By Isaiah Iles

Returning to the Kentucky Exposition Center for a 12th year, Louder Than Life attendees will witness one of the largest collections of rock and metal music in the world.

Night One | September 17

To kick it all off, Louder Than Life is going old school. Metal legends Iron Maiden and Pantera will be headlining the biggest stages, performing decades’ worth of mind-melting metal music. Behind them is an array of legacy acts such as Megadeth, Danzig and Alice Cooper.

Iron Maiden will join the festival lineup as a part of their “Run for Your Lives” tour and will be celebrating 50 years of music with hits from their first nine iconic albums.

For Megadeth fans, this will be a special performance, as it’s part of their farewell tour. Pantera fans will also be lucky, as this will be the band’s only North American performance of the year.

With all these names spanning decades of rock, Thursday is going to feel like a metal lineup from back in time. Fans of newer heavy music will surely find something to enjoy, with artists like punk band Rise Against, and incredibly theatrical performances from Skillet and Starset.

Thursday will also include a handful of emo and pop punk bands such as Jimmy Eat World, who are celebrating the 25th anniversary of their breakthrough album Bleed American, alongside Hot Mulligan, Bowling for Soup and Alkaline Trio.

Night Two | September 18

Night two will be one of the biggest days for emo and punk fans around the country, as powerhouses My Chemical Romance and Pierce The Veil will headline the main stages. My Chemical Romance and their front-man Gerard Way have been a premier face of alternative rock music for over two decades, and this Louder Than Life set will be focused on performances from their beloved album “The Black Parade.”

A Day to Remember, The Used and Taking Back Sunday also have performances that day. Other major acts like The Pretty Reckless and Coheed and Cambria are also set to perform on Sept. 18.

On Friday, fans will also get the rare opportunity to witness Cavalera perform the Sepultura album “Roots” for the first time in nearly a decade, and a set from vocalist Chad Gray featuring hits from both the bands Mudvayne and HELLYEAH.

On top of the renowned names in emo and metal, there will also be a mystery guest making their live debut that will be announced at a later date.

Night Three | September 19

By Saturday, forget any structure. The chaotic Nu-Metal group Limp Bizkit will headline with Papa Roach and Sublime on the largest stages. Sublime’s groovy ska sound will give Saturday’s biggest stages the most diversity yet without letting go of any energy.

Especially when that party will feature the on-stage theatrics and horror imagery of metalcore band Ice Nine Kills.

On top of all this chaos will also be one of the finest collections of female led metal acts in one day with Halestorm, In This Moment, and the Japanese phenom BABYMETAL, among others.

Bands like Chiodos and Dance Gavin Dance will keep the party going, and fans will be lucky enough to witness a reunion set of the post-hardcore band Circa Survive on top of a solo performance by Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello.

Night Four | September 20

As an encore to one of the biggest weekends of music in the country, The cult beloved Tool will be the final headliner after French metal band Gojira, and a special performance by Danny Elfman. Tool has been a staple of heavy music for over 30 years and has remained the most popular project of Maynard James Keenan.

Danny Elfman’s set will consist of one of the strangest varieties of music from the whole weekend. There will be energetic performances of movie scores, hard rock songs and powerful imagery. With British electronic band The Prodigy also performing that day it’s sure to show off Louder Than Life’s incredible musical diversity.

Beyond the intriguing and star studded headliners there are plenty of other bands to peak the interest of festival goers. From the high energy metal of Killswitch Engage, Black Veil Brides and Ministry to the emo inspired Thrice and heavier Underoath.

Plus, something for fans of 90’s alternative rock with the bands Toadies and Filter, Sunday will end a historic weekend.

Finally, beyond the four full days of nonstop metal music, Louder Than Life passes also grant access to Louisville’s premier amusement park Kentucky Kingdom. Hosting one of the seven stages as well as granting access to world class attractions like Wind Chaser and the new suspended coaster Flying Fox.

Passes for Louder Than Life can be purchased here.

Photo courtesy / Louder Than Life