Welcome To Rockville has by no means precisely been for the faint of coronary heart, however 2025 turned up the warmth – actually and figuratively. With Daytona Seashore baking beneath a relentless solar and thermometers flirting with triple digits, the stage was set for a weekend that examined stamina as a lot because it celebrated sound. But when rock ‘n’ roll thrives beneath stress, then this 12 months’s version proved it is virtually indestructible. 4 days, dozens of bands, and numerous gallons of sunscreen later, Rockville emerged not simply unscathed however triumphant.
Few genres captured the spirit of the competition higher than metalcore, and through the 4 days, there have been loads of alternatives to take pleasure in performances from a myriad of bands in that realm. Match For A King ignited early chaos on the Vortex Stage, tearing by way of a high-octane eight-song set that balanced precision and fury. “No Tomorrow” and “Backbreaker” kicked off the sweat-soaked frenzy, whereas “God Of Fireplace” introduced it to a climax, with Ryan Kirby rallying the whole crowd right into a unified leap. Bassist Ryan “Tuck” O’Leary practically levitated from the stage — actually — spending the top of their set crowd-surfing on his again with out lacking a single word.
Picture by Alex Ochoa / DWP Presents
Asking Alexandria delivered a refined but visceral efficiency. Their mixture of gritty guitarwork and digital polish hit hardest on “Home On Fireplace” and “Do not Pray For Me”, with Danny Worsnop prowling the stage and urging the gang into movement. A second of pause got here when the band halted the present for a medical emergency, displaying a human contact earlier than launching right into a roaring finale with “The Closing Episode (Let’s Change The Channel)”.
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Florida’s personal Trivium had been met with a hero’s welcome. Blistering renditions of “Rain” and “A Gunshot To The Head Of Trepidation” had the gang screaming each phrase again at Matt Heafy, who, alongside Corey Beaulieu, fired off razor-sharp riffage. Their set pulled closely from Ascendancy however closed with a thunderous, unified shout-along to “In Waves” that reminded everybody why this band stays metalcore royalty.
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I Prevail, down one vocalist however not an oz. of depth, leaned into their heavier catalog. Eric Vanlerberghe carried the vocal weight with uncooked urgency, commanding consideration on “Physique Bag”, “Choke”, and “Visceral”. With synchronized lights and well-timed pyros, the band turned “Self-Destruction” right into a volcanic blast of crowd vitality, particularly when the now-iconic line — “If you do not know the satan, then you do not know me” — ripped by way of the night time air.
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Memphis Might Fireplace introduced the hooks. The stability of melodic choruses and teeth-gritting breakdowns on “Shapeshifter” and “Blood & Water” had the Inferno Stage rocking. Matty Mullins masterfully alternated between hovering vocals and throaty screams, every line seemingly pulled from private anguish, every refrain an anthem of redemption.
In fact, there was loads of room for the breakdown masters. Killswitch Have interaction supplied catharsis in sonic kind. Their dozen-song set was a blur of fireside, emotion, and unrelenting vitality. “Hate By Design” and “Rose Of Sharyn” had been lit up by large pyro bursts, however the non secular second got here with their iconic cowl of “Holy Diver”, which noticed the gang collectively explode into motion. Jesse Leach, with a uncooked, confessional supply, saved followers each moshing and connecting on a deeper degree.
Picture by Lexie Alley / DWP Presents
Bullet For My Valentine, contemporary from slicing their a lot hyped tour with Trivium quick, took the Vortex Stage like males possessed. From the opening blast of “Suffocating Beneath Phrases Of Sorrow” to the crushing finale of “Scream Purpose Fireplace”, they by no means let up. Matt Tuck and Michael Paget delivered twin guitar wizardry with easy confidence, igniting the gang with each tempo shift and breakdown.
Beartooth turned the Apex Stage right into a battle zone of emotion and quantity. Caleb Shomo, shirtless and sweating, was a whirlwind of movement, belting out “Riptide”, “I Was Alive”, and “In Between” with every thing he had. Each pyro blast felt like a heartbeat; each refrain, a chant of survival. Few bands wore their hearts so visibly on stage.
