Preview: Sick New World 2026 is About to Get Sick Again!
PREVIEW
PREVIEW
☆ BY ELIJAH CLOWER ☆
Photo By Valeria Valos
Photo By Justin Agoncillo
AFTER A GUT-PUNCH 2025 CANCELLATION, Sick New World is officially one week away! The Las Vegas Festival Grounds opens its gates at 11:00 AM on April 25th and runs until midnight, giving you a full 13 hours to soak in what is easily one of the most stacked single-day heavy music lineups on the planet.
System of a Down returns to the top of the bill, co-headlining with Korn — two bands that built the DNA of this festival from day one. SOAD's spot here feels especially loaded given what fans missed out on last year, and if you've been following their recent activity, the anticipation is real. Rounding out the upper tier is Bring Me the Horizon, Ministry, Evanescence, Marilyn Manson, AFI, Acid Bath, Knocked Loose, Danny Elfman, Cypress Hill, Mastodon, and Underoath — a lineup that covers every dark corner of the alternative-heavy universe, from nu-metal nostalgia to modern metalcore brutality to full-on industrial chaos. Danny Elfman alone is a wildcard worth the price of admission. The man is a full-on experience.
The festival runs across four stages — the Purple Stage, Green Stage, Spiral Stage, and Diablo Stage — packed with heavy-hitters from open to close. The Purple Stage opens with Speed Of Light at 11:10 AM, building through P.O.D., Mastodon, and AFI before Marilyn Manson at 5:45 PM, Bring Me the Horizon at 7:55 PM, and System of a Down closing everything out at 10:25 PM. The Green Stage runs Filter, Acid Bath, Cypress Hill, and Knocked Loose before Evanescence at 6:50 PM and Korn headlining at 9:00 PM. The Spiral Stage is the hidden gem of the day — a relentless run of Snot, Orgy, Alien Ant Farm, Lords of Acid, Kittie, Coal Chamber, Melvins, She Wants Revenge, Clutch, and Ministry, capped by Danny Elfman at 9:30 PM. If nostalgia is your drug, this stage is the dealer. The Diablo Stage is where the hardcore and heavier alternative acts get their flowers — Corrosion of Conformity, Bloodywood, Norma Jean, HEALTH, Deafheaven, Glassjaw, Poison the Well, and Underoath closing at 9:25 PM.
There are also a few lineup changes to have on your radar heading in. Better Lovers withdrew following the departure of vocalist Greg Puciato, KMFDM stepped down due to severe illness, and Scowl are no longer appearing after scaling back their 2026 touring plans. Filling those gaps are Deafheaven, Showing Teeth, and Flatwounds. One of the standout additions is a collaborative set from Terror and Pain of Truth, who are touring together this spring — the kind of one-off moment you won't get anywhere else on the calendar this year. Before the main gates open, early birds can also catch exclusive pre-show sets from Poison the Well, Mastodon, and P.O.D. — honestly a strong enough mini-bill on its own.
Photo By Jazmyn Le
GA, GA+, and VIP options are all available, with VIP including access to an exclusive lounge with shaded seating and a premium space to recharge. The festival is all-ages and there is no on-site camping, so sort your accommodations early — Las Vegas has plenty of options but they fill up fast on event weekends. Plan your travel smart too; the Festival Grounds area gets congested on show days, so give yourself extra time getting in.
Sick New World 2026 is the heavy music festival moment of the year, full stop. After everything that went down in 2025, the scene showed up hungry — and this lineup is the answer. Whether you're a lifer who's been riding with SOAD since Toxicity or someone who just needs to see Korn play under the desert sky, April 25th belongs to you. The world is about to get sick again!!!
