DESERTFEST LONDON
May 16th-18th, 2025 / Camden Town, London, England
Staged across multiple venues in North London, including the world-famous Roundhouse, Desertfest is a staple for long-hairs, and fans of all things low end and heavy. They’ve slowly (very slowly) been diversifying the bill in the last few years so Zeal & Ardor headline the Saturday whereas Elder and Earth are the other pillars of the temple. It’s down the bill and in the smaller venues where the fest excels, from Sons of Alpha Centauri (recently featuring Jonah Matranga of Far on vocals) in the Camden Underworld to the incredible Slift in the Electric Ballroom. - Dan Franklin
BACK TO THE BEGINNING
July 5th, 2025 / Villa Park, Birmingham, England
It’s not strictly a festival, but Black Sabbath’s final ever gig boasts a better lineup than any festival in the world this year, one which asks serious questions of how they’re going to pack it all in. When was the last time Metallica supported anyone? When did they last share a stage with Guns N’ Roses? Who will win a three-way dust-up between Slayer, Pantera and Gojira? How many songs will Ozzy actually be up to singing? All these questions and more will be answered at the greatest metal gig of its generation on the hallowed turf of Sabbath’s favourite football team, Aston Villa. - Dan Franklin
FIRE IN THE MOUNTAINS
July 25-27, 2025 / Red Eagle Campground, East Glacier, Montana
A once-in-a-lifetime festival making inroads and building bridges for the native community. Fire in the Mountains returns in 2025, moving to Red Eagle Campground in Montana in partnership with the community Blackfeet Nation.
On top of a gorgeous summer weekend in the Rocky Mountains just next door to Glacier National Park, the festival sees Wardruna headlining, with Norway’s Old Man’s Child making an exclusive US debut, Blood Incantation playing a Timewave Zero and death metal set, Chelsea Wolfe performing a solo acoustic set, Panopticon performing Autumn Eternal in full and Blackbraid performing their new album, Blackbraid III. Not to mention the likes of Converge, Inter Arma, Steve Von Till, Emma Ruth Rundle, Hexvessel, Tzompantli and Pan-Amerkan Native Front making appearances as well.
The music, the location, the experience, all of it makes Fire in the Mountains a can’t-miss festival - Jon Garcia
MILWAUKEE METAL FESTIVAL
May 16th - May 18th / Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Headlined by Down, Black Label Society and Gwar performing a 40th anniversary set, the beer-soaked city of Milwaukee also boasts top of the bill sets from Chimaira, Devin Townsend, Arch Enemy, Exodus, Death Angel, Paradise Lost, Enslaved, Suicide Silence, 3 Inches of Blood as well as Scott Ian, Danny Lilker, Jamey Jasta and Revel Ian performing a tribute to S.O.D.
But the diverse undercard is also worth the cost of admission. You have everything from grindcore (Full of Hell, Wormrot, No/Mas) to death metal (Necrot, Frozen Soul, Left to Die) to thrash and crossover (Toxic Holocaust, Fugitive) black metal (Rotting Christ, Wolves in the Throne Room) and hardcore (Harms Way, Speed).
