After a first day marked by crushing heat, Hellfest immediately hits the gas again. If the bodies are slow to succumb, the Friday lineup hardly leaves any room for catching your breath. Between rising young bands, heavyweights of metal and a few legends as indispensable as ever, this second day perfectly showcases the festival’s diversity, which remains its strength. From the early hours, the stages regain their bustle and the first circle pits reappear under a sun that remains merciless.
Wake The Dead (Warzone)
The Warzone comes alive in the early afternoon with WAKE THE DEAD. The Marseille-based group only needs a few minutes to wake a crowd that is already sizable despite the heat. Driven by an energetic melodic hardcore and songs from Still Burning, the band focuses above all on efficiency. Since stepping up to the microphone, Aleksandra injects a clear surge of intensity into the lineup. The first circle pits form quickly and the show perfectly fulfills its role as the opening act. A short but convincing performance that confirms the group’s steady progression.
Return To Dust (Mainstage 2)
Headed to the Mainstage 2 to discover RETURN TO DUST, a young American outfit currently touring Europe for the first time. The influences jump out immediately: Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, and the entire 90s grunge wave seem to hover over the band’s compositions.
The vocal harmonies are arguably one of the set’s key strengths, anchored by tracks like “Black Road”, “Face Down” and “Belly Up”. More surprisingly, the cover of OutKast’s “Hey Ya!” provides a welcome breath and shows a comfortable ease outside the conventional frame. While the group still lacks a moment that will truly etch itself into memory, this European debut hints at real potential.
Gridiron (Warzone)
Back on the Warzone, GRIDIRON shifts the mood dramatically. After a deliberately offbeat introduction with “Who Let The Dogs Out”, the Americans go full throttle. Between beatdown hardcore, hip hop influences and a massive groove, the band never aims for finesse but for instant impact. The tracks pile up at a breakneck pace and the pit responds immediately with a succession of highly animated moshes. A power display perfectly calibrated for a festival crowd.
Wings Of Steel (Mainstage 1)
On the Mainstage 1, WINGS OF STEEL lets the classics do the talking. The American quintet doesn’t reinvent heavy metal, but they master all its codes with a sincerity that resonates. The striking voice of Leo Unnermark quickly grabs attention with soaring moments that remain well controlled despite the stifling heat. The crowd, already sizeable in front of the stage, responds with enthusiasm to this generous heavy metal anchored by tracks such as “Burning Sands”, “Saints & Sinners” and “Winds Of Time”. A solid performance that confirms the promising trajectory glimpsed in recent years.
Crypta (Altar)
The Brazilian women of CRYPTA take over the Altar with death metal that is both efficient and direct. The start of the show is briefly disrupted by a technical issue that cuts Fernanda Lira off from the microphone, but the moment is quickly forgotten when the sound returns amid the crowd’s applause. Once underway, the machine does not slow down. Positively possessed, the frontwoman alternates between powerful growls and warm exchanges with the French audience while Luana Dametto confirms her talent behind the drums. Heavily oriented toward Shades Of Sorrow, the setlist allows the band to deliver a particularly convincing performance, as aggressive as it is precisely controlled.
Die Spitz (Warzone)
For their very first Hellfest appearance, the Texas quartet DIE SPITZ quickly prove why their reputation is starting to cross international borders. The band storms the Warzone with refreshing spontaneity, frequently swapping roles among the four musicians, both on instruments and vocals. Their punk-tinged-with-grunge sound evokes the best years of The Distillers while preserving a distinct identity. The production stays deliberately raw, occasionally chaotic, but that roughness contributes fully to the show’s charm. In the pit, the atmosphere intensifies swiftly, up to an unlikely leek-throwing brawl that triggers as many laughs as circle pits. A striking opening salvo for a band evidently bound for a bright future.
Conjurer (Valley)
As usual, the Valley hosts the heaviest propositions of the day. CONJURER does not break the rule and quickly turns the stage into a torrent of sludge, hardcore and post-metal. The band impresses as much by its power as by its commitment. Dani Nightingale takes particular advantage of “Let Us Live” to address a strong message in support of the trans and non-binary communities, adding a meaningful dimension to a show that is already intensely charged. Powered by a crushing rhythm section and an audience fully behind its cause, Conjurer confirms its status among the most interesting acts on today’s British scene.
