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As the sun set over Knebworth House, standing on an elevated section of the field, overlooking the stage, it almost resembled a scene from the film The Wicker Man. All that was missing was Christopher Lee and his followers singing and laughing as they looked on at Edward Woodward screaming inside a flame-imbued, burning wicker Eddie. I am sure there was am Iron Maiden song about that. 

Iron Maiden

EDDFEST 2026 – Knebworth House – 10-11 July 2026

Words: Steve Kenton / Rhys Tagg

Photography: Manuela Langotsch

The field was packed, several different generations of people, all vying for prime position to watch the biggest Metal band on the planet. After 50 years and thousands of shows, it was hardly surprising that Iron Maiden’s audience range was from 2 to 92 (probably). But they are far from just an audience. The Maiden faithful are family, over 60,000 of them. God help us all at Christmas.  

The menacing overture of a cacophony of sound, the tapping of somebody strolling down a tired old East End street, the rattle of a tube train – then The Ides Of March blast through the speakers like a death march for the damned.

Meanwhile, the graphics on the big screens accelerate and decelerate like a Formula 1 car, stopping at various Maidenesque waypoints. The Cart & Horses, Acacia Avenue, The Blind Beggar, and The Ruskin Arms, all hidden down those dark and dirty little streets. OK. A bit of artistic licence going on there, given that the three pubs are actually on busy main roads

Then gentle, melodic tones fire up before a drum roll heralds the breakneck barnstormer that is Murders In The Rue Morgue, the first of four songs that originally featured the mighty Paul Di’Anno on vocals.

Let’s be honest, Wrathchild, Killers and Phantom Of The Opera are bona fide classics. It is hard to believe that these songs are around 50 years old. To put that into perspective, 50 years before they were written would have been 1926.

Think about that for a moment. Heavy Metal did not exist, the bass guitar would not have been born for another 25 years, and Laurel and Hardy would have just embarked on their career as a double act. Those tracks have not just stood the test of time. They have become more popular than ever.

The musicianship was a masterclass, as you would expect from a group of Iron Maiden’s stature and as for Bruce’s vocals, they were excellent given the difficulties that he faced from the heat and humidity. The legendary vocalist was not averse to having a bit of fun with the audience, with a bit of the devil-may-care about him, Dickinson addressed the audience, saying, “Apologies to all the Norwegians in the audience. We can argue about it after England have won.” The crowd then erupted with a mixture of laughter and cheers.

“Anyway, here we are at the end of the first bit of the Run For Your Lives Tour,” he continued. “It has been 50 years, and here we are in this amazing place with all this grass. The stuff you stand on, not the kind you smoke.” The crowd erupted yet again, breaking into laughter and cheering before ‘Arry and the boys broke into Number Of The Beast.

Those who have regularly attended will know that this number is the very soul of what Iron Maiden are. Fast, vibrant, it does not matter how many shows this track has been played at, it always sounds as fresh as the day it was first played. It iis the ultimate crowd-pleaser, and although the lads are getting older, and some of the set is played at a slightly slower pace, when playing live, Number Of The Beast just does not alter or shift. 

Then came the song that had not been played on tour for 38 years. Out went The Clairvoyant and in came Infinite Dreams. This was a real omission in my opinion and should have featured decades earlier, on other tours. It is a brilliant live track, and despite the vocal challenges of the song, Bruce absolutely batted it out of the park (or field).

Make no mistake, it is an incredibly difficult song to sing, but the vocals were flawless. The beautiful guitar intro, from the Hendrixesque feel to the verses, was pure perfection. Maiden did not have to alter any of the graphics when swapping out The Clairvoyant, which was a bit of a bonus too. 

With old familiars such as Powerslave and Two Minutes To Midnight, following, the crowd erupted. The opening drum sequence on Powerslave does differ from previous live performances over the decades, and the guitar solos differ from previous ones, but Powerslave is one of the great live numbers and is adored by the fanbase. This was never more apparent than at Knebworth. Then down it came – THE BIG ONE.

Now, I love Rime Of The Ancient Mariner, every single note of it. But playing this at Knebworth, with the most incredible graphic display you will ever see, just catapults it to another level. The audience was utterly immersed in a display of sheer wonderment. And those six lads up there on that stage? Well, there are not enough superlatives to describe the performance and the display.

With such a striking graphic display, it does draw your attention away from the band themselves. But that is not a criticism. So much work and care has gone into the track that the audience were quite frankly, blown away by it.

