SOUND & FURY 2025 DAY ONE: CHAOS, CAMARADERIE, AND THE PUREST FORM OF HARDCORE
Day one of Sound & Fury 2025, affectionately referred to online as ‘Sound & Friendship,’ delivered a visceral, unrelenting hardcore experience–the kind of chaos and camaraderie that keeps the genre alive and evolving. From sharing $20 cheesy curly fries with strangers you just met, to helping the person two-stepping in the capybara inflatable back to their feet after falling, to the nonstop wall-to-wall stage dives–this festival was unforgettable, not only for the mayhem but for the unexpected friendships forged along the way. Throughout the entire day, the crowd was a vibrant mix of people, diverse and fully engaged, with a strong sense of community at its heart — a unity that held firm despite the dust, heat, and the relentless violence of the pit.
Rolling in a bit late, the first set I caught was Big Ass Truck–proudly repping Inland Empire hardcore. Their performance nailed the balance between gimmick and grit, chaos and comedy, blending bone-crushing heaviness with unfiltered fun. The moment they flipped Zedd’s Clarity followed by a guttural scream, launching straight into one of their own tracks? Absolutely unhinged in the best way possible.
Sticking mainly to the Cream Stage, I caught Lagrimas delivering a blistering set that left the crowd electrified and wrecked. Their sound married fast-paced agitation with melodic flourishes, emotional depth, and punishing breakdowns. Those shifts translated into waves of intense pit movement, turning the space into a living, breathing force. Lagrimas’s live presence amplified the emotional weight of their recordings and unleashed it during their set, blending raw feeling with sheer sonic violence.
Caustic Wound delivered pure sonic annihilation on the Cream Stage. Their set was an unrelenting barrage of blast beats, guttural howls, and jagged breakdowns that hit with the force of a wrecking ball. The internet buzz around the Seattle-based band proved entirely justified, as the crowd didn't just move, it was convulsing. Moshers exploded into chaotic spirals, and the air pulsed with raw energy and tension.
After not having seen Snuffed on Sight for over a year, they were one of the bands I was most excited to see–and they didn’t disappoint. The Bay Area death-slam powerhouse delivered a short but absolutely brutal set, tailor-made for anyone craving raw, unapologetic heaviness. The front row was atomic: stage dives, crowd surfing, headwalking–every kind of chaos imaginable. Each breakdown hit like a gut punch, sending bodies spiraling in unison. Snuffed on Sight’s rapid-fire set channeled everything that makes modern slam exciting: sheer punch, unified aggression, and unexpected humor in the form of air horns. For fans of brutal breakdowns and frontier-pushing extremity, this set was a landmark moment.
XweaponX stormed the stage with a set that demonstrated exactly why they’re one of the most hyped acts in modern straight edge hardcore. With members from Knocked Loose, Harm’s Way, and other pillars of the scene, the band powered through their set, including slam favorites like “People Like You,” “Hates You,” and “Domination III”. The front row was electric; fans responded by shouting every word, with erupting pits and unified group movement that defined their presence during that set. XweaponX didn’t just deliver a performance; it felt like a ritual for the straight-edge community.
Bay Area hardcore made a strong showing, bringing pure festival energy to the stage with Big Boy. Ripping through fan favorites like ‘When I Prayed,’ ‘Spades,’ and ‘365’, the crowd erupted after each track. Each song hit hard, showcasing their knack for blending mosh-friendly hooks with brutal hardcore rigor. Their performance ignited what can only be described as a full-blown horseshoe pit–a chaotic but exhilarating swirl of bodies that engulfed the stage front. The massive, swirling pits and the wave of online praise made one thing clear: Big Boy is fast earning headline-caliber status in hardcore circuits.
The last set I caught was Basement. Basement delivered a performance that was packed with both emotional weight and melodic unity, offering a powerful contrast to the high-velocity hardcore surrounding them. Their set created a sonic arc that balanced catharsis with momentum. Fans responded immediately and intensely, as the sing-alongs were heartfelt, voices rose in perfect unison, creating a communal moment that lingered long after the final chord. The Basement’s set felt like a near-religious experience, in which one transcends to a god-like level. Unlike the pit-driven chaos of earlier acts, Basement slowed the pace to let their lyrics and melodies breathe, granting the crowd a moment of emotional release amid the frenzied energy from prior acts. It was a beautiful reminder that hardcore can be more than mosh pits; it is also about vulnerability, shared feelings, and can be a space for collective emotional release. Basement’s set wasn’t about pit chaos; it was about raw emotion and connection. As melodic pillars in a hardcore landscape, they brought balance, heart, and a sense of unity to the festival’s opening day.
Day one of Sound and Fury 2025 wasn’t just your typical festival; it was a hardcore proving ground. A rare mix of pit-breaking violence and communal singing. Day one reminded everyone why hardcore festivals endure: for the absolute intensity, unfiltered expression, and that shared surge of adrenaline only this particular scene can deliver. With stacked billing, strong organization, and a real sense of community, day one set a fierce tone for the weekend.
DAY ONE SELECTS