TesseracT (Mainstage 2)
A complete genre shift with TESSERACT. The Brits immediately establish a contemplative atmosphere, propelled by precise progressive djent. Daniel Tompkins delivers a vocally flawless performance once again, supported by two backing vocalists who add depth to the tracks. Behind him, Acle Kahney, James Monteith and Amos Williams lay down a surgical, razor-sharp arrangement, giving full room to the richness of the songs. With only a handful of pieces on the program, including “Concealing Fate”, “Juno”, “Natural Disaster” and the essential “War Of Being”, the band once more demonstrates why it remains a cornerstone of modern progressive metal. A dense and impeccably executed show, whose only real flaw is its duration.
Point Mort (Warzone)
After several frontal bursts, POINT MORT opts for a more progressive approach. The group takes its time before letting the violence of their compositions explode, alternating atmospheric passages, massive breakdowns and abrupt dynamic shifts.
Sam Pillay impresses throughout the show with her ability to glide between clean singing and growls with disarming ease. Moving down to the front lines several times, she pulls the Warzone crowd into her boundless energy. The floral bouquets placed on stage, later distributed to the audience amid a confetti shower, provide a surprising yet striking contrast with the music’s brutality.
Queensrÿche (Mainstage 1)
For many, QUEENSRŸCHE remains inseparable from Geoff Tate. Yet the American outfit proves once more that Todd La Torre has fully embraced this legacy. From “Queen Of The Reich”, the singer impresses with accuracy and power, backed by a lineup of remarkable precision.
Despite a tight timeslot, the veterans fire off several timeless classics, from “Operation: Mindcrime” to “Empire”, not forgetting “Screaming In Digital”. The musicians’ experience is evident, as is the obvious enjoyment they take in reconnecting with the Hellfest crowd. A no-frills performance, but with resounding effectiveness, reminding why Queensrÿche has remained a reference in progressive metal for over four decades.
Accept (Mainstage 1)
There are bands that seem to defy time. Fifty years after their debut, ACCEPT continues to defend its status as a monument of heavy metal with energy that commands lasting respect. Wolf Hoffmann leads the band with the assuredness of seasoned veterans, while Mark Tornillo again delivers a vocally solid performance. The night also provides a perfect moment to celebrate the band’s half-century with several tracks from Teutonic Titans (1976-2026), joined by a few notable guests.
Todd La Torre joins the group on “Run If You Can”, before Fredrik Åkesson lends a hand on the evergreen “Fast As A Shark”. Between these rarer moments and classics like “Princess Of The Dawn”, Accept reminds why its influence remains intact across generations of musicians.
Sepultura (Mainstage 1)
The emotion is inevitably heightened when SEPULTURA once again graces the Hellfest stage. This farewell tour marks the waning of a major metal journey, and every appearance of the band now carries extra weight.
The performance opens superbly with “Inner Self”, instantly greeted by a crowd in thrall. Andreas Kisser looks particularly energized, Greyson Nekrutman confirms his talent behind the drums and Derrick Green delivers, albeit with signs of fatigue, a performance that remains wholly committed.
The middle of the set slows with several newer tracks that struggle to sustain the intensity of the classics. However, the sequence around “Kaiowas”, with numerous guests backing the Savage Lands ecological project, provides a powerful moment before “Refuse/Resist”, “Arise”, “Ratamahatta” and the inevitable “Roots Bloody Roots” remind everyone of the Brazilians’ repertoire’s force.
Before exiting the stage, Derrick Green addresses the French audience with heartfelt words, confirming the band’s attachment to Hellfest and its audience. A farewell that is inevitably charged with emotion for one of the most influential acts of the last four decades.
