pivotal moment for the festival, solidifying Lorna Shore as torchbearers of a new wave of emotionally charged extreme metal.

Slipknot

Slipknot piled the entire festival into a time machine back to 1999, celebrating their 25-year anniversary of their immortal self-titled album. From the tooth-rattling opener (sic) to the razorwire attack of Wait and Bleed, Corey Taylor spiked the adrenaline to feverish levels and never let up. Slipknot’s set was a defining moment for Aftershock, not just for its sheer intensity, but because it encapsulated their ability to unite a massive crowd in unrelenting energy and raw emotion, reaffirming their role as a cornerstone of modern metal and setting a bar for the festival that few can ever hope to reach.

Body Count

Body Count's day three set was an absolute showstopper, and one that left the entire festival buzzing. In a weekend stacked to the rafters with metal icons, Ice-T and crew pulled one of the biggest crowds of the event, unleashing a ferocious, no-nonsense barrage of uncut rap-metal fury. Tracks like There Goes The Neighborhood and their cover of Raining Blood had the pit in overdrive, and by the end, it was clear that Body Count’s turbocharged performance was the one everyone would be talking about.

Slayer

Slayer’s second performance since reuniting after a five-year hiatus was a vital, earth-shattering event at Aftershock. Opening with South of Heaven, they unleashed a siege of tracks so blistering and precise that it felt like the festival itself was built for this moment. With every bone-crushing riff and Tom Araya’s primal roar, Slayer reminded the world why their return wasn’t just highly anticipated—it was a critical, defining moment for the entire metal genre.

Day three of Aftershock is a rare communion of titans, a moment that borders on the surreal. Two of the most revered institutions in heavy metal — Judas Priest and Iron Maiden — play back-to-back and you can feel the weight of it in the air. Priest have just finished a set that bulldozed the crowd like a runaway train and now it’s Iron Maiden’s turn. This is indeed no ordinary festival lineup; this is metal history unfolding in real-time.

Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson is a creature seemingly untouched by the natural decay of time. At 66, the man is a locomotive - a kinetic force that barrels forward, relentless and unyielding. He lurches across the stage donning a steampunk cloak and dark goggles, like a time-traveling general from a dystopian future. From the first note of Caught Somewhere in Time, it becomes evident that age is irrelevant here. Dickinson’s voice, somehow still soaring, cuts through the Sacramento night like a scalpel, precise and brutal. In fact, the entire band ping-pong across the stage with more energy and glee than bands half their ages. At one point, Dickinson playfully points out a man hoisting a pineapple into the air, awed by the moment’s innate lunacy and unable to let it go, notes that the man’s ability to hold the pineapple in either hand makes him “pineapple dextrous.” Oof.

Generational anthems like Can I Play With Madness and Fear Of The Dark trade off slots on the setlist with newer fare like Senjutsu’s The Writing On The Wall, Days Of Future Past and The Time Machine. A nod to the diehards appears via Alexander the Great, a song Maiden have never played live before this tour. Dickinson belts out the final note as if he’s standing at the edge of the universe, howling into the void, daring it to push back. And for a moment, you’re convinced time itself could bend to his will.

Throughout tonight’s fifteen-song set, the three-headed beast of Adrian Smith, Dave Murray, and Janick Gers is a marvel of synchronised destruction and as always, the heart of Iron Maiden’s sound remains the timeless gallop of bassist Steve Harris and drummer Nicko McBrain, stridently felt in closer Iron Maiden and encores Hell On Earth, The Trooper and Wasted Years.

Festivals like Aftershock serve as a vital crossroads for heavy metal, where the old guard and new blood share the stage, passing the torch between generations. It’s a place where veterans like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden stand tall, reminding us why they’re still the benchmarks, while newer acts scramble to prove their worth under the same spotlight. The energy of the crowd, equal parts seasoned fans and fresh faces, speaks to metal’s unbroken lineage - but the question looms: who will be ready to pick up the torch when Maiden finally call it quits? It’s a question that won’t be answered anytime soon, because from tonight’s performance, it’s clear that Iron Maiden aren’t going anywhere just yet.

Iron Maiden Aftershock 2024 setlist

1. Caught Somewhere in Time
2. Stranger in a Strange Land
3. The Writing on the Wall
4. Days of Future Past
5. The Time Machine
6. The Prisoner
7. Death of the Celts
8. Can I Play With Madness
9. Heaven Can Wait
10. Alexander the Great
11. Fear of the Dark
12. Iron Maiden
13. Hell on Earth
14. The Trooper
15. Wasted Years

Under cover of the cool night air, the mighty Judas Priest hit the Shockwave stage on Day three of Aftershock with unmistakable swagger and fire in their bellies. Kicking off with Invincible Shield’s Panic Attack, the British metal icons remind us that their fifty-year reign has been built on more than just nostalgia - it’s been forged in the fires of riffs, attitude and an endless supply of stadium-shaking anthems.

Rob Halford, the Metal God himself, stands front and center, looking every bit the part in his studded black leathers and gleaming nose ring. He strides across the stage, eyes blazing as he screams, “The Priest is back! Are you ready? Are you ready? Let’s go!!” And with that, they launch into You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’. 

Right from the start, it’s obvious that Priest are firing on all cylinders - a feat that’s far from guaranteed after fifty years in the trenches and with two guitarists who don’t predate 2010. But Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap absolutely crush it from the word go, nailing everything from the lightning-fast solos to the locked-in, twin-fretted assault on tracks like Turbo Lover and Electric Eye. By the time they hit the tail end of Sinner, they’ve morphed into a two-headed beast, feeding off each other’s energy and syncing perfectly on both the blistering leads and bone-crushing riffs.

Halford doesn’t waste much time on pleasantries. With Iron Maiden looming just minutes away on a neighbouring stage, this set is all killer, no filler. Breaking the Law sends the crowd into full riot mode, and by the time Scott Travis uncorks the iconic opening to Painkiller, the thousands of fans waiting in front of the Maiden stage watching Priest on the monitors are craning their necks to catch a glimpse of the band’s unstoppable energy.

Checking all of the boxes, Halford mounts his Harley for Hell Bent for Leather - a beloved spectacle of pure heavy metal theater. They close with Living After Midnight and as Halford and the lads give their final waves to the crowd, it’s clear that Iron Maiden have their work cut out for them. But it’s also a reminder: Judas Priest are the godfathers of this entire scene. Their DNA runs through every band that’s taken the stage this weekend. Fifty years in, they still set the bar, still break the rules and still know how to deliver the goods.

