Hellfest – A Massive Celebration of Heavy Music – Clisson, France June 19th to 22nd 2025
By Alison ‘METALBABE’ Cohen

CLISSON, France — My first Hellfest was motivated by the long-anticipated “Return of Savatage,” and Orange Goblin’s final tour.

This 19th festival featured 184 bands across six stages, drawing 280,000 fans over its four days.

Favorites were The Cult, Pentagram, The Damned, Sacred Reich, The Sex Pistols, Savatage, Judas Priest, and Scorpions.

This year’s Hellfest was exceptionally brutal with high humidity, relentless sunshine, and no breeze… All for the love of rock n’ roll!

Thursday, June 19th
After eight travel days between Los Angeles, London, Paris, and Nantes… Grant and I made it to Clisson, France for Hellfest. We purchased camping gear in London and schlepped it on two trains, two taxis, and about two miles on foot to find our campsite for the next few nights.

We saw Korn, The Hellacopters, Orange Goblin, and TurboNegro, and worked the photo pit for The Hellacopters and Orange Goblin. This was one of their final shows that covered a lot of their catalog, including a tribute to Lemmy.

Speaking of Lemmy, there is a permanent 49-foot, 70-ton statue paying homage to Lemmy that was resurrected June 23rd , 2023 and contains his ashes, upon his request. Being from Los Angeles, this reminded me of the statue we have at the Rainbow Bar & Grill, which also contains Lemmy’s ashes. It is nice seeing this, and how it resonated with fans.

Friday, June 20th
Friday’s first highlight was interviewing Bobby Liebling and Tony Reed from Pentagram. For those not familiar, Pentagram are referred to “America’s Black Sabbath,” and are a dark, heavy band formed in the early 1970s in Alexandria, VA that have released nine albums. When I asked Liebling and Reed what fans can expect from their live performance, they said “A lot of Intensity, energy, fun, and not a lot of mistakes.”

They also told me they have been on the road about six weeks and had another month to go. They were about to have a run through Europe and the UK, Australia, and New Zealand and then work on the new album. Reed has a lot of riffs, and Liebling said “I can come up with lyrics easily, and both have a bag of tricks – so to speak – and plan to mesh more and bounce off each other with ideas for the new release.”

The first band of the day I was most excited to see was The Cult. I’ve seen them many times in the States, but this was my first time catching them at a festival—and with a photo pass. Being in front of the front row for the first three songs is half the thrill of the photo pit, and they kicked things off with “Rise,” “Wild Flower,” and “The Witch,” during which Ian Astbury pointed right at me from the stage. Their set blended timeless hits with deeper cuts I hadn’t heard live in years, including “Lucifer,” “War (The Process)”—a fave from Beyond Good and Evil—“Rain,” “Spiritwalker,” “She Sells Sanctuary,” and “Fire Woman,” before closing with the explosive “Love Removal Machine.”

Astbury’s stage presence was magnetic, his look channeling a shamanic rock-star vibe. Switching between maracas and tambourine, he roamed the stage and catwalk with ease while a stage tech managed his extra-long microphone cord throughout the show. In a touching finale, he knelt before the crowd, sharing that he prays on a Moroccan rock every night, then offered a heartfelt prayer “for the sad people and those in need” before leaving the stage—a powerful and intimate close to a killer set.

We saw a few songs by Epica, and Pentagram. Interviewing Liebling and Reed prior to the set made their performance much more fun. Bobby’s a character with unique stage presence! There were several stand out songs. I really liked how he was a storyteller and introduced every song, and usually they were about sex or death!

We tried to watch Muse, however, it was so packed there was no way to get near the stage! We enjoyed a few songs, before heading to The Damned; a band I’ve always known of but never listened to. After watching some of their set on the Warzone Stage, I want to check out more!

Both Sacred Reich and Hermano played at the exact same time: 11:55PM to 12:55 AM. We started at Sacred Reich. (Altar Stage) I’ve had a lifelong dream of not only seeing them perform live, but seeing them perform “Who’s to Blame” (Released in 1990 on ‘The American Way’). Within minutes… It happened! I screamed every word and could not be happier.

We caught second half of Hermano, featuring John Garcia (Kyuss) and closed out the night with The Sex Pistols. It was cool to hear hit after hit, with Frank Carter on vocals… Even though most of it was while walking to our tent at 2 AM!

Savatage Saturday, June 21st
Saturday at Hellfest was all about Savatage, beginning with my 3PM interview with Jeff Plate (drums) and Al Pitrelli (guitar) and 4PM press conference. Pitrelli, still considered the “baby” of the band after 30 years, spoke warmly about their enduring love for Jon Oliva and the late Paul O’Neil, reaffirming that no band compares to Savatage in musicality, creativity, or emotional depth. After some downtime, I made my way to the photo pit for their 7:35 p.m. set, determined to capture the magic from the very first note.

And magical it was. From the powerful opener “The Ocean” to the epic “Hall of the Mountain King,” Savatage delivered a set that mixed fan favorites with deeply emotional moments. Seeing Jon Oliva appear via video for “Believe,” paired with a moving montage of Criss Oliva, was enough to bring the crowd to tears—though a fan still managed to crowd-surf even during that heartfelt ballad. Whether up front in the photo pit or farther back soaking in the atmosphere, I was surrounded by fans experiencing Savatage live for the first time in over two decades, or ever. Their performance was a perfect blend of technical mastery, raw emotion, and pure rock energy—an unforgettable return that proved why Savatage holds such a significant place in metal history.

Two of the biggest and best bands in the world—Judas Priest and The Scorpions—brought Hellfest Saturday night to an electrifying close, leaving the crowd rocking, singing, and leaving with a smile.

Sunday, June 20th
The heat was unbearable and the only way to cool off was by putting our feet in the pond in the media area… We decided the best thing to do was book a hotel with air conditioning and a pool. After a long trek, a couple trains, and a taxi… We found paradise. Finally, a time to relax and reflect.

Hellfest 2025 was a true test of endurance, passion, and dedication—both for the artists and the fans. From scorching heat that lived up to the festival’s name, to unforgettable performances spanning metal’s past, present, and future, every moment proved why this event stands among the greatest in the world.

Whether it was the long-awaited return of Savatage, the raw energy of Judas Priest and The Scorpions, or the thrill of discovering new bands, Hellfest delivered an experience that will be etched in memory forever. As we packed up our gear and left Clisson behind, one thing was certain: the spirit of rock and metal burned brighter than ever.

Written by Alison ‘METALBABE‘ Cohen

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