Firevolt Rock Festival 2026 exploded into life with a scorching first day of face-melting rock. Friday brought theatrical mayhem and a host of great performances across its two stages. From the opening notes to the final burst of pyro, this was a festival wasting no time in showing exactly what it does best.
Shape of Water were the chosen ones to kick Firevolt proceedings off on the big main outdoor stage. The Manchester-based Italian three-piece were making their second appearance at Firevolt Rock Festival, so a good percentage of the crowd knew them and gave them a warm welcome.
Shape Of Water – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
Now I have banged on about categorising bands in the past with numerous sub-genres imagined up by editors trying to flog magazines back in the day when rags actually sold. The reason I am banging on about it again now is, even if I wanted to, I could not tell you exactly where SoW sit within the rock spectrum, which is great, and I am guessing genre fluid is just how they like it.
Emanating echoes of Muse, Queen, and quite a few things in between will give you a good idea of the band’s dynamic. Their mission today, which they duly accepted, was to help shake everyone’s hangovers off from the pre-fest party night and create the mood for the rest of the day, which they most certainly did.
Shape Of Water – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
After some tech issues, the 30 minute set, went all too quick and was mainly mid paced, including the theatrical Everything’s Gone, with its piano led intro.
The last two songs were both a tad more frantic, with the penultimate ditty Silence Of The Lambs, complete with Freddie falsetto vocals, being the pick of the set. Nice start to proceedings.
Takeaway Thieves
I have seen Takeaway Thieves quite a few times now, but not in an early-slot festival scenario, where it is usually a mixed reaction from the audience to start with, then the band having to work seriously hard to earn their rewards.
No such thing here, as the band bound onto the Firevolt stage like it is a homecoming and with a confidence borne in 2018, they have been making ladies moist from The Golden Mile to The Sunset Strip ever since.
Takeaway Thieves – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
The singer, all bare feet, bandana and feathers is just oozing swagger. Cooler than Pingu’s feet, emitting an Ian Astbury, sometimes Steve Tyler vibe but ultimately just being Pete McLaughlin.
The first song sets the tone for the next 30 minutes. The good-time rock ‘n’ roll of 13 Feathers, putting a smile right on everyone’s faces.
With over a decade of playing gigs and writing songs, you are going to have some strong songs and Kickin’ My Heart around, Gotta Get Back, and the Cult-influenced Big Mistake are right up there with the strongest.
Takeaway Thieves – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
Hot Cat leads into the ballad-ish Find My Way Home before Pete tells the audience the next song was written for Gypsy who is in the crowd and yes, the song’s called Gypsy.
Spider, Soothe Me and Crazy Horse which was dedicated to Ozzy, leave Lose It to close out the set, but not before Pete introduces the band, then jokingly introducing himself as Maureen whose job it is, is to look after this rabble. A thankless task for sure.
An absolutely bangin’ set by the boys and, dare I say, is it too early in the festival to start thinking one of the bands of the weekend? Why not?
Doomsday Outlaw
I had never seen this six-piece before and missed them at Call Of The Wild festival a couple of months ago. On the face of it, it may be said Doomsday Outlaw are an odd looking band. Each member brings a different look, or style if you like, to the stage.
The guitarist with his Les Paul would not look out of place in The Black Crowes, whilst the Flying V-wielding guitarist could be in any Death Metal band. The bass player in his England football shirt and sporting a Mohican looks like he is only here for the beer. Nowt wrong with that.
Doomsday Outlaw – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
The singer with his Frankie Goes To Hollywood T-shirt and bandana with John Lennon shades giving away pot herb vibes and the keys guy with his backwards baseball cap just leaves the drummer, who, well, looks like a drummer in a rock band.
I had no idea what to expect and was guessing these guys all have differing musical tastes to bring to the melting pot and guess what, it was great. After the opening song there were more tech issues and a delay due to the guitarists amp needing switching out for one that works.
Doomsday Outlaw – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
I did not catch many song titles, or the singer just did not introduce them, but mid-set, the bopping One More Sip got all the girls on the barrier dancing and singing along.
They played a new song that went down particularly well and during the next song, the Les Paul guitarist spun impressively round and round on one leg probably a few times more than was necessary it has to be said, which obviously messed with his equilibrioception (I’ve been waiting for years to get that in a review) and just about managed to stay standing, which made me chuckle.
