Once again, Slam Dunk opened the UK festival season, this time under crushing heat and with a lineup built for non-stop mosh pits, celebrating the festival’s 20th anniversary.
As soon as the gates opened, we headed straight to the Main Stage West, where a dose of British alternative rock was waiting to kick off a laid-back morning with the sun beating down on everyone’s heads.
Slam Dunk 2026
Words: Carol Giannattasio
Photography: Antonio Giannattasio
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A brought flawless energy with tracks like Walkover, Shit Summer and Starbucks. Their style blends punk rock, alternative rock and massively catchy melodies, driven by an energetic sound that feels straight out of the early 2000s.
Live, they have always stood out for their energy and the way they pull the crowd into the show with intense sets, choruses screamed back by everyone and an atmosphere that feels more fun than overly serious.
Even without being a technically perfect band, they always managed to leave a mark thanks to their spontaneity and strong stage presence.
The Slam Dunk Stages
This year’s big change was not only the scorching sun over Hatfield, but also the two side-by-side stages, the Monster Energy Stage and the one we spent most of our time at, the Main Stage East, also known as The Heavy Stages.
This was where the wildest movement of the day exploded, between Hardcore and Metalcore chaos.
Dying Wish
The very first band to open the stages were Dying Wish, one of the strongest Metalcore bands around right now. With tracks like I Don’t Belong Anywhere and Watch My Promise Die, everything sounded aggressive, direct and packed with energy.
The crowd gave everything from the very first notes, even under the relentless heat.
Frontwoman Emma delivered an unbelievable level of intensity, her voice shifting from clean melodies to raw, powerful screams.
A Curse Upon Iron was one of my personal highlights, moving from almost angelic vocals into a limitless breakdown. Dying Wish left the stage after their set, but they will be back soon with a UK/EU summer headline tour, as well as joining Spiritbox as opening act this September.
Guilt Trip
Last time they played Slam Dunk, Guilt Trip performed The Key Club stage, a much smaller space compared to the stage they dominated this year.
With the album Armour Of Angels just around the corner, Guilt Trip once again proved why their rise keeps accelerating.
They opened with Burn, and the crowd was more than ready to deliver exactly what vocalist Jay seemed to demand: total chaos. Non-stop mosh pits, circle pits, and crowd surfing took over, while even on stage, the movement never stopped.
Guilt Trip’s stage presence is once again what keeps the band so tight as a unit, creating chaos and pulling the audience into it. This is their strongest weapon.
Between new tracks like Angel Dust and older ones like Sweet Dreams and Thin Ice, Guilt Trip kept the tension high throughout the set. Overall, they are a band that hits even harder live than on record.
After discovering them in 2024 when they opened for Landmvrks, I have seen their growth firsthand. Intensity, adrenaline and stage presence are exactly what they deliver.
At Slam Dunk, they proved once again why they are rising so fast in the UK Hardcore scene.
Stand Atlantic
On the Monster Energy Stage, Stand Atlantic hit the stage with Kissing Killer Cobras and the crowd immediately lost it. Live, Stand Atlantic manage to build an atmosphere that is both fun and packed with energy.
The band blends modern pop punk, alternative rock and more emotional moments, keeping the audience locked in from start to finish. Frontwoman Bonnie is the real driving force of the show. Her natural stage presence carries a confidence that moves effortlessly between lighter moments and more intense sections.
The crowd screamed every single song at full volume, from GIRL$ to going completely wild for the live debut of their recently released track Velcro.
Stand Atlantic managed to get the crowd jumping with catchy choruses while also creating more personal and reflective moments throughout the set.
They once again confirmed themselves as one of the most versatile bands on the bill, showing personality and the ability to turn the stage into a full pop punk party.
President
Next, we were back to the Main Stage East, where a band that has caused a stir over the last year takes the spotlight. Since the release of their first EP last September, up to the announcement of their debut album Blood Of Your Empire, due out on 4 September 2026, President arrive at Slam Dunk in Hatfield for the first time.
But things did not go according to plan.
From the opening notes of the Ike for President Advertisement, the crowd is already in chaos. The field on that side is packed with sweaty bodies, and from the first notes of Fearless, there is a different kind of energy in the air, harsh lights, heavy sound and a unique stage presence.
Shoutout to the ‘unknown’ singer, who, in 30-degree heat, is still wearing a full black suit and mask, obviously as always, because that is the main attraction of the band. Being anonymous.
Dionysus comes next, the second and final track before DOOM LOOP, with a sudden power shift after a spoken-word intro only. That makes DOOM LOOP a live debut the next day at Slam Dunk Leeds.
The band then left the stage after a power outage and only returned 18 minutes later.
Sadly, the set has to be cut short, with Angel Wings performed during the return, closing the set with In The Name Of The Father.
