Knotfest rounded out its week of madness across our country as it made its final stop in Sydney,  at Centennial Parklands. Melbourne and Brisbane started off the festivities, usually with Sydney nestled in between, but this time we had the treat of a week of side shows in between. The festival curated by the Des Moines supernova, known as Slipknot came with a stacked lineup spanning hardcore, metalcore, deathcore, symphonic metal, J metal and more, all topped off by the almighty Slipknot, fans were treated to a day of heavy music in all its glory.
Two stages, no clashes and if you need a break – there was plenty to see with wander through the parklands. Whether it be hopping on a ride, looking through the market stalls, getting a free Slipknot airbrush tatoo from the Maniacs tent, or strolling through the Slipknot museum to nerd out on everything the Knot.

Due to Cyclone Alfreds pending arrival, New Bloom Festival was cancelled in Queensland. This left California hardcore party starters Drain some spare time to join the line up and they wasted no time setting the tone, kicking off the day at 11am. Their punchy riffs and boundless energy made for a really fun start to the day, as frontman Sammy Ciaramitaro threw himself into the chaos and barrier to sing with the ever-growing crowd. Tracks such as Good Good Things and California Cursed had everyone singing along, and wishing their set was much, much longer.

Next up, Sunami stormed the stage with old-school hardcore intensity, and instant business. I am forever impressed at the instant dedication hardcore fans have. From the moment Sunami stepped on stage the pit opened up and there definitely was no karate in the pit. The backdrop displayed Real Bay Shit, and that’s exactly what they delivered, through tracks such as F*ck the Police. Their unapologetic aggression and attitude made their set one of the rawest of the day.

Hailing from Des Moines, Iowa, Vended took to the stage with a youthful energy that was impossible to ignore. Kicking off with Nihilism, they tore through a blistering set including Ded to Me, Where the Honesty Lies, and Asylum. Despite their strong Slipknot ties, they’ve carved out their own identity, proving they’re more than just the next generation of masked metal. Drummer Simon Crahan—son of Slipknot’s Shawn “Clown” Crahan—was absent, as was his father later in the night, both missing the festival due to a family emergency. Vended were added last minute to last nights Hatebreed side show due to the cancellation of their Brisbane show, and I think we will be seeing much more of these fellas in the future.

After turning slightly to my left and right for the last 3 acts I stepped back to take in Metalcore veterans Miss May I who kept the energy levels high with a set packed full of fan-favorites, launching straight into Hey Mister and keeping the energy high with Into Oblivion and Under Fire. Levi Benton’s ferocious vocals and commanding stage presence had the pit surging, while the breakdowns in Deathless and Relentless Chaos saw a sea of bodies colliding on the grass. Closing out with Forgive and Forget and Shadows Inside, they left the crowd with many smiles.

Every festival needs a wild card. As rain drizzled over the festival, industrial outfit HEALTH added an eerie, atmospheric shift to the lineup. Their haunting soundscapes and pulsating beats boomed through the crowd, proving they were one of the festival’s most unique acts. It was at this point that the skies really opened up and I sought shelter under the trees as it was the one year I did not pack a poncho. It gave me a chance to speak with some of the punters about who they were excited to see and most answers are either A Day to Remember, Slaughter to Prevail or of course, the ones we are all here to see – Slipknot.

A wall of death, a guest appearance, and a message for the future—In Hearts Wake brought it all. Jamie from Polaris joined them for Hellbringer, but a microphone mishap muted his contribution. A highlight was as the song really kicked in, Elmo appeared on the LED backdrop in front of fire making us all laugh. 

Few bands deliver a hardcore set with the precision and power of Hatebreed. Frontman Jamey Jasta led the charge through anthems like Proven, I Will Be Heard, and Destroy Everything, each track a battle cry for resilience and unity. Hatebreed are celebrating 30 years as a unit and 20 years of their killer album Perseverance. The set was a mix of nods to the old school and across their discography, keeping every fan happy. 
The only room for improvement was that the volume could definitely been higher during their time.

Injecting a bit of dance-infused chaos, Enter Shikari had the crowd clapping along to the infectious Sorry, You’re Not a Winner. Their blend of electronic beats and post-hardcore madness offered a welcome change of pace amid the brutality. Symphonic metal grandeur took center stage as Within Temptation’s Sharon den Adel soared through Halo. Many fans were convinced they would never see them down under, but today their prayers were answers. The Dutch outfit’s cinematic performance was nothing short of mesmerizing, providing a moment of epic, theatrical beauty amidst the madness.

