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Rock Hard & Heavy 2025
By Curtis Newart
December 1, 2024
As any true headbanger can tell you, there are a myriad of sub-categories of rock - 300 perhaps? I've decided to focus on heavy metal and hard rock tours, keeping in mind that some have rock supporting acts.
I think the most obvious choice to lead the list is Metallica, who are extending their record-breaking M72 World Tour to include 21 North American dates in 2025. This will be the third year of the tour in support of their latest album, 72 Seasons.
Metallica will perform with support from Limp Bizkit, Suicidal Tendencies, Pantera, and Ice Nine Kills (Press photo)
72 Seasons album by Metallica
Metallica kicks off their North American dates on April 12th at the Las Vegas Sick New World festival. They are scheduled to play stadiums in Syracuse, Toronto, Nashville, Philadelphia, Houston, and more, before closing at Denver’s Empower Field at Mile High on June 29th. Limp Bizkit, Suicidal Tendencies, Pantera, and Ice Nine Kills will support on select dates.
Metallica: Enter Sandman (Official Music Video)
Limp Bizkit is an American nu metal band from Jacksonville, Florida, starring singer Fred Durst, drummer John Otto, guitarist Wes Borland, DJ Lethal and bassist Sam Rivers.
Limp Bizkit - Rollin' (Air Raid Vehicle)
Suicidal Tendencies is a thrash band founded in 1980 in Venice, California, by vocalist Mike Muir. Their current lineup includes Muir, guitarists Dean Pleasants and Ben Weinman, bassist Tye Trujillo and drummer Jay Weinberg.
Suicidal Tendencies - You Can't Bring Me Down
Pantera is an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas, founded in 1981 by the late Dimebag Darrell and his brother Vinnie Paul.
Pantera's currently lineup includes lead singer Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, and touring musicians Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante.
Pantera - Walk (Official Music Video)
Ice Nine Kills is a heavy metal band from Boston, Massachusetts, formed in 2000 by high school friends Spencer Charnas and Jeremy Schwartz.
A Grave Mistake - Ice Nine Kills
METALLICA
M72 WORLD TOUR
North America 2025
April 12 Las Vegas, NV Sick New World @ Las Vegas Festival Grounds
April 19 Syracuse, NY JMA Wireless Dome *
April 24 Toronto, ON Rogers Centre *
April 26 Toronto, ON Rogers Centre +
May 1 Nashville, TN Nissan Stadium *
May 3 Nashville, TN Nissan Stadium +
May 7 Blacksburg, VA Lane Stadium *
May 9 Columbus, OH Sonic Temple @ Historic Crew Stadium
May 11 Columbus, OH Sonic Temple @ Historic Crew Stadium
May 23 Philadelphia, PA Lincoln Financial Field +
May 25 Philadelphia, PA Lincoln Financial Field *
May 28 Landover, MD Northwest Stadium *
May 31 Charlotte, NC Bank of America Stadium *
June 3 Atlanta, GA Mercedes-Benz Stadium *
June 6 Tampa, FL Raymond James Stadium +
June 8 Tampa, FL Raymond James Stadium *
June 14 Houston, TX NRG Stadium *
June 20 Santa Clara, CA Levi’s Stadium +
June 22 Santa Clara, CA Levi’s Stadium *
June 27 Denver, CO Empower Field at Mile High +
June 29 Denver, CO Empower Field at Mile High *
* Pantera and Suicidal Tendencies support
+ Limp Bizkit and Ice Nine Kills support
MORE HEAVY METAL & HARD ROCK TOURS + FESTIVALS 2025
May-August 2025
GRAMMY and Brit Awards winning Iron Maiden is an English heavy metal band formed in Leyton, East London, in 1975. Their album The Number of the Beast is one of the most popular heavy metal albums of all time, selling almost 20 million copies worldwide.
Iron Maiden has sold over 130 million albums total, worldwide.
March-May 2025
Killswitch Engage is an American metalcore band from Westfield, Massachusetts, founded in 1999. They rose to fame with their 2004 release The End of Heartache, which peaked at number 21 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA.
The GRAMMY nominated band's fourth album, As Daylight Dies, was certified platinum in the US and produced the platinum-selling single "My Curse".
January-October 2025
Papa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California, formed in 1993. Their album Lovehatetragedy went gold, Getting Away with Murder went platinum, and Infest went triple platinum
April-September 2025
Ghost is a Swedish rock band formed in Linköping in 2006. Their debut album, Opus Eponymous earned them international recognition. The album Meliora reached number one in Sweden and number eight in the US.
February-June 2025
Deftones is an American alternative metal band formed in Sacramento, California in 1988. Their debut album Adrenaline was released in 1995. Their second album, Around the Fur (1997), became the band's first to receive certification from the RIAA.
January-August 2025
The legendary Alice Cooper, is an American rock singer and songwriter whose career spans 60 years. Cooper is widely considered to be "The Godfather of Shock Rock".
February-May 2025
Disturbed is a GRAMMY nominated American heavy metal band from Chicago, formed in 1994. They've sold over 17 million albums worldwide, earning them six RIAA certifications (including 5× platinum for The Sickness).
February-July 2025
Scorpions is a German hard rock band formed in Hanover in 1965. The band has seven albums certified platinum or multi-platinum in the US. They've released 13 consecutive studio albums that were in the Top Ten in Germany (including a number one). They had three consecutive Top Ten albums on the Billboard 200 chart in the US.
December 2024 - November 2025
Linkin Park is a US alternative rock and nu metal band founded in Agoura Hills, California, in 1996. Their debut studio album, Hybrid Theory, was certified Diamond by the RIAA.
Following the passing of Chester Bennington in 2017, the band reformed, including Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Joe Hahn, Dave "Phoenix" Farrell, Emily Armstrong, and Colin Brittain,
January-June 2025
Bullet for My Valentine is a Welsh heavy metal band from Bridgend, formed in 1998. Their debut album The Poison is certified gold by RIAA. They've sold over three million albums worldwide.
PLUS! More international tours by Judas Priest, AC/DC, Queensryche, Slipknot, Marilyn Manson, Tool, W.A.S.P., and Uriah Heep.
Festivals
The 2025 lineup includes headliners Korn, Green Day, Linkin Park, and Shinedown. Four-day festival in Daytona Beach, Florida, from May 15th–18th, 2025. Welcome to Rockville is one of the biggest rock music festivals in the US. Click here for full line-up, and here for passes.
Headlined by Pentagram, the 2025 Maryland Deathfest runs May 22-25, 2025. Click here for lineup and tickets.
Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival
Headliners include Korn, Metallica, and Linkin Park. Four-day festival in Columbus, Ohio, from May 8th-11th, 2025. Click here for lineup, and here for passes.
Heavy metal cruise with 60 bands on four stages, including a pool deck stage. January 30th to February 3rd, 2025. Click here for lineup, and here for bookings.
October 2nd–5th, 2025 at Discovery Park in Sacramento, California. Lineup to be announced. Click here for pre-sale information.
MORE IN THIS ISSUE!
The 80's Club review of Honeymoon Suite, A Flock Of Seagulls, Men Without Hats, and Spoons!
&
November Contest Winners!
Curtis Newart is a Gen Xer who grew up listening to 80s music in cowboy country.