Shinedown guitarist Zach Myers has opened up about why the band quietly pulled the plug on pre-show meet-and-greets — and it has nothing to do with not caring about the fans. If anything, it’s the opposite.
Speaking on the Beardo & Weirdo podcast, hosted by Five Finger Death Punch bassist Chris Kael and comedian Craig Gass, Myers was asked whether it blows his mind that Shinedown‘s music carries the same deep emotional weight for fans as his own musical heroes did for him growing up. His answer got unexpectedly honest.
“Yes. But it also at times doesn’t feel real, because it’s true,” he said (via Blabbermouth). “Your music does mean as much to you as Bruce Springsteen meant to me, or U2 meant to me, or Stevie Ray Vaughan, or whatever. But when it’s you, it’s hard to… I get a lot of imposter syndrome, so it’s hard to go, ‘Oh.’ Like when people say, ‘Dude, your song saved my life,’ the computer just stops working for me.”
Myers went on to explain that those moments — the ones that hit the hardest — are exactly why meet-and-greets became unsustainable. Unlike the quick photo-line format many bands use, Shinedown did things differently. He and singer Brent Smith would work one end of the room while bassist Eric Bass and drummer Barry Kerch took the other, spending a genuine five minutes with each person.
“We’ve toured with bands — they do 150 people in 30 minutes,” Myers said. “It took us 90 minutes to do 40 people.”
The weight of those conversations eventually became too much to carry into a show. Myers described fans sharing devastating personal stories — a seven-year-old boy lost to cancer — and finding himself unable to switch off the emotional response once he hit the stage: “‘Man, I’ve got a seven-year-old boy. He died of cancer.’ And I’m, like, under my shirt, texting my wife, like, ‘Take our kid to the hospital right now.’ She’s, like, ‘What? He’s on the trampoline.’ I’m, like, ‘He might have cancer.’ And God bless those people, and I want our songs to help them.”
“I am man enough to admit I don’t have the emotional barricade to not walk on stage with that,” he continued. “By the end of it — I think [it was] 2019 when we stopped doing meet-and-greets — I walked out of 11, just walked out. Because I was literally, like, I would start to tear up. And you go to the guy next to you, and he’s, like, ‘Dude, [I’ve] seen you guys 25 times, bro. Stoked to be here.’ And you’re, like, ‘Sorry, man. I can’t turn this off. I’m gonna think about this kid for a year.’”
He’s clear that stepping away from the format wasn’t about putting up walls — it changed the nature of fan encounters for the better. “When you meet people out on the street, it becomes more real,” Myers said. “It’s not this formulative thing, the construct of a meet-and-greet. It’s, like, they get to see the real you.”
Shinedown‘s eighth studio album, Ei8ht, arrives 05/29 via Atlantic Records. The band has also announced the “Dance, Kid, Dance Act II” world tour — 54 dates across 11 countries — with support from Coheed And Cambria, Black Stone Cherry, From Ashes To New, DJ Rock Feed, and Those Damn Crows on various legs.
Two former Porcupine Tree members are taking the long road back. Voyage 35 — the new project from Porcupine Tree bassist Colin Edwin and longtime touring guitarist John Wesley — have announced a new single and a run of European and UK dates this September.
The band takes its name from Voyage 34, Porcupine Tree‘s 1992 debut EP — a deliberate nod to the era they’re stepping back into. Their focus is the early Delerium Records and Snapper Records material, roughly 1992 to 2000, a body of work built on extended improvisation, hazy psychedelia, and cosmic drift. Much of it has never been performed live or hasn’t been heard on a stage in over two decades.
The first release under the Voyage 35 banner arrives 04/03: an eight-minute reimagined cover of a track from On the Sunday of Life, Porcupine Tree‘s sprawling 1992 debut, complete with an accompanying video. An atmospheric, formative era piece, the recording leans into the space rock and bedroom psychedelia that defined the band’s earliest work.