Loathe (Valley)
As the afternoon wears on, the Valley hosts LOATHE, whose growing reputation has been building since I Let It In And It Took Everything. At the crossroads of metalcore, shoegaze and alternative rock, the British band delivers a markedly different experience from what others offer on the other stages.
Kadeem France imposes himself right away, alternating between ferocious bursts and more restrained moments, while the rest of the group builds a sonic wall of abrasive guitars and atmospheric layers. The frontman spends a good portion of the show wrestling with his microphone cable, as if an extension of the constant tension that runs through their music.
Less flashy than some other sets, the performance captivates primarily with its ability to create a genuine atmosphere. In a festival context, Loathe manages to preserve the singularity of their universe.
Opeth (Mainstage 1)
After the Sepultura explosion, a stark mood shift with OPETH. The contrast is striking, but Mikael Åkerfeldt fully embraces this uniqueness, mixing humor, self-deprecation and progressive explorations that only he can conjure.
The band rightly showcases The Last Will And Testament, while not neglecting some eagerly awaited classics such as “The Grand Conjuration”, “The Drapery Falls” or “Deliverance”. Musically, the performance is flawless, driven by a notably clear sound that allows the audience to relish the depth of the compositions.
Aware that this music demands more attention than a more direct show, Mikael Åkerfeldt sprinkles in jokes between two tracks, mentioning the heat, the challenges of their repertoire or even their drummer’s adventures with the airlines. Reactions remain more measured than on other stages, yet the many connoisseurs present savor every minute of a show that once again displays the Swedish group’s elegance.
Malevolence (Warzone)
As the sun dips, the Warzone reclaims its raison d’être with MALEVOLENCE. The British act needs only moments to transform the pit into a battlefield. Alex Taylor quickly interrupts the show to demand more movement, and the crowd responds instantly. Circle pits, walls of death and slams follow in rapid succession, with an intensity rarely dipping throughout the set.
Between “Trenches”, “Life Sentence”, “So Help Me God”, “Self Supremacy” and “On Broken Glass”, Malevolence delivers track after track with impressive command. A first Hellfest appearance left Alex Taylor deeply moved, thanking the crowd at length and deeming this show one of the tour’s best. Given the atmosphere in the Warzone, it’s hard to argue with that assessment.
Slift (Valley)
While the Warzone explodes, the Valley gradually yields to the long crescendos of SLIFT. The Toulouse-based trio, now a staple of the French psychedelic scene, take this late-day slot to present Fantasia, their new album.
The evolution of the trio is immediately apparent. The songs become more efficient without losing that taste for expansive soundscapes that defines their identity. Jean Fossat takes a bigger role in vocals while the guitars retain their breadth, driven by a rhythm section that remains solid as ever.
Between the new tracks and nods to “Ummon” or “Ilion”, Slift delivers a particularly inspired hour. The Valley responds with enthusiasm, carried by a performance that definitively confirms the band’s dimension shift. This Hellfest appearance feels like a sign of a band now ready to take a new step forward.
Periphery (Altar)
Long-awaited by fans of progressive metal, Periphery finally makes its Hellfest debut after a missed opportunity in 2020. Despite Iron Maiden drawing attention at the same time, the Altar fills to a healthy capacity to host the Americans, evidence of the anticipation surrounding this first Clisson appearance.
From the opening notes of “Obsession”, the band asserts its identity. The sound is massive yet remarkably precise, letting the complexity of the compositions shine without losing their impact. Spencer Sotelo impresses with the precision of his delivery, alternating melodic passages and more aggressive bursts with disconcerting ease, while Misha Mansoor, Mark Holcomb and Matt Halpern deliver a technical demonstration that never veers into gratuitous showmanship.
The show is also marked by the absence of Jake Bowen, kept in the United States for family reasons. Spencer takes a moment to explain the situation before dedicating “Unlocking” to his guitarist, adding a more intimate dimension to a performance that had been millimeter-perfect up to then. New tracks from A Pale White Dot naturally sit alongside “Wildfire”, “Atropos”, “Make Total Destroy” and the crowd-pleasing “Blood Eagle”, welcomed as a true coup de grâce by an Altar wholly won over to the Americans’ cause. For a first Hellfest, Periphery delivers a particularly accomplished show, confirming it as a cornerstone of modern progressive metal.
