Sick New World descended upon Las Vegas this past weekend, and unsurprisingly, the heavy metal festival was gushing with moments that left attendees ravaged and thrilled. We rounded up some of our favorite women-led bands who left ruinous but unforgettable sets in their wake — leaving fans abuzz online and frantically eager for more.
1. BABYMETAL
Suzuka Nakamoto (“Su-metal”), Moa Kikuchi (“Moametal”), and Momoko Okazaki (“Momometal”) unleashed their unique style of kawaii metal for a massive crowd on Saturday afternoon. As Las Vegas cooked under the sun, BABYMETAL‘s reflective outfits glinted and glowed like little conflagrations of their own, their magnetic choreography and explosive stage presence giving fans plenty of reasons to sweat apart from the weather.
2. Poppy
An incendiary melder of dance-pop and metal, Poppy was one of the special guest high notes of Sick New World — taking the stage not once but twice over the weekend. Bad Omens was the first to bring her out, opening their set with a blistering performance of their song “V.A.N.” crackling with virulent sonics and stunning duet work between lead vocalist Noah Sebastian and Poppy.
3. Spiritbox
Led by Courtney LaPlante‘s dually ethereal and harrowing vocals, Spiritbox beguiled and drowned fans with wave after wave of shuddering metalcore. Opening with the rowdy screamer “Cellar Door” and closing with the equally merciless breakdowns of “Holy Roller,” every minute of their set was delivered with a manic energy.
4. Gel
Hardcore punk outfit Gel held it down early in the day on the Diablo Stage, performing tracks like the raucous “Mental Static” for the rabid crowd. Vocalist Sami Kaiser was spewing roars and wails alongside the band’s combustive and concussive soundscapes.
5. Lords of Acid
Provocative, freaky, and unabashedly carnal, the Belgium-born Lords of Acid overtook Sick New World with their sexually inflamed anthems. Another early-afternoon favorite that toyed with the fringe entanglements between EDM and hard rock, the band dazzled, danced, and moaned its way through their lurid but mesmerizing catalog.
Conclusion
These 5 women-led bands brought an electrifying energy to the Sick New World Music Festival in Las Vegas, captivating audiences with their unique sounds and powerful performances. Each act left an indelible mark on the festival, solidifying their places as must-see artists in the music scene.