Equally significant is what’s coming with them on tour: the original Fruit Salad Lightshow, Porcupine Tree‘s iconic visual experience that was central to the immersive atmosphere of those early shows. London audiences have been promised a few unspecified special guests at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire date.
The project’s origins are unusual. Edwin traces it to a chance reunion with former Porcupine Tree manager and Delerium Records founder Richard Allen and the band’s original booking agent Glenn Povey. “Richard and I met up after many years of no contact,” Edwin recalled. “And the idea of forming a band and touring was more of a joke about how it might happen amusingly. Having been asked many times over the years if performing the old repertoire was a possibility, I always responded that it was firmly locked in a drawer marked ‘No.’”
That position eventually shifted. “There was a certain energy, naivety, and spirit to the band’s early years that I am very fond of,” Edwin said, “and I know that many fans share that nostalgia from the large amount of correspondence I have received over the years. Although I am not usually one for the rear-view mirror, I am very much looking forward to performing that music again and bringing a new energy to it, in a live environment.”
There’s also a more pointed context here. Edwin was famously absent from Porcupine Tree‘s 2021 reunion — the band having reassembled without him after a decade on hiatus. He was their bassist from the very first show in 1993 at The Nag’s Head in High Wycombe through to the 2010 hiatus. “For several reasons, I’d long considered Porcupine Tree a thing of the past,” he said, “not least because it was made clear to me that there was ‘no role for me’ in the band.”
Wesley, who played live with Porcupine Tree from 2002 to 2010, didn’t need much convincing. “I realized deep inside that I really missed playing that music,” he said, “so an opportunity to go out with Colin and an amazing set of musicians to perform music I deeply cared about was not something I was going to miss.”
European tickets are on sale now. UK tickets go on sale at 10 AM this Friday.
Carnivore A.D. is stepping out from behind the legacy with their first original material. The New York hardcore and metal outfit — featuring bassist/vocalist Baron Misuraca (Sheer Terror, Darkside NYC), guitarist Chuck Lenihan (Crumbsuckers, Christian Death), and drummer Joe Cangelosi (Kreator, Massacre, Whiplash) — has shared “I Stand Alone”, the second single from their debut studio EP Transmutation, due 03/27 via Apostasy Records. A lyric video for the track is now streaming.
Formed as a tribute outfit built around the explosive catalogue of Carnivore and co-founded with the full endorsement of original drummer Louie Beateaux, Carnivore A.D. has spent years keeping Peter Steele‘s primal vision alive on stages from Hellfest to Maryland Deathfest. Transmutation marks the point where that mission shifts — not by erasing the past, but by building something new from it. The EP, also dedicated to the memory of Keith Alexander, represents the band’s first attempt at original songwriting: material that doesn’t try to replicate the Carnivore legacy so much as grow out of it.
Beateaux puts it plainly: “Think of Carnivore A.D. as a renowned dining establishment where its chef passed on years ago, but the recipes remain, and folks still want to dine there instead of cooking the food themselves. And Chef Pete wouldn’t mind because his friends are making it with love.”
Over the past years, Carnivore A.D. has appeared at established metal festivals (including Brutal Assault and Hellfest) as well as stages at events like Rock Hard Festival, Lisbon Tattoo RockFest, Ruhrpott Metal Meeting, and Maryland Deathfest, reinforcing its reputation through consistent live performances and international presence.
Transmutation was recorded and mixed at Soundlodge by Jörg Uken, with artwork by Simon Bossert. The five-track EP runs as follows:
Prologue
Transmutation
I Stand Alone
Social Decomposition
Mine Is the Hand
The band has a run of live dates lined up across the US and Europe through April, including a stop at Inferno Festival in Oslo on 04/02. Full dates below.
Geoff Tate has some generous words for the man who took his place in Queensrÿche — and an unexpectedly warm story to go with them. Appearing on the 03/17 episode of SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk, the former Queensrÿche frontman opened up about watching his old band perform live for the first time — without him — and the surprising front-row moment that came with it.
Tate revealed he caught the band’s set in Gothenburg, Sweden, in early 2025, when both acts happened to be in the same city on the same night. He and several of his own bandmates had the evening off and decided to go check them out.