Blood Incantation (Altar)
A few hours later, the Altar totally redefines itself with BLOOD INCANTATION. Since Absolute Elsewhere, the American quartet has become one of the most fascinating acts on the contemporary death metal scene, constantly pushing the genre’s boundaries.
Surrounded by obelisks and a thick incense fog, the players plunge the audience into an almost ceremonial atmosphere. Rather than offering a selection of songs, Blood Incantation chooses to perform the entirety of Absolute Elsewhere, letting the long compositions unfold naturally.
If this approach requires a degree of attentive listening that the festival setting doesn’t always encourage, the quality of the performance leaves no doubt. The closer on “Vitrification Of Blood” gradually brings the band back to its death metal roots and finally triggers the crowd movements that had remained relatively restrained up to that point. An ambitious and flawlessly executed performance.
Mastodon (Valley)
It’s impossible to approach the Valley a few minutes before Mastodon’s appearance. The crowd is enormous to greet the Americans, in a context inevitably tinged with emotion following the passing of Brent Hinds.
Emotion runs through the show quickly, but never overtakes the music. Troy Sanders takes a moment to speak of his former bandmate before introducing “Your Ghost Again”, a new track that directly pays tribute to him. On stage, Brann Dailor again impresses with his ability to switch between drums and singing with disarming ease, while Bill Kelliher and Troy Sanders hold down a band that remains solid as ever.
The arrival of Nick Johnston, brought in to take over the guitar parts left vacant, is managed with great respect. Rather than trying to replace Brent Hinds, the Canadian brings his own sensibility without ever upsetting the band’s chemistry.
The setlist moves smartly through Mastodon’s eras. “The Motherload”, “Black Tongue”, “More Than I Could Chew”, “Crack The Skye” and “Steambreather” all remind of the richness of a repertoire that has evolved for more than twenty years. When “Blood And Thunder” finally rings out, the Valley erupts once more. An emotionally charged show, but above all one led by a band that keeps moving forward with remarkable dignity.
The Dillinger Escape Plan (Warzone)
While the last diehards push the night further in the Warzone, THE DILLINGER ESCAPE PLAN continues to divide as much as it fascinates. True to its reputation, the band delivers a performance of rare intensity, where chaos skillfully meets technical virtuosity in one.
A demanding, sometimes disorienting proposition, but one that naturally finds its place at Hellfest for fans of intense sensations.
Ultra Vomit (Mainstage 1)
It falls to ULTRA VOMIT to close out this second day on the Mainstage 1. Seven years after their last appearance in this slot, the quartet returns to Clisson with a show meticulously crafted for the occasion, captured for the moment.
Staying true to their reputation, the band continually interacts with the audience. Apparent technical glitches, absurd skits, offbeat videos and constant humor structure a set where the classics flow one after another without a moment’s pause. “Évier Metal”, “Le Coq”, “Doigts De Metal”, “Ricard Peinard”, “Mortal Konkass” or “A.N.U.S.” provoke immediate reactions from an entire Mainstage devoted to the Nantais.
Among the many highlights, it’s hard to miss Christian Andreu joining on “Calojira”, the tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, or the arrival of a troupe of fake servers during “Tikawahukwa”. Behind the constant humor, Ultra Vomit also emphasizes the excellent technical level of its musicians, able to navigate with startling ease between the different styles they parody.
After two days marked by heat, this closing set brings a welcome lightness and closes Friday in a massive communion between the band and the tens of thousands of festival-goers gathered before the Mainstage.
Bilan
After a first day that was already intense, this Friday confirms the richness of Hellfest 2026. From morning discoveries to the evening’s major events, Hellfest once again demonstrates its ability to bring generations and aesthetics together without ever losing its identity. Between anticipated confirmations, successful debuts and emotionally charged concerts, this second day maintains a particularly high level and promises a weekend that will only intensify.
Day 1 – Day 2 – Day 3 – Day 4
