COLUMBUS, Ohio – Rock On The Range takes over Columbus' Mapfre Stadium next weekend, and it's got one intense lineup.

For three days, the biggest names in metal and rock music will perform for hundreds of thousands of fans. The festival features 60 bands on three stages. Tool, Alice In Chains and Avenged Sevenfold headline the weekend.

We looked through the list and picked out the top 15 acts we think are worth checking out this year.

By Anne Nickoloff, cleveland.com

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Greta Van Fleet

Friday, 3:40 p.m.

Monster Energy Main Stage

Greta Van Fleet might be a young act, but it's got a sound influenced by classic acts like Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton and Pete Townshend. The band's popularity has surged forward since the release of its 2017 album "From The Fires" and its hit single "Highway Tune."

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Tool

Sunday, 9:20 p.m.

Monster Energy Main Stage

Tool is a must-see at Rock On The Range. The top headliner has defined its own brand of doomy, experimental alt-metal since the early 1990s. And it's a good chance to see the band while it's nearby. It has become difficult to catch Tool live—the band rarely tours through Ohio and spends a lot of time touring abroad.

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Babymetal

Sunday, 7 p.m.

Zippo Encore Stage

Babymetal is one of the more unusual acts on Rock On The Range's lineup this year. The Japanese band combines cute Japanese idol music with conventional metal, fronted by three young female singers ("Su-metal," "Yuimetal" and "Moametal"). But despite its first cutesy appearances, Babymetal can shred.

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Baroness

Sunday, 5:30 p.m.

Zippo Encore Stage

When it comes to metal music, Baroness sticks out. The band's technical, complicated guitar parts mix with loud, in-your-face strumming. Baroness has regularly racked up Album Of The Year and Best Rock Band recognitions, and for good reason: The band's unique approach to rock stands apart from any other.

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Machine Gun Kelly

Friday, 5 p.m.

Monster Energy Main Stage

Cleveland's own Machine Gun Kelly will play Rock On The Range on the fest's first night. If you've never been to one of the rapper's concerts, you can expect energetic moves onstage, bright lights and lots of love to the city of Cleveland.

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Turnstile

Friday, 3:05 p.m.

Zippo Encore Stage

You've got to be prepared before you see Turnstile live. The punk band's raw energy onstage leads to tumultuous dance pits, crowd surfing and stage dives. So, it should be a blast to see them at the big ROTR stage.

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Andrew W.K.

Saturday, 5:45 p.m.

Bud Light Stage

Party animal Andrew W.K. might not be the most critically-acclaimed musician at Rock On The Range, but his show will undoubtedly be a blast. The "Party Hard" singer will mix his energetic hits from 2001 album "I Get Wet" with newer releases like 2018's "You're Not Alone."

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New Years Day

Saturday, 1:10 p.m.

Monster Energy Main Stage

Led by powerhouse vocalist Ash Costello, New Years Day puts on an intense show full of gothic punk songs. The band has a loyal following, which often shows up in force for the band’s shows. New Years Day most recently put out an EP, "Diary Of A Creep," on Jan. 26.

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Avenged Sevenfold

Saturday, 9:30 p.m.

Monster Energy Main Stage

Avenged Sevenfold found mainstream success in its metal music, and you can expect a dedicated, large crowd at the band's Rock On The Range show. You might recognize songs like "Hail To The King," "Nightmare" and "Bat Country," which all earned high places on Billboard charts.

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Quicksand

Friday, 5:45 p.m.

Zippo Encore Stage

Quicksand is back from a hiatus, and it brought new music with it. The post-hardcore band surprised fans with its new album "Interiors" in November. Quicksand achieved popularity more than two decades ago, and is pushing forward once again. The band's grunge-rock sound and sluggish vocals showcases New York's hardcore music scene in the '90s.

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Black Veil Brides

Saturday, 3:40 p.m.

Monster Energy Main Stage

Glam metal band Black Veil Brides formed in Cincinnati 12 years ago, with plenty of black makeup, tight pants and big hair to show off onstage. But beyond BVB's stage presence, its music has been constantly evolving from metalcore to classically-influenced rock and roll. The band's latest album, 2018's "Vale," shows an accessible collection of 12 heavy rock songs.

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I Prevail

Sunday, 3:30 p.m.

Monster Energy Main Stage

Sure, I Prevail might have earned a lot of its fame through its cover of Taylor Swift's "Blank Space." But the band has put out two full-length albums that hit hard: 2015's "Heart Vs. Mind" and 2016's "Lifelines." Get ready for a pretty intense dance pit at this Rock On The Range show.

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Bullet For My Valentine

Saturday, 5 p.m.

Monster Energy Main Stage

Welsh metal band Bullet For My Valentine is preparing to release its newest album "Gravity" in late June. Rock On The Range will be an opportunity to hear the new tunes before they're officially out in the public. And if those songs are anything like the already-released single "Piece Of Me," it'll be full of thrashing, heavy guitar licks.

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Red Sun Rising

Sunday, 2:20 p.m.

Monster Energy Main Stage

A bit of Northeast Ohio will appear in Rock On The Range's lineup with Red Sun Rising (well, along with MGK, of course). The Akron hard rock band formed in 2007 and has since put out two well-received albums, including the recently-released album "Thread"

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Godsmack

Sunday, 7:40 p.m.

Monster Energy Main Stage

Metal band Godsmack formed more than 20 years ago, but it continues to rock today. The band has had a string of successes, with four Grammy nominations and a past Billboard win for "Rock Artist Of The Year." But the Godsmack you hear at Rock On The Range might have a different sound to it than past shows, thanks to the band's newest album "When Legends Rise." The new project incorporates less heavy metal influences than past albums, instead opting for a somewhat softer rock sound.