“We just showed up,” he said (via Blabbermouth). “We happened to be in the same city. And we had the night off, and so a bunch of us in the band went to see ’em play and check ’em out.”
He made his way to the front row — and didn’t go unnoticed: “Oh, yeah. Oh yeah. I spent the entire time getting photos and signing autographs.”
But the real moment came from the stage itself. Current Queensrÿche singer Todd La Torre spotted Tate at the barricade and didn’t hesitate.
“I know there’s a lot of weird press about myself and Todd La Torre, but I have to say mass respect for the guy for stepping into my shoes, for one. And when I went to Copenhagen, I was standing on the barricade there. And the first thing he did when he came out was straddle the barricade and fistbump me, acknowledging that I was there. And he said, ‘Hey, good to see you, man. Stick around. I’m gonna blow you away.’ [Laughs] And he did. He was great. He was wonderful being on the stage that night. It was just really a treat seeing him play.”
Tate was candid about just how strange the whole experience felt — hearing his own music performed by someone else, and performed well.
“It’s so weird. Yeah. It’s so weird. For one, it’s my music [laughs], and so [Todd is] singing me. So, yeah, it’s strange. And he’s a really wonderful singer, he’s really good, very technically adept, so he does a really good job of being me. But he’s also, over the years, he’s kind of, I guess, worked on his own personality. And they have music that they’ve written together, and they have their own thing as well. But when the band and he play my music, it’s just — I don’t know. I can’t even describe it. It’s just like an otherworldly experience [laughs], ’cause he sounds a lot like me. So I’m hearing me, kind of, through him playing my stuff, and it’s just — I don’t know. It’s weird. I can’t quite put my finger on how to describe it.”
It wasn’t the first time the two men had been in the same room. Back in June 2017, both Queensrÿche and Tate — performing separately — appeared at Rock Fest Barcelona, where Tate was a special guest of Avantasia. La Torre recounted that encounter in detail during his own appearance on Trunk Nation in August of that year.
When La Torre came offstage, Tate approached him, extended his hand, and told him it was the first time he’d actually heard him sing.
“And he said, ‘Wow! You’re amazing!’” La Torre recalled. “And I said, ‘Well, thank you very much. That’s nice to hear.’ And I was complimentary of him. I said, ‘Listen, for what it’s worth, I have defended you. I know that sometimes the media and people can try to stir the pot, and for what it’s worth, as far as I’m concerned, you’ve done it all. I was kind of just expressing the sentiment, like, ‘You don’t have anything to prove in my book. You’ve already done it all.’ And I said, ‘I’m doing the best job that I know how.’ I told him that the Empire material is actually more difficult for me. I expressed to him that he’s always had a very smooth control over those vocal parts, and that’s more difficult for me. Now the older stuff is easier for me.”
La Torre later reflected on what it meant to receive that validation from the man he was essentially filling in for.
“Of course, there are some people who are divided still, the purist type of mentality, and I’ve heard it all: I suck, and I don’t sound anything like that, blah blah blah. And so I thought, what better testimony that the band is on the right track, the vocals sound worthy, than to hear that from the original singer… I don’t like to use the word ‘endorsement,’ but certainly acknowledging that the vocals sound great, the band sounds tight. I just thought, ‘Wow, that’s kind of an interesting perspective,’ if you look at it from what I’m mentioning, where some people say, ‘Oh, it doesn’t sound right,’ or this or that. And you say, ‘Well, the original singer seems to think that it sounds excellent,’ and what better testimony do you need?”
La Torre also shared that he’d been a Queensrÿche devotee long before any of this became his reality. In 2019, he posted a decades-old photo of himself with Tate — taken at an in-store signing — along with a caption that read: “As a huge fan of Queensrÿche, I waited in line for an hour + to meet the band at an in-store signing. Here is a pic of Geoff Tate and me, I have kept private for decades. Little did I know that 20+ years later, I would become the singer for Queensrÿche. Crazy.”
