On October 24, 2026, Sick New World makes its explosive debut in Fort Worth, Texas, bringing one of the most stacked, genre-smashing festival lineups the heavy-music world has ever seen. Set on the massive grounds of the Texas Motor Speedway, the festival’s newest edition feels bigger, darker, and more surreal than anything before it — a chaotic collision of nu-metal royalty, goth icons, industrial legends, hardcore heavyweights, and modern scene-shaping bands all on one monstrous bill.
If the Vegas editions felt overwhelming, this Texas version feels apocalyptic — a once-in-a-lifetime gathering built for fans of the weird, the heavy, and the aggressively nostalgic.
A Triple-Threat of Headliners Built for Chaos
System of a Down
A rare appearance from one of the most influential alternative-metal bands ever. The energy, the unpredictability, the political punch — SOAD headlining Texas is a moment fans will talk about for years.
Deftones
Atmospheric, emotional, crushing — Deftones bring the seductive heaviness only they can deliver. Their sets at Sick New World are always breathtaking, and 2026 will be no different.
Slayer — 40 Years of Reign in Blood
This is the wild card that sets the tone. Slayer celebrating Reign in Blood at a nu-metal/industrial/goth fest? Completely insane — and completely perfect. Expect a riot-level crowd reaction.
Icons of the Dark, the Beautiful, and the Industrial
Sick New World Texas pivots hard into the darker corners of alternative music:
- Evanescence — soaring vocals and dramatic, gothic rock domination
- AFI — melodic aggression, emotional darkness, and unmatched stage presence
- Marilyn Manson — a return guaranteed to spark conversation and controversy
- Ministry — industrial legends bringing metallic machine-energy
- Coal Chamber — the gods of spooky nu-metal aesthetics
The combination feels curated for fans who lived through the early 2000s scene — but still thrives today.
Hardcore + Metalcore Takeover: Modern Heavyweights Step Up
Sick New World isn’t just nostalgia — Texas gets the hardest modern heavy bands on the planet:
Knocked Loose
The biggest hardcore band in the world right now. Their crossover popularity fits perfectly alongside metal royalty — and their crowd will be absolutely feral.
Speed
Australian hardcore domination. One of the most explosive sets of any festival they touch.
Terror
Hardcore veterans known for pure intensity and unmatched crowd control.
UnderOath
Post-hardcore legends bringing a distinctly emotional, heavy, melodic edge to the festival.
Mastodon
A progressive-metal titan with massive riffs and psychedelic heaviness.
Norma Jean, Wage War, Gideon
Metalcore staples that ensure the undercard hits as hard as the main stage.
This mix of new and old gives Sick New World Texas a multi-generational weight no other festival offers.
Nu-Metal Revival in Full Force
This is the fest’s spiritual core, and Texas gets ALL the essentials:
- P.O.D.
- Orgy
- Static-X
- Filter
- Coal Chamber
- Down
- Cold
- Violent Vira
This is the soundtrack of TRL, Hot Topic, JNCO jeans, and underground club shows — brought to life again for tens of thousands of fans.
Underground, Experimental, and Goth Excellence
Sick New World Texas dives deep into the obscure and theatrical:
- Twin Tribes — Texas-based darkwave heroes
- Superheaven — emo-grunge legends returning with explosive energy
- Failure — alternative cult royalty
- Melvins — sludge pioneers
- The Dark
- New Order Coffee Roasters Stage underground acts like Amira Elfeky, The Backhell, Eco Kill Talent, and others
This is the festival at its most eclectic — showcasing artists who push boundaries, textures, and aesthetics.
A Celebration of Cult Culture, Nostalgia, and Heavy Innovation
Sick New World Texas isn’t just a concert — it’s a massive crossover of subcultures:
- nu-metal kids
- goths
- hardcore fans
- industrial old-heads
- alternative rock die-hards
- metalcore crews
- emos
- retro horror / occult aesthetic fans
The flyer looks like it was ripped straight out of a 1999 Kerrang! magazine, photocopied at a gas station, and plastered on every wall in the city — and that’s exactly the point.
The Speedway is the Perfect Arena
The Texas Motor Speedway gives this year’s festival the scale it deserves. Giant video walls, thunderous sound, massive crowds, and endless room for stages, installations, vendors, and late-night chaos. It’s Sick New World completely unchained.
This isn’t a concert — it’s a full-scale event.
Sick New World Texas May Be the Most Ambitious Edition Yet
From Slayer to System of a Down, from Knocked Loose to Marilyn Manson, from Deftones to Twin Tribes, this lineup feels like a multi-universe crossover for every era of alternative heavy music.
Texas is about to witness something unreal.
Tickets available now at sicknewworldfest.com/texas — don’t wait. This one will sell out.
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