Soundwave promoter AJ Maddah has shed light on how long fans can expect to enjoy with their favourite lineup acts next year. Writing via his beloved Twitter channel, the promoter says it will be “90 to 100 mins for headliners. 70 mins for top bands. 60 mins for middle bands. 40 mins for small/new bands.”
Maddah had previously told fans that the festival’s much-talked-about switch to a two-day format in 2015 will not only minimise clashes and allow for better staging, but stressed that as a result of spreading the festival’s famously packed lineup over two days, bands will be able to have longer set times.
“Putting the line-up across [two] days enables us to minimise clashes; give bands longer sets, better staging, production and infrastructure. I am also hoping that this will give fans better value for money and a less stressful day,” said the promoter. Madah has indicated that each day will feature just five stages.
Maddah has said the new format was motivated by the fact that he was often not able to accommodate bands who wished to play under darkness in previous years. “In recent years we have lost great bands over too many bands wanting to play after dark. This new set-up also gives us twice the dark!”
Though there are still 14 more bands to be added to the lineup as part of a second announcement , Maddah has told followers that the timetables for 2015 festival are “already done” and will be released along with the supplementary announcement. Readers can get all the latest timetable details here .
Gallery: Soundwave 2015 Lineup: Part 1
Gallery: Soundwave 2015 Lineup: Part 2
Soundwave 2015 - Day 1: Know Your Lineup
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Faith No More (US): These recently reactivated alt-metal legends laugh in the face of genre and lay claim to one of the most untouchable legacies in music. They last played Soundwave way back in 2010.
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Soundgarden (US): From the singular guitar wizardry of Kim Thayil, to the inimitable voice of Chris Cornell, Soundgarden's influence cannot be overestimated. This will be their first time playing in front of a Soundwave audience.
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Incubus (US): The Calabasas, California heroes last appeared on a Soundwave lineup back in 2008. Since then they've added another album to their 16-year discography and further cemented their position as one of the alternative scene's most in-demand bands.
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Lamb of God (US): Metalheads, prepare yourselves. The mighty sounds of these Virginia natives will soon be reminding punters why AJ Maddah just had to bring them back to complete their Soundwave hat-trick.
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Ministry (US): Darker than NIN, heavier than Zombie, and more tongue-in-cheek than Rammstein, these guys rule industrial music like feudal warlords. The band are touring on the back of 'From Beer to Eternity', their final studio album.
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Antemasque (US): What started as an experiment between former members of The Mars Volta earlier this year is quickly becoming one of the most intriguing projects ever to come forth from the minds of Omar Rodríguez-López and Cedric Bixler-Zavala.
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Gerard Way (US): With Jimmy Eat World having replaced My Chemical Romance in 2010, this will be the first time that the frontman of the defunct emo outfit gets to thrill Soundwave crowds. And he'll be doing it with his debut solo album in tow.
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Mayhem (NOR): Pioneers in every sense of the word. Without Mayhem, we may not have black metal as we know it today. Expect their Soundwave debut to be a clinic on how to do pummelling drums, skin-crawling vocals, and razor-sharp guitar work the way they were meant to be done.
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New Found Glory (US): Born in the hub of American pop-punk, Florida, these guys are considered among the godfathers of the genre's early-'00s expansion. This will be their third Soundwave outing and with a new album under their belts, it might be their best.
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Fear Factory (US): Few bands command the kind of respect that these Los Angeles natives wield throughout the genres of metal and industrial music. It'll be their first time playing Soundwave and they've got a lifetime of classic albums to pick and choose from.
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Hollywood Undead (US): Helping to revitalise the oft-reviled genre of rap rock and bring it to new heights of creativity, Hollywood Undead's Soundwave debut was demanded by fans and will assuredly be something many are talking about the next day.
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Atreyu (US): Last month's news that this California metalcore outfit was back after a lengthy hiatus delighted fans worldwide. Now they're just hoping that they'll bring over some of the new music they've been working on when they make their Soundwave debut.
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The Aquabats (US): Describing this California ska outfit is about as hard as not dancing whenever they're onstage. Though their visual style comes straight out of a '60s Z-movie, their tunes are vital, propulsive, and incredibly catchy.
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Area-7 (AUS): With quintessentially Aussie rallying cries like 'Nobody Likes A Bogan', it's little wonder Area-7 were being requested before the dust had even settled on Soundwave 2014. Part of this year's strong ska contingent, these Melbourne boys are witty, energetic, and always bring a party.
