Festival season is upon us once again! Florida’s biggest rock experience, Welcome to Rockville, returns once again with a lineup full of great bands. There are both rock legends and bands that are up and coming in the scene. You can meet your rock heroes, mosh in a pit with thousands of people, and lose your voice singing along to the music.  Be sure to be at Metropolitan Park to help kick off the World’s Loudest Month!

 

Want to close out the festival strong? Here’s SCAD Radio’s guide to the bands playing on Sunday at 2017 Welcome to Rockville.

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Def Leppard

Def Leppard is one of those bands that is first to come to mind when someone mentions hair metal. And it’s a good thing too, since Def Leppard is one of the best bands to come out of that era. With music that’s technical and heavy enough to be metal, but with pop sensibilities and a glam rock aesthetic that make it impossible not to dance when someone throws on one of the band’s mega hits. The band has earned its place in rock and roll history and you’ll definitely want to see what that’s like in person. Def Leppard is a band that is sure to close out the festival right.

For Fans Of: Van Halen, Whitesnake, Skid Row

For a Taste: ”Pour Some Sugar On Me” from Transmissions

 

Chevelle

There were a lot of bands that came out of the late 90s and early 00s. Out of those bands, very few made music that was worthwhile and held up over time. Chevelle, however, was not one of those bands. They too started off at that same time, but they started by making catchy hard rock and have kept putting out incredibly high quality music. Be sure to catch Chevelle if you’re a fan of hard rock or alternative metal.

For Fans Of: Bush, Finger Eleven, Fuel

For a Taste: ”The Red” from Wonder What’s Next

 

Seether

Every wondered what a post grunge, heavy metal love child would sound like? Well, if you were, Seether is the example you’re looking for. This South African band is one of the most recognizable of the bands that came out of the early 2000s. Whether it’s the catchy “Fake It”, “Broken” featuring Evanescence’s Amy Lee, or their grungy cover of George Michael’s “Careless Whisper”, Seether are guaranteed to get you to start having fun when their music comes on. If you feel like moving and love grunge, metal, or both, make sure you catch Seether when they take the stage at Welcome to Rockville.

For Fans Of: Theory of a Deadman, Puddle of Mudd, Stone Sour

For a Taste: ”Careless Whisper” from Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces

 

Papa Roach

Many dismiss Papa Roach as simply one of those bands that they really liked when they were younger. But what people don’t realize is how well made Papa Roach’s music actually is and how well it holds up. The hard rock instrumental compliments Jacoby Shaddix’s vocals so well to create a perfect blend. This band revolutionized hard rock in the early 2000s. If you’re a fan of Papa Roach, you know how great they are. If you haven’t listened in a while, go check them out while you’re at Welcome to Rockville. You might be pleasantly surprised.

For Fans Of: Staind, Breaking Benjamin, Hoobastank

For a Taste: ”Last Resort” from Infest

 

Three Days Grace

Three Days Grace may no longer have Adam Gontier at the helm, but that doesn’t lessen them anymore. The band is still producing some of the best in anthemic hard rock music. The guitars are still loud as ever and behind them is some really strong rhythm work. The new vocalist, Matt Walst, brings something new to the band without sacrificing anything that Adam brought before him. Instead of the dread that many felt with Gontier’s departure, a sense of rejuvenation shrouds the band. Three Days Grace is currently the strongest that they have been in years.

For Fans Of: Skillet, Shinedown, P.O.D.

For a Taste: ”I Hate Everything About You” from Three Days Grace

 

Alter Bridge

Alter Bridge is what happened when the music making portion of Creed was revived and started working with Myles Kennedy. The band is back in full force after Kennedy returned from working from Guns ‘n’ Roses’ Slash and Creed took a break again. The band shows the potential that was held by Creed and shows us what a great hard rock/metal album can sound like. The band’s work was realized in pop culture as well, as “Metalingus” became WWE’s The Edge’s final entrance theme. If you want to dance to some quality hard rock with soaring vocals, be sure to see Alter Bridge at this year’s festival.