Next, they threw in a perfectly legitimate cover of Duran Duran’s Hungry Like the Wolf, which again got the female side of the audience shakin their tail feathers.
Doomsday Outlaw – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
Singer Phil Poole, introduced the next song as one he wrote after his dad passed away. If This Is The End is a brooding ballad that literally had people weeping on the barrier, and I actually think I had something in my eye myself. I bloody love this song with its emotive lyrics and beautifully crafted guitar solo with elegant melodies and exquisite tone, which I have had on repeat for the last few days.
The set ended with an unknown (to me) song and well deserved applause from an ever growing audience. This is what these types of festivals are all about. Finding great bands you maybe heard of but had not had the inclination to go see before. No longer shall Doomsday Outlaw and this scribe be strangers.
Fireheart
Formed by guitarist Kev Baker after his acrimonious split with The Hot One Two and singer Russ Grimmett, son of Grim Reaper legend Steve, the band have gone from strength to strength since signing with Earache Records and releasing their first single just over a year ago.
Kev’s struggles are well documented, not least by himself and creating a family and community atmosphere around the band, seems to be working well for all involved.
Fireheart – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
The Trooper stage was already rammed in anticipation by the dedicated Heartbeats by the time I had made the short walk from the main stage, suggesting most had taken up their places long before Doomsday Outlaw had finished their set. Like I said, this seems to be working well for them.
Hitting the stage with established opener Can You Feel The Love Now, it really is a party atmosphere, with fans letting off party poppers and confetti around me, and one even had a bubble machine. Dedication, I guess.
Fireheart – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
This is the third time I have seen Fireheart this year, and one thing that has become apparent is that they write great songs. Songs with great hooks, melodies, and big, big choruses. Choruses that have you singing or humming them long after the song has ended.
Having a knack for writing real ear worms is absolute key in a live setting, where the songs really come to life and they were all out in force this blisteringly sunny afternoon.
I Don’t Need A Best Friend, I’m Not Dreaming, and the poignant (Good Is) Good Enough are fine examples of such, while the stomping Write Me A Letter takes the set to the last song. Where the hell did 45 minutes go?
Fireheart – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
Finishing the set strongly with that aforementioned first single release, Staring At The Sun, an epic singalong ballad that builds to a crescendo of crowd participation, this brought intense energy which carried on after the band had left the stage, with people still singing the chorus whilst exiting back to the main stage. That is how to finish a set.
With a new album in the making, bigger things are in store for this band.
Ward XVI
Ward XVI are another band I know very little about musically, though I have obviously seen stage pics, so I knew I was going to experience a very theatrical event. They have been around a long time and have supported bands like Cradle Of Filth, Lawnmower Deth and Skindred amongst others.
Ward XVI – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
Now the impressive main stage at FireVolt is a very big stage. But with the equipment and props set up, there was barely any room for a band and at least three psychopaths, or was that two psychopaths and a psychiatric nurse? I am not quite sure now. Safe to say there was a lot going on up there.
As the show kicked off, the unfortunate drummer was locked behind a cage with two psycho’s. What he had done to deserve this, I have no idea. Maybe he was the worst of the three? I do not know. I am new to this.
Ward XVI – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
Set in an Asylum for the criminally Insane, which was established in 1939, the props included a stake, which the nurse was eventually burned, a coffin, where I think the occupant lost his head, blood-stained meat cleavers, and a chainsaw for a start.
Now who does not love a good old chainsaw massacre? Well, the two kids with their mum and dad to my left certainly do, as they had brought their own inflatable chainsaws to the party. Now that is parenting at its very best, I reckon.
Ward XVI – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
Each song was a soundtrack to the theatrical mayhem happening on stage, none of which I wrote down. In fact, later that evening when I looked at my notes, all I had was the band’s name. Now if that is not an endorsement of the show the band delivered, then I do not know what is.
I have heard the band being described as a budget Alice Cooper and although at first that may seem a bit critical, I think it is definitely a compliment. Of course they are on a budget. What band at this level is not, these days?
Ward XVI – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
But the hard work, effort and performance that goes into putting their show on, should be applauded. My next visit to the asylum may be sooner than I anticipated.
