Top 10 Bands Not to Miss at LOUDER THAN LIFE Festival 2019

This upcoming September, DWP (Danny Wimmer Presents) are bringing one of the best looking lineups at a American rock festival in a long time, with Louder than Life 2019. The lineup is full of hidden gems, and instantly recognizable legends like Slipknot, Guns N’ Roses, Marilyn Manson, Disturbed, and the much anticipated return of Staind, who haven’t played a full fledged show since 2014 at Carolina Rebellion. But, there are tons of lesser known bands that most definitely deserve the spotlight, and the aforementioned top 10 will consist of the smaller bands, to bring more attention to the variety of talent at the festival.

10. DED

After years of playing various festival dates, DED are returning once again to rock your faces off. The bands instantly recognizable mix of nu-metal and hard rock will surely please fans of the mentioned genres, as well as newcomers. I’ve had the pleasure of seeing these guys before, and not only do they rock on stage, but they are also the most humble individuals off it too.

9. MONTIONLESS IN WHITE

While this is surely a instantly-recognizable name for Warped Tour aficionados, this band has also been a favorite at Carolina Rebellion and various other DWP festivals. The band’s mix of Gothic-metal and alternative vibes create an atmospheric environment, that translates incredibly well to their live show.

8. A DAY TO REMEMBER

While this band is higher up on the lineup, and definitely far from being unknown, I still can’t stress how important it is to see them live. While the band has a wonderful mix of pop-punk and hard rock, their stage presence is one of the most entertaining out there. I had the pleasure of seeing these guys very recently at a small club show (link to review of that show here), and it’s obvious that they love their jobs and fans, which is nice to see.

7. NEW YEARS DAY

Yet another Warped Tour favorite has made it onto the list in the form of Anaheim, California based band New Years Day. The band surely has toured a lot in the last few years, yet their stop at Louder than Life ought to be pretty interesting with the gigantic crowd. The collective just released a killer new record, Unbreakable this past April, that is the heaviest material they’ve done in awhile, so they will surely will pump the crowd craziness to 11.

6. DIRTY HONEY

After a successful run opening for Red Sun Rising, a show with The Who, and various festival dates this spring, the band is going to be playing a delightful mix of smooth-rock and blues, which will surely be a nice change of pace for such a heavy festival. Expect Dirty Honey‘s talent and relentless drive to earn them a key role in defining today’s rock movement.

5. BEARTOOTH

Ohio-based hardcore outfit Beartooth put on some of the most aggressive festival shows I’ve seen in awhile, so the mere thought of them playing anything off of their newest record Disease makes me giddy. Beartooth an outlet for the vision of a singular creative mind that is Caleb Shomo, and believe me he’s unique.

4. KNOCKED LOOSE

After a successful run with A Day to Remember, hardcore rockers Knocked Loose will be hitting the stage with their insane mix of intense vocals and banging guitar riffs. It’s a policy that — along with extreme heaviness, bruising breakdowns and the willingness to play with almost anyone, anywhere — has only bolstered the reputation of this Kentucky hardcore troupe. This band is immaculate live, and you would be stupid to miss them.

3. BROKEN HANDS

English rockers Broken Hands are currently on their first American run with Shinedown, and have been killing it every night. The band is relatively new to the American scene, and have a new record, entitled Split in Two coming out that I am certainly very excited for. Of the bands on the lineup, this is one of the newer ones, but definitely one of the best.

2. I PREVAIL

With lead singer Brian Burkeiser’s vocal issues, some believed that the Michigan-natives would never be able to tour in the same capacity again. But, to prove everyone wrong, the band released their new record, Trauma, and setup a gigantic tour with Issues supporting. After the album tour, the band will be making a stop in Kentucky, and their festival sets are a sight to behold indeed. Don’t miss it.

1. BADFLOWER

While Badflower is not new to the festival scene, they have had perhaps the busiest festival season yet this year, playing every major festival not only on the US, but overseas too. When I say this band is the revival of meaningful rock n’ roll, I mean it. With quite possibly one of the best live shows of any band touring right now, this 4-piece group definitely gives it their all on stage, and uses their platform to address social issues plaguing our society today. Easily my favorite band on the lineup by far.