Milwaukee Metal Festival has sneakily become the early-summer destination for headbangers ever since Jamey Jasta brought it out of cryosleep earlier this decade. - Jon Garcia
BRUTAL ASSAULT
Aug 6th - 9th / Jaromer, Czech Republic
Staged at a military fortress that was built in the 18th century and is located an hour and a half east of Prague (very close to Poland), Brutal Assault almost is a war-like reenactment of sorts, will all soldiers who valiantly trekked there unified to defend heavy metal in all its forms. The four-day festival encompasses bands from virtually every crevice and crevasse across the world, creating a sense of shared valor and blood from days with crisp-blue skies into the chilly, dark nights. Gojira, Mastodon, Dimmu Borjir, and Faust are among some of this year’s biggest names playing the event. But there will be more than 150 additional bands performing across a litany of stages, some accessible through caverns, along with locally made food, games, rides, theatrical performances and beyond. It’s about as close to Valhalla as one can get. - Kurt Orzeck
MARYLAND DEATHFEST
May 22nd - 25th / Baltimore, MD
Maryland Deathfest isn’t always a guarantee, as its organizers are wont to take a year off from time to time, but this year’s event promises to live up to the sky-high expectations surrounding its 20th anniversary designation. Ever-reliable vets including Obituary, Triptykon, Celtic Frost, Paradise Lose, Witchcraft, Dark Fortress and Ashphyx will ensure that attendees get the most buck out of their band. Prices are reasonable all around, from the festival tickets to public transportation to lodging to drink and food. And best of all, the stages are within very close proximity to each other, making it easy to catch two full half-sets by different bands—all the while the harbor breeze protects against too much heat. Can’t go wrong at MDF. - Kurt Orzeck
WACKEN OPEN AIR 2025
July 30th - August 5th / Wacken, Germany
While the festival is more susceptible to rain-outs compared with other mega metal blowouts, Wacken reigns supreme as the biggest across the entire world. The four-day epic event draws more than 80,000 metalheads to the city, which is located in the northern part of the country (and about three and a half miles south of Berlin). Tickets typically sell out many months in advance for Wacken, which has become a rite of passage for all metalheads. As usual, it’s hard to summarize the depth and breadth of talent that Wacken attracts, but here’s a try: Gojira, King Diamond, Mastodon, Amenra, 3 Inches of Blood, Celeste, Apocalyptica and Katatonia. - Kurt Orzeck
SOUND AND FURY
July 12th + 13th / Los Angeles, California
There is something magical about a festival that is predicated on one specific detail - one that can make or break the energy of the entire weekend. For Sound and Fury Los Angeles, not only has the banner become a barometer of what is relevant in the world of hardcore, but it has retained its connection with their constituency by paying attention to the details. Doing well in curating new names annually that are surging with buzz, all mixed in with genre staples and breakout sensations. (this year Knocked Loose headlines) Sound and Fury understands their audience well enough that hey continue to go without a barricade - which seems integral to the communal hardcore experience. Thousands of fans, multiple stages, a week's worth of satellite events all leading into two days hardcore in front of the iconic Los Angeles Coliseum with no barrier between the bands and the fans - it's a spectacle that captures everything that matters about live music. - Ramon Gonzales
LEVITATION
September 25th - 28th / Austin, Texas
What began back in 2008 as Austin Psych Fest has since become one of the country's best curated, multi-venue destinations for fan that digs a little deeper. As an indicator of the range of Levitation, the 2024 edition saw the likes of punk heroes The Jesus Lizard paired with indie darling Soccer Mommy and shoegaze champions Slowdive paired with the heavy rifferage of Austin's own, The Sword. From industrial to psych, to nuanced subgenre metal to spaced out, big room electronica, Levitation functions like an eclectic personal music collection that takes over an entire city. What makes the experience even more of a must is how the festival continues to grow year after year, all while retaining its local identity by always ensuring that something Austin specific is featured front and center. - Ramon Gonzales
LOUDER THAN LIFE
September 18th - 21st / Louisville, Kentucky
Name a band that is currently relevant in the space of heavy music and chances are, that band will be performing at Louder Than Life 2025. With a top line occupied by the likes of Slayer, Deftones, Avenged Sevenfold and Bring Me the Horizon, it's tough to argue the significance of Louder, but as you sort through the more than 160 artists covering six stages - there is an enormity there that is undeniable. From Sleep Token to $uicideboy$, from Spiritbox to Bad Omens, from Cannibal Corpse to Knocked Loose, Lorna Shore, Slaughter to Prevail, Lamb of God - it feels as though organizers were playing an epic game of Can You Top This. Along with the heavy hitters, Louder Than Life does well in covering a broad range of categories - with bands like Drain, Kublai Khan TX and Big Ass Truck co-existing with OGs like Fear Factory, Kittie and Chimaira. Arguably the domestic U.S.'s biggest heavy music festival of the year, Louder Than Life is a must. Ramon Gonzales
