Even if you only dabble in hard rock and heavy metal, you've heard of Hellfest. Held every June in the sleepy town of Clisson, it has become the biggest and most prestigious metal festival on the planet, surpassing Germany's Wacken in attendance and in sheer number of artists. It has existed in its current form for twenty years, twenty-three if one includes its previous incarnation, Fury Fest. Over the years, some of the greatest names in heavy music have graced its stages, from established legends to future stars long before they became household names.
The 2026 edition once again offered a staggering overview of the many branches of the hard rock family tree. Traditional heavy metal, classic rock, punk, hardcore, death metal, black metal, metalcore, deathcore, progressive metal, grindcore, hard rock, gothic metal, folk metal, stoner metal, thrash metal, nu metal, doom metal, sludge metal, glam metal, symphonic metal, industrial metal, atmospheric metal and every imaginable hybrid in between. If it existed, Hellfest probably had it. This was our first year covering the event.
Actually, let me rephrase that. It was my first year covering the event, and it blew my mind.
Electric Eye has grown considerably since its humble beginnings as little more than a repository for concert photos. It remains a niche endeavor, updated whenever time allows, held together with questionable HTML and stubborn determination. When I applied for press accreditation, I honestly did so with very modest expectations. There was no way in Hell they would approve this little operation. Yet, for some reason, they did.
Why? My guess is that they saw the same thing that drives thousands of people to Clisson every June: passion. Passion is what sends me lugging camera gear across town on a weeknight to photograph an unknown band in front of thirty people. Passion is what keeps me editing photos and writing reviews at three in the morning. Passion is what compels me to wrestle with HTML and iframes I barely understand. Game recognizes game, and the Hellfest team must have recognized in this little webzine the same love for music that drives them.
And so, without further ado, here is our coverage of four days of glorious metallic mayhem. You're welcome for the triple alliteration.
For a first-timer, the scale of Hellfest is genuinely overwhelming. The giant sculptures, the fire-breathing stage decorations, the endless rows of food vendors, the bars, the merchandise stands, the hundreds of volunteers and staff members working in perfect synchronization. I have covered events ranging from the Cannes Film Festival to presidential elections, G8 summits and COP21 conferences. Never have I witnessed anything on this scale operating with such apparent ease.
Of course, with six stages and nearly two hundred bands, difficult choices become unavoidable. Do you skip a favorite to catch a rare act visiting Europe? Do you prioritize the headliner because the photographs will be spectacular, even though another band means more to you personally? Such decisions become part of the experience.
DAY ONE
France is in the grip of a brutal heatwave, with temperatures approaching 42°C, yet tens of thousands of black-clad enthusiasts gather under a merciless sun for their annual dose of riffs and decibels. The first day balances rising acts, established names and genuine legends, with Deep Purple and Alice Cooper representing the oldest generation while Mikkey Dee and friends celebrate the legacy of Motörhead and Ozzy Osbourne's career receives a fitting tribute, complete with screen projections and a spectacular fireworks display.We Came As Romans @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Devangelic@ Altar Stage (Photo)
The Pretty Reckless @ Main Stag 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Breaking Benjamin @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, review, setlist)
Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats @ Valley Stage (Photos, setlist)
Deep Purple @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, review, setlist)
Papa Roach @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Alice Cooper @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, review, setlist)
DAY TWO
Traditional heavy metal dominates the second day. Queensrÿche, Accept and Helloween deliver textbook examples of the genre, while Sepultura bids farewell to French audiences and Opeth once again demonstrates why progressive metal remains an acquired taste in festival conditions. And then there is Iron Maiden, delivering the sort of performance that reminds everyone why they occupy such a singular place in heavy metal history.
TesseracT @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, setlist)
Point Mort @ Warzone (Photo)
Queensrÿche @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Stoned Jesus @ Valley Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Bloodywood @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, setlist)
Accept @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Sepultura @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, review, setlist)
Helloween @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Opeth @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, review, setlist)
Iron Maiden @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
DAY THREE
The third day suffers a pair of unfortunate cancellations, with Cavalera's Chaos A.D. performance falling victim to a tour bus accident and Tom Morello withdrawing for family reasons. Yet there is still plenty to see, from French nu metal veterans Enhancer to the contrasting approaches of Anthrax, Megadeth and Limp Bizkit. Deicide and Behemoth provide the day's dose of blasphemy, while A Perfect Circle offers something more introspective.Obscura @ Altar Stage (Photos, setlist)
Oranssi Pazuzu @ Temple Stage (Photos)
Enhancer @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Anthrax @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, review, setlist)
A Perfect Circle @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Aura Noir @ Temple Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Megadeth @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, review, setlist)
Old Man's Child @ Temple Stage (Photos, setlist)
Limp Bizkit @ Main Stage 1 (Photos, review, setlist)
Deicide @ Altar Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Behemoth @ Main Stage 2 (Photos, review, setlist)
DAY FOUR
The final day leans heavily toward sludge, stoner rock and American death metal. The Phil Anselmo galaxy dominate proceedings with Down, Scour, Eyehategod and Corrosion of Conformity while veterans such as Possessed and Napalm Death prove that experience remains one of heavy music's most valuable assets.
Scour @ Temple Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Eyehategod @ Valley Stage (Photos, review)
Six Feet Under @ Altar Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Corrosion Of Conformity @ Valley Stage (Photos, review)
Possessed @ Altar Stage (Photos, setlist)
Agnostic Front @ Warzone - (Photos, setlist)
Acid Bath @Valley Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Marduk @ Altar Stage (Photos, setlist)
Napalm Death @ Altar Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
Down @ Valley Stage (Photos, review, setlist)
And despite four days that felt impossibly full, some painful sacrifices had to be made. Among the bands we reluctantly missed were, in alphabetical order, Architects, Bad Omens, Black Veil Brides, Blood Incantation, Buzzcocks, Carcass, Circle Jerks, Cro-Mags, Decapitated, Hatebreed, Marduk, Mastodon, Mayhem, My Dying Bride, President, Sabaton, Sabaton, Septicflesh, Social Distortion, The Gathering, The Hives, The Offspring, Young Gods...
The dominant feeling after six days, if one includes the journey in and the inevitable comedown afterward, is gratitude. Gratitude toward the bands, the fans, the vendors, the organizers, the partners and the countless people working behind the scenes. Security personnel, cleaners, information desks, volunteers, press staff, everyone encountered over the course of the week was remarkably efficient and unfailingly friendly.
For all its massive scale, Hellfest never loses sight of the most important thing: everyone is here to have a good time. The fans understand that. People clean up after themselves. They look after one another. Civility reigns. In a world that often feels increasingly fragmented, four days in Clisson offer a reminder that communities still exist.
And yes, heavy metal has one. The metal family is among the most welcoming and inclusive communities I have encountered, and being immersed in it for the better part of a week is strangely intoxicating. Returning to everyday life is going to take some adjustment.
When I get home, there will be no blast beats, no double bass drums and no walls of distortion for a few days. My ears need the rest. It'll be smooth jazz, soft rock and classical music while the ringing subsides and the dust settles. But sooner or later, I'll put on a heavy metal record again and instantly be transported back to this strange little kingdom where metal reigns supreme, where the food, the clothes, the conversations and the friendships all revolve around a shared passion. Right now, I'm very happy to be home. But I already can't wait to come back next year.
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