Judas Priest Aftershock 2024 setlist

1. Panic Attack
2. You've Got Another Thing Comin'
3. Rapid Fire
4. Breaking the Law
5. Riding on the Wind
6. Devil's Child
7. Sinner
8. Turbo Lover
9. Invincible Shield
10. Hell Bent for Leather
11. Painkiller
12. Electric Eye
13. Living After Midnight

As the sun sinks behind the Sacramento skyline, the Aftershock vibes ebb into something more intimate, almost reverential. The Jack Daniels stage shimmers in hues of orange and red, casting an ethereal glow over the sprawling throng gathered before it. The anticipation is palpable, and when Evanescence take the stage, the response is seismic.

Opening with Broken Pieces Shine, Amy Lee’s a cappella vocals pierce the darkness with raw power and emotion. It’s instantly clear: Evanescence are not here to just perform - they’re here to connect. Lee commands the stage, striding purposefully from side to side while clutching the mic as if it’s anchoring her to the earth. The band kicks into the track’s midtempo surge, the audience transfixed by the haunting interplay of her vocals and the driving riffs.

Honed by relentless touring in support of 2021’s The Bitter Truth, the band are in top form tonight, effortlessly tapping into that mystical space where they are both tight and loose in all the right ways. “You guys are good tonight, I assume?” she asks. “I know you are, I can feel it. I’m not asking! This is a song about cutting out toxic people,” she continues before launching into Take Cover. The crowd roars in recognition, but it’s her delivery that grips them. Every lyric, every note, feels intensely personal. Evanescence has always thrived on this emotional depth, and tonight they lean into it hard.

End of the Dream and Imaginary showcase Amy’s dynamic range, her voice soaring to notes few dare attempt, blending its potency seamlessly into the band’s chugging might. The set builds with each song, layering in lush harmonies and driving rhythms, but it’s Amy’s vocal prowess that steals the show. “This song is about taking the good with the bad, because you can’t have light without darkness,” she says, sitting behind a black piano before delivering a stirring rendition of Lithium. The crowd is entranced, as if Amy is speaking directly to them, baring her soul with each keystroke.

The set closes with a barrage of hits including Call Me When You’re Sober, Blind Belief and, of course, Bring Me to Life. The energy swells, but what lingers long after the final note fades isn’t just the sound of a great band, but the enduring emotional connection that Evanescence have forged with their fans. It’s deeply personal, and that’s where their true power lies.

Evanescence Aftershock 2024 setlist

1. Broken Pieces Shine
2. Made of Stone
3. The Game Is Over
4. Going Under
5. Take Cover
6. Lithium
7. Wasted on You
8. End of the Dream
9. Better Without You
10. Call Me When You're Sober
11. Imaginary
12. Use My Voice
13. Blind Belief
14. Bring Me to Life

While not exactly microwave conditions, the sun continues its sinister assault upon the eyes and skin of the thousands of headbangers amassed in front of the Shockwave stage for Architects. As thousands more arrive from the set ending on the other side of the grounds, Brighton’s metalcore heroes storm out and waste no time kicking things off with Seeing Red. Frontman Sam Carter, sporting a USA football jersey with his name and the number 7 on the back, leads the charge alongside his bandmates who bounce across the stage like human pinballs. Behind them, a towering drum riser adds an extra layer of spectacle. This isn’t just a show; it’s an assault on the senses.

By the second song, deep fake, Architects have Aftershock eating out of their hands. A steady onslaught of bouncy tempos and razorwire grooves pummel the crowd, and when Carter points the mic into the sea of fans, they know exactly what to do. As the band dives into brooding chords of Impermanence, a massive pit opens and all hell has broken loose.

Carter’s voice flips between guttural roars and clean, piercing shrieks, showcasing why Architects remain one of the most dynamic bands in modern metalcore. “We’re Architects from England, and it’s an absolute fucking pleasure to be here!” he shouts. His call for the entire audience to jump sees the field surge in unison, waves of bodies moving to the bone-rattling beats.

Mid-set, he takes a moment to stop the show, asking for a medic to assist a fan in distress near the front. It’s a generous concession with their limited stage time, but it speaks volumes about the band’s integrity. When the all-clear is given, Carter immediately ramps the energy back up with Doomsday, a track that includes a glorious a wall of death and culminates in an ecstatic roar. By the time they close with Animals, Architects have once again proven their ability to turn any stage into a playground of pure, unbridled adrenaline. A thrilling set from start to finish.

Architects Aftershock 2024 setlist 

1. Seeing Red
2. deep fake
3. Impermanence
4. Black Lungs
5. Curse
6. Doomsday
7. when we were young
8. Animals

As the California sun beats mercilessly down on day two of Aftershock, the buzz around Poppy’s midday set is undeniable. The field is packed thirty minutes before she hits the stage, with security hurling full bottles of water into the sweat-drenched crowd as we wait for a performance that promises to be both fierce and festive. Poppy doesn’t disappoint.

Opening with the venomous BLOODMONEY, she immediately sets the tone: sharp, intense, and defiantly resistant to classification. This is, of course, one of her strengths; the ability to meld metal, pop, and electronica into something both fragile and fearsome is on full display. Her vocals are crisp, cutting through the distortion with a mix of shrieks, purrs, and croons that feel effortless while her band stand back on the sparse stage to give Poppy room to prowl. The crowd, packed tightly across the sun-drenched field, are in the palm of her hand.

She opts out of any between-song banter, although with a thirty-minute set, she can be forgiven for maximizing her time. The seamless flow between tracks is hypnotic, especially as she shifts from the Prodigy-sized Sit/Stay to the soaring title track of 2020’s I Disagree.

The band are dialled in, laying down punchy grooves while Poppy commands the stage, alternating between cool detachment and fiery intensity. By the time she closes with the hard-hitting duo of her massive new track new way out and closer Concrete, the message is clear: this is Poppy’s coronation and the mesmerised crowd gathered for this moment backs that up in a very big way.

Poppy’s very presence on this stage underscores the remarkable genre diversity Aftershock offers across its four days. Her fearless blending of metal, pop, and electronic elements not only earns her a rightful place here but also serves as a bridge for fans of all styles — whether they’re here for the thrash icons, hardcore heroes, or alt-rock mainstays — reminding us that the boundaries of heavy music are gloriously fluid and ever-expanding.

