Quickly, Louder Than Life will take over Kentucky Expo Heart in Louisville, turning right into a packed vacation spot for rock and metalheads. Taking place from Sept. 17-20, greater than 200 artists will hit the competition’s seven phases, which means there’s lots to overlook it doesn’t matter what.
On Thursday, Alkaline Trio, Scorching Mulligan, Rise Towards, Vianova, Lit, and GWAR lay the groundwork. Friday rapidly ups the power, encompassing L.S. Dunes, Detest, Coheed and Cambria, Koyo, Twitching Tongues, Angel Du$t, Haywire, the Used, Knocked Free, Pierce the Veil, and My Chemical Romance. Saturday presents units from Many Eyes, Thursday, H2O, Tom Morello, Madball, Agnostic Entrance, a newly reunited Circa Survive, and Limp Bizkit. Lastly, Sunday ends all of it on a powerful observe with Ministry, Thrice, Alexisonfire, Jutes, Finish It, Sunami, Sleep Concept, and Underoath.
Learn extra: 10 most criminally underrated Circa Survive songs
Partnering with the competition, we’re taking a look at solely a handful of must-see bands at this yr’s Louder Than Life, although it wasn’t straightforward to slim down.
Haywire
After I noticed Haywire open for Drain earlier this yr, they set the tone, providing up an explosive set that paid homage to traditional hardcore, Boston, and getting clear. It was solely a chunk of their breakneck tour schedule — they performed 96 reveals in 100 days in 2024 — main as much as their new album, I Don’t Wanna Say Goodbye, out subsequent month. That makes them extraordinarily primed to carry mayhem on Friday night, preceded by their friends in Angel Du$t. Anticipate the identical full-throttle set that they dropped at Sound and Fury, besides $5K brief. —Neville Hardman
Alexisonfire
Final month, Alexisonfire celebrated 20 years of Disaster, their third studio album and one which many artists have described as a post-hardcore milestone. Seeing them dwell throughout this period has meant watching a band absolutely embrace the burden of their historical past, revisiting the songs that constructed their cult following whereas persevering with to make new music collectively. Their Louder Than Life look is an opportunity to expertise that legacy firsthand, whether or not they’re tearing by means of “This Might Be Wherever within the World” or “Boiled Frogs.” —Kelsey Barnes
Circa Survive
Final night time, Circa Survive kicked off the primary of three hometown reveals at The Fillmore in Philly. Placing a stability between post-hardcore, prog rock, and artier impulses, the six-piece have perfected a dwell present that prioritizes launch. Anthony Inexperienced mentioned it finest throughout our LSD cowl story: “This shit is historical. Individuals have been gathering to sing, dance, have a good time music, and get cathartic for fucking so long as we’ve been on this planet. And it’s cool when you’ll find people who simply make it about how highly effective and transformative music could be if it’s actually finished in an trustworthy, true manner.” If you happen to’re on the lookout for excessive power, environment, and showmanship from one in all post-hardcore’s most interesting vocalists, this set comes extremely beneficial. —Neville Hardman
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance have spent the previous couple of years proving that their story is much from completed. Getting the possibility to see the monolith that’s The Black Parade tour — celebrating its twentieth anniversary — has meant watching them carry one of the crucial defining data of the 2000s to stadiums around the globe. Following Gerard Approach’s delicate tease of LP5, their Louder Than Life set is one other probability to witness their storied catalog come to life and see them hit the classics, like “I’m Not Okay (I Promise),” or shock the group with a deep reduce. —Kelsey Barnes
Vianova
Vianova don’t have the decades-long historical past of among the names on the lineup, however they’re already making a case for why they belong on a competition this massive. Final yr, they launched their debut full-length, HIT IT!, introducing a sound that pulls from metalcore, hip-hop, R&B, and ’80s synths with out settling neatly into anybody lane. If you happen to’re on the lookout for a band to find earlier than they make the leap to greater phases, their Louder Than Life set is an efficient place to start out. —Kelsey Barnes
