Brace yourselves, the legendary New England Metal & Hardcore Festival is BACK and ready to unleash a sonic assault on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at The Palladium Outdoors in Worcester, Massachusetts!
For those who know their metal history, this festival is a MONUMENT. Launched way back in ’99, NEMHF became a cornerstone of our scene, hosting titans like Megadeth, Lamb of God, Meshuggah, and countless others. After a triumphant return in 2023, they’re cranking the volume back up to eleven with a lineup that’s pure, unadulterated mayhem.
Headlining this year’s single-day explosion of brutality is none other than the earth-shattering LORNA SHORE. But hold onto your horns, because the devastation doesn’t stop there. Prepare for the relentless onslaught of CANNIBAL CORPSE, the crushing intensity of KUBLAI KHAN TX, and the melodic darkness of THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER.
And in a truly historic and bittersweet moment, the fest will feature a final performance from BURY YOUR DEAD with their CLASSIC LINEUP. That’s right, Matt Bruso, Mark Costello, Brendan “Slim” MacDonald, and Aaron “Bubble” Patrick will take the stage one last time. You DO NOT want to miss this!
But wait, there’s MORE. The pit is gonna be a frenzy with the likes of DRAIN, the utterly brutal SANGUISUGABOGG, the thrash legends MUNICIPAL WASTE, hardcore kings MADBALL, the sonic terror of FULL OF HELL, and a whole damn lot more face-melting acts. Check out the full stacked lineup:
LINEUP:
- LORNA SHORE
- ALL OUT WAR
- BAYWAY
- BIG ASS TRUCK
- BURY YOUR DEAD (final show — classic lineup)
- CANNIBAL CORPSE
- CHAMBER
- DESPISED ICON
- DRAIN
- FULL OF HELL
- GATES TO HELL
- GIDEON
- GUILT TRIP
- HARD TARGET
- KUBLAI KHAN TX
- MADBALL
- MUNICIPAL WASTE
- PEELINGFLESH
- SANGUISUGABOGG
- SHADOW OF INTENT
- TEETH
- THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER
- VARIALS
- VOMIT FORTH
NEMHF co-founder Scott Lee gets it: “We’ve done this fest over a bunch of formats through the years — two days, three days, you name it. This time, it’s one day, but we didn’t cut corners. This lineup is stacked from top to bottom. We’re bringing you the best of the best. All gas, no brakes. Weeeeeee.”
This festival isn’t just about the bands; it’s an experience. As Lee said back in ’08, “It’s the whole aura of the event. It’s the Palladium. It’s this street. It’s the sausage vendor.” It’s a gathering of true metal and hardcore fans, a community where everyone is welcome, regardless of their day job. Forget the “Beavis And Butt-Head” stereotypes – this is about the passion for the music and the camaraderie of the scene.
Are you ready to dive headfirst into the chaos? Mark your calendars, start stretching those neck muscles, and prepare for a day of pure metal and hardcore fury at the New England Metal & Hardcore Festival! We’ll see you in the pit! 🤘
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