Poppy Aftershock 2024 setlist

1. BLOODMONEY
2. V.A.N.
3. Sit / Stay
4. I Disagree
5. Bite Your Teeth
6. Anything Like Me
7. New Way Out
8. Concrete

Aftershock’s massive second day has lacked nothing in terms of heaviness but every single one of the 40,000 people gathered in front of the Jack Daniels stage at 9:35 pm are here for a whole new dimension of heavy. Continuing the 25th anniversary tour celebrating their majestic self-titled debut album, Slipknot understand tonight’s assignment and they’re ready to kick it off. 

As green lights cut through a swirling fog, the stage is draped in an eerie calm. Sid Wilson's turntables scratch out the first ominous notes, and slowly but surely eight more silhouettes emerge, greeted by a deafening wall of applause. The tension ratchets up like a loaded spring, and before you know it, Corey Taylor bellows, “Get your motherfucking hands in the air!” The powder keg explodes and just like that, they rip into (sic). From the first pummelling riff, the energy is manic, primal and unstoppable. This is Slipknot stripped back to their rawest, 1999 incarnation. The pyro is gone, the percussion lifts left behind. Every fist in the crowd is in the air, every head banging in furious unison with the unrelenting barrage of percussive might raining down upon them.

Eyeless follows, eliciting a feral war cry from the thousands of maggots packed into the field, unleashing a breakdown so nasty that you want to turn a hose on it. As Shawn “Clown” Crahan pummels away in a percussive frenzy, the fearsome duo of Jim Root and Mick Thomson calibrate their twin-fretted attack for maximum power.

Wait And Bleed draws peals of delight from the crowd, Corey’s raspy growl cutting through the buzzsaw riffage. "Jesus Christ, how far back does this fucker go? Turn the lights on, will ya?" The floodlights reveal nearly 40,000 people roaring in front of him, and he beams. “Welcome back to 1999, motherfuckers! Tonight, you won’t hear one song written after 1999. For the casual Slipknot fan - sorry!” The crowd are with him, every step of the way.

They continue with deep cuts from Slipknot, including Liberate, Purity and the blistering Prosthetics. This is the Slipknot of old - no frills, just brute force. As Get This hits, we can practically feel the tectonic plates shifting beneath our feet while above ground, beach balls fly, and crowd surfers ride the waves of bodies. They close with No Life and Only One, leaving the crowd hoarse and heaving even after the last note fades into the Sacramento sky.

This wasn’t just another headlining set - it was a primal, neck-snapping ritual of chaos and catharsis, delivered with the precision and fury of a band that still knows exactly how to ignite the fires of hell. If anyone needed proof that Slipknot stand atop the heavy metal hierarchy, tonight was a forceful, blazing testament.

Slipknot Aftershock 2024 setlist

(sic)

Eyeless

Wait and Bleed

Get This

Eeyore

Me Inside

Liberate

Purity

Prosthetics

No Life

Only One

Spit It Out

Surfacing

Scissors

The late-summer sun blazes across the California sky as Halestorm’s logo gleams across the backdrop of the Shockwave stage, a beacon for the thousands of revved-up punters stretched out across the field. The crowd roars as the band step into view, Lzzy Hale launching into a stunning a cappella prelude of Raise Your Horns. From the very first note, it’s clear—Halestorm have arrived as conquering heroes.

Piling into the chugging riffs of I Miss the Misery, Lzzy’s voice cuts through the night with gale-force power, commanding the stage with effortless ferocity. Arejay Hale, dressed in a pink jacket and sporting green hair, is a whirling, smashing tornado behind the drum kit, a lurching cross between Keith Moon and the Joker. His manic energy sets the tone, as Joe Hottinger’s searing fretwork laces seamlessly into Lzzy’s power chords. Following the opener with Love Bites (So Do I) is the last thing this crowd expects so early in the set and their raucous assent establishes that they are absolutely here for it.

“This one’s for you!” Lzzy shouts, dedicating I Get Off to the women in the crowd, exhorting them to climb upon whatever shoulders are available. The song’s gritty, seductive power takes on new life with a nod to Heart’s Crazy On You, woven into the psychedelic interlude. Halestorm know exactly what they’re doing, and they’re playing to their strengths.

The crowd sways and sings along to the brooding Familiar Taste of Poison, impervious to the blinding sun and soaring temperature. “I wanna thank you all for showing up for my birthday tonight,” Lzzy declares. "I just turned 41...and I still don’t know what the hell I’m doing,” she laughs, but the truth is clear—Halestorm know exactly how to captivate an audience.

Closing with a positively filthy rendition of The Steeple, Halestorm have reduced their audience to a sweaty, grinning mess. The sheer size and passion of the crowd testify to Halestorm’s unrelenting hard work and the towering success that it has brought them. Aftershock has never felt so alive.

Halestorm Aftershock 2024 setlist

1. I Miss the Misery
2. Love Bites (So Do I)
3. I Get Off
4. Freak Like Me
5. can u see me in the dark?
6. Familiar Taste of Poison
7. Takes My Life
8. Drum Solo/Circle
9. The Steeple

Speaking to the Los Angeles Times over the summer, Slayer co-founder and guitarist Kerry King conceded that his band’s 2019 retirement was indeed premature. “I wasn’t ready to hang it up,” he stated, while adding that Slayer had exited on a high note. “We won the Super Bowl and we left. That’s pretty cool.” Fast forward five years and Slayer’s retirement proved to be only a hiatus. After their highly-anticipated reunion at Chicago’s Riot Fest last month, tonight they headline the first night of the Aftershock Festival, in Sacramento, California. It would have been their third and final show — for the foreseeable future — but the aftereffects of Hurricane Helene forced them to cancel their headlining slot at Kentucky’s Louder Than Life Festival. But tonight there’s no stopping this juggernaut. The weather is perfect, and it feels like every living soul at Aftershock has converged on the festival’s main stage to witness history. From the sprawling grass pitch in front of the Jack Daniels stage, to the grassy knolls stretching out to the festival gates, the sheer volume of bodies is staggering.

A montage of archival footage plays on the colossal screens flanking the Aftershock stage, until finally the iconic array of white crosses slowly inverts and then Slayer’s infamous logo blazes into view. The raging horde of over 30,000 erupts into raw, unfiltered chaos. It’s as if no time has passed since their 2019 farewell. But tonight is different. This isn’t just a return; it’s a resurrection.

