List of heavy metal festivals | |
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General Information | |
Related genres | Heavy metal, punk rock, rock |
Location | Europe and United States (origin) Worldwide (current) |
Related events | Punk rock festival, rock festival |
This is an incomplete list of heavy metal festivals. The genre of heavy metal (or simply metal) is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United States and the United Kingdom. [1] [2] [3] With roots in blues rock and psychedelic rock, the first heavy metal bands such as Black Sabbath and Deep Purple attracted large audiences, and during the late 1960s and mid-1970s these bands and others in their genre were featured at a number of historic rock festivals. [4] Judas Priest helped spur the genre's evolution by discarding much of its blues influence. [5] [6]
After the genre fused with other related genres such as punk rock in the late 1970s, bands in the new wave of British heavy metal such as Iron Maiden and Saxon followed in a similar vein. Before the end of the decade, heavy metal fans became known as "metalheads" or "headbangers", and there were festivals worldwide, both touring and stationary, dedicated to heavy metal subgenres and heavy metal itself. During the 1980s, glam metal became a commercial force, while Underground scenes and extreme subgenres of metal such as death metal and black metal remained subcultural phenomena, though they have their own dedicated festivals as well. Since the mid-1990s, popular styles have further expanded the definition of the genre.
Festival name | Location | Years | Details |
---|---|---|---|
Myponga Pop Festival | Australia | 1971 | pop festival headlined by Black Sabbath |
Monsters of Rock | England | 1980-1996 | music festival held in Castle Donington (later it branched into other locations) |
Dynamo Open Air | Netherlands | 1986–2005 | biggest annual metal festival during the 1990s, with 118,000 visitors in 1995 |
Moscow Music Peace Festival | Russia | 1989 | part of an era of momentous change in the Soviet Union |
Wacken Open Air | Germany | 1990–present | larger heavy metal festival |
Sweden Rock Festival | Sweden | 1992–present | classic rock, hard rock and metal |
Graspop Metal Meeting | Belgium | 1996–present | larger heavy metal festival |
Download Festival | England | 2003–present | Hard rock, heavy metal, punk |
Bloodstock Open Air | England | 2001–present | Heavy Metal festival |
Hellfest Summer Open Air | France | 2006–present | larger heavy metal festival |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approximate time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Overthrust Winter Metal Mania Festival [7] | Ghanzi | 2010–present | May | featuring local and African metal bands |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bangalore Open Air | Karnataka | 2012–present | July | |
Thunderstrock Festival | Ranchi, Jharkhand | 2008–present | September | |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hammersonic Festival | Jakarta | 2012–present | March–April | all heavy music |
Hellprint | Bandung | 2011–present | November–March | all heavy music |
Rock In Celebes | Makassar | 2010–present | November | rock genres |
Rock in Solo | Surakarta | 2004–present | October–November | heritage metal |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Download Festival | Chiba City | 2019–present | March | |
Loud Park Festival |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nova Rock | Nickelsdorf | 2005–present | June | |
Kaltenbach Open Air [8] | 2003–present | August | ||
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Graspop Metal Meeting | Dessel | 1996–present | End of June | One of the biggest metal festivals in Europe |
Alcatraz Hard Rock & Metal Festival [9] | Kortrijk | 2008–present | Beginning of August | Started indoor but changed to an outdoor festival in 2013 |
Huginns Awakening Fest | Oostende | 2009–present | April/May | Thrash Speed Heavy metal festival |
Headbanger's Balls Fest | Izegem | 2012–present | Beginning of May | |
Blast from the Past Festival | Kuurne | 2013–present | December | Old school heavy metal festival |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hills of Rock | ||||
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brutal Assault | Jaroměř | 1996–present | August | extreme metal, heavy metal, hardcore punk, experimental music |
Masters of Rock (festival) | Vizovice | 2003–present | July | heavy metal, power metal, rock |
Metalfest | Pilsen | 2007–present | June | heavy metal, power metal, death |
