Hellfest 2026 : A pictorial recap of Sunday, June 21.

We couldn’t miss France’s biggest metal festival, with more than 180 bands on the lineup, to discover over four days and just under a three-hour train ride from Paris! So Sortir à Paris stepped outside the capital for a few days to bring you the 19th edition of Hellfest as if you were right there. A photo recap of 10 standout moments from Sunday, June 21, 2026, the festival’s final day.

People say that all good things must come to an end. And unfortunately for the Hellbangers, Hellfest doesn’t escape that saying. This Sunday, June 21, 2026, the day of the music festival, marked the end of the festival’s 19th edition, with a final day that was more than joyous, but particularly suffocating. Fatigue was visible on many faces. But others looked especially energized, like on the opening day, and were determined to make the most of this last day, notably highlighted by performances from Black Veil Brides, Scour, and The Adicts!

1/10

This summer, Phil Anselmo is not taking it easy! While he fronts Pantera on the first leg of Metallica’s European tour, the singer is also out on the road with Down and the supergroup Scour, another project from the prolific American artist. This Sunday, June 21, Phil Anselmo was in Clisson with these two parallel outfits. On the Temple stage, in the early afternoon, the artist took the stage with his Scour bandmates to unleash a hybrid, thunderous black metal, completely unlike what he usually offers with Pantera. And that was precisely what we appreciated!

2/10

This Sunday, amid an extreme heat wave, some festival-goers looked like they were keeping their powder dry. They were fewer than usual in front of the Mainstages in the afternoon. But fans of the American punk-rock outfit The Ataris wouldn’t have missed their band's set for anything in the world. They were, indeed, on hand for a fun, refreshing performance!

3/10

Delivering a deeply modern take on metalcore, the Americans from Black Veil Brides can count on a solid fanbase. This Sunday, their supporters were out in force, moshing and headbanging to the tunes from the California-born outfit. As Black Veil Brides leads the charge with a new album, titled "Vindicate", the band fronted by the charismatic Andy Biersack also seized the moment to roll out a few old favorites, such as "Rebel Love Song" and "In The End".

4/10

On June 21, confronted with the extreme heat, the prefecture issued an order limiting alcohol on site. The festival frequently pushed reminders through its app and on the giant screens, urging festivalgoers to stay hydrated as often as possible. The result? To avoid heat exhaustion, the Hellbangers chose water, sparking long queues at water points throughout the day to refill bottles and cups.

5/10

If the two water walls were overwhelmed this Sunday, the Hellfresh, tucked next to the Muscadet bar, also drew a huge crowd, becoming a hot spot for festival-goers on June 21. People drop by to cool off while catching the distant sounds from the Valley or the nearby Warzone.

6/10

Back under the Temple’s tent. Here, festivalgoers are shielded from the sun, but the heat is suffocating and the air is hard to breathe. Still, black metal fans aren’t deterred, eager to check out Gehenna, a Norwegian act that’s fairly rare on stage. With them, you won’t get ultra-fast beats or breakneck speeds, but rather ominous, deeply dark atmospheres, carried by members sporting the famous corpse paint, the black-and-white makeup that defines black metal.

7/10

Have you heard of Wolves In The Throne Room? Masters of atmospheric black metal, Wolves In The Throne Room were formed in 2002 in Olympia, on the U.S. West Coast. This Sunday, the brothers Aaron and Nathan Weaver delivered a cathartic, impactful universe, making the Temple tremble before the eyes of a growing number of curious onlookers.

8/10

British punk enthusiasts had gathered in front of the Warzone on Sunday night to catch The Adicts and their cabaret vibe. Donning a red-and-black cape, a bowler hat, and a Joker-like grin beneath their makeup, the singer playfully teased the crowd, even tossing playing cards their way. With blistering riffs and a festive atmosphere, The Adicts got the festival-goers dancing in search of a pinch of wild, carefree fun!

9/10

This year, Hellfest made a point of paying tribute to Ozzy Osbourne with an imposing statue by Philippe Pasqua, but also to Brent Hinds. Right at the Cathedral's entrance, a stained-glass window bearing the likeness of Mastodon's guitarist, who died on August 20, 2025, was unveiled alongside those dedicated to Dusty Hill, Ozzy Osbourne, and Dio.

10/10

It's around 12:30 a.m. when The Offspring wraps up its set. Although the organizers had announced the cancellation of the traditional closing fireworks due to the heat wave, the festival still wanted to deliver a memorable surprise to the Hellbangers, announcing the arrival of four new stages in 2027, to mark the metal festival's 20th anniversary. Next summer, festival-goers will also be able to discover 300 bands, up from 183 this year!

A fitting finale to cap off this 2026 edition, which drew around 280,000 attendees over four days! Once again, Hellfest delivered memorable moments. We’ll remember the warmth, but above all those stellar musical discoveries and the crowd‑pleasing favorites that had us buzzing with energy!

Are you already missing Hellfest? Good news: the French festival has announced its return to Clisson in 2027 for its 20^e edition, with even more bands and stages!

Hellfest 2027: new stages, 4-day Pass price... first details on the 20th edition
On June 21, Hellfest wrapped up its 2026 edition in Clisson, drawing roughly 240,000 Hellbangers over four consecutive days. Now all eyes are on the 2027 edition, which will mark the festival’s 20th anniversary. While the lineup is still to be announced, organizers revealed that Hellfest will host more than 300 acts—versus 183 this year—spread across 10 stages, up from the six we’ve had so far. The festival also unveiled the price of the 4-day pass. Here's what you need to know. [Read more]

Hellfest 2027: four-day passes go on sale this Tuesday, July 7.
As the 2026 edition wrapped up on June 21, Hellfest has already announced its return to Clisson from June 17 to 20, 2027 with a special edition. And for good reason—the festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary! The festival’s organizers have also revealed the sale date for the full 4-day passes for this 2027 edition. Mark your calendars: tickets for the 20th Hellfest open this Tuesday, July 7, 2026 at 1:00 PM on the festival’s official site. [Read more]