Black Veil Brides are back with their seventh studio album, Vindicate, set for release on 05/08 via Spinefarm. To mark the announcement, the band has dropped the title track — a statement of intent that opens with a haunting calliope intro before detonating into a wall of guitars and vocalist Andy Biersack‘s signature scream.
The record spans 14 tracks, running from the organ-laden soliloquy of opener “Invocation To The Muse” through to the closing “Eschaton.” The full lineup — Biersack, guitarists Jake Pitts and Jinxx, bassist Lonny Eagleton, and drummer Christian Coma — produced the album themselves, with Biersack and Pitts at the helm.
The album’s themes are built around revenge, resilience, and the double-edged nature of vindication. Biersack explained the concept in a statement accompanying the release: “This record is rooted in the feelings of revenge and vindication. These are emotions that can either push us forward or hold us back. There’s a duality to them. They can fuel growth, drive ambition, and help us rise above what’s tried to break us, but they can also become destructive if we let them consume us.
“Each song explores a different side of that struggle. Sometimes it’s about getting even with someone else, sometimes it’s about confronting ourselves and our past, our pain, or the things that were done to us. At its core, though, this album is about resilience. It’s for anyone who’s ever had their dreams doubted or their fire challenged by people who couldn’t see their vision. We’re all born with that spark. The world will try to take that away at times, but this record is about holding on to it, fighting back, and turning those struggles into something powerful.”
“This record is one that we’ve made on our own,” Biersack recently told Rock Feed, “This record was primarily made here in Florida by the band. Jake and I produced it. And it’s the kind of record that we wanted to make without any other cooks in the kitchen. And I think it’s really representative of where we’re at as a band.”
In support of the new album, Black Veil Brides will embark on their first North American headline tour of 2026. The 24-city run kicks off April 25 in Riverside and concludes May 30 in Worcester. Along the way, the tour will make stops in Seattle (April 28), Houston (May 5), Detroit (May 17), and New York (May 28), among others.
Support on the tour will come from From Ashes To New, TX2, and As December Falls. Information on tickets and VIP packages can be found here, and the full trek itinerary is detailed below.
4/25 — Riverside, CA — Municipal Auditorium 4/26 — Reno, NV — Grand Sierra Resort 4/28 — Seattle, WA — Showbox SoDo 4/30 — Salt Lake City, UT — The Union 5/1 — Denver, CO — Fillmore 5/2 — Omaha, NE — ASTRO 5/4 — Dallas, TX — House of Blues 5/5 — Houston, TX — House of Blues 5/6 — San Antonio, TX — The Aztec 5/8 — Atlanta, GA — Tabernacle 5/9 — Daytona Beach, FL — Welcome To Rockville 5/11 — Greensboro, NC — Piedmont Hall 5/12 — Norfolk, VA — The Norva 5/14 — Philadelphia, PA — Fillmore 5/15 — Pittsburgh, PA — Stage AE 5/16 — Columbus, OH — Sonic Temple 5/17 — Detroit, MI — The Fillmore 5/19 — Indianapolis, IN — Egyptian Room 5/21 — Minneapolis, MN — The Fillmore 5/22 — Chicago, IL — Ramova Theatre 5/23 — Madison, WI — The Sylvee 5/25 — Toronto, ON — History 5/26 — Montreal, QC — M-Telus 5/28 — New York, NY — Palladium Times Square 5/29 — Silver Spring, MD — Fillmore 5/30 — Worcester, MA — The Palladium
^ Promoted by Live Nation * Festival appearance # Not a Live Nation date
Gus G. is gearing up to drop his fifth solo record, Steel Burner, on 04/24 via Metal Department Records. The Greek guitar maestro has today unveiled the official video for “Nothing Can Break Me,” a collaboration with heavy metal royalty Doro Pesch that’s been a long time coming for both artists.
The track is exactly what it sounds like: a full-throttle metal anthem built around perseverance, powered by Doro‘s unmistakable voice and Gus‘s signature blend of precision and fire.
