_{Words by Kayla Hamilton (@kaylazomboid)
Photos (unless otherwise mentioned) by Mateu Perpinya (@lambda.gallery)}

It’s been a few weeks now since Rock Alarm: Falling In Rock in Bangkok, but we are still basking in the honeymoon period of one of the biggest heavy music festivals to hit the region. One of the most anticipated dates for both Thai bands and Thai alternative music fans, Rock Alarm’s 2026 edition further elevated the country’s status as one of the big players in South East Asia’s fast-evolving global music scene.

Thailand has recently received significant attention from audiences outside Asia for its music. Hosting major shows and now serving as the hub for renowned festivals like EDC, and this year debuting its edition of Tomorrowland, it is no wonder that global music markets are turning their attention to the country. It is hardly surprising, though. Long popular with tourists from almost all regions, Thailand has the potential to become a hub for music of all genres in Asia for a number of reasons. Its tourist-friendly infrastructure, investment into its local arts scene and reputation for great food, fantastic parties and kind locals set an appealing stage for investment into their scene. Not only that, Thai popular culture and music are starting to gain recognition, driving interest in areas like dramas, beauty and Thai music.

This attention, though, is not just reserved for pop music. More underground styles are being recognised, especially the hardcore scene with the band Whispers spreading their ‘BANGKOK EVILCORE’ sound across the globe and bringing Hong Thai’s to the pit. 

A perfect storm of circumstances has made it the right time for Rock Alarm organisers to take a big risk with pushing their festival to the next level. 

So did it pay off?

Yes, it did. 

Along with hosting some of the biggest names in Thai heavy music, this year the festival was headlined by four renowned US acts: deathcore pioneers Suicide Silence, the much beloved Saosin, the iconic The Devil Wears Prada and one of the most respected bands in the emotive hardcore genre, Underoath. The perfect blend of interest, nostalgia and notoriety, it made the festival a huge draw for not just Thai fans, but abroad, especially in neighbouring countries.

In the past, the festival has been held at Warehouse Stadium in Khlong Toei, but this year, another risk was taken to move it out to ESC Park Rangsit, giving it a more festival feel. Also, being held in February, which, while it was by no means a cool day, meant that there was less chance of rain and closer to the tourist season. Smart moves that ultimately did pay off, but more on that later. 

Rolling up early, it still had a similar feeling to the Rock Alarm that our team has grown to love after the last few years of covering it. Food stalls filling the air with their mouthwatering aroma, the relaxed ‘sabai, sabai’ vibe that is synonymous with Thailand and Thai people, but it was obvious production was up another level. There were still the cars on display, and Thai fans do not play when it comes to their fashion and look. The Ferris Wheel in the middle of the grounds was also a nice touch, but gazing upon the main stage, it truly looked like a step above previous years.

For us, the first port of call was the Machine Stage to catch the local deathcore act, Teresa. One of the most exciting bands coming up in the scene, Teresa made every second of their twenty minute set count. Brutal riffs, circle pits and getting the crowd fired up early, this is the kind of band you want to open to set the tone but not one you want to play after. 

Then it was over to the Blood Stage to check out numetalcore lads Puppets. They had the locals dancing, and despite being out in the exposed elements, it was an absolute riot of a set. The dust was starting to be kicked up, the kids were moshing, and it was one of those sets that had you two-stepping one minute and dodging kicks the next. Puppets really brought the energy. We caught up with the band’s frontman Earth afterwards to ask what it meant to be a part of such a huge event. 

“One thing about the path that we have been along is that the one word in our heads is ‘Never Give Up’. We started from a little band covering bands we like to a band that started to do their own songs, and it was a really long time since back then,” Earth explained.

“First of all, it’s been an honour to play on a big stage everywhere, especially for Rock Alarm because everybody knows this is a HUGE stage for every metalheads [in the country] and everybody is dying to play here as an artist. We are extremely proud to be a part of this concert, it’s a really big time for Puppets and me.”

We also asked what he thought about the direction that this year’s festival had taken.

“For my personal opinion, Rock alarm is going to raise the bar for the standard of doing an event or concert very high. because all of the organising everything was really super professional and I personally really like it.”

When homegrown festivals start to grow and build solid roots in a community, it becomes a huge deal for local acts. The aspiration and the goal to play these festivals helps drive and motivate young artists. Rock Alarm has been a benchmark Thai metalheads for many years, so the bigger this festival gets, the more opportunity it has to strengthen its local community, and it seems this is in effect.

