Metallica and Linkin Park to headline Sick New World 2025, with Evanescence, Queens Of The Stone Age, Gojira, AFI, Mastodon, Sisters of Mercy, Kittie, Arch Enemy, Testament and more on insanely stacked bill

News
By ( Metal Hammer ) published

The line-up for Sick New World 2025 has been revealed, and it's ridiculously great, tbh

James Hetfield and Emily Armstrong
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Metallica and Linkin Park will headline next year's Sick New World festival, with Evanescence, Queens Of The Stone Age, Gojira, Ministry, Meshuggah, Machine Head and AFI joining them at the Las Vegas-based event.

Set to take place on April 12 next year at Las Vegas Festival Grounds, the one-day event will also feature Tomahawk, Melvins, Kittie, Refused, Exodus and more.

Promoters have announced over 50 bands for the festival, with tickets going on sale on Friday, October 18. Interested parties can register for a pre-sale on the event website.

The 2024 edition of Sick New World was co-headlined by System of a Down and Slipknot. System of a Down also co-headlined the inaugural staging of the festival, alongside Korn.

Speaking with Metal Hammer earlier this year, SOAD frontman Serj Tankian recalled how headlining the first Sick New World fest really struck a chord with him.

“As I saw from the stage at Sick New World last year, the multi-generational appeal of the music we have made is mind-blowing,” he stated. “Our music is more timeless than we ever imagined, and that is the hugest compliment for any artist.”

“I really enjoyed Sick New World last year, so when the opportunity came up this year again, I said I’d love to do it.”

Speaking with Classic Rock magazine recently, Jerry Cantrell was equally enthused about playing the 2024 event with Alice in Chains.

“To keep a group together and create a repertoire and a body of work over 30-40 years and still care about it yourself, and have people care is pretty amazing,” the guitarist said. “That’s the goal: you want to be the Stones, you want to be Metallica, you want to be Heart, to make some music that maybe people pass down. I think that we've achieved that with Alice, and it's really humbling and a fucking honour.”

Paul Brannigan
Paul Brannigan
Contributing Editor, Louder

A music writer since 1993, formerly Editor of Kerrang! and Planet Rock magazine (RIP), Paul Brannigan is a Contributing Editor to Louder. Having previously written books on Lemmy, Dave Grohl (the Sunday Times best-seller This Is A Call) and Metallica (Birth School Metallica Death, co-authored with Ian Winwood), his Eddie Van Halen biography (Eruption in the UK, Unchained in the US) emerged in 2021. He has written for Rolling Stone, Mojo and Q, hung out with Fugazi at Dischord House, flown on Ozzy Osbourne's private jet, played Angus Young's Gibson SG, and interviewed everyone from Aerosmith and Beastie Boys to Young Gods and ZZ Top. Born in the North of Ireland, Brannigan lives in North London and supports The Arsenal.