This year’s Aftershock Festival lineup is almost too heavy to be true.
Some of the greatest acts in hard rock and metal history are descending on Sacramento’s Discovery Park for four full days of headbanging good times.
The bill also includes dozens of cool newer acts, ones who are still possibly only in the only early chapters of writing their stories in the genre.
In all, more than 100 acts will perform at this marquee annual event, which ranks as one of the finest hard rock/metal/hardcore showcases in the world. It’s all been a big week for hard/rock metal fans, with Korn and Gojira playing Mountain View, but things really take off this weekend. Here is a look at 14 of the top acts to catch over the festival’s four-day run, Oct. 10-13. (We’ll list the performers chronologically, in terms of when they are set to take the stage.)
For more Aftershock Festival information, visit aftershockfestival.com.
Day 1
Lzzy Hale is one of the most amazing hard rock singers of all time, whose pure vocal ability (if not sales figures) is in the same league with Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant and Heart’s Ann Wilson. She’s also a terrific guitarist, forming one of the genre’s best one-two-punch combos with lead axe man Joe Hottinger.
Key tracks: “I Miss the Misery,” “I Get Off”
When & where: 4:55 p.m. Oct. 10, Shockwave Stage
Till Lindemann
When he’s not fronting one of the most thrilling live acts on the planet — Berlin’s Rammstein — the vocalist finds time to record his own material. Lindemann will be making his U.S. solo debut at Aftershock.
Key tracks: “Ich hasse Kinder,” “Sport frei”
When & where: 5:50 p.m. Oct. 10, Jack Daniel’s Stage
Slayer
This is one of three announced reunion shows for these trash metal titans, who originally called it quits in 2019 after nearly four decades of delighting fans. They’ll be rocking the 2013-19 lineup, featuring guitarists Kerry King and Gary Holt, bassist Tom Araya and drummer Paul Bostaph.
Key tracks: “Raining Blood,” “Seasons in the Abyss”
When & where: 8:25 p.m. Oct. 10, Jack Daniel’s Stage
Day 2
Lilith Czar
Juliet Simms did quite well on the second season of NBC’s “The Voice,” charming TV viewers with covers of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aerosmith, James Brown and more on her way to a second place finish. She’s now busy establishing herself as an alt-rock force under the stage name Lilith Czar.
Key tracks: “Anarchy,” “Burn with Me”
When & where: 2:20 p.m. Oct. 11, Shockwave Stage
Marky Ramone
The drummer will draw from the single greatest songbook in punk-rock history as he performs, what organizers are calling, “the hits of the Ramones.” Don’t let the fact that the Ramones really didn’t have any big hits (except like in Belgium) stop you from attending.
Key tracks: Pretty much everything on the Ramones’ first five albums
When & where: 5:35 p.m. Oct. 11, Coors Light Stage
Juliette & The Licks
Having just re-watched “Natural Born Killers” — still a bad movie with a great soundtrack (love the Cowboy Junkies) — we’re up for catching the film’s star and former Hollywood A-lister Juliette Lewis in person with her enjoyable indie-rock outfit.
Key tracks: “You’re Speaking My Language,” “Hot Kiss”
When & where: 7:15 p.m. Oct. 11, Coors Light Stage
Mastodon
These Atlanta heavyweights, which land somewhere in the prog and sludge metal realms, plan to celebrate the 20th anniversary of “Leviathan” by performing the acclaimed concept album in its entirety.
Key tracks: “Blood and Thunder,” “Iron Tusk”
When & where: 8:35 p.m. Oct. 11, Coors Light Stage
Slipknot
Those not in the know often try to write off this band as nothing more than a gimmick act – as if the masks that the bandmembers wear are somehow solely responsible for all the millions of records sold. Yet, metal fans know that the pride of Des Moines, Iowa, ranks among the genre’s all-time greatest acts.
Key tracks: “Before I Forget,” “Wait and Bleed”
When & where: 9:35 p.m. Oct. 11, Jack Daniel’s Stage
Day 3
Anthrax
Anthrax is one of the reigning “Big Four” of thrash metal, which puts them alongside fellow 2024 Aftershockers Slayer as well as Megadeth and a little ol’ group called Metallica. These New York City rockers’ best offerings include 1987’s “Among the Living” and 1990’s “Persistence of Time.”
Key tracks: “Got the Time,” “Caught in a Mosh”
When & where: 4:45 p.m. Oct. 12, Jack Daniel’s Stage
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Body Count
Ice-T, one of the most significant artists in hip-hop history, has been leading this L.A. metal outfit since the early ‘90s. It remains best known for the controversial 1992 tune “Cop Killer,” which drew criticism from then-President George W. Bush as well as a boycott of the band’s record label.
Key tracks: “Bum Rush,” “Body Count’s in the House”
When & where: 6:40 p.m. Oct. 12, DWPresents Stage
Iron Maiden
Easily making the cut as one of the five most important metal bands of all time, Iron Maiden got its start in 1975 and is still going incredibly strong half a century later. Expect the massive crowd sing-along on “Run to the Hills” to be one of the defining moments of the festival.
Key tracks: “Run to the Hills” (of course), “2 Minutes to Midnight”
When & where: 8:50 p.m. Oct. 12, Jack Daniel’s Stage
Day 4
Royale Lynn
Look — we are well aware that it’s a big ask to get a fan to the festival grounds before noon, which is basically the break of dawn by metal/hard rock standards. Yet, we do believe it will be highly worth it to catch this amazing artist, who mixes hard rock, metal and — yes — country in such fascinating ways.
Key tracks: “Six Feet Deep,” “Runs in the Water”
When & where: 11:20 a.m. Oct. 13, DWPresents Stage
Bob Vylan
The London duo — with one of the best names in the biz — draws from hip-hop, metal and punk rock to craft a sound that is all its own. Look for Bob Vylan to deliver an incredible set and win the word-of-mouth game on Day 4 of Aftershock.
Key tracks: “We Live Here,” “Terms and Conditions”
When & where: 2:10 p.m. Oct. 13, DWPresents Stage
Tom Morello
Morello — hands down, one of the most awe-inspiring guitarists on the planet — should have the place really rocking as he performs a set of Rage Against the Machine’s greatest hits as well as his own solo material. And, as always, we are really hoping he’ll play his incredible version of Bruce Springsteen’s “The Ghost of Tom Joad.”
Key tracks: “The Ghost of Tom Joad,” “Hold the Line”
When & where: 6:15 p.m. Oct. 13, DWPresents Stage