Another thing it does is that it establishes bands who are more known in the scene as leaders, and one band that has been trailblazing for their region is Chiang Mai’s g6pd. These guys are a unique blend of metalcore with traditional Thai elements and are such a respected act in the broader scene. One minute you are headbanging and the next you are dancing, it is just impossible not to move during their set. They took on the Bone Stage amongst a list of other prominent names in the underground scene. Getting people in the groove mood, they have a wonderful ability to sing about truly important topics like the impacts of environmental destruction but still let you be taken over the music. A truly special band.

The way the timetabling worked at Rock Alarm this year was that no other bands would be playing at the same time as any act on the main stage. It seemed partially to ensure bands on smaller stages didn’t get their audience swallowed by the appeal of bigger names, but also it did seem like sound bleed would be an issue. So once bands like g6pd wrapped up their set, it was time for the main stage acts to begin.

Opening was hyperpop metal act Defying Decay. Wanting to not just impress and open the stage in style, but also launch the news of their new album, the Thai band performed with a 32 piece orchestra. The layout of the main stage, the Castle Stage, was interesting. The moshpit was divided into two sections, one a VIP section and then the regular section- that while it is a great perk for VIP ticket holders, it did impact the flow of the moshpit a little, especially earlier in the day. But that didn’t stop Defying Decay from putting on a solid set.

It is always a risk to not just do something different, but to also play brand new songs at a festival. Either way, they have the charisma, the talent and the performance skills to pull it off and it will be one of those moments that will be talked about for years. We will be waiting patiently for the new album to drop next month!

One of the biggest things missing from previous years was the hustle and bustle of the more artist merch booths. While a few select bands and vendors were able to display some wares, it did not have quite the same energy as in previous years. The strength of the Thai scene, which has been a huge draw for our team, is just how welcoming the heavy music community is in Thailand, so not having that opportunity to go talk with the bands (other than a few) was a bit sad. Still, there were still places to get beers, and buckets of cocktails, and ways to interact with not just the bands but other fans.

We met people from Australia, Japan, Singapore, England and other parts of Europe…it was really special to see everybody who came so far along with the Thai fans coming together.

Now after a bit of a roam and a chat with those around, we then went back to the Castle Stage for the one and only Whispers. This was an act that blew us away back at our first Rock Alarm in 2024, so it was awesome to see not only how far they had come since but to also tear it up in front of their home crowd. By tearing it up, it was not just metaphorical. The circle pits and moshing they incited also tore up the turf, creating a dust storm in their wake.

It can often be a difficult task to emulate the energy of a hardcore show on a stage with barricades and catwalks, but with the help of their crew there were not only two separate pits down below, but guys onstage were also throwing it down. If you have not had the pleasure of catching this act in a city near you, then keep an eye out because they are not one to miss.

The 20 minute sets for many of the local acts meant that moving around made it hard to catch the majority of bands sets, so we decided to stay put to wait for Suicide Silence- which we think is understandable. For many in the audience, including our team, this was the first time we have been able to witness this legendary deathcore band and from the second they hit the stage, it was easy to see why despite everything, they’ve been able to keep on going. What an act to witness.

Ridiculous breakdowns, shredding guitars and rhythm sections you could feel at a cellular level, there was no wonder why those not in the pit were still headbanging with a permanent stank face. Frontman Eddie Hermida was formidable, conducting the stage and the pit- including the wall of death with passion. After all these years, his tribute to Mitch Lucker still was impactful, so when they ripped into ‘No Pity For A Coward’, the crowd went ballistic. It was such a good choice to have these legends on the line-up, it will set a standard for years to come.

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Keeping in the deathcore mood, we ran to try and catch some of Tragedy Of Murder over on the Bone Stage, and we were able to catch the start of their set. Torn between them and another local act, it was hard to split the short time, but this band is one you want to make the effort for. Stage presence unmatched and circle pits guaranteed, Tragedy of Murder always impresses. It was especially great to catch their new single ‘After The Storm’ live for the first time. 

Now, unfortunately due to moving around, we did miss a little of Bomb At Track, but even still, what we witnessed was once again unhinged. Thailand’s answer to Rage Against The Machine with a more party atmosphere, their short set was still a memorable one. Finishing off with inviting anybody in the audience up on stage to dance and get down, there truly is nobody in this scene quite like them.

