For the first time ever, Metal Injection is stepping out into the world and putting on a killer festival featuring some of today’s most exciting acts. For one weekend in September, bands like Exhumed, Xibalba, Spirit Adrift, and Exmortus will share the stage with titans like Testament, Cavalera, Fear Factory, and Machine Head for the inaugural Metal Injection Festival in Orange County, California.
While we like to think of ourselves as the hotter of the two sites, we’re happy that our decidedly brainier sister site was able to put together an incredibly stacked and diverse lineup. Looking at the list of bands slated to hit the stage, which you can check out below, the first ever Metal Injection Festival will have bands that represent thrash, death, industrial, hardcore, doom, and all kinds of other metal subgenres.
The first night’s festivities will take place on Saturday, September 16 at The Observatory in Santa Ana, California and will feature:
- Max & Igor Cavalera (performing a special Morbid Visions and Bestial Devastation set)
- Exhumed
- Incite
- Fueled By Fire
- Dead Heat
Then the following day, at the House of Blues Anaheim, the Metal Injection Festival will feature:
- Testament
- Machine Head
- Fear Factory (performing a special Demanufacture and Obsolete set)
- Xibalba
- Spirit Adrift
- Exmortus
- Kyng
- Contracult Collective
- Upon Stone
- Thrown Into Exile
Metal Injection founder and company director Frank Godla said today’s announcement may be the culmination of months of headaches, planning, and herding cats, but it’s now on its way to becoming an actual dream come true.
“I’ve always dreamed of having my own festival as a kid, I mean what metal head hasn’t!? I even wrote it down on a future goal plan for Metal Injection in the early days. When my Slay At Home virtual fest really took off during the pandemic, and reached communities in over 60 countries, it suddenly seemed possible, even overdue.
“Today, I bring you the first ever Metal Injection Festival. Two days days of killer bands ranging from thrash, death, industrial, hardcore, and more from legendary names to the ones worth discovering. We’ll also have some really sweet giveaways, a learning area for amazing causes I believe in, and special setlists including the legendary Max & Igor Cavalera performing Morbid Visions and Bestial Devastation records in entirety, and Fear Factory celebrating their game changing Demanufacture and 25th anniversary of Obsolete with us!
“Every new endeavor has to start somewhere, and I couldn’t be more stoked to have this group of amazing bands be part of MI history!”
Tickets for the first night will run ya $35 and are on sale now, while tickets for the second night will go live this Friday at 10 a.m. PDT at a similarly reasonable price of $50. Naturally, Livenation, Citibank, and House of Blues pre-sales will launch tomorrow, June 15, at 10 a.m. PDT.
“But Hesher,” I hear you ask. “What if I want to treat myself with a VIP experience?!” If that’s the case, then you can get yourself a VIP ticket for $99.50, which will include a limited-edition poster, a t-shirt, and access to comfy mezzanine seating.
In addition to the performances, the Metal Injection Festival will also have kick ass side activities, including a booth sponsored by ESP where they’ll be raffling off a guitar each night, with the guitar on offer at the Saturday show being signed by Max Cavalera and the Sunday show’s guitar being signed by Alex Skolnick.
Attendees will also be able to learn about various important causes from organizations like MusiCares, Greenpeace, and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
It all sounds incredibly exciting and I know I fully intend on being there! I know I speak for myself and everyone here at both sites that we’re insanely excited about this and we hope to see you there too.