Even with the limited time, President looked ready to deliver at full force and take over the crowd, and they still managed to do it, even in fragments.
Bury Tomorrow
Bury Tomorrow live are an absolute guarantee of the British Metalcore scene. Once again, I was left stunned by the power of this band and by the grit and energy that vocalist Dan brings to the crowd.
Choke opens the set, followed by Abandon Us, with a stage already on fire, packed with pyro and constant screams.
Their dual-vocal approach is one of their strongest assets. The contrast between clean parts and screaming hits even harder live, giving the songs a much more dynamic impact.
Having opened last November for Electric Callboy, this time I saw something different in Bury Tomorrow, mainly Dan and his voice, so powerful it feels like it goes straight through your bones.
For a while, I was just locked in, watching the talent on display and the presence he carries on stage.
Once again, the sense of unity within the community was a key moment. The band asked everyone to hug the person to their right, even strangers and to sing What If I Burn together, while many others were lifted on friends shoulders. A powerful and emotional moment of connection.
DEATH (Ever Colder) closes the set, and Dan asks everyone to go wild with crowd surfing, pushing all the way to the barrier for a quick high five.
Bury Tomorrow close out an unforgettable set.
Malevolence
Malevolence are the final band on one of the two heavy stages, and are exactly what I was waiting for, because their studio versions are already crushing.
Live, Malevolence hit with immediate impact. They are one of those bands that step on stage and instantly consume the entire atmosphere, shifting the energy of the crowd completely.
Trenches is only the beginning. The pit turns into a battlefield, going absolutely wild during Life Sentence and Karma.
What works best with Malevolence is how they fuse Hardcore and Metal without ever losing momentum.
The breakdowns ignite the pit, but there are also choruses and melodic moments that get everyone singing until they are out of breath. The standout moment is definitely Higher Place, where guitarist Konan’s vocals give genuine chills.
Then comes Keep Your Distance, one of my personal highlights, with Brian Garris stepping on stage and turning the studio version into reality. Every single person loses it completely.
During Serpent’s Chokehold, Guilt Trip vocalist Jay joins them on stage as well.
Malevolence go all out with riffs, heavy breakdowns and unexpected guests, closing their set with If It’s All The Same To You.
Knocked Loose
I have waited so long to witness this kind of raw energy in person. Knocked Loose did not disappoint. They just confirmed what everyone already knew, that they are one of the best Hardcore bands right now in the alternative scene and I am lucky to be watching them in this era.
They enter the stage already full of energy. Knocked Loose waste no time and Blinding Faith immediately makes it clear this will be a set of chaos and movement, pushing aside the exhaustion built up over the day.
Their performance leaves no space to breathe. Everything is direct, aggressive and loud, so intense that Hatfield must have felt a slight earthquake, because the movement never stops.
On stage, Bryan barely stands still, except for those moments where he stares out at the crowd with a mysterious intensity. His vocal style feels like a constant surge of rage.
It is not a clean show at all, but a dirty, physical and instinctive one, and that is exactly what Knocked Loose aim to deliver. The crowd moves like waves, constantly opening and closing, especially during songs like Don’t Reach For Me, or older tracks that send the audience into another dimension, like Mistakes Like Fractures, Belleville, and Take Me Home, driven by handclaps and rhythm.
Finally, we get to hear their latest release, Hive Mind, live. Even without Denzel Curry to deliver his part, it becomes a completely chaotic moment, especially with the breakdown and Bryan’s long-awaited “blegh”.
But my personal highlight is definitely Sit & Mourn, when, after screaming everything out, Bryan ends the song himself on guitar. For some reason, that moment always hits me differently.
And after the iconic “ARF ARF” of Counting Worms, confetti flying and everyone screaming “Knocked Loose motherfucker,” during Deep In The Willow, it is time to open the waters.
Everyone knows the most iconic moment of a Knocked Loose show.
Everything Is Quiet Now closes that side of the festival, but before grabbing our things and leaving the field, there is still one more thing.
The moment everyone was waiting for. Whether you are in it or just watching, it does not matter. At the drop, with strobe lights, heavy guitars and pounding drums, the crowd splits and crashes together, creating a truly unforgettable Wall Of Death.
With fireworks behind us, the 20th edition of Slam Dunk Hatfield comes to an end, leaving us once again with a lump in the throat.
It was a day made of extremes, relentless sun, endless breakdowns, stages soaked in sweat and voices merging into a single chorus. Every band left something behind, even if just a moment, a gesture, a collective scream that still hangs in the air.
And as you leave Hatfield, with ears still ringing and skin marked by the sun and the pit, that same feeling stays with you. That you have just lived something far bigger than any single set could ever be on its own.
Organised chaos, loud, human.
And for that reason, impossible to forget.