Doro didn’t hold back on her enthusiasm for the pairing. “It was awesome to work with Gus,” she said. “We’ve been friends for a long time. He’s such an amazing guitar player. We always planned to do something together, and now it has finally happened. I’m totally excited about the song.”
Gus was equally effusive. “Doro is an icon, the metal queen. Everybody knows that. Having the opportunity to collaborate with her on a track is something I have long wished for. ‘Nothing Can Break Me’ is a powerful metal anthem about perseverance. I’m really proud of this one.”
Steel Burner arrives five years after Gus G.‘s last solo outing and marks a deliberate return to his own vision after years of relentless post-pandemic touring. The album walks the line between pure instrumental showcase and vocal-driven collaboration — and the guest list is stacked. Matt Barlow (of Iced Earth and Ashes of Ares) appears on “Dancing With Death,” tackling addiction through an epic metal lens. Dino Jelusick (Whitesnake, Trans-Siberian Orchestra) lends his voice to “No One Has to Know,” a hard rock dig at social media artifice. And Ronnie Romero (Rainbow, Vandenberg, Michael Schenker Group) — whose relationship with Gus was forged on a recent joint world tour — contributes to two tracks.
Gus framed the album’s direction in his own words: “This is my first solo album release in five years. As I’ve been pretty busy in the post-pandemic world with heavy touring, I always had the idea to put out another solo album at some point. This time around, I felt I wanted the best of both worlds — being able to explore guitar instrumental music, but also collaborate with singers I love and am a fan of.”
The album’s title, fittingly, traces back to an industrial machine used to shape metal. That commission became the album’s cornerstone and ultimately its name.
Production duties were handled by Dennis Ward (Helloween, Pink Cream 69), delivering a clean, punchy result that does justice to both the instrumental depth and the vocal performances across the record.
Stick Men guitarist Markus Reuter has issued a statement detailing a major theft that hit the band during their recent tour of Chile. The group’s luggage was targeted by what Reuter describes as an organized operation, with equipment and personal belongings taken from their suitcases while in the care of the airline.
The gear losses are substantial. The band lost two Quad Cortex units and a sample pad belonging to drummer Pat Mastelotto. More difficult to replace are three hard drives belonging to Reuter — containing dozens of in-progress music projects, archival recordings, and more than 300 unreleased live recordings spanning the past decade.
The personal toll runs deeper still. Those same drives held Reuter‘s only complete archive of photos and videos of his daughter from birth.
The band is not soliciting direct donations, but Reuter pointed fans toward their Bandcamp pages as the most practical way to offer support: purchases of digital downloads from their Bandcamp page and the Bootlegs page will help offset what he called “the severe financial and emotional blow of this loss.”
Stick Men are also appealing directly to their Chilean fanbase. If any of the stolen gear or personal items surface — whether in circulation or being traded — the band is offering a reward for information leading to its recovery.
Despite the setback, the band confirmed they will be back on the road next week.
“Hi everyone, keeping it as short as possible: I’m writing to share a difficult update regarding our recent travels in Chile. Unfortunately, we (Stick Men) were victims of an organized theft where much of our gear and personal items were stolen from our suitcases while in the custody of the airline.
“The loss is significant. While I still have my primary instrument, we lost essential equipment, most notably including two of our Quad Cortex units and Pat‘s sample pad. More devastatingly, three of my hard drives were taken, containing dozens of music projects, archival data, and over 300 unreleased concert recordings from the last decade. On a personal level, these drives also held the only complete archive of photos and videos of my daughter since she was born.
While we are not asking for direct donations, many of you have asked how you can help. If you would like to support the band during this time, the most effective way is to visit our Bandcamp pages and purchase digital downloads. Supporting our digital catalog helps us recover from the severe financial and emotional blow of this loss as we continue our tour next week.
“And if any of our Chilean friends hear of our equipment and personal items being traded, we’re very interested in recovering what was stolen from us, and we offer a reward for that.
“Despite this setback, we will be back on the road next week and look forward to seeing many of you at the upcoming shows. Thank you for your ongoing support and for standing by us.”