Darren Wharton’s Renegade
Every time I write about Darren Wharton, I am pretty sure I mention the fact that the man has a permanent smile on his face when up on stage. Let’s face it, why wouldn’t I? It is the single most striking thing you notice about the man. That, and the humility and gratefulness to have been a part of one of rock’s all-time greatest bands, Thin Lizzy.
Renegade – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
Wharton put Renegade together back in 2023 to celebrate the music of Lizzy and, just as importantly, its creator and one of rock’s greatest songwriters and poets, Phil Lynott.
Angel of Death started off the celebration, followed by Jailbreak, Are You Ready, and Emerald, before Wharton reminisced fondly about the first time he met Phil, which was at his audition, where he played the next song, Chinatown.
He talked with sadness about the loss of John Sykes and dedicated the next song, Cold Sweat, to the guitar great.
Renegade – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
Massacre led into Suicide, the sole representative of Fighting, the second vinyl album I ever bought as a spotty 15 year old in 1977 that helped lead me onto the path of rock righteousness. A path that I have never strayed from since.
Cowboy Song had all the coyotes in the crowd howling and the twin guitar harmony leads from Vinnie Burns and Andy Moore were a joy to behold. This song is a perfect example of Wharton imitating Phil’s vocal phrasing perfectly, which is what he does throughout the set, to be honest, having studied it first-hand for years.
Now, after seeing today’s lineup a long time ago and noticing Ricky Warwick was playing the same stage almost two hours later, I put two and two together and hit the jackpot, with Ricky being introduced onto the stage for The Boys Are Back In Town.
Renegade – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
This does not get much better and was definitely one of those ‘I was there’ moments, especially for a fanboy like myself.
Ending the set with Black Rose, Wharton inevitably dedicated the song to the great Gary Moore. A set jam-packed full of classic after classic, it is just a shame they could not somehow shoehorn in Rosalie, which they toyed with in soundcheck.
But that’s festivals for you, with their tight running schedules and what a fantastic one this is turning out to be on day one.
The New Roses
The first time I saw The New Roses supporting Massive Wagons a few years ago, they quickly became one of my new favourite bands.
Hailing from Germany the hard-rockers delivered an absolute storm of a performance firing through a high-octane set of infectious anthems honed over many years touring with some of the biggest bands out there.
The New Roses – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
Quite how it took them so long to get on my radar, is definitely a me problem and not theirs. Though in fairness, the band were quite stingy with their UK appearances in their earlier years.
No matter, it is all about the now, and these guys are definitely making a noise with relentless energy from singer Timmy Rough and huge guitar riffs from Norman Bites, who is the ace in the pack. This guy is a bona fide rock star with his Flying V, who has everything up his sleeve, all the moves, and knows how to play a crowd.
The New Roses – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
The band have a strong catalogue, so to be quite honest, I personally would rather they played one of the earlier songs than Rockin’ In The Free World. The song was on their last album, though, to be fair, and the Neil Young classic did slot in well.
It’s A Long Way had singer Rough leading the crowd into a singalong and what a set of pipes this guy has.
The New Roses – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
One hour of non-stop hard rockers went by all too soon, with Thirsty and The Usual Suspects before Down By The River, this time not a Neil Young song, closes out the set on high.
I predict these guys will be back at Firevolt as headliners soon enough.
Ricky Warwick & The Fighting Hearts
Did someone just mention aabout rock stars? Flying in from LA, his adopted home, to tour the UK promoting his latest album, Fire & Vengeance, the hard-working Ricky Warwick stopped off at FireVolt with his band before heading out on the road again, this time on a solo acoustic in-store tour.
This guy does not do downtime, still touring with The Almighty and occasionally Black Star Riders.
Ricky Warwick – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
After his cameo warm-up with Darren Wharton’s Renegade earlier, Warwick, along with his Fighting Hearts, walks on to a rapturous welcome on the Trooper Stage. With the extraordinary talent of Ben Christo from The Sisters Of Mercy as his right-hand man and gunslinger, this was one battle he was never going to lose.
Playing a set full of songs representing all his bands and even managing to throw in a blistering cover of the mighty Motörhead’s Iron Fist, Warwick made the most of his headline stature on the Trooper Stage to show the bulging crowd the true meaning of a rock star.