Obscene Extreme | Trutnov | 1999–present | July | grindcore, death metal, hardcore punk |
Rock Castle | Moravský Krumlov | 2021-present | August | metal |
Basin Fire Fest | Spálené Poříčí | 2003-present | June | metal, punk, international + local bands |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Copenhell | Copenhagen | 2010–present | June | featuring death, thrash, black, doom, heavy, power metal and hard rock |
Aalborg Metal Festival | Aalborg | 2002–present | November | featuring death, thrash, black, doom, heavy, power metal and hard rock |
Royal Metal Fest | Aarhus | 2008–present | April | featuring death, thrash, black, doom, heavy, power metal and hard rock |
Viborg Metal Festival | Viborg | 2014–present | March | featuring death, thrash, black, doom, heavy, power metal and hard rock |
Metal Magic Festival | Fredericia | 2008–present | July | featuring death, thrash, black, doom, heavy, power metal and hard rock |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hard Rock Laager | Vana-Vigala | 2002–present | June | The biggest metal festival in Estonia [10] |
Howls of Winter | Tallinn | 2014–present | February | black metal |
Barbar Feast | Saula | 2019–present | July | The most epic metal festival in Europe! [11] |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Dark River Festival | Kotka | August | all subgenres of metal | |
John Smith Rock Festival [12] | Laukaa | 2016–present | July | The best rock festival in Finland [13] |
Nummirock | Kauhajoki | 1987–present | June | all subgenres of metal |
Saarihelvetti | Tampere | August | all subgenres of metal | |
Steelfest Open Air | Hyvinkää | 2008–present | May | black and death metal |
Turku Saatanalle | Turku | 2011–present | March | black metal |
Tuska Open Air | Helsinki | 1998–present | July | all subgenres of metal |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hellfest Summer Open Air | Clisson | 2006–present | June | up to 60.000 people; all subgenres of Metal |
Motocultor Festival | Brittany | 2007–present | August | death, black, thrash metal |
Plane'R Fest | Colombier-Saugnieu | 2012–present | July | all subgenres of Metal |
Sylak Open Air | Saint-Maurice-de-Gourdans | August | all subgenres of Metal, hardcore |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chronical Moshers Open Air | Heinsdorfergrund | 1982–present | June | up to 1.000 people; Death, Black and Thrash Metal |
Dark Troll Festival | Bornstedt | 2009-present | May | put to 1.200 people; Pagan, Black, Folk, Post, Melodic Death, Death Metal, Celtic Metal |
Dong Open Air | Neukirchen-Vluyn | 2001–present | July | up to 5.000 people; all subgenres of Metal |
Elbriot | Hamburg | 2013–present | August | up to 12.000 people; Metal Festival in Hamburg [14] |
Euroblast Festival | Cologne | 2008–present | October | up to 12.000 people; Progressive and Avantgarde Metal |
Full Force | Löbnitz | 1994–present | July | put to 25.000 people; Hardcore, Metalcore, Punk and Metal |
Impericon Festivals | Leipzig, Hamburg, Munich, Oberhausen | 2011-present | March | up to 11.000 people each Festival; biggest indoor festivals in Europe; Metalcore |
In Flammen Open Air | Torgau | July | up to 6.000 people; Death, Black and Thrash Metal | |
Metal Bash Festival | Neu Wulmstorf | 2002-present | May | up to 1.000 people; Black, Dark, Thrash, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, Punk Rock, Rock |
Mammut Festival | Königsbrunn | 2022-present | March | min. 500 people, but raises fast; all subgenres of Metal |
Metal Frenzy Open Air Festival | Gardelegen | 2014–present | June | up to 5.000 people; Metal and Hard Rock |
Party.San Metal Open Air | Schlotheim | 1996-present | August | up to 10.000 people; all subgenres of Metal |
Ragnarök Festival | Lichtenfels, Bavaria | 2004–present | April | up to 4000 people; Black, Pagan, Viking, Death Metal |
Rock am Ring | Nürburgring, Adenau, Eifel | 1985-present | June | up to 92.000 people; biggest rock festival in the world; Metalcore, Death Metal, Thrash, Heavy Metal, Punk Rock, Rock |
Rock im Park | Nürnberg | 1995-present | June | up to 88.000 people; Metalcore, Death Metal, Thrash, Heavy Metal, Punk Rock, Rock |
RockXplosion | Leonberg | 1984-present | July | up to 2.000 people; Death Metal, Metalcore, Hardcore Punk, Punk Rock |
Rock Hard Festival | Gelsenkirchen | 2003–present | June | 7.000 people; Heavy, Power, Thrash and Death Metal |
Rockharz Open Air | Ballenstedt | 1993/94-present | July | up to 24.000 people; all subgenres of Metal |
Rock um zu helfen | Freiberg, Saxony | October | rock genres | |
Reload Festival | Sulingen | 2006-present | August | up to 15.000 people; Metal, Hardcore, Punk & Party |
