Sounds of the Underground

Sounds of the Underground began in 2005 as an alternate-universe Ozzfest, bringing together metal and hardcore's rising stars for a traveling arena festival that was meant to be louder, heavier and more relevant than the corporate-sponsored event it rivaled. Two years later, the tours seem more alike than previously thought: SOTU now has more sponsors than it does bands, and the tour's lineup — save for buzzed-about Shadows Fall and Every Time I Die — puts an old guard of B-list headliners (Chimaira, GWAR) alongside a literal underground of younger, hipper support acts who've not yet broken through widely (Job for a Cowboy, Darkest Hour, the Number Twelve Looks Like You). Meanwhile, Ozzfest 2007 is literally giving away tickets to its most underground-friendly lineup yet — even if some of that tour's stars (Lamb of God, Hatebreed and Behemoth) are guest-headlining select dates of SOTU this year. At this rate, it wouldn't be surprising to see the tours join forces (imagine it: Ozzfest Presents: Sounds of the Underground), but for now, fans can relish the fact that it'll only cost them one ticket to experience both events.