Slayer waste zero time storming into South of Heaven, every note dripping with venomous intent. Tom Araya sounds utterly terrific; his piercing howl cuts through the night like a sharpened blade, while the scything precision of King, guitarist Gary Holt and drummer Paul Bostaph is terrifying. There’s no easing into this. Slayer have come to reclaim their throne, and the crowd is ravenous for it.

There’s a reverence in the air that goes beyond fandom—this is worship. A gobsmacked legion of artists look on from the side as pyro, smoke, and flame cannons erupt across the stage; but none of it holds a candle to the music itself. Slayer don’t need gimmicks. They are the spectacle.

The setlist is pure carnage: Payback, Jihad, Seasons In The Abyss and Disciple incite primal frenzies from the masses. Dead Skin Mask echoes through the night, its sinister lullaby hypnotizing the sea of black shirts. With each song, the momentum builds, the intensity never dipping for a second.

When they finally close with a thunderous trifecta — Raining Blood, Black Magic and Angel of Death, the atmosphere becomes almost surreal. This goes beyond nostalgia or legacy. Slayer are back and they’re as devastating as ever. Over four decades in, they haven’t just reclaimed their place atop metal’s pantheon—they’ve reminded us why they will forever be its reigning gods. This was spiritual. This was war. Three full days of Aftershock lay before us, and every single band has now been put on notice.

Slayer Aftershock 2024 setlist

1. South of Heaven
2. Reborn
3. Blood Red
4. Postmortem
5. Repentless
6. Payback
7. Temptation
8. Jihad
9. Seasons in the Abyss
10. Born of Fire
11. War Ensemble
12. Hate Worldwide
13. Disciple
14. Dead Skin Mask
15. Hell Awaits
16. 213
17. Mandatory Suicide
18. Raining Blood
19. Black Magic
20. Angel of Death

This coming weekend, Aftershock returns to Discovery Park in Sacramento, California for four blockbuster days of rock and metal mayhem. Joining headliners Slayer, Slipknot, Iron Maiden and Mötley Crüe are the likes of Evanescence, Judas Priest, Disturbed, Halestorm, Architects, Clutch, Seether, Anthrax, Mastodon, Poppy and many more huge names from right across the alternative music spectrum, making this year's lineup one of the most stacked of 2024.

It's not all about the big names, though. We all love a heavy metal legend, but Aftershock is also packing some of the most exciting young bands and artists in heavy music today, all of whom deserve your time and support during the festival. WIth that in mind, here are 10 upcoming bands you need to check out if you're heading to Discovery Park this weekend.

Silly Goose 

Parked right at the very bottom of the bill on Thursday having been picked to open up Aftershock's fifth stage, it'd be easy to overlook Silly Goose (not least because they're comfortably packing the least metal choice of band moniker on the whole bill). Don't sleep on these lads, though: their raucous, irreverent brand of petulant rap metal is excellent fun and should set the tone nicely for a weekend of fun. 

Return To Dust

This LA four-piece hit the ground running with their very decent, self-titled full-length album earlier this year. At least, they say they're from LA: Return To Dust so perfectly nails the flannel-clad, grubby sonics of grunge icons like Alice In Chains and Mother Love Bone we're not entirely convinced they did't sneak 1,000 miles down the West coast from Seattle. Regardless, if you're yearning for a slice of 90s hard rock heaven with a modern sheen, Return To Dust will make your day when they play Aftershock on Thursday.

Gel

If it's snarling, buzzy hardcore you're after, Gel have your back. The New Jersey quintet made serious waves in the scene with last year's no-nonsense, 16-minute blast of punk rock fury, Only Constant, and they're keeping the momentum moving with recent EP Persona, an ambitious broadening of their sound that doesn't lose an ounce of the righteous rage that has personified their music so far. Catch them Thursday at mid-afternoon on the Coors Light Stage.

Vended

Yes, Vended have got more of a boost than most bands their age thanks to that association with You Know Who, but don't let that disguise the fact that this year's debut album is an extremely solid slice of battering nu metal noise. Opening one of Aftershock's two biggest stages on Friday means the pressure is on for them to justify their current status, but on the basis of everything we've seen so far, we're backing them to smash it.

Brutus

These Belgians have actually been making a noise around the underground for eight years now, but their immense brand of shimmering post-hardcore deserves to be so, so much bigger. At least their homeland appreciates them properly - their last two records entered the top 10 of the Belgian album charts - but hopefully a spot opening Aftershock's main stage on Friday this year will see them attract the kind of audience they deserve.

Deadlands

If it's big, fat, shiny choruses you're after at Aftershock this weekend, you could do a lot worse than Long Island, NY metalcore trio Deadlands on Saturday. The fast-rising three-piece are yet to release a full-length studio album but are already attracting attention thanks to their earwormy blend of scything, djent-indebted riffs, guttural breakdowns and colossal hooks. Think Architects meets Dream State with a sprinkling of Motionless In White and you're some way there.

Jigsaw Youth

Weaving together grinding alt metal, grotty grunge and scuzzy punk rock, this New York three-piece are the injection of sneering, post-Millennial gloom you've been waiting for. They've only a handful of tracks to their name so far, but on the evidence we've heard, they are ones to watch and shouldn't be missed when they open up Aftershock's second stage on Saturday.

Bob Vylan

London's finest purveyors of grime-punk have been making a big ol' racket in the UK, but Aftershock will see them attempt to translate their fiery, politicised ragers to a Stateside audience on Sunday. Given the duo's well-deserved reputation as one of the most riotous live acts in heavy music right now, we don't think they'll have much of an issue on that front. 

Mike's Dead

One of the emergent wave of nu gen artists to whom the idea of 'genre' is little more than a boundary to be broken, Mikes's Dead blends nu metal riffs and trap beats with propulsive EDM and marching industrial clatter. He also has something of a taste for the theatrical, meaning he'll be well worth your time when he pops up early on Aftershock's fourth stage on Sunday. 

Lowlives

Another slice of 90s-leaning hard rock that owes more than a little of its DNA to Seattle (clearly, there's something in the water at the moment...), West Coast crew Lowlies unleashed their debut album Freaking Out earlier this year to critical acclaim. Make sure you nip into the arena early on Sunday to catch them open up Aftershock's third stage. 

Aftershock 2024 takes place this coming weekend at Discovery Park in Sacramento. For more info, head to the official Aftershock website

Coal Chamber have pulled out of next week’s Aftershock festival due to frontman Dez Fafara’s health.

Fafara, who also sings for melodic death metal crew Devildriver, announced in August that he had suffered a mysterious medical scare, which caused him to see “flashes in [his] eyes” and pass out before spending nine hours in a hospital emergency room.

