German progressive metal pioneers Vanden Plas are back with the new single “Far Off Grace”, taken from “AcCult II”, a new acoustic album set for release on June 12, 2026, via Frontiers Music Srl.
Andy Kuntz commented: “The single “Far Off Grace” exemplifies the unpretentious, pure, and at the same time artistic, multifaceted acoustic expression of all the songs on “AcCult II”. They say you can recognize a good song when it works even in a stripped-down version. Compared to the studio version first released in 1999, however, this interpretation opens up on top many new avenues of understanding”.
“It allows the song’s once bombastic beauty to blossom in the virtuosic interplay between Stephan Lill’s exquisite guitar work, Alessandro Del Vecchio’s shimmering grand piano, and Kuntz’s vocals, ranging from sensitive to ecstatic – only to then be driven, by the unbridled power of an exceptional band with Andreas Lill on drums and Torsten Reichert on bass, to a hypnotically intensifying, furiously breathtaking finale”, he added. “This is far more than an acoustic version of a song; it is the ultimate reinvention of a classic in its own light.”
Building on the innovative concept that first reimagined tracks from their debut “Colour Temple” in a stripped-down, unplugged setting, this new release revisits select songs from their extensive catalog with fresh acoustic arrangements, offering fans a completely new perspective on the band’s music.
In addition to reworked originals like “Far Off Grace”, “Holes In The Sky”, “The Ghost Xperiment”, and “You Fly”, “AcCult II” features inspired interpretations of classic songs by other artists, including Styx’s “Boat On The River” and Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters”, blending reverence for the originals with Vanden Plas’ signature emotional depth and musical sophistication.
Notably, John Helliwell of Supertramp makes a guest appearance on saxophone on the album’s closing track, “You Fly”, adding a unique, melodic touch to the album’s finale.
The album showcases the band’s current lineup – Andy Kuntz (vocals), Stephan Lill (guitars), Andreas Lill (drums), Thorsten Reichert (bass), and Alessandro Del Vecchio (keyboards) – whose synergy brings a nuanced warmth to each track.
With “AcCult II”, Vanden Plas demonstrates that their progressive sensibilities translate seamlessly into intimate, acoustic settings, creating a compelling experience that resonates both with longtime fans and newcomers alike.
“AcCult II” Tracklist:
1. Far Off Grace
2. Holes In The Sky
3. The Ghost Experiment
4. Boat On The River
5. Healing Tree
6. Postcard To God
7. Nothing Else Matters
8. You Fly (Ft. John Helliwell)
Line Up:
Andy Kuntz -vocals
Stephan Lill – guitars
Andreas Lill – drums
Torsten Reichert – bass
Alessandro Del Vecchio – keyboards
Darker Waves Festival is scheduled to return to Huntington Beach, California, on November 14, 2026. No lineup has been announced yet. The festival is currently directing fans to sign up for updates through its official website.
The newly released promotional image confirms the date and location, billing the event simply as taking place “on the beach” in Huntington Beach. At the moment, no artists, ticketing details, or additional event information have been made public.
The previous edition of Darker Waves took place on November 18, 2023. That inaugural festival featured a lineup led by New Order and Tears for Fears, with additional performances by Echo & The Bunnymen, Devo, Soft Cell, The Psychedelic Furs, OMD, The Human League, and Violent Femmes.
The 2023 bill also included a substantial number of acts from across the post-punk, darkwave, goth, synthpop, and alternative spectrum, among them Molchat Doma, Drab Majesty, Twin Tribes, Cold Cave, Mareux, London After Midnight, Clan of Xymox, The Chameleons, Christian Death, 45 Grave, Skeletal Family, Glass Spells, and Urban Heat.
As previously reported by Post-Punk.com, the first festival was positioned as a large-scale beach event centered on legacy new wave and post-punk acts alongside newer artists working in related styles. The 2023 edition’s festival site utilized three rotating stages on the sand and included shuttle and rideshare access for attendees.
No logistical details have been published for the 2026 event yet. It also remains unclear when the lineup, ticket on-sale date, and festival map will be announced.
For now, those interested in attending Darker Waves 2026 can register for more information through the festival’s official website.
Multi-million streaming, UK-based collective President continue to exist at the intersection of heavy music, electronic experimentation, and cinematic atmosphere. Launching in 2025 and operating under the cloak of minimalism and anonymity, President have been cultivating intrigue with each single and live performance. Refusing to conform to the traditional structures of genre or identity, President prioritize intent over image.