Another old favourite in Run To The Hills was served up, prompting the usual crowd interaction and high-octane bass-playing from possibly the best bass player on the planet. This was, however, followed up by something quite extraordinary. 

Now I want you to sing a high single note and then hold it for 25 seconds. Now do it with a bug, in heat and humidity and in a field. Not quite as straightforward, eh?

Bruce ended up apologising to fans for his raspy voice, saying he had picked up a bug in Spain. Yet even while struggling with his voice, he still managed to perform a massive setlist that singers half his age and fully fit would struggle with. He was immense.

Here, they stand, brothers them all. Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son erupted with that wonderful keyboard intro. This number had only been played on one other tour since it was first played in 1988, so it was time for this one to have another run-out. Messrs Smith, Murray, and Gers, with their triple guitar attack, were all on top form as you would expect, but it was Bruce who once again shone like a beacon in the fading light.

Just before the quieter mid-section of the song, leading into the spoken word part, Dickinson held a single note for almost 25 seconds. That is not his personal record, incidentally. He has managed 30 seconds before. But to hold a note for around 25 seconds is extremely difficult, yet he manages to make it sound easy.

Knebworth went ballistic, and rightly so. Then the chugging, staccato, distorted guitar, Harris’s melodic bass playing, always leading, Dawson’s high hat and symbols leading up to an explosion of light-speed fretwork. An awesome track, brilliantly played. Then came the Trooper and everybody’s favourite decomposing corpse entered

Look, we’ve all seen him turn up, generally during the same song in the set, but we all love him, wielding his sword around like a guitarist flinging his axe around (yep, that means you, Janick). Obviously, Maiden absolutely rocked this one as they always do, playing with their usual sense of urgency and vigour, Steve Harris playing those triplets like a man possessed, Murray Smith and Gers with fingers flying around the fretboard.

A sight to behold, indeed. Maiden loved it, the crowd loved it, Eddie loved it.

For me, the next track was one of three which stood out, not just because of the absolutely thunderingly brilliant musicianship, but the sumptuous graphics. Alongside Rime Of The Ancient Mariner, that £2m digital backdrop made you feel like you were on an epic film set. The way that Dickinson disappears into the screen and emerges as an avatar fighting the image of death itself is utterly enthralling. A magic trick worthy of Simon Drake of Raising Hell fame, himself.

There was a little disappointment at this point in the night’s wonderful proceedings as a bit of an exodus started to take place to watch the Norway v England World Cup quarter-final. The lads, however, were not deterred from putting on a blistering performance of Iron Maiden, followed by a three-song encore led by Churchill’s Speech, breaking into the third standout number of the night, Aces High.

Again, those graphics enhanced an already brilliant song. The display of Squadron Leader Eddie T Head flying his Spitfire, rolling over and spinning around to come up behind a Messerschmitt or two and blast the bejesus out of them was incredible. In fact, it was so convincing, it would not have surprised me if one or two members of the crowd tried to get a sick bag from an air steward. 

Fear Of The Dark was then followed by the ever-popular Wasted Years, bringing up the rear.

After half a century of not just leading the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal charge, not just dominating the rock and Metal genre, but actually influencing the entire music industry worldwide in some way, it is impossible to overstate the importance of this band and their incredible team.

From Rod Smallwood and Dave Shackleton in the management team to crew members like George Marinov and the Killer Krew, everything is done with precision and purpose. Otherwise, they just could not function in the way they do. The whole EDDFEST weekend is a testament to that.

Iron Maiden do not just produce songs, they tell epic stories that demand your attention. Festivals do not come any bigger or better than this.

Iron Maiden are the Rolls-Royce of the music industry. 

The post Iron Maiden Crown EDDFEST With A Masterclass 50 Years In The Making first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.

CRAWLERS have unleashed a new track, taken from their upcoming EP ‘TURN OFF YOUR TV’.

Titled ‘COOL’, it is a bass-heavy tune full of catchy poetry and shimmering admissions. It shows off the band at their most cheeky and confident, every second dripping with decadent intent and thoughtful prowess. Ebbing and flowing between spiky and caramel smooth, it’s a sign of just how little they are holding back in this brand new era. Because the world is burning, so why would we just sit back and let it happen?

