On June 11, 2026, the legendary underground walls of the Centrale Rock Pub in Erba shook to their core. As a prominent stop on her highly anticipated European Tour, the Rome-born international sensation Matilde G delivered a masterclass in modern alternative rock, proving that real, unfiltered guitar music is thriving.Before the headliner took over, the Italian rock band MadHouse served as the perfect special guest. They warmed up the crowd with a heavy, driving setlist characterized by punchy rhythms and intense stage presence. Their raw performance of tracks from Inside My Chest immediately established a high-voltage atmosphere, leaving the audience sweaty and begging for more.
Has a more figuratively black metal band than Alice In Chains ever existed? These black on grunge covers will leave you feeling “Down in a Hole.” Continue reading…
Back around 1980, a band by the name of Sweet Savage formed in Belfast. They boasted a young hotshot guitarist called Vivian Campbell and set out on the New Wave of British Heavy Metal trail. There’d be a handful of singles before Vivian went off to join Dio for and since the early 1990s has […]
Hellfest 2026. Clisson, France. “It’s ridiculous, how good this sounds”, I say to myself as Iron Maiden blast onto the massive Clisson stage. The band looks in incredible form, and Bruce Dickinson, yet again, sounds like a man half his age while prowling that stage.
I am not a stranger in a strange land when it comes to Iron Maiden. I have seen them more times than I can count and still, every time is just as impressive.
Iron Maiden – Hellfest 2026. Photo: Bogdan Bele/MetalTalk
I mean, struggling to hit high notes? What do you mean? The guy sings better than he ever has. And they are quite long into this tour.
The band is flawless as well, as they make their way through highlights from an incredible career. Even Eddie makes an early appearance, fighting some of them. Good thing they won. It would be a shame to stop a show this good.
Bruce, of course, speaks very good French, as he introduces Phantom Of The Opera. His interventions in the local language continue throughout, impressing the assistance.
But while the singer’s energy is stunning, the whole band is simply on fire. They sound like they could play these shows a thousand times and never miss a beat. The Three Amigos are trading guitar solos, and the rhythm section of mastermind Steve Harris and new drummer Simon Dawson is pure groove precision.
Iron Maiden – Hellfest 2026. Photo: Bogdan Bele/MetalTalk
The Number Of The Beast, flames and all, is incredible, while Infinite Dreams, with Adrian Smith’s beautifully played guitar intro, is a calmer moment, as we move onto Powerslave and the first “Scream for me, Hellfest!” of the night.
It carries on, highlight after highlight. The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner is immense both visually and sonically, and so they continue for over two hours.
Evening turns to night, fire starts blasting from the tops of the rusted iron buildings around us, the Maiden machine takes us through more of their catalogue. And you still get the same excellent visuals and pyro that you get for their own headline shows on this tour.
Iron Maiden – Hellfest 2026. Photo: Bogdan Bele/MetalTalk
There is everything in here. Hit after hit, a vocal note a few tens of seconds long during Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son. It does not relent, with Eddie reappearing for The Trooper, and Bruce is waving a French flag, believe it or not.
They do not leave before an encore of Aces High, Fear Of The Dark, and Wasted Years.
A performance in which Iron Maiden show everyone how it is done.
Prepare to be consumed by the relentless energy of the most influential bands in Heavy Metal as they ignite the Hellfest stages with blistering performances. The immersive atmosphere of Clisson will immerse you in a dark, captivating experience like no other.
With its unparalleled lineup and unwavering commitment to the spirit of metal, Hellfest 2026 promises an unforgettable journey into the depths of sonic mayhem. Read all the Heavy Metal News at MetalTalk.
California hard rock and heavy metal outfit Coffin Hunters have unleashed the title track and second single from their forthcoming album, Cosmic Dawn, which is out now across all digital streaming platforms. The full record is scheduled for release on 17th July via Bitter End Records and will be available in digital setups alongside limited … Continue reading Coffin Hunters unleash title track from upcoming album ‘Cosmic Dawn’
Flint, Michigan alternative metal force KING 810 have officially returned with the release of their malevolent new track, “Hungry Gods”. The single marks the beginning of a dark new chapter for the independent outfit following the conclusion of their ambitious Rust Belt Nu-Metal project, which saw the band record and release three interconnected full-length albums … Continue reading KING 810 return with malevolent new single “Hungry Gods” and announce tour dates
Hellfest 2026. Clisson, France. Sepultura attack the main stage at almost 6 PM. This is an onslaught from the get-go, making it pretty obvious that you are in the presence of a true legend. A legend that is in the process of retiring. And it is doing so in full form.
Yes, some might argue that the absence of the Cavalera brothers means this is not Sepultura. For those people, there is tomorrow, when those same brothers are playing. A reunion on stage would be great, but I do not think anyone was holding their breath for that.
Sepultura – Hellfest 2026. Photo: Luke Vaughan/MetalTalk
For those with no such preconceived thoughts, this version, led by Paulo Jr. on bass and Andreas Kisser on guitar, is exactly what we are seeing today. A Thrash Metal machine, grooving on all cylinders, with longtime frontman Derrick Green pacing that stage and belting every lyric with full force.
An early highlight of the set is the exceptional Kairos, sounding menacing. The mostly CGI visuals behind also look perfect in connection with what is going on up there.
Sepultura’s music has always had a tribal dimension and, in particular, its groove. Drummer Greyson Nekrutman, their newest recruit, seems like a perfect fit, collaborating perfectly with the rest of the band.
