Hellfest 2026. Clisson, France. “It’s ridiculous, how good this sounds”, I say to myself as Iron Maiden blast onto the massive Clisson stage. The band looks in incredible form, and Bruce Dickinson, yet again, sounds like a man half his age while prowling that stage.
I am not a stranger in a strange land when it comes to Iron Maiden. I have seen them more times than I can count and still, every time is just as impressive.
I mean, struggling to hit high notes? What do you mean? The guy sings better than he ever has. And they are quite long into this tour.
The band is flawless as well, as they make their way through highlights from an incredible career. Even Eddie makes an early appearance, fighting some of them. Good thing they won. It would be a shame to stop a show this good.
Bruce, of course, speaks very good French, as he introduces Phantom Of The Opera. His interventions in the local language continue throughout, impressing the assistance.
But while the singer’s energy is stunning, the whole band is simply on fire. They sound like they could play these shows a thousand times and never miss a beat. The Three Amigos are trading guitar solos, and the rhythm section of mastermind Steve Harris and new drummer Simon Dawson is pure groove precision.
The Number Of The Beast, flames and all, is incredible, while Infinite Dreams, with Adrian Smith’s beautifully played guitar intro, is a calmer moment, as we move onto Powerslave and the first “Scream for me, Hellfest!” of the night.
It carries on, highlight after highlight. The Rime Of The Ancient Mariner is immense both visually and sonically, and so they continue for over two hours.
Evening turns to night, fire starts blasting from the tops of the rusted iron buildings around us, the Maiden machine takes us through more of their catalogue. And you still get the same excellent visuals and pyro that you get for their own headline shows on this tour.
There is everything in here. Hit after hit, a vocal note a few tens of seconds long during Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son. It does not relent, with Eddie reappearing for The Trooper, and Bruce is waving a French flag, believe it or not.
They do not leave before an encore of Aces High, Fear Of The Dark, and Wasted Years.
A performance in which Iron Maiden show everyone how it is done.
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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