Vocalist Holly Minto had this to say about it:

“COOL” is all about the pressure to constantly keep up appearances and pretend everything’s fine, even when you’re falling apart inside. Peers’ encouragement when you’re indulging in self-harming behaviour, then being stuck in this performance of having it all together, using distractions like alcohol and trying to stay “cool” to cope with the weight of it all. But it’s exhausting and unsustainable.

“It’s about being self-aware enough to know that the obsession with being “cool” is a way to survive, but it’s also a facade. There’s a constant battle between wanting to be real and honest versus staying fake to protect yourself. But the pressure is building, and they can’t keep up the act forever. There’s also a strong awareness of the world’s problems—the climate, politics, everything is burning up—and asking, “How can I keep playing it cool when everything’s falling apart?”

‘TURN OFF YOUR TV’ will be released on August 14 and can be pre-saved right here.

The artwork looks like this:

Whilst the tracklisting is more like this:

1. AFRAID TO DIE
2. STAY ALIVE
3. COOL
4. ALL WE HAVE IS US

The band will also be playing a special show at London’s Village Underground on November 20. Tickets are available from right here.

The post CRAWLERS Share Smooth New Track ‘COOL’ appeared first on Rock Sound.

Metalcore would not exist in its current form without Detroit legends WALLS OF JERICHO.  With genre defining records like

Today, New York duo Content Blocks unveil their new single and accompanying music video, “Beach Resort,” the latest glimpse into

The new record releases on August 28 via Better Noise Music

Source

Stand Atlantic have announced the details of their new full-length album, the follow-up to 2024’s album ‘WAS HERE’.

Set to be titled ‘GODBREATH’, it will be released on October 23 via Virgin Music Group.

The artwork looks like this:

Whilst the tracklisting is a little bit more like this:

1. LUCID
2. NEXT2U
3. Velcro
4. SO COOL
5. Favourite Flavour
6. finger
7. d.L.M.A
8. EDGE OF VEGAS
9. teeth
10. HeadRush
11. Gimme A Show

As well as featuring recent single ‘Velcro’, you can also check out the opening track right now as well.

That is ‘LUCID’, a bright, breezy and bold piece of crossover pop-punk that speaks as much to the band have been in years past as who they have been in recent times. Finding a suitable middle ground, it is an irresistible and iridescent slice of catchiness.

Vocalist Bonnie Fraser had this to say about it:

“This was a hard track to figure out. ‘LUCID’ was one of the last songs we wrote for this record and I was kind of done. I felt like I was running out of things to say that wouldn’t feel super contrived. So I went plain and simple, I thought ‘I’m not going to overthink this, let’s go with what self-sabotage feels like’, and explored that lyrically.” 

The post Stand Atlantic Announce New Album ‘GODBREATH’ appeared first on Rock Sound.

Lost Fire started by recording raw demos in a room by the crashing waves of the Chilean coastline. They then moved to a recording studio in San Francisco, where they laid down the final record in just four days. The album features Josef’s powerful vocals and Tomás’s intense guitar work, supported by a solid rhythm section that includes Gawain Mathews on bass and Kyle Caprista on drums.

Rejecting the sterile, over-edited, and hyper-quantized trends that dominate modern airwaves, Lost Fire remained committed to the classic analog philosophy of “first take, best take.” Driven by pure and unfiltered improvisational synergy, they captured almost every track on the album in just one or two takes. It is 100% human, recorded live, and bursting with kinetic, physical energy.

“We had an incredible amount of fun tracking these songs, and you can feel that absolute freedom and exuberance in the playback,” Josef reflects. “We just let the tape roll and let the music explode. It’s the ‘Lost Fire’ songwriting style, stripped down to the bones with the volume turned all the way up.” 

Veterans of the late ’90s and early 2000s emo and indie rock scene Time Spent Driving have announced their new

After nine years away from UK stages, the question was not whether System Of A Down could still deliver, but whether the crowd still felt the same fire. Selling out two nights at a 65,000‑capacity stadium suggests the appetite never really faded, even if the band themselves have spent the better part of a decade in silence.

System Of A Down

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Night One – 13 July 2026

Words: Rhys Tagg

Photography: Aggie Anthimidou

Maybe the political climate has once again called SOAD to arms, or maybe absence has simply made the heart grow louder. Either way, North London became a pilgrimage site for fans who have survived on two charity tracks and nostalgia alone.

Walking up to White Hart Lane as a West Ham fan is enough to make anyone feel queasy, but when you are surrounded by thousands of System Of A Down devotees filling the bowl to capacity, it is surprisingly easy to swallow.