Ricky Warwick loves a collaboration, and there are four of them included in tonight’s set. Opener Rise And Grind with Charlie Starr from Blackberry Smoke, Seek Zen Destroy with Def Leppard’s Phil Collen, the folky Swaben Redoubt with Jake Burns from Stiff Little Fingers and the rock pop of Don’t Leave Me In The Dark with the lovely Lita Ford.
Unfortunately, as expected, none of the collaborators was here tonight, though of course Ben Christo did a fine job in their absence.
Ricky Warwick – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
Throwing The Almighty classic Jonestown Mind into the mix early doors was a master stroke, with the thrasher getting the more boisterous in the crowd on their toes. This made it excellent timing to introduce the new album title track Fire & Vengeance.
Angels Of Desolation was written about five years of sobriety and was described by Warwick as a song about personal redemption, confronting his inner demons of regret and resentment, then taking the first brave step towards a new path in his life. Inspirational.
Fighting Heart was delivered as a song he named to honour his band. And what a band, with Jack Taylor, keeper of the beat on drums and lord of the low end, Richard Vernon from The Mission, along with the aforementioned Ben Christo, making this a slick rock ‘n’ roll machine. Warwick certainly chose well.
The raucously delivered Iron Fist led into the perfect set closer, Free ‘N’ Easy. The Almighty standard was met with joyful glee and shenanigans from the audience and brought an end to the day on the Trooper stage, save for the stand-in tribute band later on, Hell Bent For Leather, who, by the way, were bloody great fun and perfected the Priest sound to a T.
Mason Hill
The last time I saw Mason Hill was back in 2023 at this very same festival, which proved to be their last show with singer Scott Taylor, who collapsed the following day with heart problems and subsequently left the band.
The good news is that Scott’s health problems appear to be behind him and he is now commentating on F1 as well as writing new music.
Mason Hill – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
His replacement Tom Ward has settled in perfectly, and this headline slot on the main stage, along with a new album in the can, sees the band on the up again after their two-year break.
The third band of the day to suffer tech issues on their first song is baffling to be honest, but they soon put the issues behind them with Ward making that all important connection with the audience from the off. D.N.A., with its heavy grooves interspersed with melodic harmonies, is what this band are all about.
With the evening sunset entering into twilight, it was the perfect backdrop for a double whammy of the bands first two single releases from the forthcoming album World So Wonderful. Twisted and Hurricane were both received like old favourites.
With the added spectacle of the rather splendid pyros and cascading showers of huge sparklers, in between even bigger flames from Hell warmed up the first few rows on the barrier, and lit up the beauty of Etherow Country Park.
If we believe the trees talk amongst themselves, and we all do, don’t we, because Geddy Lee told us so, then one could only imagine what the stage right valley of Oak, Beech, Pine and Ash were making of this display.
Anyway, that’s enough about Dendrology and back to Mason Hill making this evening their own.
Mason Hill – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat Photos
Bass player Matt Ward was leading the charge, stage left and right, down the front, the first to get the crowd going with his hands in the air. He was on fire, almost literally, headbangin’ through anthems such as Broken Son, Without You and the aptly named Burn It Down.
They closed their set with arguably their biggest song, Against The Wall. With its powerful riffs and soaring vocals, it brought to a close a triumphant night for the band that sets them up nicely for their forthcoming UK tour in November.
If they are coming to a town near you, make sure you go to see them.
What a rush day one was. Let’s do it all again.
Ward XVI – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat PhotosThe New Roses – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat PhotosTakeaway Thieves – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat PhotosTakeaway Thieves – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat PhotosRenegade – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat PhotosFireheart – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat PhotosDoomsday Outlaw – Firevolt Rock Festival 2026. Photo: Richard McCan/Labrat PhotosThe post Firevolt Rock Festival 2026 – A Friday Explosion Of Face-Melting Rock first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.
German heavy metal torchbearers MYSTIC PROPHECY have announced their brand-new studio album, ‘In Metal‘, set for release on November 27t, 2026, via PERCEPTION – Powered by Reigning Phoenix Music. Marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the band, the album announcement arrives alongside the release of its first single, ‘Robots‘, accompanied by an official music […]
Montreal punk band Dutch Nuggets have released a new music video for “Plastic Lives,” a track from their latest album, Fishbowl’d!, out now via Thousand Islands
Gorod – The Ember Gone (Base Productions) [Mark Young]
There are some albums that set their tone very early on, its not so much a case of showing their hand almost straight away its more that they can’t help but put their accomplishments in the window. The Ember Gone is one of these albums where they assume you are onboard with them and with the music they are about to bestow upon you. Their lead off starts and we are off on this technical journey. Now, we know that sometimes technical can equal boring, due to the bands themselves forgetting that it has to excite you as a listener.