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Gothic-tinged and theatrical metalcore mainstays Immobile In White struck a darkish distinction with the sunny Florida open air, clad in midnight black and pale white make-up that was additional enlightened by an enormous show of pyrotechnics and CO2 columns. The extremely emotive and cellular presence of singer Chris “Immobile” Cerulli commanded the lion’s share of the viewers’s consideration as he sang and screamed his means by way of punchy melodic anthems like “Eternally Yours”, “One other Life” and the Emo/punk-infused “Ghost In The Mirror”, flanked by a metallic riff assault at both facet by guitarists Ryan Sitkowski and Ricky “Horror” Olson.
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Ukrainian progressive metalcore stalwarts Jinjer raised hell through the Inferno Stage with a 7 track set that was mercifully free from the technical points that had dogged them on the Sonic Temple. The tattoo-clad and extremely charismatic presence of vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk alone set the lots ablaze beneath the setting solar with a flexible assortment of barks, growls, and serene vocalizations that had been nestled comfortably inside a tableau of blended meter beats and nuanced guitar and bass work.
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Knocked Free introduced essentially the most violent pit of the weekend. Their efficiency was so visceral, so overpowering, it compelled the band to cease mid-song (“Blinding Religion”) for a crowd damage. That did not cease them. Joined by Matt McDougal and Juan Pardo, their set become a chaotic, communal outburst of anger and catharsis. With weird Ent-like bushes on stage and backlit shadows, the whole set felt like a fever dream with breakdowns.
Picture by J Mulka / DWP Presents
Equally, because it occurred throughout Sonic Temple only one week earlier than, thrash and dying steel firepower had been nicely represented. Exodus introduced traditional Bay Space thrash at full velocity. With Rob Dukes snarling his means by way of “Bonded By Blood” and “Strike Of The Beast”, and Gary Holt shredding with out mercy, the Inferno Stage briefly grew to become a late-’80s time machine. Circle pits swirled nonstop, unbothered by the warmth.
Municipal Waste saved the chaos going with their booze-fueled model of crossover thrash. “Slime And Punishment” and “Grave Dive” lit up the pit as Tony Foresta barked out orders like a common. With continuous riffing from Ryan Waste and Nick Poulos, and a rhythm part that hit like a cinderblock, their set was quick, enjoyable, and ferocious.
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Testomony dialed issues up with a technical and brutal barrage. Chuck Billy’s growls powered by way of “Time Is Coming” and “Observe What You Preach”, whereas Alex Skolnick’s leads elevated the music into one thing surgical and hovering. Chris Dovas hammered by way of each blastbeat with mechanical precision. The pit throughout “Into The Pit” was precisely as marketed: pure, superb bedlam.
The Vortex Stage was the positioning the place face-melting fury with a hardcore sense of brevity and anger would rival the scorching situations courtesy of California hardcore maniacs Nails. A no frills model of utmost aggression channeled by way of the template of grindcore with dying steel overtones, because the quartet proceeded to play their asses off like they had been battling their strategy to the ultimate frontier.
In sharp distinction, Obituary slowed issues down with their swampy, sludgy dying steel. Kicking off with “Redneck Stomp”, they moved into “The Mistaken Time” and “Physique Bag” with a groove-heavy crawl that hit like a sledgehammer. John Tardy’s vocals had been inhuman in the easiest way, and Trevor Peres’ and Kenny Andrews’ guitar tones had been thick sufficient to chew.
Picture by Alex Ochoa / DWP Presents
Arch Enemy supplied one thing sharper and extra melodic. Michael Amott and Joey Conception delivered laser-precise dueling leads on “Warfare Everlasting” and “The Eagle Flies Alone”, whereas Alissa White-Gluz showcased her dynamic vary — screams that scraped the sky and occasional clear harmonies that soared. Their set was a reminder that heavy does not must imply ugly.
Nu-metal nostalgia and different vitality discovered their strategy to the airwaves, and acquainted anthems had been sung on the high of 1000’s of lungs. From Ashes To New fused EDM prospers, hip-hop swagger, and alt-metal angst to nice impact. “Heartache” and “Panic” had been Linkin Park – adjoining bangers that received fists pumping and voices raised. A heartwarming second got here when the band invited a recovered fan onstage after a mid-song medical scare, incomes thunderous cheers.