Summer Breeze Open Air | Dinkelsbühl | 1997–present | August | up to 40.000 people; Death, Black, Thrash Metal |
Under the Black Sun | Friesack near Berlin | 1997-present | June or July | up to 1000 people; Black Metal |
Wacken Open Air | Wacken | 1990–present | August | up to 85.000 people; largest metal festival in Germany; all subgenres of Metal |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Agglutination Metal Festival | Chiaromonte | 1995–present | August | |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Zobens un Lemess | Bauska | 2014–present | June | folk, pagan, metal subgenres; 3 day festival |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Devilstone | Anykščiai | 2009–2023 | July (mid) | a retreat of freedom and rock & roll [15] |
Kilkim Žaibu | Varniai | 1999–present | June (end) | black, Viking metal and folk music |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amsterdam Metalfest | Amsterdam | 2015–present | April & October | one-day festival |
Dynamo Open Air | Eindhoven | 2015–present | July | |
Into the Grave | Leeuwarden | 2010–present | June | |
MidsummerProg | Valkenburg | 2017–present | June | |
ProgPower Europe | Baarlo | 1999–present | October | featuring power, progressive metal |
Roadburn Festival | Tilburg | 1999–present | April | large festival featuring doom, stoner, death, black metal |
Metalyard | Arnhem | 2015–present | April | indoor festival featuring thrash, heavy metal, death, black metal and so on. |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Inferno Metal Festival | Oslo | 2001–present | April | featuring black, death, thrash, doom metal |
Karmøygeddon Metal Festival | Kopervik | 2004–present | May | wide range of metal subgenres |
Garasjefestival | Reinsvoll | 2017–present | July | black, death, trash and other subgenres of metal |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Mystic Festival | Gdańsk | 1999; 2001-2003; 2005; 2007; 2019–present | June | Heavy metal music festival [16] |
Siekiera fest | Wrocław | 2019–present | September | The very first festival of a kind featuring great Polish bands [17] |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
HARDMETALFEST | Mangualde | 1997–present | January | featuring power, death, black, thrash, doom metal |
Laurus Nobilis Music | Famalicão | 2015–present | August | featuring power, death, black, thrash, doom metal |
Rock in Rio Lisboa | Lisboa | 2004–present | May | featuring various genres |
SWR Barroselas Metalfest | Barroselas | 1998–present | April | featuring power, death, black, thrash, doom metal |
Vagos Metal Fest | Calvão | 2016–present | August | featuring power, death, black, thrash, doom metal |
Evil Live | Lisboa | 2009–present | June | featuring power, death, black, thrash, doom metal |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Artmania Festival | Sibiu | 2006–present | August | art festival featuring heavy metal |
Metalhead Meeting | Bucharest | 2013–present | June/July | death metal, black metal, heavy metal |
Rockstadt Extreme Festival | Rasnov | 2013–present | August | death metal, black metal, heavy metal |
Metal Gates Festival | Bucharest | 2017–present | November | death metal, black metal, doom metal |
Posada Rock Fest | Campulung Muscel | 1986–present | ||
Maximum Rock Festival | Bucuresti | 2006–present | Late August | gothic metal, heavy metal, death metal |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Metal Over Russia | Moscow | July | 3-day doom, death, black, dark, pagan, folk metal |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Metaldays | Velenje | 2004–present | August | previously known as Metalcamp and held in Tolmin, featuring death, black, folk, thrash metal |
Tolminator | Tolmin | 2023–present | July | all styles of metal, attendance capped at 5000 visitors |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Barcelona Rock Fest | Barcelona | 2014–present | July | featuring hardcore, metalcore, thrash, death, black metal, punk |
Leyendas del Rock | Villena | 2006–present | August | mostly traditional, thrash, power and gothic metal |
Resurrection Fest | Viveiro | 2006–present | July | featuring hardcore, metalcore, thrash, death, black metal, punk |
Rock Imperium | Cartagena | 2022-present | June | mostly traditional, glam, power metal. |
Z! Live Rock Fest | Zamora | 2016-present | June | mostly traditional, thrash and power metal. |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Gefle Metal Festival | Gävle | 2016–present | July | all subgenres of metal |
