Hellfest 2026. Clisson, France. Bloodywood whip onto the stage in a colourful whirl, drumming Indian style, throbbing the sounds of Indian Metal in waves, and exhorting the fans to start dancing like Del Boy and Rodney, bobbing and weaving at a Peckham curry house.
They are constantly moving across the stage, criss-crossing in their Indian style clothing with a mix of more Western-style t-shirts and jeans mixed in. Mixing Nu-Metal, folk, Metalcore, but most surprisingly, rap. Lots of rap, as this is Indian Metal.
There is an air of almost Metal Eminem that they use to beat the Clisson crowd into a rhythmic frenzy.
Having dual singers with one a more conventional deep Metal roar and the other a rap Metal master, the sound constantly intrigues.
In between songs, there are deeper commentaries on living your dreams, making it against the odds, not giving into fear and being a positive force.
The packed audience goes absolutely crazy in the heat with the full heavy physical force of the band. The crowd surfing hits a peak not seen so far, with a constant stream coming from all over.
Dinosaur outfits, monks and men in thongs vie with inflatables for air space, while some parts of the pit spend more time lifting bodies than watching the band. One fan shouts, “Stop sending fat people,” which is heartfelt and gets a laugh from those around him.
This energy and sheer intensity were counterpoised with ethnic sounds, particularly the lute, which was played beautifully and gave the crowd a chance to catch a breath in the pulsing heat wave, fully reminiscent of New Delhi.
This is a Golden Age for World Metal with sounds that could not be imagined in the ’80s gracing Metal stages. Bloodywood singing in Hindi are the leaders from India and join the likes of Babymetal, The Hu, Rammstein, Uravenna, Blackbraid and others in breaking language and instrumentation barriers.
Bloodywood were bloody good.
HELLFEST 2026
Prepare to be consumed by the relentless energy of the most influential bands in Heavy Metal as they ignite the Hellfest stages with blistering performances. The immersive atmosphere of Clisson will immerse you in a dark, captivating experience like no other.
With its unparalleled lineup and unwavering commitment to the spirit of metal, Hellfest 2026 promises an unforgettable journey into the depths of sonic mayhem. Read all the Heavy Metal News at MetalTalk.
MetalTalk Hellfest 2026 coverage can be found at https://www.metaltalk.net/tag/hellfest-2026.
This year’s MetalTalk team is:
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