Hellfest is a France-based festival that has brought heavy music and art to the masses for nearly two decades. This year’s edition featured the international acts of Slaughter to Prevail, Crystal Lake, Wormrot, Brujeria, and more to join headliners Metallica, Foo Fighters, Avenged Sevenfold, etc. in the sweltering Clisson Summer heat.
In addition to the aforementioned, J-pop and metal fusion project Babymetal performed on the mainstage. The vocal / dance trio of Su-metal, Moametal, and Momometal alongside their backing Kami Band summoned classics like “Karate” and “Gimme Chocolate” as well as more recent hits such as “Ratatata” or “Pa Pa Ya.” You can check out where their last record The Other One ranked in our album of the year awards and enjoy other Japanese metal pioneers.
Batushka, hailing from Białystok in Poland, took the Temple stage by storm, playing their Eastern Orthodox Church-inspired black metal. It’s worth nothing that the group performing was Krzysztof Drabikowski version, not Bart Krysiuk’s incantation. Enjoy pieces from Панихида / Panihida and Литоургиiа / Litourgiya live, in full hooded attire and candles aflame.