“My vitals were through the roof, and I was sheet white and vomiting, and the whole world was spinning,” the vocalist wrote. A planned Coal Chamber tour with Fear Factory was postponed to spring 2025.

Now, as Fafara awaits test results to reveal what happened, Coal Chamber have had to cancel their set at Aftershock, which is scheduled to take place in Sacramento, California, from October 10 to 13.

Fafara explains in a new statement: “Hello everyone, due to doctors orders and waiting on CT scan results amongst other test results… Coal Chamber will not be performing at Aftershock Festival.”

He adds: “I thank Danny Wimmer Presents, my band and crew and supporters of Coal Chamber for being understanding during this very difficult time for myself & family.”

Fafara’s Coal Chamber bandmates – guitarist Miguel “Meegs” Rascón, drummer Mikey “Bug” Cox and bassist Nadja Peulen – have also offered a comment. They say: “It goes without saying that we are heartbroken that we won’t be joining Aftershock with all of our fans, family, and friends. Our brother’s health and making a full recovery is absolutely the #1 priority so we can be firing on all cylinders for our tour in March! We thank you for the patience, and joining us in supporting the Fafara family while Dez recovers.”

Coal Chamber, who were initially active from 1992 to 2003 and again from 2011 to 2016, returned from hiatus in 2022. Fafara explained that the band’s second reunion began when he was “on his way out” due to Covid-19. 

Fafara told Wired In The Empire (via Blabbermouth): “My wife called [the other members of Coal Chamber] and said, ‘Hey, you guys may wanna text Dez or call Dez ’cause I don't know if he’s gonna make it through the night. He’s telling me where he wants to be buried and not to sell his ’78 Cadillac.’”

Aftershock will proceed without Coal Chamber, and will be headlined by Slayer, Slipknot, Iron Maiden and Mötley Crüe. Slayer’s set will be their second since the thrashers returned to the stage and ended their five-year retirement last month.

Metal Hammer, Louder and major US festival firm DWP are teaming up to give one US-based rock fanatic the absolute trip of a lifetime! If you've been salivating over the incredible lineups for this year's Welcome To Rockville, Sonic Temple, Louder Than Life, Inkcarceration and Aftershock, this one's for you: by entering our exclusive competition, you could win two VIP tickets, airfare and accommodation to one of those very festivals. Yup, that's entry, travel and a hotel for the weekend for whichever one of the five festivals you choose! 

Click here to enter our competition and grab your chance to attend one of this year's biggest festivals! 

Competition open to US residents only, see full list of T&Cs below.

Welcome To Rockville takes place May 9-12 in Daytona Beach, Florida and will be headlined by Motley Crue, Limp Bizkit, Foo Fighters and Slipknot, with the likes of Judas Priest, Disturbed, Queens Of The Stone Age, Evanescence, Mudvayne, Machine Head, Cypress Hill, Sum 41, Clutch and many more also scheduled to play across the weekend. Sonic Temple, meanwhile, will take place from May 16-19 at the Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, with headliners Disturbed, Misfits and Slipknot joined by Limp Bizkit, Evanescence, Judas Priest, Kerry King, Sleep Token, Architects and more. 

Inkcarceration 2024 will take over Ohio State Reformatory from July 19-21 and features headliners Breaking Benjamin, Godsmack and Shinedown, as well as the likes of The Offspring, Halestorm, Bad Omens, Machine Head, Chimaira and Poison The Well also on the bill. The epic Louder Than Life festival takes place September 26-29 at the Kentucky Exposition Center and will feature the return of Slayer, plus fellow headliners Slipknot, Motley Crue and Korn alongside Gojira, Anthrax, Disturbed, Judas Priest, Evanescence and more. Finally, Aftershock 2024 will run from October 10-13 from Discovery Park in Sacramento, California, with Iron Maiden making their DWP debut along with fellow headliners Slayer, Slipknot and Motley Crue, plus another stacked support bill including Judas Priest, Disturbed, Mastodon, Evanescence and many more.

Full information on all five festivals along with links to buy tickets can be found via the below websites:

https://welcometorockville.com/
https://sonictemplefestival.com/
https://inkcarceration.com/
https://louderthanlifefestival.com/
https://aftershockfestival.com/

Festival Competition T&Cs

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE TO WIN. Void where prohibited by law. Subject to all federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and ordinances. 

THIS SWEEPSTAKES IS IN NO WAY SPONSORED, ENDORSED OR ADMINISTERED BY, OR ASSOCIATED WITH FACEBOOK, INC., TWITTER, INC., OR INSTAGRAM, INC.

1.     Sponsor: The Future Net x DWP 2024 Flyaway All Inclusive Sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes”) is sponsored by Danny Wimmer Presents and Future Net ("Sponsor"), 10351 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 300, Los Angeles, 90025.

1.     Sweepstakes Period: The Sweepstakes begins March 13, 2024 at 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time (“ET”) and ends March 31, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. EST (“Sweepstakes Period”). There will be one (1) winner.

1.     Eligibility: Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 years of age or older (nineteen (19) years or older in Alabama and Nebraska; twenty-one (21) years or older in Mississippi) at the time of entry. Employees, officers, directors, and representatives of Sponsor or its parent company, subsidiaries, affiliates, operators, divisions, franchisees, representatives, consultants, contractors, legal counsel, suppliers, distributors, website providers, web masters, or advertising, public relations or Sweepstakes agencies (collectively, the “Sweepstakes Entities”) as well as the immediate family (i.e., spouse, parent, step-parent, sibling, step-sibling, half-sibling, child, or step-child, regardless of where they live) and any person living in the same household as such individuals are not eligible to enter the Sweepstakes.  This Sweepstakes is void where prohibited by law.   Only an individual meeting all eligibility requirements set forth in these Official Rules may enter in the Sweepstakes (each an “Entrant,” and collectively, “Entrants”). In the event of any conflict or inconsistency with any other advertising, promotional, or other materials, these Official Rules shall govern. Sponsor reserves the right to verify the eligibility of winner before awarding any Prize.

1.     How to Enter: There is one (1) way to enter for a chance to win a prize in the Sweepstakes. Any Entrant that enters through one of the following entry points is automatically entered into the Sweepstakes: (i) Entry point #1 Enter Your First Name, Last Name, Email (you will have to confirm your email and input a second time), Your Phone Number and Your Zip Code. Entry will require Entrants to provide an email address. All entries submitted in accordance with these Official Rules shall be hereinafter referred to as “Eligible Entries.”