House of Metal | Umeå | 2007–present | February or March | all subgenres of metal |
Sweden Rock Festival | Sölvesborg | 1992–present | June | classic rock, hard rock and metal |
Huskvarna Metal Fest | Jönköping | Spring and fall | black, death, thrash metal | |
High 5ive Summer Fest | Stockholm | 2018–present | Summer | Metalcore, Hardcore, Pop Punk, Post-hardcore, Deathcore |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bloodstock Open Air | Walton-on-Trent, Derbyshire | 2005–present | August | outdoor festival featuring death, black, thrash, folk metal, with attendance of 13,000 (2013) |
Damnation Festival | Leeds, England | 2005–present | November | one-day festival featuring death, black, thrash, doom metal |
Download Festival | Donington Park, Leicestershire | 2003–present | June | large rock festival featuring hard rock, nu-metal, metalcore, death metal, black metal and pro wrestling from NXT UK |
Hammerfest | Prestatyn, Wales | 2009–present | March | |
Hard Rock Hell | Gwynedd, North Wales | 2007–present | November | Three day metal festival held at a resort [18] |
Incineration Festival | London, England | 2014–present | May | extreme metal festival for fans of death metal, black metal, doom metal, thrash metal, and slam |
Monsters of Rock | ||||
Stonedead Festival | Newark, Notts, England | 2018–Present | August | One Day, One Stage, One Monster Rock Show [19] |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Hyperspace Metal Festival | Vancouver | April | Canada's premier melodic & power metal festival | |
Gaspesian Metal Fest | Matane | June | Underground metal festival |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Candelabrum Metal Fest | León | September | ||
Hell & Heaven Metal Fest | Mexico City (Toluca) | 2010–present | November - December | 3 Day Open-Air Metal Festival, featuring death, thrash, black, doom, heavy, power metal & hard rock |
México Metal Fest | Monterrey | 2016–present | November | 1 Day |
Total Death Over México | Mexico City | 2018–present | May | 3 Day Underground Death, Black Metal Festival |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
98RockFest | Tampa, FL | 2007–present | April | Metal, grunge and hard rock festival [20] |
Aftershock Festival | Sacramento, CA | 2012–present | October | Hard rock and heavy metal festival [21] |
AURA Fest [22] | Savannah, GA | 2017–present | June | All Underground Rock All Day [23] |
Full Terror Assault [24] | Cave-In-Rock, IL | 2021–present | September | European style Open Air Festival for extreme music fans [25] |
INKcarceration [26] | Mansfield, OH | 2018–present | July | Rock music and tattoo festival [27] |
Legions of Metal Fest [28] | Chicago, IL | 2017–present | June | |
Louder Than Life | Louisville, KY | 2014–present | September | Hard rock/heavy metal festival [29] |
Mad With Power Fest [30] | Madison, WI | 2018–present | August | Power Metal/Traditional Heavy Metal festival [31] |
Maryland Deathfest | Baltimore, MD | 2003–present | May | Extreme Music [32] |
Mass Destruction Metal Fest [33] | Atlanta, GA | 2017–present | November | Extreme Metal Festival [34] |
Milwaukee Metal Fest [35] | Milwaukee, WI | 1987–2004, 2023–present | May | |
New England Metal and Hardcore Festival | Worcester, MA | 1999–2018, 2023–present | September | |
ProgPower USA | Atlanta, GA | 2001–present | September | Progressive and Power Metal [36] |
Rocklahoma | Pryor, OK | 2007–present | September | Hard rock and metal festival [37] |
Sick New World Festival [38] | Las Vegas, NV | 2023–present | April | Nu-Metal Fest [39] |
Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival | Columbus, OH | 2019, 2023–present | May | Hard rock and metal festival [40] |
Welcome to Rockville | Daytona Beach, FL | 2011–present | April/May | Hard rock and heavy metal music festival [41] |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Download Festival | Melbourne and Sydney | 2018–present | March | Melbourne and Sydney in 2019 |
Blacken Open Air [42] | Hale, Northern Territory | 2016–present | Various | Open air 2 - 3 day festival, Not held in 2020 and 2021 |
Festival name | Location | Active | Approx. time of year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Armageddon Metal Festival | Joinville | May/June |
The following is an incomplete list of traveling metal festivals, both active and defunct:
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the United Kingdom and United States. With roots in blues rock, psychedelic rock and acid rock, heavy metal bands developed a thick, monumental sound characterized by distorted guitars, extended guitar solos, emphatic beats and loudness.