This Thursday (March 19th), intergalactic shock rock legends Gwar returns to destroy stages across the United States on The Gor Gor Strikes Back Tour, a massive spring run featuring Soulfly as direct support and King Parrot opening every night. The carnage begins in their adopted hometown of Richmond, VA, and rampages through April 29th, ending in Charlotte, NC. A complete list of dates is below. Armed with fresh atrocities, new victims, and the unstoppable might of Gor Gor himself, Gwar are promising their most crushing live spectacle yet.
Lead Vocalist The Berserker Blothar gives a preview of what fans can expect nightly: “Gwar, Soulfly and King Parrot. This tour will be a ritual orgy of death, sex, violence and rock and fu**ing roll!! Let the severed heads rain, bouncing down the pyramid onto a heap of human skulls. Be there humans, or be left to suffer on this planet while we party in the stars!”
The Gor Gor Strikes Back 2026 Tour Dates:
3/19 – Richmond, VA @ The National 3/20 – Reading, PA @ Reverb 3/21 – Albany, NY @ Empire Live 3/22 – Huntington, NY @ The Paramount 3/24 – Hartford, CT @ The Webster 3/25 – Wilmington, DE @ The Queen 3/26 – Sayreville, NJ @ Starland Ballroom 3/27 – Boston, MA @ House Of Blues 3/28 – Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom 3/29 – Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall 3/31 – Louisville, KY @ Mercury Ballroom 4/1 – St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant 4/2 – Chicago, IL @ Concord Music Hall 4/3 – Fort Wayne, IN @ Piere’s 4/4 – Saginaw, MI @ The Vault 4/5 – Green Bay, WI @ EPIC Events Center 4/7 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue 4/8 – Des Moines, IA @ Val Air Ballroom 4/9 – Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom 4/10 – Lawrence, KS @ The Granada 4/12 – Grand Junction, CO @ Mesa Theater 4/14 – Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater 4/15 – Boise, ID @ Treefort Music Hall 4/17 – Sacramento, CA @ Channel 24 4/18: Los Angeles, CA @ The Belasco 4/19 – San Diego, CA @ House of Blues 4/20 – Tucson, AZ @ Rialto Theater 4/21 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sunshine Theater 4/23 – Austin, TX @ Emo’s 4/24 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live 4/25 – Mobile, AL @ Soul Kitchen Music Hall 4/27 – Chattanooga, TN @ The Signal 4/28 – Asheville, NC @ The Orange Peel 4/29 – Charlotte, NC @ The Fillmore
Trafalgar Releasing has unveiled the official trailer for the upcoming Iron Maiden feature documentary, now titled Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition.
Documenting one of the most iconic journeys in music history, the film is set to hit theaters for a limited time only beginning May 7, 2026, with tickets going on sale today, Wednesday, March 18.
Directed by Malcolm Venville (Churchill At War) and produced by Dominic Freeman (Spirits In The Forest – A Depeche Mode Film), the feature-length documentary charts Iron Maiden‘s remarkable five-decade journey.
Alongside the band, the documentary features on-camera reflections from prominent admirers, including Javier Bardem, Lars Ulrich and Chuck D, each speaking to Iron Maiden‘s influence on music, culture and generations of fans worldwide.
When it was first made available in February, the key art by Albert “Akirant” Quirantes offered the first visual look at the documentary.
Formed in East London in 1975, Iron Maiden have grown into one of the world’s most influential and enduring rock bands. Across 50 years they have released 17 studio albums, sold over 100 million records, and performed almost 2,500 concerts across 64 countries.
The documentary arrives as the band continues its two-year Run For Your Lives world tour, which included a triumphant homecoming performance at London Stadium a short distance from where it all began five decades ago.
