Sick New World 2023 Preview

System of a Down, 10:00 PM

This century/millennium’s metal artistic renaissance owes a lot to System of a Down. While some many of their nineties contemporaries were either just playing it louder & faster, or incorporating pop or even rap for greater mass appeal, SOAD kept it weird, including lyrics that stretched from political to Dadaist – and a wild pit.

Deftones, 7:20 PM

Alternative metal doesn’t come much better than the Deftones (QRO live review). The Sacramento has been act elevating the often-derided style for over two decades now, most recently with 2012’s Koi No Yokan (QRO review), 2016’s Gore, and 2020’s Ohms (QRO ’22 photos). They’re also mainstays on the rock festival circuit (QRO photos at a festival). They (QRO live review) are known for being the rare band that both head-bangers and hipsters like (QRO photos), so come see why (QRO photos at a festival) as they hit Sick New World (QRO photos at a festival).

Evanescence, 5:15 PM

Shifting from the nu metal of their pre-millennium predecessors, Evanescence (QRO photos) forged an actually new alternative, gothic metal with early aughts records such as Anywhere But Home and The Open Door. While the line-up around singer/pianist Amy Lee has shifted over the years, with hiatuses & more, they come to Sick New World behind 2021’s The Bitter Truth (QRO ’23 photos).

Chevelle, 3:55 PM

From Grayslake, Illinois comes the hard rock nu-metal of Chevelle, playing Sick New World behind 2021’s NIRATIAS (QRO photos at a ‘21 festival).

Death Grips, 2:45 PM

Alt-hip-hop has grown into experimental hip-hop, the next big thing in outfits like Sacramento’s Death Grips (QRO photos at a festival) and their wild stage show. It used to be that the big question is whether they’ll even show, as they were notorious for canceling shows (sometimes without notice), but since breaking up and reuniting, they’ve actually been playing shows (QRO photos at a festival)…

Flyleaf with Lacey Sturm, 1:35 PM

Back in the aughts, Flyleaf managed to successful thread the eye of the Christian metal needle, but in 2012 lead singer Lacey Sturm left for her own solo career. She was replaced, but the band eventually went into hiatus – only to return last fall, back with Sturm.

P.O.D., 12:25 PM

The Christian nu-metal of P.O.D. (QRO photos) comes to Sick New World (QRO photos a festival) to play their beloved album Satellite & greatest hits.

Korn, 8:40 PM

The pioneers of nu-metal, Korn (QRO live review) still does it best. So huge they were the biggest draw at Woodstock ’99 (before all the problems with that infamous fest hit…), Korn (QRO photos) have been shredding for three decades now, most recently with last year’s Requiem (QRO ’22 photos).

Incubus, 6:00 PM

A band that’s been more successful than you realize, for longer than you realize, is Incubus (QRO live review). Deftly balancing between styles and scenes (QRO photos at a ’22 festival), acceptable to the mainstream and the indiesphere, Incubus (QRO photos) come behind 2017’s eighth studio album 8. So, catch Incubus (QRO photos at a festival) at Sick New World (QRO photos at a festival) – If Not Now, When? (QRO review).

Turnstile, 4:30 PM

Baltimore hardcore punks Turnstile (QRO ’22 photos) head over to Vegas behind 2021’s Glow On and recent Grammy nominations – just hopefully no one will shit in the pit this time…

Mr. Bungle, 3:20 PM

Faith No More’s Mike Patton also fronts the inexplicable Mr. Bungle. Back in the nineties they would shift between multiple musical styles, sometimes within a single song, including an early use of sampling. They broke up when the nineties ended, but last year reunited for some sold-out shows (with Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian & Slayer drummer Dave Lombaro) to play 1986 demo album The Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny in full. While COVID kept them off the stage, they made it to the studio to re-record Raging Wrath and release it. But you won’t know what to expect when they come to Sick New World.

Papa Roach, 2:10 PM

In 2000, California’s Papa Roach (QRO photos at a festival) burst through with hit alternative metal album Infest and it’s iconic single, “Last Resort”. That album might be old enough to graduate college now, but Papa Roach will play it & the greatest hits at Sick New World.

Soulfly, 1:00 PM

Featuring Sepultura’s Max Cavalera & Fear Factory’s Dino Cazares, Soulfly will perform the hits of those two & their own at Sick New World.

Alien Ant Farm, 11:50 AM

Few acts could turn a hard rock cover of Michael Jackson into a hit, but Alien Ant Farm (QRO photos) did.

The Sisters of Mercy, 11:00 PM

One of the foundational acts of eighties gothic new wave, The Sisters of Mercy released three seminal records in that decade before disputes with their label stopped any fourth – and still stopped, though you might catch Andrew Eldritch, Doktor Avalanche & co. play a rare new song to go with the classics at Sick New World.

Ville Valo, 9:55 PM

Out of Finland’s own gothic rock tradition is Ville Valo, lead singer of HIM.

Placebo, 9:00 PM

Long-standing British alt-rock act Placebo (QRO live review in the U.K.) eschewed the Brit-pop & Brit-rock of their era in favor of being one of the earliest alt-artists this side of Bowie to gender-bend (QRO live review). They come to Sick New World (QRO photos at a festival) behind last year’s Never Let Me Go (QRO review).