P.O.D. leaned into the throwback vibe exhausting. Kicking off with “Growth” and shutting with “Alive”, Sonny Sandoval spun, danced, and whipped his dreads by way of each word. The band’s new songs off Veritas held their very own, however it was the old-school bangers that introduced the home down. In the meantime, Hollywood Undead turned their set into a celebration, mixing in “Riot”, “All over the place I Go”, and “Undead” with bombastic confidence. Equal elements chaotic and crowd-pleasing, they balanced critical themes and tongue-in-cheek irreverence. Their use of Ozzy Osbourne-inspired samples added further aptitude.
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Mudvayne’s return was a monstrous spectacle. With full make-up and old-school rage, they ripped by way of “Joyful?”, “Beneath My Pores and skin” and “World So Chilly”. Ryan Martinie’s bass acrobatics and Chad Grey’s manic stage presence had been unforgettable, notably on the throwback materials from L.D. 50, the place their technicality and weirdness merged completely.
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Marilyn Manson entered with fireplace, smoke, and fury. “These mom**ckers tried to take me away. They failed,” he advised the gang, setting the tone for a defiant set. “Nod If You Perceive”, “Sacrilegious”, and the enduring “The Stunning Individuals” made positive everybody remembered why Manson nonetheless holds a spot in rock’s darkish coronary heart. The visible show of smoke and dancing LED lights within the background was a relentless accent to a set dominated by exhausting and heavy slabs of angst and fury set to Manson’s shrill and haunting voice.
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Fashionable rock acts and 90s legacy band additionally had their time to shine beneath the cruel Floridian warmth. Candlebox celebrated their 30-year legacy by sounding as very important as ever. Kevin Martin belted out “Far Behind” and “You” like he was nonetheless in his twenties, with Peter Klett including bluesy grit to “Change” and “Cowl Me”. Their Seattle tribute throughout “Far Behind” — honoring Layne Staley, Chris Cornell, and Kurt Cobain — hit particularly exhausting. We could as nicely have been transported again to 1995.
Bush fused nostalgia with a contemporary sheen. Gavin Rossdale scaled barricades, embraced followers, and wandered the runway whereas powering by way of “Machinehead” and “All the pieces Zen.” In distinction to Candlebox, Gavin and firm ended up splitting the distinction between their licensed traditional entries off of Sixteen Stone and Razorblade Suitcase and newer materials for the reason that band reformed in 2010; and their newer materials traded blows with the classics, turning the gang right into a roaring choir.
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Incubus introduced soulful distinction with “Good To Know You”, “Drive”, and “The Heat”, the latter weaving in items of “In The Air Tonight” and “Glory Field”. The mix of funky grooves and incidental heavier nu-metal parts made for a novel distinction with a lot of what had transpired earlier inside the trendy rock and steel paradigm, and was naturally helped alongside by the onset of nightfall, moderating the temperature a bit. Brandon Boyd’s hypnotic stage presence and the band’s experimental interludes added texture to an already wealthy set.
Picture by Steve Thrasher / DWP Presents
Constructing upon the momentum of a grand efficiency at Sonic Temple 2025, Canadian post-grunge veterans Three Days Grace gained over the overall love and devotion of the Welcome To Rockville lots briefly order from the Apex Stage. The emotional affect of “Away From The Solar”, devoted to Brad Arnold, could not be overstated. Adam Gontier and Matt Walst shared vocals effortlessly, switching between “Animal I Have Turn out to be” and “I Hate All the pieces About You” with seamless energy.
Stepping as much as fill in for 3 Doorways Down, New York exhausting rockers The Fairly Reckless braved the warmth and arguably saved the day. As each a pressure to be reckoned with on the microphone and a commanding presence in all different senses, Taylor Momsen led the proverbial cost in her signature black apparel by way of rousing performances of 8 traditional songs, buoyed by the classic grade riff work of Ben Phillips and the rock stable rhythm part supplied by bassist Mark Damon and drummer Jamie Perkins.
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Chris Daughtry ditched any lingering adult-contemporary repute and went full rock. “The Reckoning”, “World On Fireplace”, and “Items” hit more durable than anticipated, whereas his reworked model of “Separate Methods (Worlds Aside)” introduced Journey’s spirit right into a heavier realm. There was an added sense of grit and vitality to each word Chris sang that was mirrored within the crunch of guitarist Brian Craddock’s taking part in alongside the remainder of Daughtry’s instrumental lineup.
