Live Review: Quest Fest – KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton
10th October 2026
Words: Chris Taylor
Quest Fest’s ninth year has come and gone and with it another fun weekend full of all things epic, and more than a little nerdy. Before launching off into a run down of all the amazing bands that took to the stage this year, it is worth mentioning that Quest Fest may have one of the most welcoming and enjoyable audiences of any festival in the UK regardless of the size. Whether at the barrier raising your horns, enjoying the soothing tunes from a roaming bard or thrashing your friends at a game of guitar hero Quest Fest 2026 once again brought a feeling of belonging and community for those who wish to unashamedly let their geeky hair down.
An hour after doors our first band takes to the stage. Crown Solace have the dreaded task of opening up the festival. There is always the worry at any festival whether the crowd will be keen enough to rush to catch the opening band of the day, however that is not a problem here. Before Crown Solace begin the room is filling up nicely and while Crown Solace won’t have had the biggest crowd of the day for sure, they had the most epic intro as a ten minute dramatic countdown for the start of day gave a sense of anticipation for the music to start. Slight technical hiccup delaying the start of their first song aside, Crown Solace lap up such an epic intro to their set and carry it all the way through. The band’s Nightwish like bombast combined with heavy harsh vocals give them scope that fills KK Steel mill. A showcase of their newest work it’s the perfect introduction to the band if they are new to anyone present. If one can believe it, their very first show was on the EMP stage of last year’s Bloodstock and are now opening Quest Fest only a year later with a triumphant set and thrilling start to the day. These guys are for sure ones to watch.
Fortune Teller follow with another epic start to a set. They may not have had the epic countdown of Crown Solace but what Fortune Teller do have is a massive opening number. Charging straight in with their self titled single with it’s catchy as hell chorus and stirring vocals it’s a statement of fierce intent right from the word go. While their debut single dropped only a year ago, the band is full of seasoned musicians who have honed their craft and it shows with a commitment and confidence that one would expect from a symphonic metal band going back decades. Every member on stage stands strong, trade off of each expertly and Theresa’s stirring ability as the front person of the band could match the legendary vocalists of this genre of metal. The setlist consists of a mixture of released and to be released tracks and those glimpses into the band’s near future proves that their current trajectory as one of the country’s most promising symphonic power metal bands is only just beginning.
The third band is also the third, and last, band of the day hailing from the UK power/symphonic metal scene. Battle Born of course, need no introduction. Having played Quest Fest back in 2022 they have been a consistently reliable live staple of UK power metal since exploding onto the scene after Bloodstock 2021. However, their performance at this year’s Quest Fest might be the band’s strongest show yet (in this humble reviewers experience anyway). Keeping with the ongoing theme today of ‘starting with a bang’ Battle Born charge unto the stage Iron Maiden style when the music kicks off and it’s non stop high energy from there all the way through. Battle Born are well seasoned by this point and it shows, their command of the crowd is probably the best of the entire day and the audience reaction is astonishing for a band this early on. The omission of their sure fire audience pleaser ‘Bring the Metal Back’ is admittedly disappointing, however it is hard to argue with a flawless cover of Judas Priest’s classic ‘Electric Eye’. While the rest of the day is back to back more established bands from further afield, Crown Solace, Fortune Teller and Battle Born do the UK scene proud and each could be considered a highlight of the day.
Our first from one of the legendary acts of the day is the epic Serious Black. Despite the pedigree of this band and all the iconic members that have been part of it over the years their performance at Quest Fest is surprisingly understated. No big theatrics or anything like that, it’s a no nonsense power metal masterclass with musicians who clearly still love every second of being on stage.
The show takes on a celebratory and triumphant tone when founding member Mario takes to the stage. Advised not to perform due to medical concerns, he joins his band for a couple songs just to be a part of it and the sense of brotherhood is felt throughout. It’s a very rare occurrence for Serious Black to make an appearance in the UK so it is surely quite a big moment for UK fans of the band. While nothing too flashy, Serious Black’s show is a damn fun time indeed and it’s exciting to catch a rare glimpse of the band live. Make sure you catch them at the Underworld in January next year because who knows when they’ll return to the UK again.
Probably the most apt band to follow is the legendary Masterplan, also featuring an array of power metal legends and of course having very few appearances in the UK with their last tour being a staggering nineteen years ago! Masterplan have quite possibly the most assured stage presence of any band at Quest Fest this year. Having built a long legacy over the years they let the music speak for itself and it is glorious to behold. Rick Altzi has the crowd in the palm of his hand taking the crowd from one spine tingling chorus after another. After many years of hearing Masterplan as more of a legend than anything else, owing to how infrequently to play this country, watching their set is an almost surreal experience and there is a feeling of incredible awe emanating from everyone present. Here’s hoping they return sooner than another nineteen years!
When looking over the lineup this year it could be said that Tunisian symphonic prog legends Myrath are a tad out of place when compared to the other bands. Make no mistake, Myrath are certainly epic enough to be at Quest Fest, but they stand out amongst the more soaring and uplifting bands of the day. When Myrath’s set begins the atmosphere at KK’s Steel Mill completely changes. Instead of being transported to fantasy landscapes we are taken somewhere more exotic and enchanting. Myrath are simply stunning live and utterly unique, their middle eastern take on prog metal is dripping with atmosphere and they have the audience’s wrapt attention. This year’s album Wilderness of Mirrors takes centre stage of course and it seems purposefully built to be experienced live with some of the band’s most stirring work yet. While no band today has put a foot wrong, it would be more than justified to call Myrath the winners of the day.
There was some trepidation in the months leading up to quest fest as to whether All For Metal would actually still be a band when the event finally arrived. The band exploded onto the scene a few years ago, and just as fast seem to be falling apart at the seams with five members leaving the band within the last year. With a brand new vocalist and guitarist there was a danger of this being an altogether different band. All For Metal however are, let’s be fair, very straightforward and no nonsense. Channeling that classic Manowar style fists in the air metal it’s a tried and true formula that absolutely works as the final band of a power metal festival. New vocalist Amerigo alongside fellow vocalist (and absolute giant) Tetzel are up there as two of the best front people of the day and weirdly it’s taken all the way till the final band for some actual crowd participation and it’s as silly as it needs to be. There is a slight feeling of anti-climax owing purely to the magnificent Myrath just before, and the audience seeming to thin out slightly after Myrath had concluded. But in the end All For metal closes out the day with something that’s easy to listen to, easy to join in, and appropriately fun that more than earns its place as the headliner of Quest Fest.
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