Tottenham was awash with Metalheads in the merch of their Nu‑Metal heroes, buzzing with the kind of camaraderie only a long‑awaited reunion can spark. Even transport carnage, giving EDDFEST a run for its money, could not keep a good Metalhead down.

The streets smelled of beer, burgers and BBQ. Fans laughed, swapped stories, and occasionally cursed the heat or the trains. What stood out most was the generational mix, older fans who had seen it all before standing shoulder‑to‑shoulder with kids who were not even born when SOAD last released an album.

Inside, the stadium’s club shop had been transformed into a Metal mecca, stacked with a huge SOAD merch range on top of the pop‑up store already running in central London.

Acid Bath kicked things off with a short, sharp shock of a set, a jolt of energy through opening track Tranquilized to wake the crowd from its sunny siesta. The early sound was slightly muted, and the bowl was still filling, but by the time they closed with Paegan Love Song and The Mortician’s Flame, the mix had improved, the crowd was moving, and the band looked genuinely pleased.

Queens Of The Stone Age followed with a lengthy, swaggering slot that rewarded their faithful and warmed up the rest. Kicking in with Regular John and rolling through Sick, Sick, Sick, they even made time for the rarely‑heard The Fun Machine Took A Shit and Died. Surprising, but welcomed. A loose, smiling performance from a band who have seen it all. No One Knows erupted the now‑full stadium into a mass singalong before QOTSA climaxed on A Song For The Dead.

When System Of A Down finally hit the stage to the melody of Soldier Side, the stadium snapped into focus. Daron Malakian’s unhinged intros, Serj Tankian’s deadpan delivery, and Shavo Odadjian’s relentless drive all felt both familiar and feral. John Dolmayan held the back line with a focused, driven presence throughout the night.

B.Y.O.B. gripped the crowd early, its lyrics as true now as ever, before the band trundled through bangers like Prison Song and Aerials. Serj went full Maneki‑neko with his “meow, meow, meow” moment, sending the stadium into hysterics, a reminder that absurdity has always been part of SOAD’s power.

The pits were pure, unadulterated chaos. A couple of fans emerged battered and bloodied, hopefully not from brawls (the antithesis of System), but from sheer over‑excitement. Even a medic stationed on the steps could not help smiling, dancing and clapping along.

Daron offered the crowd the “System of a Down style of rock ‘n’ roll,” and the roar back said everything. Visuals emphasised ongoing global struggles and the social‑media era, punctuated by the slogan: Human Suffering Now in 4K.

When Serj paused to take in the crowd, it seemed like fewer voices rose back at him than you might expect from a band of SOAD’s stature. The songs still resonate, absolutely, but after nine years away, more than a decade since a UK tour, and two decades without a new album, you can feel a generational shift.

The band’s armour is not dented, but the audience may have changed. Some fans are further removed. Others are discovering SOAD for the first time. What is undeniable is that the evening was a headbanger’s ball.

It was fantastic to hear Daron lead the crowd into an “ass” chant, “pull Oasis out of your ass”, after weeks of being subjected to Oasis at the end of England’s World Cup matches. And more importantly, for all those US bands out there, Metalheads do not want Oasis covers. Ever. The moment led perfectly into the classic track Needle.

This was anything but stadium rock, a night of catharsis and a reminder of what System Of A Down have always stood for, wrapped in two hours of pure joy. Lonely Day and Lost In Hollywood brought beautiful, passionate moments, and the chemistry between the band felt alive, Serj even telling Daron, “I love you, man.”

The eerie DAM led seamlessly into War, before the band sent the stadium into one final frenzy. The biggest circle pits of the night erupted for Toxicity, and Sugar closed the show in a blast of chaos.

Night one did not disappoint. Whether you returned for night two or night two was your first show, it promised to be another monumental chapter in what has become an unprecedented summer of heavy music for the UK.

Whether every word was sung back or not, System Of A Down proved they still hit with the force of a band who shaped a generation and are not done.

The post System Of A Down Return To Britain In A Night Of Chaos, Catharsis And Pure Joy first appeared on MetalTalk – Heavy Metal News, Reviews and Interviews.

The band members Steve Lacy and Syd, both of whom have new solo albums out now, reunite with the producer Matt Martians to discuss achieving TikTok fame, writing a Beyoncé song and staying a family.