Limit: one (1) entry per person per method; one (1) entry per person total. Additional entries will be disqualified. Any attempt by any person to enter the Sweepstakes more than the permitted number of times (as described above) by using multiple/different email accounts, identities, registrations and logins, or any other methods will void that person’s entries and that person may be disqualified, at the sole discretion of Sponsor. Use of any automated system to participate is prohibited and may result in disqualification. Sweepstakes Entities are not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible or misdirected entries, which may be disqualified.   No automatically generated entries will be accepted.  Entries must be submitted by the participant. Multiple Entrants are not permitted to share the same email account used for entry. In the event of a dispute as to any entry, the authorized account holder of the email address associated with the pertinent account will be deemed to be the Entrant. The “authorized account holder” is the natural person assigned an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the address. Potential winners may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder to the Sponsor or be deemed to have forfeited the Prize. Entries that are incomplete, late, or otherwise not in compliance with the Official Rules may be disqualified from the Sweepstakes at Sponsor’s sole and absolute discretion. All potential winners are subject to verification before any Prize will be awarded. Normal Internet access, phone, and usage charges imposed by your online or phone service may apply.

1.     Winner Selection and Notification: One (1) winner will be selected by random drawing on or about April 2, 2024 from all Eligible Entries received by Sponsor during the Sweepstakes Period.  Sponsor’s decisions with regard to winner selection and verification are final in all respects.  Odds of winning depend on the total number of Eligible Entries received.  Potential winner will be notified by Sponsor via email on or about April 2, 2024.

Except where legally prohibited, each potential Prize winner must sign and return, within four (4) days of being notified, an Affidavit/Declaration of Eligibility, Liability & Publicity Release in order to claim his/her prize.  If a potential winner cannot be contacted in person via email after the first attempt to contact him/her, or if he/she fails to sign and return the Affidavit/Declaration of Eligibility, Liability & Publicity Release or any other documentation that Sponsor may require, in its sole discretion, within the required time period (if applicable), [if potential winner and any companion are unavailable to travel within any time period specified by Sponsor,] or in the event that a potential winner is disqualified for any reason, Sponsor will award the applicable prize to an alternate winner selected by a random drawing from among all remaining eligible entries.

1.     Prize: One (1) winner will receive a VIP trip for two to the Danny Wimmer Presents Festival of their choosing (Welcome to Rockville, Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival, Inkcarceration Tattoo & Music Festival, Louder Than Life, or Aftershock) including: (A) up to $1,000 in credit for round-trip airfare; (B) four (4) nights in standard hotel accommodations (one double occupancy room);  (C) two (2) VIP Festival pass access for winner and guest; (collectively, “Prize”). Guest may accompany the winner at all times.

If Prize winner resides within a one hundred (100) mile radius of Festival (a “local resident”), in round-trip air transportation credit portion of the Prize, will be void.

Total ARV of Prize: $4,500. Travel restrictions, conditions and limitations may apply. ARV of Prize may vary depending on point of departure, travel dates, and fare/rate fluctuations. Any person that participates in the Prize that is not deemed to be a Guest must pay his/her own expenses.  No compensation will be awarded in lieu of the difference in the ARV for the Prize for a local resident and the ARV for the Prize who is not a local resident.

PRIZE RESTRICTIONS: Any and all applicable federal, state, and local taxes and all fees and expenses related to acceptance and use of prize not specifically stated herein, including but not limited to, change of air travel fees, ground transportation, automobile insurance, meals, incidentals, passenger tariffs or duties, surcharges, service charges or facility charges, personal charges at lodging, security fees and/or other expenses, are the responsibility solely of winner his/her Guest. Prize cannot be sold, offered for sale, substituted, assigned, transferred, or redeemed for cash; however, Sponsor reserves the right to make equivalent prize substitutions.  Sponsor will not replace any lost or stolen prizes or components of a prize.  Additional terms, restrictions, and exclusions may apply to tickets; see here for additional terms and exclusions.  Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, not to award a Prize to any potential winner.

In the event that the Festival is cancelled, postponed, or preempted for any reason, including weather, illness or unavailability of artists thereof for any other reason, no rain checks, exchanges, substitution, or cash replacement value of prize will be provided. 

Guest must be at time of prize fulfillment the age of majority in the jurisdiction he/she resides (and at least eighteen (18) years of age), unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, and must complete and a return a liability/publicity release and any other documentation required by Sponsor prior to prize award. If Guest is a minor in his/her state of resident, minor’s parent/legal guardian must complete and return all releases on behalf of minor. Prize winner and his/her Guest must be able to travel on dates to be determined by Sponsor. Exact dates of travel to be determined at Sponsor’s discretion.         

Travel subject to availability and blackout dates.  Winner and Guest are responsible for obtaining all necessary travel documents. If required, winner must be available to travel on dates specified by Sponsor or risk forfeiting prize.  Certain travel restrictions may apply.  Winner and Guest must travel together on the same itinerary. If winner elects to travel or participate in the prize travel without a guest, no additional compensation will be awarded.  Winner and Guest are also responsible for obtaining travel insurance (and all other forms of insurance) at their option and hereby acknowledge that Sponsor has not and will not obtain or provide travel insurance or any other form of insurance.  No refund or compensation will be made in the event of the cancellation or delay of any flight except at Sponsor’s discretion.  Travel is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Sweepstakes, and those set forth by Sponsor’s airline carrier of choice as detailed in the passenger ticket contract.  The passenger contracts in use by the airlines or other transportation companies shall constitute the sole contracts with respect to the prize winner’s and his/her Guest’s transportation and such contracts shall be solely between the prize winner, his/her Guest, and such transportation companies.  Lost, stolen or damaged airline tickets will not be replaced or exchanged.  With the exception of stopovers approved in advance at Sponsor’s sole discretion, no stopovers are permitted on tickets issued as part of the prize.  If a stopover occurs, the prize travel will terminate and winner and his/her Guest will be responsible for the full fare which will be charged from the stopover point for the remaining trip segment(s), including the return.  Sponsor shall not be responsible for any cancellations, delays, diversions or substitutions or any act or omissions whatsoever by any air carrier(s) or other transportation companies or any other persons providing any of these services to passengers including any results thereof such as changes in services or accommodations necessitated by same. Airline tickets issued in connection with the prize may not be eligible for frequent flyer miles or upgrades.  Winner and Guest must comply with all hotel check-in requirements, including, but not limited to, the presentation of a payment card.  Air transportation and hotel accommodations must be taken together and cannot be taken separately.

