7 Explosive Up-and-coming Bands on the Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2023 Lineup

Check out these awesome, rapidly rising bands that are on the Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2023 lineup before September!

The Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2023 lineup is stacked from top to bottom. Get to know and listen to some of the newer bands on this year’s lineup that are quickly gaining traction and amassing growing fanbases with our list below.

To listen to even more emerging bands that are on the Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2023 lineup, check out our “Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2023 : Early Day/Opening Bands” playlist on Spotify and Apple Music!

1. Until I Wake

Until I Wake fuses metalcore, pop, punk, and nu metal elements into their discography and often into the same song. After forming in 2019, the Buffalo 4-piece released a 6-track self-titled EP in 2021 and followed it up with their first full album, “Inside My Head” in 2022. Until I Wake quickly built up a growing fanbase of over 400k monthly Spotify listeners.

Dynamic vocalist, Cody Johnson, provides both cleans and screams for the band, which is a rarity in the metalcore scene. Until I Wake combines poppy chorus melodies that feature atmospheric synth textures, with heavy hitting breakdowns and blast beats. When I first heard Until I Wake, I was reminded of Thornhill and Wage War at the same time.

The band recently wrapped up a Spring headline tour with Dark Divine and Catch Your Breath. Until I Wake will embark on a summer tour with both headlining dates and dates supporting Thousand Below, before fall run supporting Attila that kicks off at Blue Ridge Rock Festival.

For fans of: Bad Omens, Wage War, I Prevail, The Plot In You, Thornhill, Caskets, Thousand Below, Hollow Front

2. Rain City Drive

Originally forming as the band Slaves before changing their name in 2021, Rain City Drive blend post-hardcore, pop, and electronic elements and put off a more mellow, contemplative vibe compared to other bands on this list, and on the Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2023 lineup as a whole (which is refreshing!). Fans of the TV show The Voice might recognize the band’s vocalist, Matt McAndrews, as the runner-up finalist from Season 7. McAndrew’s smooth, soulful vocals carry catchy chorus hooks that are guaranteed to stay in your head, while heavy bass lines and crunchy guitars still pack a punch.

For fans of: Dayseeker, Palisades, The Plot In You, Caskets, Thornhill, Hands Like Houses

3. ten56

Joining Until I Wake as support for Attila on their fall 2023 US tour is ten56. ten56 is an absurdly heavy nu-deathcore band from France, formed in 2020 by ex-Betraying the Martyrs vocalist, Aaron Matts. If you, like me, enjoy insanely down-tuned guitars, slow chugs, and brutal low growls, then you will definitely want to check out ten56. ten56 weaves all of the above into equal parts filthy breakdowns and bouncy Nu Metal grooves for a unique, intense sound. ten56 is by far one of the heaviest bands on the Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2023 lineup.

For fans of: Brand of Sacrifice, Left to Suffer, Darko US, To the Grave, Alpha Wolf, LANDMVRKS, Betraying the Martyrs

4. Dropout Kings

Since forming in 2016, Dropout Kings have been dropping heavy-hitting rap-metal tracks, ranging in sound from trap influences to elements reminiscent of Linkin Park . The band released albums in 2018, 2021, and just recently in May 2023. The latter, ‘Riot Music’, broke into the top 10 on Itunes’ Metal and Rock charts. Dropout Kings recently broke 400k monthly Spotify listeners and is currently on tour supporting ill Niño.

For fans of: (Hed) P.E., DED, Fever 333, Unity Texas, Fox Lake

5. Savage Hands

Homegrown in the DMV area, Savage Hands journeys from bouncy pop-punk choruses, to Breaking Benjamin-like riffs, to modern metalcore breakdowns, to 90s rock anthems, and back again. This high-energy band released their first album in 2018, followed by a second album in 2020, and a new EP in April 2023, accumulating over 500k monthly Spotify listerners along the way. Savage Hands is currently on tour supporting their new EP, titled ‘Rock Bottom’.

For fans of: Breaking Benjamin, I Prevail, Wage War, Kingdom of Giants

6. Patient Sixty-Seven

Making their U.S. debut at Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2023, Aussie metalcore band Patient Sixty-Seven has had an explosive year following their sophomore album, ‘Wishful Thinking’. Combining traditional metalcore with electronic and orchestral elements, Tom Kiely’s low growls and “Bleghs!” with Rory Venville’s clean vocals on catchy choruses, and gritty riffs with soaring clean guitars, Patient Sixty-Seven creates beautiful contrasting layers that amplify their emotive lyrics. The band just wrapped up their first international tour and their biggest Australia headlining tour to date. With just over 97k Spotify monthly listeners, the band could be reaching the 100k listener milestone any day. Patient Sixty-Seven is a welcome addition to the Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2023 lineup.

For fans of: Bullet for My Valentine, The Amity Affliction, Motionless in White, In Hearts Wake, Northlane, Erra, Currents

7. Tallah

Tallah is a Nu Metal/Nu Core, band from Pennsylvania formed in 2018. Their relentless tracks have clear influences from Korn, System of a Down, and Slipknot while weaving in occasional hardcore and deathcore elements. Making their way onto 2023 festival bills including Sonic Temple, Aftershock, and Louder Than Life in addition to Blue Ridge Rock Festival, Tallah’s following will only continue to grow this year.

For fans of: Korn, System of a Down, Varials, Tetrarch

If you liked this list, check out our other Blue Ridge Rock Festival lists:

17 Song Collaborations by Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2023 Bands That Feature Other Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2023 Bands

The 25 Best Cover Songs by Blue Ridge Rock Festival 2023 Bands

And speaking of explosive bands, you can read our review of the new Sleep Token album, ‘Take Me Back to Eden’ here