Live Heavy Metal Music Festivals You Can’t Miss This Year
Looking for some killer live music to get your metal fix this year? Check out our list of the must-see heavy metal festivals happening around the world in 2018!
Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air is a metal music festival that takes place in the small town of Wacken in Germany. The festival was founded in 1990 and has been held every year since then. Wacken Open Air is one of the biggest and most well-known metal festivals in the world.
When: August 1-3
Wacken Open Air is a massive three-day music festival held annually in the small town of Wacken, Germany. The festival features a wide range of heavy metal and hard rock bands, both well-known and up-and-coming, as well as a variety of other attractions such as camping, medieval battles, and more.
Where: Wacken, Germany
Wacken Open Air, or simply Wacken, is a Heavy Metal music festival held in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, Northern Germany. Though it was originally conceived as a one-day event, it has since evolved into a four-day festival with over 80,000 attendees from all over the world.
Wacken is one of the largest and most well-known Heavy Metal festivals in the world, and has been running annually since 1990. It is also one of the few remaining truly independent festivals, as it is not owned or sponsored by any major corporation.
The line-up for Wacken 2018 includes some of the biggest names in Heavy Metal, including Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Ozzy Osbourne.
Why: One of the biggest and most well-known metal festivals in the world
Wacken Open Air is a massive open-air heavy metal music festival held in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany. It is usually held annually in late July or early August, and features a wide range of heavy metal subgenres including death metal, power metal, black metal, and thrash metal.
With over 80,000 attendees and over 200 bands performing on eight stages over four days, Wacken Open Air is one of the largest and most well-known metal festivals in the world. It has been hailed as the mecca for all metalheads and has been described as “theholy grail of heavy metal” by Kerrang! magazine.
In addition to the music, Wacken Open Air also offers a wide range of other activities such as a medieval market, Metal Battle (a competition for up-and-coming bands), Wackinger Village (an area dedicated to medieval and fantasy-themed entertainment), and more.
Bloodstock Open Air
Bloodstock Open Air is a British heavy metal music festival held annually at Catton Hall in Walton-on-Trent, Derbyshire, since 2005. The festival features a particular focus on metal, with the majority of bands previously performing in the genre, though with some exceptions. Bloodstock Open Air is also notable for the inclusion of ‘second stage’ which promotes unsigned and up-and-coming bands.
When: August 8-11
Held at the historic grounds of Walton-on-Trent in Derbyshire, England, Bloodstock Open Air is one of the largest heavy metal festivals in Europe. The event features four stages of music, camping, and a wide variety of vendor stalls and food options. With a lineup that includes some of the biggest names in metal, Bloodstock is a can’t-miss event for fans of the genre.
Where: Derbyshire, England
This year’s Bloodstock Open Air festival is taking place in Derbyshire, England from August 8-11. The lineup includes some of the biggest names in heavy metal, including Judas Priest, Scorpions, Slipknot, and Slayer. If you’re a fan of metal music, this is one festival you won’t want to miss.
Why: A great mix of newer and older metal bands
Bloodstock Open Air is a British heavy metal music festival held annually at Catton Hall in Walton-on-Trent, Derbyshire. The festival is independently owned and promoted by Paul Gregory and Simon Hall, who also own and run the UK independent record label AFM Records.
First held in 2001 as a one-day event for 2000 people, Bloodstock Open Air has grown year on year. It now takes place over four days (Thursday to Sunday), with stage times arranged so that there are no clashes between bands on the main Ricardo International Stage and the Ronnie James Dio Stage. In 2011, an extra stage, the Sophie Lancaster Stage was added named after the former Bloodstock PR who was murdered in 2007.
With Bloodstock being such a big success over the years it has managed to attract some of metals elite including Blind Guardian, Iron Maiden, Slayer, Anthrax, Motörhead, Megadeth, Lamb of God and many more. This year is no different with those such asJudas Priest , Gojira , Amon Amarth , At The Gates , Nightwish , Dragonforce and Marilyn Manson set to take to various stages across Bloodstock weekend!
Hellfest
music festivals are a great way to see some of your favorite bands all in one place. They’re also a great way to discover new music. This year, there are a few heavy metal festivals you won’t want to miss. Hellfest is one of them.
When: June 21-23
June 21-23, Clisson, France
This year’s Hellfest will feature an eclectic lineup of over 100 bands across six stages, including headliners System of a Down, Metallica, and Korn.
Other notable acts include Megadeth, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Slayer, Nine Inch Nails, and more.
In addition to the music, Hellfest offers a variety of food and drink options, as well as vendors selling metal merchandise.
Where: Clisson, France
Hellfest is one of the most popular and well-respected live heavy metal music festivals in the world. The festival takes place in the town of Clisson in France, and every year it attracts metalheads from all over Europe (and beyond).
The lineup for Hellfest 2020 is absolutely massive, with some of the biggest names in metal set to perform, including Metallica, Slipknot, System Of A Down, Judas Priest, Korn, and many more. If you’re a fan of metal music, then Hellfest is definitely a festival that you won’t want to miss.
Why: Another big metal festival with a great lineup
HELLFEST is one of the biggest metal festivals in the world, and takes place every year in Clisson, France. The lineup for this year’s festival is absolutely massive, with over 100 bands set to perform across six stages. HELLFEST is also known for being one of the most diverse metal festivals around, with a wide range of genres represented. This is definitely a festival that any metalhead worth their salt should check out!