In the event winner and/or Guest engages in behavior during Festival or travel that (as determined by Sponsor) is obnoxious or threatening, illegal, or that is intended to threaten or harass any other person, or that in any way disparages or adversely affects the reputation, image, and/or customer goodwill of Sponsor or any of Sponsor’s services, products, trademarks, service marks, or logos, Sponsor reserves the right to terminate the travel early, and send winner and/or Guest home with no further obligations or compensation whatsoever to winner and/or Guest (which may, in Sponsor’s discretion, result in such winner’s disqualification from the Sweepstakes and forfeiture of any (and/or all) prize(s).  In the event winner or Guest engages in behavior during travel that (as determined by Sponsor) is illegal, tortious, or subjects winner or Guest to arrest or detention, Sponsor shall have no obligation to pay any damages, fees, fines, judgments or other costs or expenses of any kind whatsoever incurred by winner or Guest as a result of such conduct. 

Sponsor shall have no liability for any personal injuries, death, property damage, or other damages or expenses resulting from or arising out of any travel related to the Prize or any other aspect of Prize Winner’s or Guest’s acceptance or use of the Prize.

ALL POTENTIAL WINNERS ARE SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION BY SPONSOR, WHOSE DECISIONS ARE FINAL AND BINDING IN ALL MATTERS RELATED TO THE GIVEAWAY. AN ENTRANT IS NOT A WINNER OF ANY PRIZE UNLESS AND UNTIL ENTRANT’S ELIGIBILITY HAS BEEN VERIFIED AND ENTRANT HAS BEEN NOTIFIED THAT VERIFICATION IS COMPLETE. 

·       Publicity: Except where may be prohibited by law, participation in the Sweepstakes and acceptance of Prize constitutes express permission of winner for Sponsor and those acting pursuant to the authority of Sponsor to use such winner’s name, photograph, image, likeness, voice, opinions, hometown, and/ or state (such winner’s “Likeness”) for advertising, trade, promotion, and publicity purposes in all forms of media now known or hereafter developed, worldwide in perpetuity, without further notice, review or approval, permission, or compensation.

1.     General Conditions: Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify, extend, or suspend the Sweepstakes or any part thereof should non-authorized intervention, fraud, weather, force majeure events or other causes beyond the control of Sponsor corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any individual it determines, in its sole and absolute discretion, is or is attempting or intending to: (a) tamper with any aspect of the operation of the Sweepstakes, (b) defraud Sponsor, (c) undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes by cheating, deception, or other unfair playing practices, (d) annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any other Entrant, Sweepstakes Entities, or representatives of the Sweepstakes Entities, or (e) act in violation of these Official Rules. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any provision of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. No groups, clubs, newsletters, or organizations may reproduce or distribute any portion of these Official Rules to their members, and anyone who participates in the Sweepstakes through means not permitted by these Official Rules is subject to disqualification. No more than the stated number of Prizes will be awarded. In the event that production, technical, mechanical, typographical, or any other reasons cause more than stated number of Prizes as set forth in these Official Rules to be available and/or claimed, Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, to award only the stated number of Prizes (previously not awarded) by means of a random drawing among all legitimate and eligible Prize claims.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY ANY INDIVIDUAL DELIBERATELY TO UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE SWEEPSTAKES MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

1.     Agreement to Official Rules: By participating in the Sweepstakes, each Entrant fully and unconditionally agrees to and accepts these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor (including but not limited to Sponsor’s employees or agents handling Prize redemption), which are final and binding in all matters relating to the Sweepstakes. By participating in the Sweepstakes, each Entrant waives any right to claim ambiguity in these Official Rules. In the event there is a discrepancy or inconsistency between disclosures or other statements contained in any Sweepstakes-related materials and these Official Rules, these Official Rules shall prevail, govern, and control, and the discrepancy will be resolved in Sponsor’s sole and absolute discretion. 

1.     Release: BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS SWEEPSTAKES, PARTICIPANT AGREES THAT SWEEPSTAKES ENTITIES, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE PARENT COMPANIES, AFFILIATES, SUBSIDIARIES, REPRESENTATIVES, CONSULTANTS, CONTRACTORS, LEGAL COUNSEL, ADVERTISING, PUBLIC RELATIONS, PROMOTIONAL, FULFILLMENT AND MARKETING, WEBSITE PROVIDERS, WEB MASTERS, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES, AND AGENTS (THE “RELEASED PARTIES”) WILL HAVE NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER FOR, AND SHALL BE HELD HARMLESS BY PARTICIPANTS AGAINST, ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY INJURIES, LOSSES OR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND TO PERSONS, INCLUDING PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH, OR PROPERTY RESULTING IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FROM ACCEPTANCE, POSSESSION, MISUSE, OR USE OF THE PRIZE, ENTRY, OR PARTICIPATION IN THIS SWEEPSTAKES OR IN ANY SWEEPSTAKES-RELATED ACTIVITY, OR ANY CLAIMS BASED ON PUBLICITY RIGHTS, DEFAMATION OR INVASION OF PRIVACY, OR MERCHANDISE DELIVERY.  THE RELEASED PARTIES ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE IF ANY PRIZE CANNOT BE AWARDED DUE TO CANCELLATIONS, DELAYS, OR INTERRUPTIONS DUE TO ACTS OF GOD, ACTS OF WAR, NATURAL DISASTERS, WEATHER, OR TERRORISM.  Sweepstakes Entities are not liable for losses or injuries of any kind resulting from any technical malfunctions of the telephone network, computer Internet system, computer dating mechanism, computer equipment, software, or any combination thereof, or any entries that are late (including delayed data transmissions), tampered with, garbled, incomplete, misdirected, lost, illegible, or otherwise not in compliance with these Official Rules. Sponsor is not responsible or liable for any injury or damage to an entrant’s or third person’s computer and/or other electronic devices and/or their contents, related to or resulting from Sweepstakes.  

WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, EVERYTHING REGARDING THIS SWEEPSTAKES, INCLUDING THE SWEEPSTAKES AND PRIZE, ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. SOME JURISDICTIONS MAY NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES, SO SOME OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY. CHECK LOCAL LAWS FOR ANY RESTRICTIONS OR LIMITATIONS REGARDING THESE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS.