Saosin are no strangers to Bangkok, only recently playing in the city last May, but their relationship with the South East Asian, especially Thailand. Sounding better than ever and about to head into their 20 years of self-titled tour, they spent they definitely dipped into the classics. The elder emos across ESC Park, were singing along with all their heart. From opening with ‘Sleepers’ and going everywhere from ‘3rd Measurement In C’ to ‘Racing Toward a Red Light’, Cove Reber had plenty of the audience joining him. Guitarist Phil Sgrosso reminded us of his roots by giving the pinched harmonics a good flex, taking these emo classics and adding a little more beef to them. Either way, it was a stellar set all the way through, driven home with ‘You’re Not Alone’, ‘It’s Far Better to Learn’ and ‘Seven Years’.

Back to the Machine Stage again and it was time for another of Thailand’s pioneering exports, ANNALYNN. Last year’s headliners found themselves relegated to a smaller stage, but this led to a more intimate atmosphere amongst their diehard fans. Last Rock Alarm the band was still in a state of uncertainty and flux, but this year they hit the stage with a ferocity that surprised even the OG fans.

With a chip on their shoulder and something to prove, the local metalcore mainstays drew on some of the heaviest tracks of their discography and made their presence felt. Like their song ‘White Flags’ says, ANNALYNN are still standing and still showing us why even through all the years and everything they’ve been through, they are still here and still pushing the envelope.

For their first time ever in Thailand, The Devil Wears Prada hit the Castle Stage with such force, we had no choice but to run back and get as close as we could. Opening with ‘Watchtower’, you could tell instantly that Thailand had been waiting desperately for this band to play in their country. (This reviewer will admit that it was also my first time seeing The Devil Wears Prada, so my pearls were CLUTCHED and I too had been waiting for decades at this point). When they ripped into ‘Born To Lose’ in the third song, holy hell the pit OPENED. The one thing about the Thai fans is that they have no worries about just fully expressing how they feel in the moment, so there was no uniformity.

It was just a field of passionate, music-loving people just losing themselves in the moment. With a band like Prada, there it is all gas, no brakes. Despite the lingering heat, they just hammered through and looked like they were having the most fun doing so. They played a little old, a little new and shut up any complaints that those internet folk seem to have about their ability to go hard. Finishing off the set with ‘Hey John, What’s Your Name Again?’The entire hour felt like both an apology to Thailand for making them wait so long and a thank you for doing so.

Now, the final set of the night. It had been 12 hours of metal, punk, emo and everything in between at this point. Many were drunk. Many were tired. But the vast majority still had an hour left in them because it was time for the last act: Underoath. It doesn’t matter how long between dances or how many times you’ve seen this band, for many out there it was their first, Underoath are one of the best live acts from this generation (meaning the last twenty years). Before they even came out, you could hear the band psyching themself up and from the moment they walked out, their energy was infectious. It didn’t matter how exhausted, dehydrated, inebriated or even unfamiliar with Underoath you were. You FELT something special was about to unfold. Tears were shed, necks were injured and voices were lost as we all got lost under the spell of this iconic act.

They had us around their finger, especially going from ‘In Regards To Myself’ to ‘It’s Dangerous Business Walking Out Your Front Door’ in the first two songs. Lead vocalist Spencer Chamberlain really took the time to engage the crowd and again, despite how suffocating the heat had been, the jetlag from coming all this way and the late night start, the energy that all members emitted from start to finish was nothing short of inspiring. As much fun as we were having, it seemed they were as well. Of course the classics, especially ‘A Boy Brushed Red Living In Black and White’ went off, but everybody embraced every second of their set, because it is one of those things right…when bands don’t often hit that side of the world, you want to make sure you savour every moment. This was only the second show they had played in Asia over the last decade, the other being the year before in Japan at Crossfaith’s Hyperplanet Festival, so it was definitely a treat.

With no encore on the horizon, they knew they had to finish strong and of course, it was ‘Writings On The Walls’. As the final notes rang out across the field and the band bidding the Bangkok crowd farewell, it was the perfect finish to what is sure to go down as a historical day in Thailand’s heavy music history. Good spirits were still amongst those who were still standing and even those that weren’t, were taking in everything that had happened.

Rock Alarm 2026 was a combination of efforts from many of Thailand’s hardest workers in the heavy music scene. While there are a few things to work on going forward, it was a huge success and a huge milestone in the growing scene. While the wider music market tends to brush off the underground, heavy scenes off to the side like a black sheep, despite it’s growing commercial viability, it will be interesting to see as more eyes are on Thailand’s scene what that will mean for this growing event.

Where to go next time? The only way is up.

But we will definitely be there in 2027 to see it.