Signs has this current running through it where they pull the technical approach in but base it over what you might say is a simple progression. And that is the key in this song being an absolute belter. Because it has that simplicity at its core, it allows them to embellish the song around it with some quality touches that mean more than just a flurry of notes without meaning. It lives up to their bio declaration with an outro solo that is fleet of finger but still has an emotional heft to it.
Further confirmation of their approach as being basics first is Devise. Its how they knit the different pieces together so we end up a with a song with no frayed edges. It gets the riffs in and done then decides to play around with you. Its exceptional stuff really and while I’m assuming that there could be more ‘technical’ acts out there I don’t think that there are many who can build a song they do. Even the vocal melodies and the overall delivery is in step, its just a complete package which makes me review it so easy.
Where they extend their songs out, such as on Forgiveness, that additional time is not wasted in meaningless noodling. Its used to further flesh their sound out, moving with a cosmic grace to it. I’m happy to say that they also bring in some fiendish low end riffing on this one and in the course of three songs they have casually dropped in one of the albums of the year. Absolutely no doubt in my mind.
Is there such a thing as a technical-progressive swagger? There is now and its running through this on every song. We look to describe music in lazy ways and I’m certainly guilty of that and if you asked me, I’d say fluid. Which is probably not the best term but there you go. There is no reduction in the intent or execution from them, the later tracks are as immediate as that initial kick off – Ignite being an example of bringing you death metal with a sunny edge. Honest, once it starts you will get it straightaway.
Remains brings the whole thing to an end, and bookends a strong collection of technical, progressive music, one that doesn’t seek to overwhelm the listener with super crazy rhythms or by playing more notes than anyone else. They have a very simple approach, which to write good songs that define a base from which to leap off from but never forget that they have to return to that base at some point. They treat every song as a new trip, something for us to enjoy and you will enjoy it from start to finish. 9/10
Mob Rules – Stories From The Verdant Vale (ROAR) [Matt Bladen]
This one is all about the vinyl as Stories From The Verdant Vale continues the narrative established on 2025’s Rise Of The Ruler, these are songs from those sessions, originally released as part of the special edition of that album, on CD.
They are now getting a second lease of life as a standalone piece, on vinyl as a full length record that features these five “new” tracks as the Side A and as and extra treat on the Side B a few re-recorded versions of older tracks featuring a few guests.
Because Stories From The Verdant Vale links to early Mob Rules records these bonus tracks are ones from that era, re-recorded in 2014 with Udo Dirkschneider, Amanda Somerville, City Somapala and Bernhard Weiß as guest vocalists to make them a bit more than just a standard re-record.
It’s the originals that do the legwork here though from the orchestral overture of Savage Land Reprise, through the bouncy Euro Power metal of Master Of The Black Crow. Then from the theatricality of Masquerade Ball, the ballad Above The Maelstrom and the hard hitting Balance Of Power, Stories From The Verdant Vale is Mob Rules taking you back to the beginnings of their career through songs given a new chance to impress. 7/10 Noveria – Becoming After (Scarlet Records) [Matt Bladen]
The cinematic prog metal experience that is Noveria return with a new record of prog/power. There’s something about Italy when it comes to progressive power metal as a lot of the biggest names in this hybrid genre such as DGM and Labyrinth hail from the Mediterranean.
However Noveria have been building their own legacy with a sound that draws from the heavier, moodier US style favoured by Symphony X, Dream Theater and Swedes Evergrey. They get darker again with Becoming After, with Middle Eastern tones beginning The Only Way, it bursts to life with downtuned riffs, orchestral swathes and keys/synths that bring depth.
This is the fifth album and features the talents of pianist and composer Mike Moran on the cinematic Through Your Light, keyboardist Mistheria (Bruce Dickinson) on Cold Flames and string arrangement/performance from violinist Abigail Stahlschmidt and cellist Luca Basile. Though the band themselves shouldn’t be discounted as they are all virtuosos in their own right.
All of the guests add more layers to these already dense compositions from a group who can bring melodic wonder, sprawling soundtracks, industrial electronics and the heavier side of metal as well through occasional harsh vocals, Noveria stepping confidently into a new era after major line up changes on Becoming After. 8/10
Cutthroat – The Purge (M-Theory Audio) [Mark Young]
Hard Times takes little time in announcing exactly what you can expect from The Purge, a 5 track EP from LA hardcore outfit Cutthroat. If there was band that completely matched their bio description, its these. The opener is as straight as you could find, its built on a foundation of tightly driven riffs and a traditional hardcore vocal delivery, in as much it reminds me of Biohazard from their Urban Discipline days. Its aggressive, its focus is on battering the listener with what could only be described as a massive sound.
Sick One comes in, again its perfectly acceptable as an example of what hardcore should sound like. Unfortunately herein lies the problem. Historically, I’ve never been a massive fan of this genre on record. I’ve always felt that the live shows are where this music lives and breathes because that crowd energy feeds back to the band and together, the songs dynamically change. I feel that this is the case here; these tracks will take on new life on stage. Feeling Disconnected continues on that ferocious path laid down, but stays within the lanes already set out, and by this point they have effectively settled down into what feels like the same song, partially rebuilt to suit. I feel that I’m sounding unimpressed by the material on here, that’s not the case. As I’ve said its incredibly tight, and its all about stomping you with some pummelling riffing.
If you take the title track, Purge, its heavy, and will tick all the necessary boxes required for metal. It’s just that it’s too similar to everything else on here. They close out with Bullet Proof Mind, and it shows that they have no intention of slowing down or backing off in terms of intent. It maintains that aggressive nature that has been in place since track one, without departing from their core sound.
There’s couple of ways of looking at this in terms of reviewing it; If you consider this purely on the strengths/weaknesses shown, then I would say that for fans of the scene hey will lap it up. They do everything that you want from hardcore, massive riffs, insistent approach delivered with an authentic focus on what works for them. You know that live, these will cause the crowd to go off, there is no doubt in my mind. My issue is that I’m not a fan, and it’s not done anything to change my mind. 6/10
Def Leppard‘s Phil Collen has credited producer Robert ‘Mutt’ Lange for the massive part that he played in helping the English band become one of the biggest rock bands in the world in the 1980s.
The South African-born producer worked with Def Leppard on all but one of their studio albums in the ’80s, beginning with 1981’s High ‘n’ Dry, through to 1983’s Pyromania, and 1987’s Hysteria. On Pyromania and Hysteria, Lange receives a songwriting credit on every song: the two records have combined sales of over 30 million, and have been streaming figures in the billions on Spotify alone.
As reported by Blabbermouth, during an interview with presenter Meltdown on Detroit radio station 101 WRIF, Collen was asked how responsible Lange was for Leppard’s success in the 1980s.
“Probably about 99%,” the guitarist acknowledged. “He taught us how to sing, he taught us how to play guitar. He sings on every song we’ve ever done [with him]… He’s got the best singing voice out of all of us put together. And he sings on everything he does… He’s just got a great voice. It’s just amazing.
“He’s the best producer in the world,” Collen continues, “[and a] songwriter as well. You’d come to him and you go, I’ve got this chorus, and he’d go, ‘Okay, well, that’s not strong enough for a chorus. We could use that for a middle eight or a bridge or something, but we need a stronger chorus.’ And he’d come and he’d write with us as well. So that was a great thing.”
You can watch the full interview below.
Last week, Def Leppard’s Vivian Campbell revealed that his cancer has returned.
In June 2025, the 63-year-old Irish guitarist reported that he was “completely in remission” from Hodgkin lymphoma, the blood cancer with which he was diagnosed in 2013. Speaking with Eddie Trunk on his SiriusXM show Trunk Nation, Campbell said “doctors told me really my only chance for [a] cure was to do a donor [stem cell] transplant. And that’s exactly what I did.”
But in a new interview conducted with Francisco Sigüenza of El Salvador’s Radio YSKL FM the former Sweet Savage, Dio and Whitesnake guitarist revealed that the transplant “didn’t stick”, and that the cancer is back.
“I’ll probably have to do another transplant within a few years with another donor to try and see if maybe that would cure me,” he admitted. “But in the meantime, I’m certainly not slowing down… Life is for living.”