1.     Limitation of Liability.  Except where prohibited, Entrant agrees that: (a) any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Sweepstakes, or any Prize awarded, or the determination of the winner, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action; (b) any and all claims, judgments, and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Sweepstakes not to exceed $50 but in no event including attorneys' fees, and (c) under no circumstances will Entrant be permitted to obtain awards for and Entrant hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental, consequential, and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased.

1.     Choice of Law: All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation, and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of Entrant and/or Sponsor in connection with the Sweepstakes, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of California without regard to conflicts of law/choice of law doctrine of California or any other jurisdiction, and all proceedings regarding the same shall take place exclusively either in a state or federal court located in or around Los Angeles, California. Entrant agrees to the jurisdiction of such courts and waives any right to change of venue or any like right.

1.     Privacy: By entering the Sweepstakes, each Entrant agrees that Entrant’s entry and any other personally identifiable information collected in connection with the Sweepstakes may be used by Sponsor or its affiliates for administration of this Sweepstakes, including in connection with Prize fulfillment.    

1.     Official Rules & Winners: For a copy of the Official Rules, email info@dwpresents.com before March 31, 2024.  For a list of winner(s) available after April 2, 2024, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope for receipt by May 3, 2024 to:  Danny Wimmer Presents, 10351 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 300, Los Angeles, 90025.  Vermont residents may exclude return postage on requests for Official Rules.

Copyright ©2024 Danny Wimmer Presents. All trademarks shown are the property of their respective owners in the United States and other countries.  All rights reserved.

Organisers of this year's Aftershock festival in California have confirmed this year's lineup, and it's enormous. The four day festival, due to be held at Discovery Park In Sacramento, CA on October 10-13, will be headlined by Slayer, Slipknot, Iron Maiden and Mötley Crüe. 

For Slayer, who announced their return to the stage at this year's Louder Than Life festival a week ago, the Aftershock performance will be the band's only West Coast show in 2024, while Iron Maiden will be playing their only US festival show this year.

Other band's confirmed for the upper reaches of the bill include Pantera, Five Finger Death Punch, Judas Priest, Disturbed, Evanescence, Breaking Benjamin, Staind, Falling in Reverse, Till Lindemann, Rise Against, Halestorm and Seether.

“Get ready Sacramento...” says Danny Wimmer of promotors DWP. “This is the biggest Aftershock lineup we’ve ever curated, and the largest rock and metal festival ever put together in California. See you in October...unless I see you in May.”

“We couldn’t be more excited that Sacramento has become synonymous with the largest rock festival on the West Coast,” adds Visit Sacramento President and CEO Mike Testa. “The city is ready to welcome fans for four days packed with more than 130 bands and unforgettable live music experiences."

The list of 130 bands, spread across five stages for the first time, is completed by Dropkick Murphys, Flogging Molly, Mastodon, Anthrax, Architects, Tom Morello, Cypress Hill, Ministry, Daron Malakian and Scars on Broadway, Skillet, Sevendust, Tech N9ne, Insane Clown Posse, Static X, Clutch, Body Count, Lorna Shore, Highly Suspect, Poppy, Grandson, Nothing More, P.O.D., Filter, Eagles of Death Metal, Coal Chamber, Code Orange, Jinjer, Bad Wolves, Shadows Fall, Fear Factory, Sleeping With Sirens, Juliette Lewis and the Licks and Marky Ramone Plays The Ramones Classics.

We're not done yet: Drain, City Morgue, Saosin, L.S. Dunes, Badflower, PUP, Rival Sons, Militarie Gun, Hawthorne Heights, Bayside, Giovannie and the Hired Guns, Show Me The Body, Whitechapel, From Ashes to New, The Warning, Set it Off, Resorte, Fugitive, Better Lovers, Drug Church, Biohazard, Joey Valence & Brae, Tim Montana, Vended, The Chisel, The Armed, Soul Glo, High Vis, Narrow Head, I See Stars, Bob Vylan, GEL, Holding Absence, Touché Amoré, Citizen Soldier, New Years Day, Drowning Pool, Alien Ant Farm, Orgy, Adema, Powerman 5000 and Taproot will also be performing. 

And then there's Local H, HED PE, Moonshine Bandits, CKY, Brutus, Alien Weaponry, Oxymorrons, Veil of Maya, Lilith Czar, Holy Fawn, D.R.U.G.S., Ho99o9, Ill Niño, Winona Fighter, Slothrust, Hemorage, Nerv, Damnage, Jeris Johnson, Any Given Sin, Deadlands, Mike’s Dead, Self Deception, Lø Spirit, Jager Bonham, Dead Poet Society, Point North, Like A Storm, Teen Mortgage, Jigsaw Youth, The Funeral Portrait, Black Map, Capital Theatre, Descartes A Kant, Lowlives, StrateJacket, Blame My Youth, Caskets, Silly Goose, Reach NYC, TX2, Royale Lynn, Budderside, and Gozu.

Last year's festival was headlined by Guns N’ Roses, Tool, Avenged Sevenfold and Korn, and was attended by 160,000 fans. Tickets and and VIP passes for Aftershock 2024 are on sale now. 

Aftershock have announced a huge billing of bands for their 2023 festival, including Avenged Sevenfold, Tool, Korn and Guns N' Roses as headliners. Also topping the event is Incubus, Turnstile, Godsmack, Limp Bizkit, 311, Queens Of The Stone Age and Rancid.

The 'West Coast’s Biggest Rock Festival' is to take place at Discovery Park in Sacramento, CA from October 5 until October 8.

Other bands booked to play the 2023 instalment include The Cult, AFI, Pennywise, Megadeth, Coheed and Cambria, Corey Taylor, Parkway Drive, Babymetal, Sleep Token, Prevail, Dance Gavin Dance and Daughtry, amongst others.

“We are so excited for what will be the biggest Aftershock in the festival’s 11-year history,” says Danny Hayes, CEO of Danny Wimmer Presents. ”We are grateful for our partnership with the city and county of Sacramento and together we have built an amazing brand that showcases Sacramento to attendees from all over the globe.”

”Aftershock has become synonymous with Sacramento, and we couldn’t be more excited for the festival to be back this fall with such an incredible lineup,” offers Mike Testa, President & CEO of Visit Sacramento. “The city is already gearing up to welcome rock fans from across the country and around the world. Aftershock supports our local businesses, creates jobs and brings unmatched music to our city – October can’t come fast enough.” 

Aftershock passes are on sale now via the official festival website starting at $10 down.

Check out the line up and promotional video below: