A weekend of metal mayhem in France's picturesque Pays de la Loire region, Hellfest has become the destination of choice for festival goers of a certain disposition. Headlined by Korn, Muse, The Scorpions, and Linkin Park, the 2025 'Out of Bounds' edition took place from 19th - 22nd June, and was one of the hottest on record, with temperatures reaching just shy of 40c.
There's a reason why Hellfest has gained the reputation of being the greatest festival in metal, and that's because it is. A metalhead's paradise, the site in Northern France offers all a heavy music fan could dream of, from the moment you're greeted greeted by it's gargantuan welcome arch that offers the gateway to Hellfest itself. In 2025, it's guarded by the Guardian of the Darkness - a colossal animatronic demon half scorpion / half seductress who breaths fire. Situated on the edge of Hell City - the festival's campsite entertainment centre - it's a stunning reminder that Hellfest simply don't do things by halves.
The main festival site is a wonder. It's a feast for the eyes, with permanent installations that set it apart from the rest. For the ears, this year's bill is comparable to 2024's, in that it mixes the old guard with the alternative, with the likes of old school thrashers Sacred Reich and German beer monsters Tankard sitting next to electro indie giants Muse and hip-hop hooligans Cypress Hill.
It all kicks off on Thursday [19th June], with UK's festival favourites Skindred the perfect act to really kick things off. "Have we come you move?! Have we come to rock out?", asks a knowing Benji Webb from the stage, to an affirmative; "hell yeah!"
Aussie rockers Airborne may be used to the heat in their home country, but even frontman Joel O'Keeffe seems to be sweating even more than usual as the afternoon sun hits 37c. It scarcely matters though, as he's his usual Tasmanian Devil self, a ball of unbridled energy that makes you feel faint just looking at him. His headbanging, beer drinking antics meanwhile delight the crowd, when he straddles a roadie to go out and join them, soloing like his hero Angus Young during 'Girls in Black'.
In truth, the heat is truly sapping, and although Thursday is a quieter day with the first bands taking to the stage late in the afternoon, it's a struggle to stand in it all day. However, as the sun starts to fade and Parisians Rise of the Northstar - who have went down a storm - take their bows, the temperature lowers, and a the site is filled to capacity for.
Like their performance at Download Festival in the UK less than a week earlier, this is their first time headlining, which is surprising because it seems that nobody loves the Bakersfield nu metallers as much as the French crowd.
"Hellfest, look at all you crazy mother fucks!", declares front man Jonathan Davis as the band's ninety minutes kick off. As they've been doing since this tour began, they focus heavily on their first four albums, giving the crowd exactly what they want. Predictably, it's the closing 'Freak on a Leash' that causes the most chaos, with bodies surfing in their numbers over the heads of the crowd.
The main festival site is a wonder. It's a feast for the eyes, with permanent installations that set it apart from the rest. For the ears, this year's bill is comparable to 2024's, in that it mixes the old guard with the alternative, with the likes of old school thrashers Sacred Reich and German beer monsters Tankard sitting next to electro indie giants Muse and hip-hop hooligans Cypress Hill.
It all kicks off on Thursday [19th June], with UK's festival favourites Skindred the perfect act to really kick things off. "Have we come you move?! Have we come to rock out?", asks a knowing Benji Webb from the stage, to an affirmative; "hell yeah!"
Aussie rockers Airborne may be used to the heat in their home country, but even frontman Joel O'Keeffe seems to be sweating even more than usual as the afternoon sun hits 37c. It scarcely matters though, as he's his usual Tasmanian Devil self, a ball of unbridled energy that makes you feel faint just looking at him. His headbanging, beer drinking antics meanwhile delight the crowd, when he straddles a roadie to go out and join them, soloing like his hero Angus Young during 'Girls in Black'.
In truth, the heat is truly sapping, and although Thursday is a quieter day with the first bands taking to the stage late in the afternoon, it's a struggle to stand in it all day. However, as the sun starts to fade and Parisians Rise of the Northstar - who have went down a storm - take their bows, the temperature lowers, and a the site is filled to capacity for.
Like their performance at Download Festival in the UK less than a week earlier, this is their first time headlining, which is surprising because it seems that nobody loves the Bakersfield nu metallers as much as the French crowd.
"Hellfest, look at all you crazy mother fucks!", declares front man Jonathan Davis as the band's ninety minutes kick off. As they've been doing since this tour began, they focus heavily on their first four albums, giving the crowd exactly what they want. Predictably, it's the closing 'Freak on a Leash' that causes the most chaos, with bodies surfing in their numbers over the heads of the crowd.
Photo: Enda Madden.
Day two [Friday 20th June] sees Mexican Trio The Warning greet the earliest arrivals, with Canadians Spiritbox not far behind. Danes Royal Republic follow, giving Friday a decidedly international feel.
However it's The Cult that really lift things up a notch. The quality of a Cult show always hangs on the mood of singer Ian Astbury, and today he's a belligerent rock god. Dressed like a shamanic banshee, he's simply mesmerising, and it's impossible to take your eyes off him as he struts around the stage and out into the walkways like he owns the place.
Musically, the band are in top form. It's Hellfest, so they wisely decide to deliver their heaviest hitters, opening with 'Rise' from de-tuned 2001 monster 'Beyond Good and Evil', and later, delivering a devastating, slower 'War (The Process)' from the same album.
Signing off with the band leaving the stage and Astbury getting on his knees to say a prayer "for the suffering", it's arresting stuff. One of the highlights of the entire festival.
As the day progresses, Mongolians The Hu bring with them their eastern sounds - as well as a giant statue - and Within Temptation's Sharon den Adel declares "it's great to be back on the best festival in the world!". Meanwhile, in the Temple tent, Warhammer-inspired theatrical Italians Wind Rose announce that; "tonight we celebrate with you the very first show of Dwarf Metal at Hellfest!", with a folk metal spectacle that wins them new fans.
Making their Hellfest debut, Muse may not have been an obvious headliner, but as the numbers gather as they take to the stage, it seems nobody told the crowd. Suffering sound issues early on with guitars and the snare drum in particular very low in the mix, things are thankfully resolved as things move on. Throwing in a tease of Gojira's 'Stranded' meanwhile, proves a stroke of genius.
Closing out the night, Frank Carter and The Sex Pistols cause mayhem over in the War Zone. With the area absolutely wedged to hear their punk anthems, it's the perfect send off for day two.
However it's The Cult that really lift things up a notch. The quality of a Cult show always hangs on the mood of singer Ian Astbury, and today he's a belligerent rock god. Dressed like a shamanic banshee, he's simply mesmerising, and it's impossible to take your eyes off him as he struts around the stage and out into the walkways like he owns the place.
Musically, the band are in top form. It's Hellfest, so they wisely decide to deliver their heaviest hitters, opening with 'Rise' from de-tuned 2001 monster 'Beyond Good and Evil', and later, delivering a devastating, slower 'War (The Process)' from the same album.
Signing off with the band leaving the stage and Astbury getting on his knees to say a prayer "for the suffering", it's arresting stuff. One of the highlights of the entire festival.
As the day progresses, Mongolians The Hu bring with them their eastern sounds - as well as a giant statue - and Within Temptation's Sharon den Adel declares "it's great to be back on the best festival in the world!". Meanwhile, in the Temple tent, Warhammer-inspired theatrical Italians Wind Rose announce that; "tonight we celebrate with you the very first show of Dwarf Metal at Hellfest!", with a folk metal spectacle that wins them new fans.
Making their Hellfest debut, Muse may not have been an obvious headliner, but as the numbers gather as they take to the stage, it seems nobody told the crowd. Suffering sound issues early on with guitars and the snare drum in particular very low in the mix, things are thankfully resolved as things move on. Throwing in a tease of Gojira's 'Stranded' meanwhile, proves a stroke of genius.
Closing out the night, Frank Carter and The Sex Pistols cause mayhem over in the War Zone. With the area absolutely wedged to hear their punk anthems, it's the perfect send off for day two.
Photo: Enda Madden.
If Hellfest has lacked in classic rock so far, Saturday [21st June] more than made up for things with a stacked line-up that not only featured some of the absolute greats of the genre, but a litany of the most celebrated guitar players of all time.
Where Danes D-A-D maintain their reputation as one of the most fun bands in rock with a catchy catalogue to match, super group Black Country Communion prove they're more than worthy of the mantle. Featuring amazing virtuoso performances from Joe Bonamassa and Derek Sherinian, not to mention the spectacular vocals of Glenn Hughes, the four-piece's Zeppelin-inspired sounds prove almost spiritual.
Stepping out onto a French stage for the first time in over two decades, Savatage are welcomed like long lost brothers. Making up for their absence, they celebrate all that was great about the band, from an appropriate 'Welcome' to a grandiose 'Gutter Ballet' and closing 'Hall of the Mountain King'. With the absent Jon Oliva showing up on screen to sing a verse and play piano, it's enough to bring a tear to the eye. Simply majestic.
With a pair of the most noted shredders in history - Joe Satriani and Steve Vai - uniting as Satchvai Band, there was always the potential for a cacophony of dual Yngwie Malmsteen proportions, but it prove anything but. With the pair accenting each others' work, accenting and adding subtle harmonies, the likes of Satch's 'Always With Me, Always With You', and Vai's 'For The Love of God' are simply sublime. With so much great material, perhaps the cover of 'Born to Be Wild' is unnecessary, but it's a great slice of throwaway fun after the histrionics.
Returning to Hellfest following their 2022 '50 Heavy Metal Years' appearance, Birmingham metal gods Judas Priest storm it, playing an incredible seven tracks from their 'Painkiller' masterpiece. Coming out 'All Guns Blazing', and closing, scarily close to 12am with 'Living After Midnight', Rob Halford and co prove to be one the best bands of the weekend.
It's a hard act to follow, but The Scorpions give it a good shot, with a huge production and sixty years of rock anthems. Doing his best to play the excited teenager despite recent health setbacks, Klaus Meine leads from the front admirably. He may not be as lithe as he was in his prime or even a decade ago, but he still has the pipes. and the crowd are right behind him.
"We're coming home to Hellfest, baby!", he declares as things kick off, and what follows is a greatest hits set that is unrivalled all weekend. With a huge inflatable, animated scorpion dominating the stage for the encores, and Klaus's touching nod to late drummer James Kottak in his 'Rock & Roll Forever' backpatch, it hits all the right notes.
Where Danes D-A-D maintain their reputation as one of the most fun bands in rock with a catchy catalogue to match, super group Black Country Communion prove they're more than worthy of the mantle. Featuring amazing virtuoso performances from Joe Bonamassa and Derek Sherinian, not to mention the spectacular vocals of Glenn Hughes, the four-piece's Zeppelin-inspired sounds prove almost spiritual.
Stepping out onto a French stage for the first time in over two decades, Savatage are welcomed like long lost brothers. Making up for their absence, they celebrate all that was great about the band, from an appropriate 'Welcome' to a grandiose 'Gutter Ballet' and closing 'Hall of the Mountain King'. With the absent Jon Oliva showing up on screen to sing a verse and play piano, it's enough to bring a tear to the eye. Simply majestic.
With a pair of the most noted shredders in history - Joe Satriani and Steve Vai - uniting as Satchvai Band, there was always the potential for a cacophony of dual Yngwie Malmsteen proportions, but it prove anything but. With the pair accenting each others' work, accenting and adding subtle harmonies, the likes of Satch's 'Always With Me, Always With You', and Vai's 'For The Love of God' are simply sublime. With so much great material, perhaps the cover of 'Born to Be Wild' is unnecessary, but it's a great slice of throwaway fun after the histrionics.
Returning to Hellfest following their 2022 '50 Heavy Metal Years' appearance, Birmingham metal gods Judas Priest storm it, playing an incredible seven tracks from their 'Painkiller' masterpiece. Coming out 'All Guns Blazing', and closing, scarily close to 12am with 'Living After Midnight', Rob Halford and co prove to be one the best bands of the weekend.
It's a hard act to follow, but The Scorpions give it a good shot, with a huge production and sixty years of rock anthems. Doing his best to play the excited teenager despite recent health setbacks, Klaus Meine leads from the front admirably. He may not be as lithe as he was in his prime or even a decade ago, but he still has the pipes. and the crowd are right behind him.
"We're coming home to Hellfest, baby!", he declares as things kick off, and what follows is a greatest hits set that is unrivalled all weekend. With a huge inflatable, animated scorpion dominating the stage for the encores, and Klaus's touching nod to late drummer James Kottak in his 'Rock & Roll Forever' backpatch, it hits all the right notes.
Photo: Darren McLoughlin.
With temperatures dropping a whole ten degrees, at 27c, though hardly a cold day in hell, Sunday [23rd June] provides a welcome respite from the punishing weekend thus far.
With Eagles of Death Metal bringing their sunshine vibes, and Refused inciting the biggest circle pits of the festival, hip-hop icons Cypress Hill bring a welcome chill with their pot-smoking anthems. Flexing their rock credentials, the pioneers throw out a salute to Rage Against the Machine with an on-point cover of 'Bombtrack',
Over in the Valley, changing up his set from his Download appearance a week earlier, Jerry Cantrell's extended slot meant that we got four Alice in Chains numbers, including a truly joyous 'Down in a Hole'. With an extra guitarist in his solo band compared to AIC, Cantrell's sound is really filed out, and the songs really benefit.
Back on Mainstage 1, it falls to Linkin Park to close out Hellfest 2025. With the appearance hanging in the balance following the cancellation of their Swiss show a few night earlier, it's a relief to all when they reach the stage.
Kicking off with an explosive 'Somewhere I Belong' they focus heavily on their first two albums, as well as 2024 comeback 'From Zero', with the pairing of Mike Shinoda and new addition Emily Armstrong leading from the front. Acknowledging the props they've had since their return, Shinoda says; "thank you for supporting the band since we came back last year; we're very grateful for you". It's a touching moment, but seeing out their set with a raucous 'Bleed it Out', the night ends on a high.
And with that, Hellfest 2025 is done. All that's left is the dazzling ten minute fireworks display - which made a welcome return following its baffling absence in 2024 - that acts a celebration for all; the bands, the fans, the organisers, staff and security who've made it through the weekend as one big Hellfest family.
Branded 'Tales From The Pit', Hellfest returns to Clisson, France from 18th - 21st June 2026. For more information and ticketing, visit the official Hellfest site.
With Eagles of Death Metal bringing their sunshine vibes, and Refused inciting the biggest circle pits of the festival, hip-hop icons Cypress Hill bring a welcome chill with their pot-smoking anthems. Flexing their rock credentials, the pioneers throw out a salute to Rage Against the Machine with an on-point cover of 'Bombtrack',
Over in the Valley, changing up his set from his Download appearance a week earlier, Jerry Cantrell's extended slot meant that we got four Alice in Chains numbers, including a truly joyous 'Down in a Hole'. With an extra guitarist in his solo band compared to AIC, Cantrell's sound is really filed out, and the songs really benefit.
Back on Mainstage 1, it falls to Linkin Park to close out Hellfest 2025. With the appearance hanging in the balance following the cancellation of their Swiss show a few night earlier, it's a relief to all when they reach the stage.
Kicking off with an explosive 'Somewhere I Belong' they focus heavily on their first two albums, as well as 2024 comeback 'From Zero', with the pairing of Mike Shinoda and new addition Emily Armstrong leading from the front. Acknowledging the props they've had since their return, Shinoda says; "thank you for supporting the band since we came back last year; we're very grateful for you". It's a touching moment, but seeing out their set with a raucous 'Bleed it Out', the night ends on a high.
And with that, Hellfest 2025 is done. All that's left is the dazzling ten minute fireworks display - which made a welcome return following its baffling absence in 2024 - that acts a celebration for all; the bands, the fans, the organisers, staff and security who've made it through the weekend as one big Hellfest family.
Branded 'Tales From The Pit', Hellfest returns to Clisson, France from 18th - 21st June 2026. For more information and ticketing, visit the official Hellfest site.