Today, the band announces its upcoming North American 2026 headline tour, with support from Cenobia and Showing Teeth on select dates. Produced by Live Nation, the tour is set to kick off September 4 at Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville, making stops across the U.S in Chicago, New York, Toronto, Boston, Atlanta, Denver, Seattle, Los Angeles. and more before wrapping up in Dallas at House of Blues on October 14. Fresh off their first-ever full U.S. run supporting Bad Omens, President will return this fall to headline venues across the continent.
Tickets will be available starting with an artist and Citi pre-sale in select venues beginning on Thursday, April 2 at 10 am local time. The general on-sale begins on Friday, April 3 at 10am local time here.
Citi cardmembers will have access to pre-sale tickets beginning Thursday, April 2 at 10 am local time until Thursday, April 2 at 10 pm local time through the Citi Entertainment program. For complete presale details visit here.
Last week, President unveiled the new single “Mercy”, which is all about perfectly executed dynamics — mixing memorable melodies and heavier-than-granite riffs with gritty breakdowns. The result is another unforgettable anthem.
About the song, President say: “Throughout history, religion has been tied to profound division and loss. This song is a reflection on that reality, and a way for me to come to terms with what it means on a human level.”
Built to exist outside the noise, President are building something that invites deeper investment — designed to be discovered, not sold. President said it best, telling Revolver in a cover feature that “the music industry has elements of fast fashion to it these days. Things just come and go. Everything’s really quick. Everyone’s shouting for attention and there’s just so much noise, and it just becomes a fucking conveyor belt. [We] wanted to step back and not be a part of that. But if people are interested, and they want to enter into this world, we’ll grab them with open arms.”
British hard rock mainstays Deep Purple are heading back out on the road this summer, lining up a North American run with support from Kansas and Jefferson Starship on select dates.
The band will launch the tour on August 4 in Raleigh, North Carolina, before making its way across the continent. The run is set to conclude on September 12 in Sparks, Nevada, giving fans a solid stretch of dates to catch one of rock’s most enduring names in a live setting.
Tickets go on general sale this Friday, April 3 at 10 a.m. local, with various pre-sales beginning Wednesday (March 31).
With a catalog that spans decades and continues to resonate with heavy music audiences, Deep Purple remain a consistent draw on the live circuit. Pairing them with Kansas and Jefferson Starship adds a classic rock edge to the bill, making this tour a strong option for fans looking for a mix of legacy acts that still deliver onstage.
Deep Purple summer 2026 tour dates:
Aug. 04 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater * Aug. 08 – Clearwater, FL – The Daycare Sound Aug. 09 – Hollywood, FL – Hard Rock Casino Aug. 12 – Wantagh, NY – Jones Beach Theater Aug. 13 – Mansfield, MA – Xfinity Center * Aug. 15 – Halifax, NS – Scotiabank Centre * Aug. 17 – Laval, QC – Bell Place * Aug. 18 – Toronto, ON – RBC Amphitheatre * Aug. 19 – Ottawa, ON – Canadian Tire Centre * Aug. 21 – Detroit, MI – Pine Knob Aug. 22 – Salamanca, NY – Seneca Allegany Casino Aug. 24 – Indianapolis, IN – Everwise Amphitheatre Aug. 25 – Highland Park, IL – Ravinia Aug. 27 – Prior Lake, MN – Mystic Lake Casino Aug. 29 – Winnipeg, MB – Canada Life Centre * Aug. 31 – Calgary, AB – Scotiabank Saddledome * Sep. 02 – Abbotsford, BC – Abbotsford Centre * Sep. 04 – Lincoln, CA – Thunder Valley * Sep. 05 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre * Sep. 06 – Highland, CA – Yaamava Theatre Sep. 08 – Chula Vista, CA – North Island Credit Union Amp * Sep. 10 – Las Vegas, NV – Planet Hollywood Sep. 11 – Long Beach, CA – Long Beach Amphitheater Sep. 12 – Sparks, NV – Nugget Event Center
The best masked metal bands include Slipknot, Sleep Token, Ghost, Mushroomhead, and a mix of extreme and modern acts who use masks to create identity, mystery, and lasting fan connection.
TL;DR:
Masked metal bands aren’t just visual—they dominate multiple eras of heavy music. From pioneers like Mushroomhead to global forces like Slipknot and modern breakout acts like Sleep Token and President, masks have become one of the most powerful tools in metal. These 13 bands represent the strongest examples of masked metal done right.
Full List Of Masked Metal Bands (Ranked)
Slipknot
Sleep Token
Imperial Triumphant
Mushroomhead
Ghost
Portal
President
The Bunny The Bear
Gaerea
Slaughter To Prevail
Gwar
Carach Angren
Lordi
How These Masked Metal Bands Were Ranked
This list is based on influence, consistency, originality, and how effectively each band uses masked identity as part of their sound, image, and long-term impact.
