By Jennifer Russo

It’s Mecca to all those who follow the religion of metal music. Preparations are being made for the 15th annual New England Metal and Hardcore Festival ~ the time of year when the divine come to earth for a true hardcore ceremony, of sorts. When the rulers of scream will take to their microphones and string gods will wrap their fingers around guitar necks to strangle out sounds that make the dead souls of the underworld rise to listen. When drummers will run chariot races on silver double bass pedals to please themselves and spectators alike. The audience will give offerings of cheers, sweat, horns and chants, and all will be well and good with the metal world.

And speaking of the world, people (performers and audience alike) travel from around the globe to attend this show, so if you’re local, suck up the tiny parking fee and get your tattooed, black T-shirt and gauge-wearing ass to The Palladium. The gods are sure to see fit to reward you with a great time.

Scott Lee, the festival’s organizer, said, “We are very excited to have one of the best lineups we have ever had and to celebrate our 15th year of the New England Metal and HardcoreFestival. If you are a fan of metal or hardcore, come on down!”

As it is every year, both stages of Worcester’s Palladium will be vibrating for three days straight, with a kickoff party on Thursday, April 18, for which you can buy tickets for $12 in advance, $15 day of. At the party, there will be live performances and show vendors. You may even get to rub shoulders and share a shot with the gurus of the metal kingdom, who often stop there for drinks when they get into town and have a little informal fun before their weekend performances.

On Friday, April 19, the festival will feature headliners Anthrax (who will perform the entirety of their album Among the Living), Hatebreed, Exodus, Shadow’s Fall and Municipal Waste, among others, including someone a Palladium source said is a “huge surprise guest.”

Supporting these acts will be Black Breath, Trap Them, Death Before Dishonor, Battlecross, Holy Grail, Alleageon, Mutilation Rites and more.

On Saturday, April 20, the audible orgy continues with an even darker array of pleasure-inducing sound, including headliners Opeth, Within the Ruins, Born of Osiris, Katatonia, Dillinger Escape Plan, The Contortionist, Goatwhore, After the Burial and the support talent of Tyr, Alpha & Omega, Fit For An Autopsy, City In The Sea, Mouth of the South, Dead By Wednesday, Ark of the Covenant, Saving Grace and others.

On Sunday, April 21, the festival closes out as it usually does, with a joust of heavy-hitting gladiators that threaten to bash the armor of your weekday monotony in with pure brutal force. Suicidal Tendencies, Sick of it All, D.R.I., Miss May I, Job For A Cowboy, Trapped Under Ice, Foundation and Texas In July will leave your ears ringing for days, as will supporting acts like I Declare War, Your Memorial, Legion, Bracewar (with its original lineup), Gideon, The Greenery, Waking the Dead, Thick As Blood and plenty of others that will make you forget that you have work the next morning.

Sponsors will be there showing off their wares, so get there early for possible giveaways and free swag from vendors like Facedown Records, Real Talk Skateboards, Mosh It Up, Metal Blade Records, TAMA, Ibanez, Rock and Shock, Nefarious Realm, Hatewear and Razor & Tie, among others.

MORE INFORMATION:
Ticket prices vary, and there are a few packages (including VIP) to choose from. Friday and Sunday tickets are $35 for each day and Saturday-only tickets are $40. Get the real deal with a weekend pass for all three days for $90. Tickets can be purchased at Tickets.com, The Palladium box office or by calling (800) 477-6849. VIP Tickets are available at Soundrink.com. For more information, go to metalandhardcorefestival.com.