Absolute carnage ensued when Slaughter to Prevail dropped the hammer with Bonebreaker and Baba Yaga, their breakdowns shaking the festival grounds.
We last saw Slaughter to Prevail on Good Things Festival 2023. Since then, they’ve toured the world over and crushed some of the biggest stages on this metal planet. This has only helped them hone their craft and come out of the gates (literally) swinging.
The set was briefly paused for a medical emergency, but when they resumed, it was straight back to the violence. Frontman Alex Terrible commands the crowd with a stern brow and menacing smile, delivering vocals which I’m not sure I can compare more to a demon or an animal. Their set rounded out with the more cinematic Behelit and the absolute crowd favourite Demolisher.

Hometown heroes Polaris delivered one of the most emotional and energetic sets of the day, proving why they are at the forefront of Australian metalcore. Opening with Nightmare, black streamers exploded over the crowd, announcing their arrival in a huge way. From the anthemic Landmine to the soaring Masochist, each lyric screamed back by a crowd that felt every word.

Midway through the set, Hypermania took things to another level as ex Void of Vision singer Jack Bergin joined them on stage, sending the pit into overdrive. The Remedy and Dissipate further cemented their status as festival standouts before closing with the brutal Inhumane. Polaris left everything on that stage—each member with red cheeks, taking a deep breath as they take in the sea of fans who adored every moment of their huge set.

Just when the festival needed a burst of theatrical, genre-bending energy, BABYMETAL took the stage kicking off with the ominous BABYMETAL DEATH, the trio commanded attention with their signature mix of J-pop melodies backlit by one of the tightest bands of the day. The crowd jumped and sung along through PA PA YA!! and BxMxC.
One of the highlights of their set came with RATATATA, their energetic collaboration with Electric Callboy, which turned the entire park into a dance-metal frenzy as we all attempted to mimic their choreography.

Few bands bridge the gap between metalcore and pop-punk as seamlessly as A Day to Remember, and their Knotfest set proved exactly why they were one of the day’s most anticipated acts. From the very first note of The Downfall of Us All, an absolute power move, the entire crowd erupted, screaming every word as if their lives depended on it. 

The energy didn’t let up as they tore through All I Want, 2nd Sucks, and pit-ready I’m Made of Wax, Larry, What Are You Made Of? From their 2009 fan favourite album, Homesick. Demonstrating their versatility, they included a surprise segment with Rescue Me, their Marshmello collaboration, before diving into the emotive Have Faith in Me.

Closing with a powerful one-two punch of  If It Means a Lot to You and All Signs Point to Lauderdale, ADTR turned Centennial Parklands into one massive singalong. A career-spanning set packed with nostalgia, aggression, and anthemic hooks—exactly what the fans had been waiting for.

As the eerie industrial hum of 742617000027 filled the air, the anticipation hit a boiling point. The music may have begun at 11:00am and it was now after 8pm, but this was the moment we had been waiting months to arrive! Then, in an explosion Slipknot stormed the stage with (sic)—and all hell broke loose. For the next 90 minutes, Sydney was theirs.

Going straight for the throat with People = Shit and the rare Gematria (The Killing Name), Slipknot delivered a setlist that felt like a gift to us longtime maggots. Classic anthems Wait and Bleed and No Life hit the nostalgia bell, while The Devil in I and Unsainted had us singing along without sacrificing an ounce of heaviness. Corey’s latest mask adorned with long dread locks that give a nod to the past, make us all giddy. 

Midway through, they pulled out a sinister remix of Tattered & Torn, followed by The Heretic Anthem and the ever-destructive Psychosocial, which had the entire park screaming in unison. Even with the absence of Clown, newer recruit Tortilla man caused chaos on stage. Between Pfaff and Sid, the hilarity will always be on a Slipknot stage. The climax came with the ultimate fan favorite—Duality—before the encore took things to a whole new level.

For the very first time that I have seen Slipknot, they did not order the crowd to sit down during Spit It Out, showing it was zero bullshit. Just when it seemed the night had peaked, our national anthem Surfacing, before delivering the haunting Scissors, a track not played in 25 years in Sydney,  a deep cut from their debut album that left die-hard fans in awe. The stage dim, Taylors vocals raw as ever Scissors ebbed and flowed. This was easily the darkest end to a show I’d ever witnessed.

This wasn’t just a set. It was a statement. Slipknot reminded Sydney, and the entire metal world, why they remain the most dangerous and dominant force in heavy music.
For their third installment of Knotfest Australia, it is now a date on the calendar of every heavy music fan we look forward to.

Here’s hoping Knotfest is a mainstay on our festival circuit. I’m already eager to know what next years installment has in store.