Hellfest 2025, Clisson, France. I have been following Epica for years and have seen them grow into the accomplished live act they are. With headlining arenas in some markets, it feels strange to see them here in bright sunshine and without their fire-breathing Metal cobra stage props.
Epica are massively experienced at playing festivals, too, though, so they just let the intro tape play, wave hello to the crowd and fire straight into the hard-driving Metal of Cross The Divide. 
Singer Simone Simons makes her traditional late entrance and, as always, looks effortlessly cool in her black outfit and shades. Her trademark long red hair is in a kind of ponytail, which may be a stylish nod to the searing heat here today.
Their ten-song set contains four tunes from the new album Aspiral, mostly the harder-edged songs on the record to fit the festival environment.
They all sound great in a well-mixed sound, but Arcana stands out by being slightly different with the quieter sections, an earworm of a choral hook and those soaring vocals out front giving you goosebumps until Mark Jansen’s growls at the end supply a shattering climax.
Despite the searing heat, all the band members throw themselves into their performance as usual. The on-stage interactions are always a fun part of seeing this band. 
Simone both encourages the fans to stay hydrated and get involved with the headbanging and circle pits and other ways to dehydrate themselves.
They respond in kind and are indeed “all tough motherf**kers,” as she describes them. Getting thousands of people to literally jump up and down with the band during Beyond The Matrix in this kind of heat, Metal takes commitment!
The intro to traditional set closer Consign To Oblivion gives everyone a rest as they prepare for one of the biggest Epica wall of death moments I have ever seen. It is chaos from when Mark counts down to “Go!”
As their epic closer develops, I am amazed by both how the beauty and the beast vocals still sound great after an hour of sweaty performing and how their faithful fans managed to find the energy for a final massive circle pit.
This was a superb showing from a band who, over years of touring, have really mastered the art of performing live. The sea of sweaty raised horns that greeted them at the end was both well-deserved and inevitable.
We cannot wait for the UK tour in January.
HELLFEST 2025
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 2025 promises an unforgettable journey into the depths of sonic mayhem. Read all the Heavy Metal News at MetalTalk.
MetalTalk Hellfest 2025 coverage can be found at https://www.metaltalk.net/tag/hellfest-2025.
This year’s MetalTalk team is:
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For Hellfest 2024, visit https://www.metaltalk.net/tag/hellfest-2024.
For Hellfest 2023, visit https://www.metaltalk.net/tag/hellfest-2023.
For Hellfest 2022, visit https://www.metaltalk.net/tag/hellfest-2022.
