So, here’s the scoop: since 2018, HELL’S HEROES has been melting faces and eardrums as North America’s answer to “why can’t we have a metal fest that doesn’t hold back?” Mark your doom calendars for March 19, 20, and 21, 2026, when Houston’s White Oak Music Hall turns into the Mos Eisley Cantina of metalheads. Year eight of this unholy shindig promises to be gnarlier than ever, with tickets already up for grabs at this very link. Don’t sleep on it—your future corpse-painted self will thank you.
Today’s gossip? The full lineup’s been spilled. Get ready for the BATHORY tribute BLOOD FIRE DEATH (a.k.a. the Avengers of black metal, featuring folks from WATAIN, EMPEROR, and MAYHEM). Japan’s LOUDNESS is rolling in—fun fact: they once outsold Michael Jackson in their homeland. Then there’s DORO PESCH, the metal queen herself, blasting through WARLOCK’s 1987 banger Triumph And Agony. Norway’s ENSLAVED will resurrect their 1994 debut (yes, Vikingligr Veldi, because who doesn’t love fjord-core?). Oh, and UDO DIRKSCHNEIDER is here to yell Balls To The Wall at you for the 40th time—literally. Canadian weirdos VOIVOD are dusting off their ’80s gear (spacesuits not included).
But wait! There’s more: German beer-cultists TANKARD (free Oktoberfest mugs, maybe?), Seattle’s SANCTUARY doing their 1988 debut (produced by Dave Mustaine, no big deal), and 3 INCHES OF BLOOD screaming about orcs, probably. Thrash lords DESTRUCTION are stomping through their ’86 album—get ready to mosh like it’s the Cold War. Italy’s BULLDOZER? They’re the reason your pizza has black pepper. MIDNIGHT’s bringing Satanic Royalty (imagine Motörhead on a caffeine bender), and CHRIS HOLMES’ H.O.L.M.E.S will make you forget he once drank a gallon of whiskey onstage. We’ve also got MANILLA ROAD (the OG dungeon masters), JAG PANZER’s 1984 debut (like Iron Maiden but with more chainmail), and LEATHER LEONE from CHASTAIN—because why should dudes have all the fun?
Plus, uh, like 20 more bands: EVIL INVADERS (Belgium’s answer to caffeine), WHITE WIZZARD (reuniting to prove dragons are still cool), BAT (if Batman played speed metal), and literally so many others. Trust us, your neck will hate you by Sunday.
HELL’S HEROES VIII:
March 19-21, 2026
White Oak Music Hall
Houston, TX
“The cats are finally out of the bag for HELL’S HEROES 2026,” says fest overlord CHRISTIAN LARSON, who moonlights in NECROFIER and NIGHT COBRA when he’s not booking bands. “Unleash the hounds!”
Last year, KNOTFEST called it “a lineup that spans generations,” the HOUSTON PRESS dubbed it “one of the premier U.S. metal fests,” and the HOUSTON CHRONICLE basically said it’s America’s answer to Wacken. Even DECIBEL was like, “This fest is a time-traveling metal vortex.” So, y’know, no pressure.