Iron Maiden was founded in 1975 by bassist Steve Harris and have grown to become one of the world’s most celebrated bands. With a steady recording output beginning with their self-titled 1980 debut, they have released 17 studio albums, 13 live albums and 47 singles which have sold in excess of 100 million copies worldwide. They have played almost 2,500 live shows across 64 countries and were carried to some of these aboard Ed Force One, a Boeing 757 and then later a 747 piloted by singer Bruce Dickinson. They have been the recipients of a Grammy Award and a Brit Award, among many other accolades, most recently joining The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd with their very own Royal Mail stamp set. Their beer, Trooper Beer, is now in its twelfth year and has sold in excess of 40 million pints and is distributed in 68 countries, including six local variants in USA, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Sweden and Australia. 2025 marked the band’s official 50th year and is being celebrated by a two-year world tour titled Run For Your Lives and a range of events and products including their first-ever official hardcover visual history book, InfiniteDreams.
Organizers behind Rock Hard Festival Greece have started to roll out details for the 2026 edition, which is set for September 11–12 at the Technopolis City of Athens. The event will feature a total of 10 bands, with six already confirmed and the remaining four expected to be revealed within the next couple of weeks.
Rock Hard’s name carries weight across the metal world. Founded in Germany in 1983, the brand has long been a key voice in heavy music. The Greek edition launched in 2005 and later transitioned to a fully online format in 2011 via its official website. Alongside its presence in Germany and Greece, the publication also runs in France and Italy, reaching a wide audience each month. Over time, Rock Hard has built a reputation for direct coverage, in-depth interviews, and reviews that often fuel debate among fans. Its material is frequently picked up by other outlets, and it remains one of the most referenced metal publications on Wikipedia.
This year’s festival will also feature backing from the mobile game Rock Kommander, a title centered on rock and metal culture where players manage bands, connect with other fans, and engage in collaborations with real artists.
Looking back, the 2025 edition set a high bar. Rock Hard Festival Greece 2025 was a pure sonic assault on Athens and wow, what an absolute monster of a weekend it was! The 2025 edition delivered a masterclass in Heavy Metal, proving this new festival a serious contender to the crown jewel of the Greek Metal calendar.
From the doom-laden majesty of legends Candlemass featuring Messiah Marcolin to the anthemic, fist-pumping power of HammerFall, every moment was pure magic. Overkill brought their signature relentless thrash energy, tearing the roof off, while guitar virtuoso Gus G. & Friends shredded with breathtaking precision. The riffs were heavy, the solos were lightning fast, and the atmosphere was absolutely electric. We witnessed epic singalongs, circle pits, and a crowd united by the power of metal.
A massive thank you goes out to all 12 bands, the crew, and every single headbanger who made 2025 unforgettable. If you were there, you know just how special it was. If you missed it, you definitely missed out on the party of the year!
But if you did, fear not – we are stoked to now announce that we will be staging the 2nd edition of the Greek Rock Hard Festival in 2026, again to be held at the Technopolis City of Athens, on the 11th and 12th of September.
For the 2nd edition of the festival in Greece, we already have the following 6 artists ready for announcement now:
– Blood Fire Death – performing A Tribute to Quorthon and the Music of Bathory:
Celebrating the visionary legacy of Quorthon, who proudly pioneered Black and Viking metal, this event reunites a constellation of the Norwegian Black Metal elite. Originally conceived to honor the fallen master, the project features a core line-up of Erik Danielsson (Watain), Ivar Bjørnson (Enslaved), Blasphemer, Apollyon, and Faust. This immersive performance captures the spirit of Bathory’s legendary recordings, praised globally as “pure magic.” For this special Athens show, the band will be joined by iconic special guests, including Grutle Kjellson (Enslaved), Gaahl, former Bathory bassist Frederick Melander, and Mayhem’sAttila Csihar. This marks a rare opportunity for Greek fans to witness this historic homage, where the genre’s defining figures gather to celebrate the music that shaped their artistic paths.
