For fans of hard rock and heavy metal, Carolina Rebellion is a festival that can’t be missed. Held every May in North Carolina, 2013’s version takes place in Concord over two days. Alice In Chains, Limp Bizkit, and Deftones headline this year’s festivities on Saturday, May 4th, while Soundgarden, Rise Against, and Bush lead the crowd on Sunday. But what about the supporting acts? Although it is a fairly new festival, formed in 2011, Carolina Rebellion already has a reputation for featuring some quality hard rock and heavy metal acts that aren’t exactly household names despite their cult followings. In addition to the headliners, here are five acts that festival-goers would be wise to add to their schedules for Carolina Rebellion:
Halestorm
Taking the stage at 3:15PM on Saturday, Halestorm bring a hard-rocking fury as shown on tracks like “I Miss the Misery” and “Love Bites (So Do I)”. The Pennsylvania-based rockers feature fierce female vocals that collide with buzzing distortion and an assaulting rhythm section. Fronted by siblings Lzzy and Arejay Hale, Halestorm have been signed to Atlantic Records since 2005. Their track “Love Bites (So Do I)” won the 2013 Grammy for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance. It marked the first time a female-fronted band won a Grammy in the Hard Rock/Metal Performance category. Although aspects like these show that Halestorm are far from unknown, in addition to a rigorous touring schedule, they should not be missed.
Bullet for My Valentine
These Welsh metal-heads have come a long way since their 1998 formation, when they were covering songs by Metallica and Nirvana and steadily gaining a following. Although they now reap great success – selling over three million albums worldwide – Bullet for My Valentine have never forgotten their influences. A sound described as “melodic metalcore” borrows from old favorites like Metallica, Pantera, and other hard-rocking heroes that still graced radio airwaves despite an aggressive sound. Melodic hooks never elude a group like Bullet for My Valentine, one of the sturdiest acts at Carolina Rebellion. Check them out at 4:35PM on Saturday.
3 Quarters Dead
In preparation for familiar favorites, festival-goers can kick off their exciting weekend on Saturday at noon with 3 Quarters Dead, a relatively unknown alternative-metal goup from Wilkesboro, North Carolina. These local favorites should get the crowd’s adrenaline going with pulsating efforts like “Tongue of Razors” and “The Cycle of Dust”, both tracks that show an innate talent for roaring vocals and gauzy waves of guitar. While they may not pack the polish of headliners like Alice In Chains or Soundgarden, 3 Quarters Dead represent a burgeoning independent alternative-metal scene that Carolina Rebellion is always savvy enough to remember.
Pop Evil
After a sweat-inducing Saturday, much of the crowd may feel fatigued after such a jam-packed opening day. Do not fear, though, as a group like Pop Evil is the perfect type to get one’s adrenaline pumping again. At 12:50PM on Sunday these Michigan-based favorites will take the stage, as enigmatic frontman Leigh Kakaty unleashes his idiosyncratic vocals over an infectiously loud instrumental arsenal. Better yet, tracks like the hit “Monster You Made” show a sentimental side to the band, at least initially. An acoustic-led accompaniment comprises the initial verses, before a heart-thumping chorus shows a stadium-ready fervor worthy of fist-pumping and head-nodding. Although this has scaled the radio waves plenty, “Monster You Made” is still destined for even greater things. Check out Pop Evil before they get even bigger, because they will.
Red Line Chemistry
Before Bush and Soundgarden play the final sets of Carolina Rebellion on Sunday night, fans should flock to Red Line Chemistry’s set at 4PM for a bit of pre-gaming. Based out of Kansas City, Red Line Chemistry should provide the audience with a party-ready atmosphere. Touring with the likes of Stone Temple Pilots, Puddle of Mudd, and Sevendust has given this five-piece plenty of experience on that front. They should be extra energized performing in anticipation of their upcoming album Tug of War, which will be released on May 14th and is produced by Grammy-winning producer Nick Raskulinecz. Like Bullet for My Valentine, they emphasize traditional metal and hard-rock acts by relying heavily on melodic hooks. But that doesn’t mean their sound is devoid of high-energy and high-volume blasts of energy. There’s plenty of that from Red Line Chemistry, and the majority of acts at the exciting Carolina Rebellion festival.