For Fans Of: Pop Evil, Adelita’s Way, Rev Theory

For a Taste: ”Metalingus” from One Day Remains

 

Amon Amarth

Raise your horns! Many associate viking metal with a sort of tacky gimmick, but Amon Amarth completely shatters that stereotype. The band creates some top notch melodic death metal that simply has a lyrical focus of Norse mythology. There are soaring guitars, crushing vocals, driving drums drenched in blast beats, and a whole lot of fun. Anyone who has seen Amon Amarth before can easily tell you how much fun their show is. The performance is perhaps the best in death metal — ever — and make it something you don’t want to miss.

For Fans Of: Arch Enemy, Insomnium, At The Gates

For a Taste: ”Twilight of the Thunder God” from Twilight of the Thunder God

 

Gojira

So you’re looking for a band to bring heavy riffs, technical bass work, intricate drum patterns, and guttural vocals? Gojira has got you covered. This French death metal band is coming to Welcome to Rockville after several Grammy nominations and a new album, Magma. The music is equal parts catchy and heavy. If you’re looking to mosh and move and simply have a whole lot of fun, make sure you catch Gojira when they hit the stage at this year’s Welcome to Rockville.

For Fans Of: Meshuggah, Opeth, The Haunted

For a Taste: L’Enfant Sauvage

 

In This Moment

In This Moment launched to cult success in the mid 2000s after becoming a Myspace phenomenon. Now the band is 9 albums deep, and they never slowed down. The band is bringing some of the best female-fronted metal to ever hit the scene. Like heavy breakdowns infused with electronic elements? Well then, be sure to see In This Moment when they perform at this year’s Welcome to Rockville festival.

For Fans Of: Butcher Babies, Lacuna Coil, New Years Day

For a Taste: ”Blood” from Blood

 

Of Mice & Men

Mosh hungry? Of Mice & Men has you covered. The California band has been providing the loud rock community with consistent and influential metalcore music for years. Employing a mix of harsh vocals and clean singing, the band’s discography has songs that will make you both sing along to and others that will make you rage. Often, though, the songs will make you do both in the same song. So if you want to headbang, mosh, or just hear some good music, be sure to see Of Mice & Men at 2017 Welcome to Rockville.

For Fans Of: Memphis May Fire, We Came as Romans, blessthefall

For a Taste: “Second & Sebring” from Of Mice & Men

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The Rest of Sunday’s Exciting Lineup:

 

The Dillinger Escape Plan

Genre: Metalcore, Math Rock

For Fans Of: Converge, Between the Buried and Me, He is Legend

For a Taste: “Setting Fire to Sleeping Giants” from Miss Machine

 

Motionless in White

Genre: Metalcore, Industrial Metal

For Fans Of: Ice Nine Kills, Rob Zombie, Attack Attack!

For a Taste: “Reincarnate” from Reincarnate

 

Nothing More

Genre: Alternative Rock

For Fans Of: Devour the Day, 10 Years, Art of Dying

For a Taste: “Jenny” from Nothing More

 

Beartooth

Genre: Metalcore, Post Hardcore

For Fans Of: The Color Morale, Being as an Ocean, Our Last Night

For a Taste: “In Between” from Disgusting

 

Every Time I Die

Genre: Metalcore, Hardcore

For Fans Of: The Chariot, Poison the Well, Glassjaw

For a Taste: “The Coin Has a Say” from Low Teens

 

Rival Sons

Genre: Hard Rock

For Fans Of: Led Zeppelin, Wolfmother, The Winery Dogs

For a Taste: ”Pressure and Time” from Pressure & Time

 

Attila

Genre: Metalcore

For Fans Of: Emmure, Upon a Burning Body, Thy Art is Murder

For a Taste: ”About That Life” from About That Life

 

Kyng

Genre: Heavy Metal, Stoner Metal

For Fans Of: Corrosion of Conformity, KXM, Anti-Mortem

For a Taste: ”Electric Halo” from Burn the Serum

 

Sylar

Genre: Metalcore

For Fans Of: Cane Hill, Texas in July, I the Breather

For a Taste: “Assume” from Help!

 

Fire From the Gods

Genre: Metalcore

For Fans Of: Betraying the Martyrs, Kingdom of Giants, Breakdown of Sanity

For a Taste: “Excuse Me” from Narrative

 

Cover Your Tracks

Genre: Post Hardcore

For Fans Of: Out Came the Wolves, Dangerkids, Dayshell

For a Taste: “Spin The Bottle” from Fever Dream

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For more on 2017 Welcome to Rockville, stay tuned to scadradio.org