– Angra – performing Holy Land 30th Featuring Kiko Loureiro
Rock Hard Festival Greece 2026 will host a truly historic event as Brazilian power metal legends Angra return for a special 30th-anniversary celebration of their masterpiece Holy Land. Performing the seminal 1996 album in its entirety alongside career classics, the show features a rare temporary reunion with acclaimed guitarist Kiko Loureiro. This performance is one of only two European dates honoring this landmark record, making it an unmissable event for fans across the continent and beyond. Renowned for blending technical metal with Brazilian rhythms and orchestration, Holy Land holds a cherished place in Greek metal history. The powerful line-up includes founding guitarist Rafael Bittencourt, Felipe Andreoli, Bruno Valverde, Marcelo Barbosa, and vocalist Alirio Netto. The concert will of course also pay tribute to the late Andre Matos, whose voice defined the band’s early era. Fans can expect an unforgettable, once-in-a-generation experience honoring one of melodic metal’s most visionary albums.
– Stratovarius – a travel through time with a Special 1990s Set:
Stratovarius, formed in Finland in 1984, stands as a titan of European melodic power metal. Shaped by guitarist Timo Tolkki, the band reached their peak in the mid-90s with the classic lineup featuring vocalist Timo Kotipelto, keyboardist Jens Johansson, and drummer JörgMichael. This golden era produced seminal albums like Visions and Destiny, blending neoclassical speed with symphonic arrangements and hits like “Black Diamond.” The band shares a deep bond with Greece, where they enjoyed massive popularity in the late 1990s, immortalized by the partly in Athens-recorded live album Visions of Europe. For this festival appearance, Stratovarius will deliver an exclusive set dedicated entirely to their 1990s masterpieces.
Expect a journey through the decade that defined them, showcasing the technical brilliance and melodic power that made them icons and inspired a generation of metal fans.
– Dirkschneider – performing Special Best of Accept Set:
Rock Hard Festival Greece proudly welcomes heavy metal icon Udo Dirkschneider and his band Dirkschneider for a rare performance dedicated to the legendary songs he recorded with Accept. With a career spanning nearly five decades, Udo’s gritty, raspy voice defined the sound of German metal on classic albums like Balls to the Wall and Restless and Wild. Following his departure from Accept in 1987, he enjoyed massive success with U.D.O., but this event focuses on the timeless anthems that started it all.
This exclusive show will feature a true powerhouse line-up including Udo’s son Sven on drums and longtime Accept bassist Peter Baltes, reinforcing the connection to the band’s golden era. Audiences will experience a celebration of Udo’s legacy, delivering the high-energy hymns that made him one of the most distinctive voices in European heavy metal history.
– Primordial:
Formed in Ireland in 1993, Primordial has forged a unique identity within the extreme metal underground. Merging the bleak intensity of black metal with Celtic heritage and epic storytelling, the band transcended genre boundaries early on. Built around founding members PólMacAmhlaigh and Ciarán MacUiliam, alongside commanding vocalist Alan “Nemtheanga” Averill, they became one of the first Irish representatives of the global black metal scene. Over three decades, albums like The Gathering Wilderness and To the Nameless Dead have cemented their status as one of the most respected and authentic acts in metal. Their latest release, 2023’s How It Ends, proves their uncompromising vision remains vital. For Greek audiences, who have long revered the band, Primordial’s return promises a performance of raw intensity, ritualistic atmosphere, and profound emotional depth that few bands can match.
– Triumpher:
Athens-based Triumpher has rapidly emerged as a leading force in modern epic heavy metal, transcending their local underground roots to gain international recognition. Formed in the early 2020s, the band blends epic metal with black metal intensity and a theatrical atmosphere. Their debut, Storming The Walls (2023), and follow-up Spirit Invictus (2024) established their powerful sound, featuring towering vocals and sharp guitar work. In 2026, they released their third album, Piercing The Heart Of The World. This ambitious record showcases cinematic arrangements and monumental performances, further solidifying their status. Having already conquered major festivals like Keep It True and Up The Hammers, Triumpher proves their rise is no coincidence. With an uncompromising vision and undeniable talent, the Athenians are carving a distinct path in the global epic metal landscape.
The final 4 bands to complete the 2026 festival 10 band lineup will be announced in the coming 2 weeks.
Ticket sales for the festival will be starting on April 1, 2026 here.
