Tyler Hoover, the founder and CEO of Shell Shock II, was not having any of it. In a now-viral Instagram rant, Hoover lambasted the bands and fans who had turned their backs on the festival, accusing them of losing touch with the core principles of metal and punk.

“I’m here to tell you that you’re not punk, you’re not metal, and you’re certainly not hardcore,” Hoover raged in a video that included more expletives than a Rage Against the Machine concert. “All these people trolling and talking smack? They’re the mentally ill portion of society. You’re the ones being manipulated by the mainstream media. Metal is about freedom, rebellion, and standing up for what you believe in.”

Hoover’s message was clear: Shell Shock II would go on, with or without the bands that had dropped out. In fact, he announced that the festival had replaced its headliners with a Slipknot tribute band called SiC, and he remained defiant in the face of the growing boycott.

“You can’t kill punk, you can’t kill metal, and you sure as hell can’t kill Shell Shock,” Hoover declared, adding that the festival’s mission of supporting veterans and first responders would remain unchanged. “We don’t discriminate. Everyone is welcome.”

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