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Godflesh (UK): At a time when everybody was figuring out what bandwagon to jump on, Godflesh were busy making some of the most original and ultimately influential music of the early '90s. Maddah was determined to get them for Soundwave 2015 and their first time at the festival is sure to be something unforgettable.
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Crown The Empire (US): Aussies fell in love with this lot when they were here for last year's Vans Warped Tour Australia. Their frantic mix of metalcore and electronic noise made them an instant hit with crowds. And as Music Feeds experienced, they're charmers during interviews, too.
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The Interrupters (US): Proud members of the Soundwave 2015/Music Feeds First Wave, The Interrupters are poised to be the next big thing in ska and punk rock. With a debut album produced by Rancid's Tim Armstrong, they've got the talent, the balls, and the ultimate seal of approval to take on the world.
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Icon For Hire (US): The Illinois pop punk group almost literally burst onto the scene in 2011 with their Billboard-charting album, 'Scripted'. With a new studio effort under their belts and a fresh energy to inject into an often predictable genre, Aussies will soon see what all the buzz surrounding Icon Fore Hire is about.
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Emily's Army (US): These guys started young and made headlines because drummer Joey Armstrong shares half his genes with Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong. But when you look past their youthful exterior and family connections, there's an interesting band with a mature sound that skilfully melds elements of punk, surf rock and '60s pop.
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Patent Pending (US): Another band that Music Feeds was proud to announce as part of our First Wave, Patent Pending pair well-crafted pop punk songs with an irreverent style and a live show that is uplifting, dynamic, and often laugh-out-loud funny.
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Fireworks (US): We fell in love with them in 2012 and now they're back to promote their highly anticipated third album, 'Oh, Common Life'. Last time, these Detroit punk rockers left punters with plenty of memories and they're sure to do likewise this time around.
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The Bennies (AUS): Bringing some proper Aussie fire to a largely international lineup, The Bennies so impressed Maddah as a local act in 2014 that he promoted them to the Day One lineup for 2015. These Melbourne boys know how to work a crowd and their mega-tune 'Knights Forever' is sure to go off!
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The Color Morale (US): This Illinois hardcore outfit was the subject of multiple requests by fans in the lead-up to today's announcement. We don't know why, but their critically acclaimed albums, uplifting live performances, and skilled songcraft might have something to do with it.
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Monuments (UK): The First Wave needed to get progressive and who better to do it than djent-defying heavy metal internationalists Monuments. Their sophomore album, 'The Amanuensis', is already being hailed by taste-making metal blogs as the album of the year, and their performances are as unique and eclectic as their albums.
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Nothing More (US): This Texas outfit trade in a brand of heavy metal that's informed as much by today's metalcore and post-hardcore scenes as it is by the forebears of the genre. Having recently unveiled their self-titled fifth album, Nothing More are ready to show Soundwave crowds their own blueprint for heavy metal in the 21st Century.
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Deathstars (SWE): No Soundwave lineup could ever be complete without a little darkness from the Land of the Midnight Sun. The music of these Swedish gothic metallers is as sharp as their visuals, and their live performances are renowned for being phantasmagoric spectacles.
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Ne Obliviscaris (AUS): The first unofficially confirmed band for the Soundwave 2015 lineup, these Melbourne progressive metallers are rising stars in the local scene. Consistently praised for their musicianship and songwriting, Soundwave could just be the push that sees Ne Obliviscaris ascend to the heights they've seemed destined for since day one.
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The Treatment (UK): What happens when you take the bastard love children of Airbourne and Steel Panther, stick 'em in Cambridge, England, force-feed them AC/DC and Motley Crue, and throw 'em on a stage? You get The Treatment!
Soundwave 2015 - Day 2: Know Your Lineup
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Sliknot (US): You wanted the best? You got the best. Slipknot last played Soundwave in 2012 and every year since, fans have been begging to see them return. This time around they'll have songs from their long-awaited fifth studio album and a mysterious new drummer in tow.
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Slash (US): Any history of heavy music would be incomplete without one name and one top hat. The one and only Slash last played Soundwave in 2011 and will be bringing a career's worth of unforgettable hard rock anthems to Soundwave 2015.
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Marilyn Manson (US): The former Public Enemy No. 1 last brought his full-fledged assault of a live show to Soundwave in 2012. Since he first appeared on the scene, Manson's performances have been notorious for their energy, power, and production.
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Fall Out Boy (US): While everyone was arguing over what was pop, what was punk, and what was emo, these Illinois natives were busy writing and recording five top-selling albums, touring the world, and amassing legions of devoted fans. Personally, we reckon that's earned them a spot at Soundwave.