Graspop Metal Meeting
Are you a metal head? Do you love headbanging to the music of your favorite metal bands? If you do, then you would definitely love the Graspop Metal Meeting. It is one of the biggest and most popular metal festivals in the world. The festival takes place in the town of Dessel, Belgium.
When: June 28-30
Looking for a great metal music festival to attend this year? Then you won’t want to miss Graspop Metal Meeting, which takes place in Belgium from June 28-30.
Featuring some of the biggest names in heavy metal music, Graspop is one of the most popular metal festivals in Europe. This year’s lineup includes bands such as Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer, and Judas Priest, so you’re sure to find something to your taste.
In addition to three days of non-stop metal music, Graspop also offers a variety of other activities and attractions, including a market with over 200 stalls selling everything from music equipment to clothes, a wide selection of food and drink vendors, and a camping area for those who want to make a weekend of it.
So if you’re looking for a great live heavy metal music festival to attend this year, be sure to add Graspop Metal Meeting to your list!
Where: Dessel, Belgium
Dessel is a sleepy town in Belgium that comes alive one weekend a year for the country’s biggest and most well-known metal festival. Graspop has been running since 1996 and has grown exponentially in recent years, attracting some of the biggest names in metal to its stage. The likes of Metallica, Iron Maiden, Guns N’ Roses, and Ozzy Osbourne have all headlined the festival, with 2018’s lineup featuring the likes of Judas Priest, Marilyn Manson, and Black Veil Brides. If you’re a fan of metal music, Graspop is definitely a festival you need to experience at least once in your lifetime.
Why: A mix of metal subgenres, plus some big name headliners
Whether you’re a fan of black metal, death metal, or anything in between, there’s sure to be something for you at Graspop Metal Meeting. This Belgian festival has been running since 1996, and has seen some of the biggest names in metal grace its stages over the years. This year’s headliners include Slipknot, Tool, and System of a Down – need we say more?
With Full Force
With Full Force is one of the leading metal festivals in Europe. This year, it takes place from July 4-7 in Ferropolis, Germany. The festival features a wide range of metal subgenres, including death metal, black metal, and power metal.
When: June 28-30
Live heavy metal music is truly an experience like no other. There’s the thundering bass, the screamers, the mosh pits, the pyrotechnics… It’s all intense and in-your-face. And if you’re a fan of this genre, there are some live heavy metal music festivals you definitely don’t want to miss this year.
With Full Force is one of Europe’s biggest open-air festivals for heavy metal, hardcore, punk, and other genres of rock music. It takes place in Ferropolis, Germany and features over 100 bands on 7 stages. past headliners have included Korn, Slayer, Mastodon, and Exodus. This year’s lineup includes Sabaton, Judas Priest, Beast in Black, and Parkway Drive.
Rock am Ring and Rock im Park are two music festivals that take place simultaneously in Germany. They feature mostly rock music but also have a smattering of metal bands as well. This year’s lineup includes Metallica, Slayer, Ghost, and Rise Against.
Nova Rock is another huge open-air festival that takes place in Austria. This year’s lineup includes Foo Fighters, Die Ärzte, and Slipknot.
Hellfest is a French music festival that takes place in Clisson and features a wide variety of metal subgenres including black metal, death metal, thrash metal, power metal, and more. This year’s lineup includes Iron Maiden (who will be headlining), KISS, Judas Priestess (an all-female Judas Priest cover band), Slayer (who are playing their last ever show at Hellfest), Lamb of God ,and Megadeth.
Download Festival is a British rock festival that takes place at Donington Park in Leicestershire. past headliners have included Metallica (twice), Black Sabbath (twice), Iron Maiden (three times), Kiss (twice), AC/DC (twice), Ozzy Osbourne (twice), and Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators. This year’s lineup includes Slipknot , Tool , Def Leppard , Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators , Die Ärzte , Amon Amarth , Whitesnake , Rob Zombie , Powerwolf
Amon Amarth
Where: Ferropolis, Germany
Deep in the heart of Germany, surrounded by forests and towering cranes, lies Ferropolis: The City of Iron. This unique open-air museum is the perfect setting for the country’s biggest metal festival, With Full Force.
Now in its 23rd year, With Full Force has established itself as one of Europe’s premier metal festivals. With a lineup that includes some of the biggest names in metal, as well as up-and-coming talent, this is a festival not to be missed.
If you’re looking for a metal festival that is truly unique, With Full Force is the one for you.
Why: A mix of metalcore, hardcore, and deathcore bands
Are you looking for a heavy metal festival to attend this year? If so, you may want to consider With Full Force. This annual event, which takes place in Germany, has been running since 1996. It is one of the largest and most well-known metal festivals in Europe.
With Full Force usually takes place in early July. In 2019, the festival will be held from July 4-6. Tickets usually go on sale in March or April. Prices vary depending on how early you purchase your ticket and whether you want a day pass or a three-day pass.
The lineup for With Full Force usually includes a mix of metalcore, hardcore, and deathcore bands. Some of the bands that have played at With Full Force in past years include Hatebreed, Architects, Parkway Drive, Stick to Your Guns, and Thy Art Is Murder.
If you’re looking for a live music event that is sure to please any heavy metal fan, With Full Force is definitely worth checking out!