Sepultura – Hellfest 2026. Photo: Luke Vaughan/MetalTalk
Kisser does mention their fantastic relationship with France, as well as the partnership with Savage Lands to preserve forests. With that, they invite Savage Lands to join them for Kaiowas.
It is that groove again, and it is an amazing moment. Behind The Dream, also from the latest record, is a poignant moment.
As they reach the set climax, they bring out the big guns. Refuse / Resist is as powerful as it ever was, and the end also includes Ratamahatta and Rootba Bloody Roots.
It was a very good time, even if this is the last time.
Sepultura – Hellfest 2026. Photo: Luke Vaughan/MetalTalk
HELLFEST 2026
Prepare to be consumed by the relentless energy of the most influential bands in Heavy Metal as they ignite the Hellfest stages with blistering performances. The immersive atmosphere of Clisson will immerse you in a dark, captivating experience like no other.
With its unparalleled lineup and unwavering commitment to the spirit of metal, Hellfest 2026 promises an unforgettable journey into the depths of sonic mayhem. Read all the Heavy Metal News at MetalTalk.
The award-winning Nordics Kings of the Blues, Thorbjørn Risager & The Black Tornado have released their stunning new album, ‘Live at Cecil Hotel‘ via Provogue/Artone Label Group. Order/Stream – here. To celebrate the release they have released the video for a hauntingly atmospheric live version of ‘Never Givin’ In’. At nearly 11-minutes long, a hauntingly […]
Hellfest 2026. Clisson, France. Bloodywood whip onto the stage in a colourful whirl, drumming Indian style, throbbing the sounds of Indian Metal in waves, and exhorting the fans to start dancing like Del Boy and Rodney, bobbing and weaving at a Peckham curry house.
They are constantly moving across the stage, criss-crossing in their Indian style clothing with a mix of more Western-style t-shirts and jeans mixed in. Mixing Nu-Metal, folk, Metalcore, but most surprisingly, rap. Lots of rap, as this is Indian Metal.
Bloodywood – Hellfest 2026. Photo: Luke Vaughan/MetalTalk
There is an air of almost Metal Eminem that they use to beat the Clisson crowd into a rhythmic frenzy.
Having dual singers with one a more conventional deep Metal roar and the other a rap Metal master, the sound constantly intrigues.
In between songs, there are deeper commentaries on living your dreams, making it against the odds, not giving into fear and being a positive force.
Bloodywood – Hellfest 2026. Photo: Luke Vaughan/MetalTalk
The packed audience goes absolutely crazy in the heat with the full heavy physical force of the band. The crowd surfing hits a peak not seen so far, with a constant stream coming from all over.
Dinosaur outfits, monks and men in thongs vie with inflatables for air space, while some parts of the pit spend more time lifting bodies than watching the band. One fan shouts, “Stop sending fat people,” which is heartfelt and gets a laugh from those around him.
Bloodywood – Hellfest 2026. Photo: Luke Vaughan/MetalTalk
This energy and sheer intensity were counterpoised with ethnic sounds, particularly the lute, which was played beautifully and gave the crowd a chance to catch a breath in the pulsing heat wave, fully reminiscent of New Delhi.
This is a Golden Age for World Metal with sounds that could not be imagined in the ’80s gracing Metal stages. Bloodywood singing in Hindi are the leaders from India and join the likes of Babymetal, The Hu, Rammstein, Uravenna, Blackbraid and others in breaking language and instrumentation barriers.
Bloodywood were bloody good.
Bloodywood – Hellfest 2026. Photo: Luke Vaughan/MetalTalk
HELLFEST 2026
Prepare to be consumed by the relentless energy of the most influential bands in Heavy Metal as they ignite the Hellfest stages with blistering performances. The immersive atmosphere of Clisson will immerse you in a dark, captivating experience like no other.
With its unparalleled lineup and unwavering commitment to the spirit of metal, Hellfest 2026 promises an unforgettable journey into the depths of sonic mayhem. Read all the Heavy Metal News at MetalTalk.
Nashville blues-infused Southern rockers Parker Barrow just released their new single “Nothin’ Left To Save.”
“Nothin Left To Save was the last song written for the new record,” says Parker Barrow’s drummer, Dylan Turner. “Lyrically I had most of the verses written for some time. It wasn’t until hearing the track that it all came together. The up-tempo rock n roll nature of the song was just what we needed to round out the record and, in our ears, make it feel complete.”
“This track came about from a riff idea I had for a verse,” says the band’s guitarist, Alex Bender.” I wanted to have the guitar punctuating the vocal lines with the drums which provided a lot of the energy and movement. One of the more different parts about the song is the bridge, prior to the solo. I took inspiration from some of Hendrix’s guitar parts, even recording the section on a Strat with the selector switch set to position four.”
Continues Alex, “At the end of the track, there’s some call and response between the vocals and guitar. We utilized some automated panning and moved the lines across the stereo field to help give the listener’s ear something to follow, also making it especially cool to listen to with headphones.”
“If I’m being honest, ‘Nothin’ Left to Save’ was one of the more challenging songs for me to record on this album,” says Parker Barrow’s lead singer, Megan Kane. “With such a high energy track, I struggled to find my ground and compliment the track when we first sat down with it in the studio. Our producer, Stephen McKnight, encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone, especially when it came to some of the vocal choices, and I am so grateful that he pushed me there.”
I love the energetic vibe of the song (fantastic vocals!), the infectious moods, and the 70s-inspired arrangement. I find the song extremely catchy, amazingly written and performed by the band and quality from every point of view. A very cool one, give it a go by clicking on the YouTube player below and follow Parker Barrowif you like what you hear.