Ministry, 8:05 PM

Is there a better act to rock Sick New World than Ministry (QRO photos)? Al Jourgensen’s group (QRO ’22 photos) pioneered the industrial metal sound in the nineties. There was a break-up that was definitely going to be permanent, and a reunion a few years later, and 2021’s fourth post-reunion record, Moral Hygiene.

She Wants Revenge, 7:10 PM

Singer/guitarist Justin Warfield and multi-instrumentalist Adam Bravin formed the genre-crossing She Wants Revenge almost twenty years ago (QRO photos), and last year started their second reunion (QRO photos).

Skinny Puppy, 6:15 PM

One thing that Sick New World is very good at is reintroducing foundational musical acts to fans of the genre they helped create. Vancouver’s Skinny Puppy helped found the electro-industrial sound way back in the early eighties, fusing elements of various sounds – and doing sampling long before it was cool (or easy). They broke up in 1995, reunited in 2003, and now come to Vegas (QRO live review from last month).

KMFDM, 5:20 PM

KMFDM sucks (QRO live review)! With that refrain, the Hamburg outfit (QRO European live review) stormed industrial music in the nineties, helping bring both industrial music and associated electronic visuals to the mainstream. So, perfect for Sick New World.

Filter, 4:45 PM

“Hey Man Nice Shot”. With that hit 1995 Short Bus single, former Nine Inch Nails touring guitarist Richard Patrick (who’s also the younger brother/lookalike for Terminator 2/Peacemaker’s Robert Patrick) made a hit alt-heavy act in Filter (QRO live review). There have been line-up changes & break-ups since then, not to mention Bus pseudo-sequel reBus getting held up by the collapse of PledgeMusic, but they come to Sick New World (QRO photos at a festival).

Melvins, 4:10 PM

The Melvins’ (QRO live review) sludgy rock came to the fore during the grunge heyday of their native Pacific Northwest in the early nineties, but they’ve been rocking since the early eighties all the way through to today (QRO photos at a festival), with more records than you can shake a stick at.

Stabbing Westward, 3:35 PM

An icon of American industrial rock of the nineties, Stabbing Westward broke up in the new century/millennium, but reunited in 2016, and last year put out their first new album in over two decades, Chasing Ghosts.

Lacuna Coil, 3:00 PM

Of course, Italy would have its own strand of gothic metal, Milan’s Lacuna Coil (QRO photos) crushing it like a Visigoth, now at Sick New World (QRO photos at a festival).

Also:

The Birthday Massacre, 2:25 PM

London After Midnight, 1:40 PM

The 69 Eyes, 1:05 PM

Orgy, 12:30 PM

Cold, 11:55 AM

Cradle of Filth, 11:15 PM

Close out Sick New World ’23 with the sick & extreme metal of Cradle of Filth.

Prayers, 10:40 PM

Prayers define the gang life-meets-gothic beats Cholo goth.

Body Count, 10:05 PM

Ice-T (QRO photos at a festival) brings his Body Count to Riot Fest. The Los Angeles crossover thrash metal outfit made mega-headlines in the early nineties with “Cop Killer” – so much so that Ice-T thought it was eclipsing the rest of Body Count’s debut record, so decided to remove it from the album and release as free single (and that’s back when singles were physical records, not a link to download some ephemeral megabytes…).

Of course, these days Ice-T plays a cop on Law & Order: SVU, while three of Body County’s original five members have passed away, but just in 2021 won the Grammy for Best Metal Performance for their song “Bum Rush” from Carnivore, and now (QRO photos at a ’21 festival) come Sick New World (QRO photos at a ‘21 festival).

HEALTH, 9:30 PM

Los Angeles’ own HEALTH (QRO photos) not only bring the noise-rock to Sick New World, but are also known for their mash-ups, though outdoors (QRO photos outdoors), they’re more ‘noise’ than ‘rock’.

Ho99o9, 8:55 PM

Newark’s Ho99o9 (QRO photos) mix punk and rap for a singular brand of alternative hip-hop, and come to Sick New World behind 2021’s SKIN.

Fever 333, 8:20 PM

There is Strength in Numb333rs for Inglewood rockers Fever 333.

My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, 7:45 PM

Pioneering both industrial music and being the target of censorship groups is My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult.

Hoobastank, 7:10 PM

Check out Zach Galifianakis’ favorite band to name-check, Hoobastank (QRO photos)!

100 gecs, 6:35 PM

Be sure to catch the kinetic & crazy hyper-pop of duo 100 gecs (QRO live review), who pretty much defy description (QRO photos at a ’22 festival) with their wild show (QRO photos from the month before).

Also:

Loathe, 6:00 PM

Machine Girl, 5:25 PM

Spiritbox, 4:50 PM

Sevendust, 4:15 PM

Kittie, 3:40 PM

Coal Chamber, 3:05 PM

Panchiko, 2:30 PM

Superheaven, 1:55 PM

Fiddlehead, 1:20 PM

Narrow Head, 12:45 PM

Scene Queen, 12:10 PM

Scowl, 11:35 AM