Anthrax is an American thrash metal band from New York City, formed in 1981 by rhythm guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Dan Lilker. The group is considered one of the leaders of the thrash metal scene from the 1980s and is part of the "Big Four" of the genre, along with Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer. They were also one of the first thrash metal bands to emerge from the East Coast. The band's current lineup consists of Scott Ian, drummer Charlie Benante, bassist Frank Bello, vocalist Joey Belladonna and lead guitarist Jonathan Donais. Anthrax's lineup has changed numerous times over their career, leaving Ian as the only constant member of the band. Ian and Benante are the only two members to appear on all of Anthrax's albums, while Bello has been a member of Anthrax since 1984, replacing Lilker.
Rust in Peace is the fourth studio album by American thrash metal band Megadeth, released on September 24, 1990, by Capitol Records. It was the first Megadeth album to feature guitarist Marty Friedman and drummer Nick Menza. The songs "Hangar 18" and "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" were released as singles. A remixed and remastered version of the album featuring four bonus tracks was released in 2004.
Thrash metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music characterized by its overall aggression and fast tempo. The songs usually use fast percussive beats and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead guitar work. The lyrical subject matter often includes criticism of The Establishment, opposition to armed conflicts, and at times shares a disdain for the Christian religion with that of black metal. The language is typically direct and denunciatory, an approach borrowed from Punk.
Kreator is a German thrash metal band from Essen, formed in 1982. Their current lineup consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Miland "Mille" Petrozza, drummer Jürgen "Ventor" Reil, lead guitarist Sami Yli-Sirniö, and bassist Frédéric Leclercq. The band's lineup has changed multiple times throughout its 42-year career, most noticeably with their bassists and lead guitarists. Petrozza and Reil are the only two original members left in Kreator, although the latter took a break from the band from 1994 to 1996. Yli-Sirniö has been the lead guitarist of Kreator since 2001, while Leclercq joined in 2019 as the replacement of Christian "Speesy" Giesler, who had been a member of the band since 1994.
Pantera is an American heavy metal band from Arlington, Texas, formed in 1981 by the Abbott brothers, and currently composed of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, and touring musicians Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante. The group's best-known lineup consisted of the Abbott brothers along with Brown and Anselmo, who joined in 1982 and 1986 respectively. The band is credited for developing and popularizing the subgenre of groove metal in the 1990s. Regarded as one of the most successful and influential bands in heavy metal history, Pantera has sold around 20 million records worldwide and has received four Grammy nominations.
Suicidal Tendencies is an American crossover thrash band formed in 1980 in Venice, Los Angeles, California, by vocalist Mike Muir. The band has undergone various lineup changes, with Muir as the only remaining original member. Their current lineup includes Muir, guitarists Dean Pleasants and Ben Weinman, bassist Tye Trujillo and drummer Jay Weinberg. Notable musicians who have contributed to the band's studio or live activities include guitarists Rocky George and Mike Clark, bassists Louiche Mayorga, Robert Trujillo, Ra Díaz, Josh Paul and Stephen "Thundercat" Bruner, and drummers Amery Smith, Jimmy DeGrasso, Brooks Wackerman, David Hidalgo Jr., Thomas Pridgen,Eric Moore, Dave Lombardo, Brandon Pertzborn, Greyson Nekrutman and session musician Josh Freese.
Glam metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that features pop-influenced hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat rock anthems, and slow power ballads. It borrows heavily from the fashion and image of 1970s glam rock.
The new wave of British heavy metal was a nationwide musical movement that started in England in the mid-1970s and achieved international attention by the early 1980s. Editor Alan Lewis coined the term for an article by Geoff Barton in a May 1979 issue of the British music newspaper Sounds to describe the emergence of new heavy metal bands in the mid to late 1970s, during the period of punk rock's decline and the dominance of new wave music.
A rock festival is an open-air rock concert featuring many different performers, typically spread over two or three days and having a campsite and other amenities and forms of entertainment provided at the venue. Some festivals are singular events, while others recur annually in the same location. Occasionally, a festival will focus on a particular genre, but many attempt to bring together a diverse lineup to showcase a broad array of popular music trends.