Best Known For: Horror theatrics meets arena metal
Lordi proved masked metal could go mainstream without losing its identity. Winning Eurovision in 2006 wasn’t just a viral moment—it introduced a global audience to a fully realized monster-metal concept built on character, not personality.
Each member exists as a creature, not a person. That commitment is why the band has lasted for decades. The music leans toward hard rock, but the execution of the concept is elite. Lordi didn’t just wear masks—they made them commercially viable.
12. Carach Angren
Best Known For: Cinematic black metal storytelling
Carach Angren use masks as narrative tools. Their albums function like horror films, and the visuals reinforce that storytelling.
Instead of hiding identity for mystery alone, the masks help bring characters to life. That distinction matters. This is theatrical black metal done with precision, not tradition.
11. Gwar
Best Known For: Shock, satire, and spectacle
Gwar built one of the most extreme identities in heavy music and never broke character. Since the ‘80s, they’ve combined grotesque costumes, satire, and controlled chaos into something completely unique.
The masks are only part of it. The world-building is what made them last. Live shows still feel unpredictable, which is exactly why they remain relevant.
10. Slaughter to Prevail
Best Known For: Modern deathcore dominance
Alex Terrible’s mask is one of the most recognizable visuals in modern heavy music—and it matches the sound perfectly.
This is where masked identity evolves. It’s not about hiding anymore. It’s about amplifying presence. The mask reinforces the brutality instead of distracting from it.
And this is where things start shifting toward the modern era.
9. Gaerea
Best Known For: Faceless emotional intensity
Gaerea removes identity almost completely. No faces, no individuality—just presence.
That approach works because of the music. Their sound leans heavily into isolation and internal struggle, and the masks reinforce that atmosphere. This isn’t aesthetic—it’s alignment.
8. The Bunny The Bear
Best Known For: Contrast and unpredictability
On paper, this shouldn’t work. A bunny and a bear delivering chaotic metalcore doesn’t sound serious—but that contrast is exactly why it stands out.
The masks create identity through contradiction. In a saturated genre, that difference matters.
7. President
Best Known For: Modern mystery and rapid rise
President represents the new wave of masked bands using anonymity as strategy.
Minimal exposure, strong visuals, and controlled identity have already pushed them into conversation alongside far more established acts. This is the blueprint modern bands are starting to follow.
Portal doesn’t just hide identity—they erase humanity completely. Their masks are abstract, disturbing, and intentionally disorienting.
That matches their music, which is chaotic and oppressive by design. This is one of the clearest examples of visual identity fully aligning with sound.
Now we’re getting into the bands that changed everything.
5. Ghost
Best Known For: The most successful masked rock crossover
Ghost turned masked identity into a global system. The rotating Papa figures and Nameless Ghouls allow the band to evolve without losing recognition.
That flexibility is why they broke into the mainstream. The masks aren’t limiting—they’re scalable.
Before Slipknot exploded, Mushroomhead were already doing it.
Their masks, experimental structure, and industrial edge helped define the lane early on. They don’t always get the credit, but their influence is undeniable.
3. Imperial Triumphant
Best Known For: High-concept avant-garde metal
The gold masks are symbolic, not decorative. Imperial Triumphant ties visuals directly into themes of excess, decay, and modern collapse.
This is masked metal at its most conceptual. Difficult, deliberate, and completely distinct.
2. Sleep Token
Best Known For: Mystery, emotion, and modern dominance
Sleep Token changed how masked bands operate in the streaming era.
By removing identity entirely and focusing on emotional connection, they created something that feels bigger than a band. The masks aren’t hiding anything—they’re removing distraction.
Slipknot didn’t just popularize masks—they made them essential to metal identity.
Each member’s mask became a symbol, evolving with every album cycle and reflecting the band’s internal shifts. That level of integration is why they remain the benchmark.
Every masked band that followed exists in the shadow of what Slipknot built.
Masks create distance—but that distance pulls fans in.
They remove ego, build mythology, and give music a stronger identity. In an era where everything is overexposed, anonymity becomes an advantage.
That’s why masked bands aren’t fading.
They’re evolving.
FAQs
Why Do Metal Bands Wear Masks?
To create identity, enhance stage presence, and separate the music from individual personalities.
Who Are The Most Famous Masked Metal Bands?
Slipknot, Sleep Token, Ghost, and Mushroomhead are among the most recognized.
Are Masked Metal Bands Still Relevant Today?
Yes. Modern bands are using anonymity more strategically than ever.
Band Category Context
Masked metal spans multiple subgenres, from nu metal and metalcore to black metal and avant-garde. What connects these bands is not sound—but identity.
Fear Factory is set to bring their industrial madness to Europe this August through October. Whether or not we’ll have the new record by then remains to be seen.