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Judas Priest (UK): Though "legendary" is an often bandied-about descriptor, it really only applies to a handful of bands. The mighty Judas Priest is one of them. In fact, it's safe to say that many of the bands on the Soundwave 2015 lineup wouldn't exist if it weren't for Priest.
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Godsmack (US): These Boston stalwarts will be heading over for their debut Australian outing, poised to show Aussies what's made them one of the biggest hard rock acts in America. Music Feeds recently caught up with drummer Shannon Larkin who said fans can expect "the baddest ass set we can imagine."
All Time Low Promo
All Time Low (US): From humble beginnings as a high-school band performing Blink-182 covers, All Time Low now command a loyal international following and have produced five albums' worth of quality pop punk tunes that consistently reap acclaim for their skilful songwriting and singalong choruses.
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Papa Roach (US): It seemed that for many fans, attending Soundwave 2015 rested on just one band. Fans had long been pestering AJ Maddah to bring the California veterans to Soundwave and a new album scheduled for 2015 could mean some new tunes when they finally take the stage.
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Of Mice & Men (US): The California metalcore favourites will be touring on the strength of new album 'Restoring Force', which they released to high acclaim back in January. The band last played Soundwave in 2013, stirring such a buzz that Maddah knew he'd have to bring 'em back soon.
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Escape The Fate (US): The Las Vegas masters are returning to capitalise on the wave of positive reviews that met their 2010 Soundwave debut. The band are sure to be airing plenty of tunes from their last album, 'Ungrateful', which they largely self-produced.
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Apocalyptica (FIN): This Helsinki group will be on many must-see lists in the lead-up to Soundwave 2015. Composed of three classically trained cellists and a drummer, Apocalyptica are unique, talented, and above all, heavy.
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Lagwagon (US): Rising at the same time that Green Day and The Offspring became household names, Californians Lagwagon make punk rock that's melodic as it is irreverent and witty. The band performed at the first-ever Soundwave in 2004 and will be touring on the strength of 'Hang', their first album in nine years.
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Tonight Alive (AUS): Another chance for Aussies to show a homeland crowd what our bands are made of, Tonight Alive's second Soundwave appearance will once again bring the energy and magnetism of frontwoman Jenna McDougall, backed by the band's dynamism and musicianship.
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Crossfaith (JPN): As always, fans demanded a strong Japanese contingent for the next Soundwave and Maddah has well and truly delivered. These Osaka metalcore favourites command a huge international following and put on a live show that is unrivalled at home and abroad.
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Butcher Babies (US): "This is one festival that everyone talks about as being something that you have to experience in your music career, and kind of a staple in your career," vocalist Heidi Shepherd told Music Feeds. And from what we've heard of their spectacular live shows, we can only hope that Soundwave becomes a staple for Butcher Babies.
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Confession (AUS): One of the earliest acts to be confirmed for Soundwave, which wouldn't have happened if fans hadn't demanded that they make the lineup. Melbourne's own Confession will be touring in support of their powerful new album, 'Life And Death', which features the controversial single 'Fuck Cancer'.
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The Swellers (US): Since 2002, these Michigan rockers have been building a loyal following based on consistently solid live performances and album after album of well-crafted melodic punk rock, suffused with elements of indie rock, hardcore, garage rock, and pop.
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Conditions (US): Maddah had a pact with these Richmond, Virginia natives and we couldn't be happier that everyone kept their word. Conditions' second appearance at Soundwave will be their last-ever, as the band announced their dissolution and a farewell tour late last year.
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Coldrain (JPN): Another group that was announced as part of The First Wave, Coldrain are ready to take it to the next level, having conquered audiences all across Japan. And the band certainly know what they're in for. Speaking to Music Feeds, vocalist Masato said, "I’d be [at Soundwave] as a fan even if I wasn’t playing."
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King 810 (US): Talk about your reputation preceding you. If there's one band that's bringing shock rock into the 21st Century, it could well be King 810. The Flint death metallers are renowned for their confronting live shows, where the crime scene tape that festoons the stage could become vital at any moment.
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Dayshell (US): The latest from former Of Mice & Men vocalist Shayley “Dayshell” Bourget, Dayshell craft warm melodies and gnashing guitars, pairing them with heavy rhythms and soaring chorsues. With no “scene” restrictions and a desire to push boundaries, this could be Bourget's most vital project yet.
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This Wild Life (US): Expanding the boundaries of what pop punk can be, these Californians told Music Feeds that they take pride in being "the odd man out." But with their finely crafted acoustic tunes, warm vocal melodies, and diary-like lyrics, we expect they'll quickly be accepted by the crowds at Soundwave 2015.