Grab your tent, your battle jacket, and your strongest hangover cure, because Hellfest 2026 has officially announced its “Tales From The Pit” lineup — and it’s an absolute monster, mun. 😈
This year’s edition promises to be one of the wildest in Hellfest history — an unholy alliance of metal legends, punk pioneers, and fresh chaos-makers ready to turn Clisson into the loudest town in Europe. Let’s dive straight into this infernal feast. 🔥
🩸 DAY ONE — THURSDAY 18 JUNE
BRING ME THE HORIZON take on the gates of Hell
Thursday’s shaping up to be a massive crossover of chaos. Bring Me The Horizon headline with their hybrid of post-hardcore and electronic carnage, ready to prove they can hold their own among metal giants.
Backing them up? A furious wave of crowd favourites: Papa Roach, Breaking Benjamin, and The Plot In You, plus metalcore legends We Came As Romans. Expect circle pits, pyrotechnics, and maybe a few emotional breakdowns mid-singalong — y’know, the usual Thursday at Hellfest.
🔥 Also appearing:
- Motionless In White
- Sleep Token-style atmospheric acts rumoured
- Deathcore rising stars expected to fill out the Warzone
⚔️ DAY TWO — FRIDAY 19 JUNE
IRON MAIDEN return to rule the kingdom
The kings are back! Iron Maiden headline Friday with their Run For Your Lives tour, proving yet again why they’re the undisputed gods of metal. If you thought 2024’s shows were epic — wait ‘til you hear Bruce scream “Scream for me, Clisson!”
Joining them on this historic night are the mighty Helloween, Accept, Queensrÿche, Sortilège, Wings of Steel, and Blackrain. It’s basically a crash course in heavy metal history.
⚡ Meanwhile, Deep Purple and Alice Cooper will lead the classic rock brigade with The Pretty Reckless and Alestorm in tow — pirate metal meets shock rock meets pure madness.
And if that’s not enough, Mikkey Dee is bringing a Motörhead tribute set, featuring friends and guest appearances. Lemmy would be proud, butt. 🏴☠️
💀 DAY THREE — SATURDAY 20 JUNE
LIMP BIZKIT, A PERFECT CIRCLE, and TOM MORELLO headline the nu-metal apocalypse
You wanted weird? You’ve got it. Saturday belongs to the freaks.
Limp Bizkit bring their “Dad Vibes” and baggy jeans straight to Clisson for a full-on nostalgia riot. Expect chaos, memes, and Fred Durst in a bucket hat bigger than the main stage.
A Perfect Circle and Tom Morello will level things up with virtuoso performances and politically charged firepower — think riffs, rebellion, and righteous fury.
Supporting chaos includes:
- Static-X (hair still defying physics)
- Enhancer, House of Protection, Thornhill, and Slay Squad bringing the alt-metal and hardcore edge.
💥 Over on the second stage:
- Volbeat, Megadeth, and Anthrax lead a day of pure thrash thunder.
- Cavalera’s Chaos A.D. set promises a Sepultura-style apocalypse.
- And Insanity Alert might just start a mosh pit the size of Brittany.
🧨 DAY FOUR — SUNDAY 21 JUNE
THE OFFSPRING, THE HIVES, and RISE AGAINST close the weekend in a punk rock explosion
After three days of metal mayhem, Sunday brings the punks, the skaters, and the chaos crew.
The Offspring headline the final night, with The Hives and Rise Against delivering pure, sweat-soaked energy. Expect mosh pits full of Vans sneakers, beer showers, and glorious singalongs to “Pretty Fly (For a White Guy).”
🔥 Elsewhere, Pennywise, The Bones, The Dwarves, and Not Scientists keep the punk spirit alive, while Bad Omens, Architects, and Three Days Grace close out the main stage with emotional anthems and melodic destruction.
🩸 THE UNDERGROUND AWAKENS
Hellfest has always been more than just its headliners — it’s about the deep cuts and filthy riffs echoing through the smaller tents. This year’s undercard is absolute fire:
🕯️ Doom, Death & Darkness
- Behemoth, Rotting Christ, Napalm Death, Blood Incantation, Decapitated, Forbidden, Aura Noir
- The grim side of Hellfest never disappoints — blasphemy, brutality, and blackened beauty galore
🧱 Hardcore & Chaos
- Malevolence, Lionheart, Agnostic Front, Kublai Khan TX, Cro-Mags, Buzzcocks, Drain
- Expect pile-ons, sweat, and absolute carnage
🌕 Folklore & Fantasy
- Skáld, Feuerschwanz, Bornkagar, Perchta, and The Gathering bring the medieval vibes
- The perfect comedown from the previous night’s chaos
🌋 Doom & Post-Metal Majesty
- Mastodon, Cult of Luna, Amenra, Slift, Down, Acid Bath, Corrosion of Conformity
- Prepare to be crushed slowly, beautifully, and completely
🎟️ WHY THIS YEAR FEELS SPECIAL
Hellfest’s 2026 lineup has managed to hit every corner of the rock and metal universe — from the pioneers to the new blood, from the goths and punks to the prog nerds and blast beat lunatics.
It’s not just a festival — it’s a pilgrimage. A celebration of everything loud, rebellious, and gloriously over-the-top.
🏕️ QUICK INFO FOR HEADBANGERS
📅 Dates: 18–21 June 2026
📍 Location: Clisson, France
🎫 Tickets: Available now via hellfest.fr — move fast, they sell out quicker than a Fred Durst meme drops.
🍺 Pro Tip: Bring earplugs, sunscreen, and an extra liver. You’ll need all three.
🤘 FINAL THOUGHTS
Hellfest 2026 looks like a metal multiverse — Iron Maiden to Limp Bizkit, Alice Cooper to Architects, Behemoth to The Offspring. Where else on earth can you see Papa Roach and Napalm Death on the same poster and have it make perfect sense?
So, grab your crew, paint your face, and get ready for four days of riffs, rebellion, and righteous noise. This isn’t just a festival — it’s Hell on Earth, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. 🔥
See you in the pit, butt. 🤘🇫🇷
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene special—from legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether he’s battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, he’s always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When he’s not writing or interviewing artists, you’ll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than music—they’re about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. That’s exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. 🤘
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