Early Saturday afternoon Alexis Mincolla, lead singer of 3Teeth gave the crowd at Sick New World (SNW) a choice. “Would you like to hear songs about the apocalypse or slutty songs about the apocalypse,” he quipped. This set the tone for The 2024 edition of Sick New World, a metal festival whose second year was held at The Las Vegas Fairgrounds on April 27th. Through my gauntlet of a day as I traversed 16 different acts during the single-day festival, I was happy to see that it wasn’t just for the nostalgia-laden nu-metalhead, but the future of heavy music was on display as well.

There were quite a few changes from this year’s iteration and the inaugural year in 2023. The most important of which was the decision to move the festival a month earlier to avoid the sweltering Vegas heat, which turned out to be a winning strategy. An 80 degree high and more turf than asphalt in 2024 made for far less exhausted festival goers. The festival also added a 5th stage called Diablo that mainly hosted hardcore acts. The energy on this tented stage was unparalleled anywhere else at the festival. A youthful groundswell in the pits may have restored my faith in the future of metal music. Grinning from ear to ear while causing absolute mayhem, fans weren’t pushing people around for the sake of the ritual, they were there to be a part of something authentic. I had the chance to sit down with the lead singer of the hardcore act Sunami, Josef, before his set at Diablo. Sunami’s recent meteoric rise, from California Bay Area favorites to headliners at LDB Fest in Kentucky, was on full display at SNW. Bands such as Drain, Kublai Khan TX, and Code Orange at the Diablo stage gave the behemoth headliner tandem of Slipknot & System of A down a run for their money as well.

I started my day just past noon with a set from Spirit Box at the mainstage. This was a sizable step up from the side stage they were relegated to during last year’s SNW. With their djent-y hooks and soaring choruses, the impressively large crowd (for the early time slot) was in the palm of lead singer Courtney LaPlante’s hand. Many compare them to this generation’s Evanescence, but Amy Lee was never able to scream like Courtney.

Speaking of screaming, Lorna Shore directly followed Spirit Box on the connected adjacent mainstage. While Will Ramos’s guttural vocals are second to none, there seemed to be some sound mixing issues, and it was difficult to make out what should be pummeling guitars and crushing vocals with steady blast beats. What we got instead was a whole lot of kick drum during a short 5 song set. Ramos was able to keep the crowd engaged throughout despite the inconsistencies.

I decided to venture out of my comfort zone a bit and catch Ice Nine Kills next. I will say this, it definitely was a spectacle. Dead bodies on stage, knives aplenty, and what could be easily mistaken for a junior college’s attempt at an unauthorized “American Psycho” musical. Fans of Ice Nine Kills knew every word as they poured through the bloody spectacle. I would compare their musicality to a metal version of Panic At The Disco. Great sing-along choruses, with a gruesome edge.

Navigating 70+ band options in a single day festival is a harrowing task at times. I caught 3Teeth, Lamb of God, and Taproot in succession. 3Teeth gave a wonderful sluttily apocalyptic industrial set to a small crowd on the smallest stage of the festival. Primarily dedicated to Industrial acts from the 90’s throughout the day the “Siren” stage was a nice respite from much of the tear out, heavy bands that were on display. Having said that, I could not miss Lamb of God on the mainstage. It was odd they were placed so early in the day because of the immense following they have maintained for nearly 30 years. Lead singer Randy Blythe, (who no longer dons his trademark dreads), kept encouraging the crowd to “cause chaos.” The crowd obliged. Massive circle pits ensued. 

I then caught the last bit of Taproot out of sheer morbid interest. They too were having sound issues. Unlike Lamb of God and Lorna Shore, Taproot are not consummate professionals. The lead singer would obnoxiously complain on the microphone. He burped into the mic, then passed the mic off to the crowd during the entire final two songs. He then jumped into the crowd and started a pit and threw the mic at a band member. Not every act knows how to show fans a good time.

