Whitechapel

In the organizer's words:

Presented by Rock Antenne

At this stage of the game, the name Whitechapel commands respect. Already possessing one of the most enviable catalogs in contemporary metal, they released 2019's The Valley, which shows a confident evolution of their sound and is a true landmark that sets a new standard for the genre. "For me, it was like the stars aligned for us to create our near-perfect album in terms of songwriting, vocal performance, mixing and mastering, and artwork," says guitarist Alex Wade. "We like to think of our albums as chapters in our career, and this is one chapter I'll never forget. I think it showed us that we can embrace a new sound, and if we get it right, the fanbase will support and enjoy it." They return in 2021 with the album's follow-up, the mighty Kin, an even more dynamic and diverse collection that pushes the band's sound into new areas without losing sight of what got them to this point. "I feel like with each album we learn what worked best on the last one and try to use that in the writing. There was some discussion at the beginning of writing that the album could be like 'The Valley' Part II, not literally called that, but the way the songs sound and flow. It's a very narrative album, just like 'The Valley' was," adds vocalist Phil Bozeman, "musically we just want to create what we feel in the moment. We write music the way we feel and not what's expected of us, while lyrically the idea of continuing the story of 'The Valley' was always the goal."