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And inconceivable to not comment the swarms that reunited to catch the post-hardcore extravaganza placed on by San Diego’s personal Pierce The Veil. Having seen a surge in reputation within the competition circuit and nonetheless using excessive off the success of their 2023 album The Jaws Of Life, the glass-shattering voice and emo persona of Vic Fuentes and the remainder of the band was rivaled proper from the start of their set by the deafening roar of the gang that they’d drawn. Riveting pop/punk drenched anthems just like the opening foray “Loss of life Of The Executioner”, the mid-paced and quirky “Cross The Nirvana” and the progressive-tinged velocity rocker “Hell Above” performed completely to Fuentes’ excessive vitality show, in addition to the technical chops of lead guitarist Tony Perry and bassist Jamie Preciado, to talk nothing for the jazzy groove blended with driving rock beats emulating by touring drummer Loniel Robinson.
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Every night time closed with one thing monumental — and bigger than life in each sound and scope.
Inexperienced Day introduced punk angle and pure spectacle to their headlining set, proving that their enchantment nonetheless spans generations. Bursting out of the gates with “American Fool”, they saved the vitality hovering with “Vacation”, “Know Your Enemy”, and the emotionally charged “Boulevard Of Damaged Goals”. Moments of levity got here by way of traditional hits like “Basket Case” and “She”, whereas “Wake Me Up When September Ends” and “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)” introduced the type of reflective sing-alongs that solely they’ll ship. Pyro, fan interactions, and some playful covers — together with snippets of “Free Fallin'” and “Jack And Diane” — rounded out a set that was each large and deeply private.
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Shinedown remodeled the Apex Stage into a totally immersive spectacle. With pyrotechnics erupting in all instructions and Brent Smith guiding the emotional journey, the band rolled out a set that included fan favorites like “A Symptom Of Being Human”, “If You Solely Knew”, and an emotional nearer in “Second Likelihood”. A shock partial cowl of three Doorways Down’s “Kryptonite” paid tribute to their sidelined friends, whereas the band’s greatest showstopper got here within the type of “Easy Man” — joined by Johnny Van Zandt and Rickey Medlocke, bringing Jacksonville delight to the forefront in a really unforgettable second.
Picture by Nathan Zucker / DWP Presents
Linkin Park’s return to the competition circuit has been nothing wanting a reinvention. With Emily Armstrong now sharing vocal duties with Mike Shinoda, the band’s three-act set, plus a four-song encore, felt like theater, wrapped in nu-metal urgency. “Crawling”, “Numb”, and “New Divide” landed with weight and new emotional layers, whereas remixed moments (like snippets of “Get pleasure from The Silence” or “There They Go”) introduced shock vitality. Joe Hahn’s ambient interludes smoothed transitions, crafting a stream that was a extra immersive expertise than a mere live performance. Their finale, “Bleed It Out”, was a euphoric exhale from an viewers that had given each final ounce of vitality.
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Korn had been tasked with closing out the whole four-day marathon, and so they did so with a darkish pageant of fireside, strobe, and sonic muscle. From the primal opening thuds of “Blind” by way of the deep grooves of “Clown” and “Shoots And Ladders”, their set leaned closely into early classics however nonetheless left room for curveballs. “Coming Undone” mashed unexpectedly with “We Will Rock You”, and the shock inclusion of “4 U” was a present for longtime followers. Jonathan Davis’ crowd management was surgical, his each motion commanding full consideration. By the point the ultimate chords of “Freak On A Leash” rang out, it wasn’t simply the top of a set however the finish of an epic.
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Blistering warmth be damned, Welcome To Rockville 2025 delivered a searing lineup that greater than matched the Florida scorching solar’s depth. From sweat-drenched circle pits to euphoric sing-alongs echoing throughout the Speedway, this 12 months’s version was a masterclass in managed chaos – equal elements grit, glory, and good occasions. If that is what the inferno looks like, rely us in for subsequent 12 months’s burn.
Particular due to Jonathan Smith for his writing contributions to this article.
