Milwaukee Metal Festival has unveiled its final lineup additions, rounding out what is shaping up to be one of the year's strongest dedicated metal festival bills in North America.
The final wave adds MACHINE HEAD, NAPALM DEATH (who will perform two distinct sets on separate days), GENERATION KILL featuring Rob Dukes of EXODUS, and CREEPING DEATH. These acts join a previously announced lineup that already featured significant names from across the metal spectrum.
MACHINE HEAD's inclusion is a particularly strong addition. The Oakland thrash/groove metal veterans, led by Robb Flynn, have been on an extended creative streak following recent releases and continue to be one of the most powerful live acts in the genre. Their Milwaukee appearance will likely feature deep cuts alongside material from their recent output.
NAPALM DEATH performing two sets is a notable booking. The Birmingham grindcore legends are one of the few acts that can credibly offer two distinct programs — their catalogue spanning nearly four decades of material from the blistering short-form grindcore of Scum through to their more recent experimental work.
GENERATION KILL, featuring EXODUS vocalist Rob Dukes (who also appears on EXODUS's newly released Goliath), brings a separate dimension of thrash energy to the festival.
Milwaukee Metal Festival remains one of the more grassroots-oriented major metal gatherings in the United States, drawing a dedicated audience that values depth of lineup over mainstream appeal.