Sound and Fury Festival 2025

7/13/2025 - Exposition Park - Los Angeles, California.

Hardcore is finally having its well-deserved moment—from Knocked Loose making their late-night debut on Jimmy Kimmel to the overwhelmingly positive reception of Scowl’s sophomore album Are We All Angels. A genre once confined to basements and dive bars now growls from main stages across the country.

Knocked Loose

Scowl

Since its inception in 2006, LA’s Sound and Fury Festival has remained loyal to the underground and committed to showcasing both heavy-hitting veterans and rising hardcore acts from around the globe.

With the genre’s current momentum, I knew I had to make my way to Exposition Park to witness the madness up close.

Basement

Trash Talk

Going into the festival as a first-timer, I had no idea what to expect.

Sure, I anticipated pools of two-stepping and waves of breakdowns, but nothing could have prepared me for the experience that unfolded across two unrelenting days in Los Angeles.

Whispers

Pest Control

I took my first plunge on Day 1 with Whispers, (gallery) a band proudly putting “Bangkok Evilcore” on the map. As I made my way to the front of the pit, one thing became clear: this festival was built for the scene and its community—everything else naturally fell in line.

As Whispers tore through their set with unforgiving riffs, fans rushed toward the ramp below—a strip of concrete that felt more like a runway, spotlighting every stomp, spin, and stage dive. It was a powerful opener that left me hungry for more.

Project Pat

Nuovo Testament

Next up was Nuovo Testamento, (gallery)a synth-driven darkwave trio that got the crowd dancing. As frontwoman Chelsey Crowley glided across the stage, the audience was mesmerized. It was the perfect afternoon palate cleanser before diving back into the day’s chaos.

Peeling Flesh

Forced Order (gallery)

Each set brought something different. Unapologetically raw and relentlessly powerful, no act mirrored the last. Both days overflowed with fury—from headliners likeGod’s Hate (gallery)(who shocked the crowd by bringing out Terror for a five-song mini-show and a rare reunion of hardcore legends Carry On), to Pest Control (gallery), Project Pat (gallery), Peeling Flesh (gallery), Trash Talk (gallery), Scowl (gallery), Knocked Loose (gallery), and so many more.

Pain of Truth (gallery)

The weekend was a loud, unified declaration: hardcore isn’t just alive—it’s thriving while decked out in Sambas with plenty of camo. And Sound and Fury stands at its pulsing center.

Kruelty (gallery)

GOD'S HATE

Unlike any mainstream festival I’ve attended, this one belonged wholly to the communities that nurtured hardcore from the grimiest underground venues to this moment at Exposition Park. Artists and fans blurred into one, as stage dives, mic grabs, and pile-ons weren’t just allowed—they were encouraged.

Over and over, I saw artists hand the mic to fans who screamed every word with conviction, turning each set into a communal ritual. This wasn’t just music—it was identity. It was resistance. It was home.

Poison the Well (gallery)

As I walked away from the festival grounds, I realized that Sound and Fury isn’t just a festival—it’s a living, breathing reminder of what hardcore has always been about: raw expression, unfiltered community, and the power of showing up. If this is where the genre is headed, then we’re not just witnessing a movement—we’re part of it.