Within Temptation, Iron Maiden and Sabaton led an outstanding weekend

All good things must come to an end, and Hellfest 2026 was no exception. After three unforgettable days, Clisson was preparing to bid farewell to another remarkable edition of Europe's biggest rock and metal gathering. The final day's line-up leaned heavily towards metalcore, alternative metal and punk rock, but before the curtain finally fell, there were still plenty of memorable performances ahead—and one last surprise waiting for those who stayed until the very end. There

Saturday began very differently from the previous two days. Before even setting foot inside the festival grounds, Hellfest had already made the headlines. A relentless heatwave sweeping across much of France had pushed temperatures to a sweltering 37°C, forcing the organisers to make the unusual decision to cancel the traditional fireworks display planned for Sunday night due to the extreme wildfire risk. The bad news did not end there. The previous afternoon it had been conf

If Thursday belonged to modern metal and the genre’s more contemporary side, Friday was a full-blown celebration of classic heavy metal. Iron Maiden, Queensrÿche, Accept and Helloween brought the sounds that defined the 1980s back to center stage, while newer acts such as Sabaton proved that there is still a path to the top by drawing inspiration from those same foundations. It was a day built on immortal riffs, twin guitars, massive choruses and the constant feeling of witne

Across nineteen editions, Hellfest has grown into one of the most important heavy music festivals on the planet. This year, close to 200,000 fans descended on Clisson over four days to witness 183 bands spread across six stages. Yet Hellfest has always been about far more than numbers. Photo by Jose Crespo What makes this French giant truly special is its near-flawless organisation and a unique identity that sets it apart from every other festival in the world. The two main s

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To get ready for the festival, we’ve also put together a playlist featuring these artists, available on iTunes and YouTube.

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