The lineup for the inaugural Sick New World festival was revealed on November 7, 2022. Its lineup drew attention for its
nu metal focus and featured
System of a Down headlining in their only performance of 2023, alongside bands such as
Korn,
Deftones and
Incubus on the main stages.
Consequence noted the presence of other genres such as
industrial with
Ministry,
Skinny Puppy and
KMFDM, as well as the
gothic rock of
The Sisters of Mercy (who were playing their first US tour in 15 years),
The 69 Eyes and
Ville Valo. The festival added a fifth stage, and the
Las Vegas Weekly noted how the stages were loosely thematic, with the tented Diablo Stage hosting the hardcore-leaning bands, while the Siren Stage focused on the industrial and gothic artists. The third edition was scheduled to take place on April 12, 2025, headlined by
Metallica and
Linkin Park. It also planned to feature the reunion of
Acid Bath, who broke up in 1997. However, on November 29, 2024, the festival announced that its 2025 edition was canceled. Earlier that week,
Tomahawk bassist
Trevor Dunn claimed on a podcast that the festival would not happen, forcing the band to scrap its upcoming tour, which had been planned around the festival, for financial reasons. The festival began teasing its return in October 2025, updating their website featuring Las Vegas and Texas waitlists. At a signing for his art book
Visual Resonance,
Serj Tankian confirmed that System of a Down would be there. == Lineups ==