The reason I was at the Taproot’s “Spiral” stage was because of Skindred’s set immediately following. A UK band that's known for their reggae metal sound. Not many bands can do what they do. Lead singer Beji Webbe said, “it's not a concert, it's a celebration of life.” I took that positive mindset with me as I took in the rest of the festival. Real gruesome acts such as Slaughter To Prevail and Kublai Khan TX were riotous with their earth shattering guitar chugs and low register growls, but it's so much more fun if you enjoy this genre of music with a smile on your face instead of anger in your heart.

As the sun began to set, a huge crowd began to form at the smaller Siren Stage. As the biggest name in deathcore/metalcore at the moment, Knocked Loose was ready to deliver the inaugural set of their latest tour. Celebrating the upcoming release of their latest album, “You Won’t Go Before You’re Supposed To” the crowd was waiting with bated breath, knowing a sonic bomb was about to go off. With his signature screeching (and polarizing) vocal style, Bryan Garris–adorned in what could be seen as an outfit a Mormon proselytizer on a bike would be issued– preached to the crowd with veracity and relentless calls to worship. We were also treated to the first live performance of “Suffocate,” complete with special guest Poppy surprising the audience during her feature.

As it got dark, the perfect transition to the night was none other than Danny Elfman. Famous for scoring everything from “Nightmare Before Christmas” and “Beetlejuice,” to “Batman” and “The Simpsons,” Elfman brought a symphony to capture these iconic scores. But that was far from all he delivered. Selections from his solo album “Big Mess” were zany, heavy and well received. Think if Tim Burton played in Nine Inch Nails. We also got tracks from Elfman’s successful 80’s band Oingo Boingo such as “Dead Man’s Party.” Each selection brought out the dormant sense of childlike wonder in a huge swath of attendees. It was easily the biggest surprise success set of the night.

Bring Me The Horizon came out to an absolutely ecstatic crowd. The space became extremely limited as GA attendees struggled for a better view. BMTH leaned heavily on a dystopic narrative throughout their set, with check-ins from an animated android character. The highlight was a truly rare live collaboration with Baby Metal on the track “Kingslayer.” Unfortunately there were crowd crush issues and the show had to be delayed for 10-15 min. This greatly inconvenienced headliners Slipknot and System of Down who had to cut 1-2 songs a piece from their set due to the stoppage.

Slipknot’s set was particularly anticipated as it was a debut of their new masks and the unofficial beginning of the 25th anniversary tour of their self-titled debut album. It was a stripped down set with jumpsuits, masks and flags reminiscent of their tours in 1999. It was also the first show with their new drummer Eloy Casagrande of Testament. His perfectly syncompated and bombastic style fit seamlessly into every classic track. Corey Taylor is still one of the best band leaders alive. Audience participation, dedication to every full body headbang, and a voice that somehow sounds better with age. It’s still hard to put into words the live output of raw energy from a 9 piece band like Slipknot that has stood the test of time. It’s infectious, chaotic and satisfying.

Finally, my personal favorite band System of A Down closed out this massive day. SOAD rarely plays together anymore, and has only released 2 new songs since 2005. The four piece played as if they never stopped touring. Guitarist Daron Malakian hit every note from the album versions of songs right down to the solos. Even in his late 50s lead singer Serj Tankian brought his signature screams, uniquely nasally vibrato, and maniacal charm to every chorus and verse. In their career-spanning 27-song set, many classics such as “B.Y.O.B,” “Aerials,” and “Chop Suey!” were greeted with absolute glee. Rarities such as “CUBert”, “Bubbles”, and "Kill Rock n’ Roll” delighted the diehards as well. The group genuinely looked like they were having fun together, which is great news for the foursome that regularly makes headlines for petty infighting. As is tradition, SOAD finished the night with their first ever hit “Sugar” 12 hours after Spiritbox took the stage.

Sick New World provided a metal centric experience unlike any other. Providing an annual haven for those who find unbridled joy in a demonized genre is a kindness that should not be overlooked. You can check out further wrap up coverage on sicknewworldfest.com or search @sicknewworld on all major social media platforms.

Review by: Jay Bartell

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