Top 5 Artists to Check Out at Carolina Rebellion
For fans of hard rock and heavy metal, Carolina Rebellion is a festival that can’t be missed. Held every May in North Carolina, 2013’s version takes place in Concord over two days. Alice In Chains, Limp Bizkit, and Deftones headline this year’s festivities on Saturday, May 4th, while Soundgarden, Rise Against, and Bush lead the crowd on Sunday. But what about the supporting acts? Although it is a fairly new festival, formed in 2011, Carolina Rebellion already has a reputation for featuring some quality hard rock and heavy metal acts that aren’t exactly household names despite their cult followings. In addition to the headliners, here are five acts that festival-goers would be wise to add to their schedules for Carolina Rebellion:
Halestorm
Taking the stage at 3:15PM on Saturday, Halestorm bring a hard-rocking fury as shown on tracks like “I Miss the Misery” and “Love Bites (So Do I)”. The Pennsylvania-based rockers feature fierce female vocals that collide with buzzing distortion and an assaulting rhythm section. Fronted by siblings Lzzy and Arejay Hale, Halestorm have been signed to Atlantic Records since 2005. Their track “Love Bites (So Do I)” won the 2013 Grammy for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance. It marked the first time a female-fronted band won a Grammy in the Hard Rock/Metal Performance category. Although aspects like these show that Halestorm are far from unknown, in addition to a rigorous touring schedule, they should not be missed.
Bullet for My Valentine
These Welsh metal-heads have come a long way since their 1998 formation, when they were covering songs by Metallica and Nirvana and steadily gaining a following. Although they now reap great success – selling over three million albums worldwide – Bullet for My Valentine have never forgotten their influences. A sound described as “melodic metalcore” borrows from old favorites like Metallica, Pantera, and other hard-rocking heroes that still graced radio airwaves despite an aggressive sound. Melodic hooks never elude a group like Bullet for My Valentine, one of the sturdiest acts at Carolina Rebellion. Check them out at 4:35PM on Saturday.
3 Quarters Dead
In preparation for familiar favorites, festival-goers can kick off their exciting weekend on Saturday at noon with 3 Quarters Dead, a relatively unknown alternative-metal goup from Wilkesboro, North Carolina. These local favorites should get the crowd’s adrenaline going with pulsating efforts like “Tongue of Razors” and “The Cycle of Dust”, both tracks that show an innate talent for roaring vocals and gauzy waves of guitar. While they may not pack the polish of headliners like Alice In Chains or Soundgarden, 3 Quarters Dead represent a burgeoning independent alternative-metal scene that Carolina Rebellion is always savvy enough to remember.
Pop Evil
After a sweat-inducing Saturday, much of the crowd may feel fatigued after such a jam-packed opening day. Do not fear, though, as a group like Pop Evil is the perfect type to get one’s adrenaline pumping again. At 12:50PM on Sunday these Michigan-based favorites will take the stage, as enigmatic frontman Leigh Kakaty unleashes his idiosyncratic vocals over an infectiously loud instrumental arsenal. Better yet, tracks like the hit “Monster You Made” show a sentimental side to the band, at least initially. An acoustic-led accompaniment comprises the initial verses, before a heart-thumping chorus shows a stadium-ready fervor worthy of fist-pumping and head-nodding. Although this has scaled the radio waves plenty, “Monster You Made” is still destined for even greater things. Check out Pop Evil before they get even bigger, because they will.
Red Line Chemistry
Before Bush and Soundgarden play the final sets of Carolina Rebellion on Sunday night, fans should flock to Red Line Chemistry’s set at 4PM for a bit of pre-gaming. Based out of Kansas City, Red Line Chemistry should provide the audience with a party-ready atmosphere. Touring with the likes of Stone Temple Pilots, Puddle of Mudd, and Sevendust has given this five-piece plenty of experience on that front. They should be extra energized performing in anticipation of their upcoming album Tug of War, which will be released on May 14th and is produced by Grammy-winning producer Nick Raskulinecz. Like Bullet for My Valentine, they emphasize traditional metal and hard-rock acts by relying heavily on melodic hooks. But that doesn’t mean their sound is devoid of high-energy and high-volume blasts of energy. There’s plenty of that from Red Line Chemistry, and the majority of acts at the exciting Carolina Rebellion festival.
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