Metal Church is an American heavy metal band formed in 1980. Originally based in San Francisco, California, they relocated to Aberdeen, Washington the following year and briefly called themselves Shrapnel. Led by guitarist and songwriter Kurdt Vanderhoof, the band has released thirteen studio albums and is considered to be an integral part of the Seattle heavy metal music scene of the 1980s. They achieved considerable popularity that decade, with two of their first three albums entering the Top 100 on the US Billboard 200 chart. The band's early lyrical topics such as conflict and paranoia later expanded into philosophical, political and social commentary.
Flotsam and Jetsam is an American thrash metal band that was formed in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1981. Before settling on its current name in 1984, the band had existed under three different names, Paradox, Dredlox and Dogz. Their current lineup includes vocalist Eric "A.K" Knutson, guitarists Michael Gilbert and Steve Conley, bassist Bill Bodily, and drummer Ken Mary. Flotsam and Jetsam went through several lineup changes over the years, leaving Knutson as the only constant member. They are also notable for featuring a then-unknown Jason Newsted, who was Flotsam and Jetsam's bassist from 1981 to 1986, when he left the band shortly after the release of their debut album to join Metallica.
Testament is an American thrash metal band from Berkeley, California. Formed in 1983 under the name Legacy, the band's current lineup comprises rhythm guitarist Eric Peterson, lead vocalist Chuck Billy, lead guitarist Alex Skolnick, bassist Steve Di Giorgio and drummer Chris Dovas. Testament has experienced many lineup changes over the years, with Peterson being the only remaining original member, though they have since reunited with Skolnick, who had been out of the band from 1992 to 2005. Billy has been a member of Testament since 1986, when he replaced original singer Steve "Zetro" Souza, who had left to replace Paul Baloff in Exodus. He and Peterson are the only members to appear on all of Testament's studio albums, with the latter being the only constant member overall. The band has released thirteen studio albums, four live albums, five compilation albums, thirteen singles and three DVDs. They are estimated to have sold over 1.4 million albums in the United States since the beginning of the SoundScan era and over 14 million copies worldwide as of 2016.
Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1979 in Richmond, California. Their current lineup consists of guitarists Gary Holt and Lee Altus, bassist Jack Gibson, drummer Tom Hunting, and lead vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza. There are no original members left in Exodus other than Hunting, who has departed from the band twice, in 1989 and 2004, but rejoined in 2007. Exodus is also notable for including a then-unknown Kirk Hammett, who was the band's lead guitarist from its inception to his departure in 1983, when he left to join fellow Bay Area thrash metal band Metallica as Dave Mustaine's replacement. Holt has been most consistent member throughout various lineup changes and breakups, and is the only member to appear on all of Exodus' recordings. Much of the band's career has also been affected by feuds between both band members and record companies, two extended hiatuses, deaths of former band members and drug addictions.
Bay Area thrash metal referred to a steady following of heavy metal bands in the 1980s who formed and gained international status in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. Along with Central Florida, the scene was widely regarded as a starting point of American thrash metal, crossover thrash and death metal.
Headbangers Ball is a music television program that consisted of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV and its global affiliates. The show began on MTV on April 18, 1987, playing heavy metal music videos from both well-known and more obscure artists. The show offered a stark contrast to Top 40 music videos shown during the day.
Metal: A Headbanger's Journey is a 2005 documentary film directed by Sam Dunn with Scot McFadyen and Jessica Wise. The film follows 31-year-old Dunn, a Canadian anthropologist, who has been a heavy metal fan since the age of 12. Dunn sets out across the world to uncover the various opinions on heavy metal music, including its origins, culture, controversy, and the reasons it is loved by so many people. The film made its debut at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival, and was released as a two-disc special edition DVD in the US on 19 September 2006.
Maryland Deathfest is an annual American extreme metal music festival founded in 2003 by Ryan Taylor and Evan Harting. The festival is held in Baltimore, Maryland during Memorial Day weekend, and it features many bands from around the world that vary from a wide range of heavy metal subgenres. It is the biggest event of its kind in North America, attracting attendees from more than 40 U.S. states and 25 countries every year. More than 700 bands from more than 35 countries have played at MDF since 2003.
All Shall Perish is an American deathcore band from Oakland, California, formed in 2002. The band was signed to Nuclear Blast and have released four full-length albums through the label. Their final album, This Is Where It Ends, was released on July 26, 2011.
Visceral Disgorge is an American death metal band from Baltimore, Maryland, that was formed in 2007.