Uprising 8 Gears Up for a Monumental 10-Year Anniversary With Church Road Records Takeover at The Night Before Uprising.
Leicester’s flagship Heavy Metal gathering, Uprising Festival, has dropped a thunderous announcement as it rolls into its eighth edition—and this year, it’s doubling down. Not only does 2025’s event promise a no-clash, single-stage sonic celebration on Saturday, 24th May at the O2 Academy, but it also sets the stage for an even bigger 10-year anniversary blowout in 2026.
The Night Before Uprising: A Church Road Records Showcase
Kicking off the festivities, The Night Before Uprising returns on Friday 23rd May at the much-loved FIREBUG venue. This year’s pre-party is more than a warm-up—it’s a Church Road Records showcase, featuring extended sets from three boundary-pushing acts.
Giant Walker headlines with their emotionally rich blend of Progressive Rock, channelling shades of Karnivool and Deftones with ethereal Radiohead overtones. Their latest single, Silhouettes, is already making waves.
Returning heroes Forlorn, fresh off their explosive main stage debut at Uprising 7, will unleash tracks from their debut album Aether. Expect atmospheric aggression for fans of Gojira and Cult Of Luna.
Adding a dose of Post-Metal weight, local supergroup Vnder A Crvmbling Moon—featuring ex-members of Conjurer, Garganjua, and Codex Alimentarius—promises a deep, immersive set blending Black and Doom Metal. Their track The Watcher is a crushing taste of what’s to come.
Tickets for this blistering showcase are only £10 and are available now via WeGotTickets.
Uprising 8: A One-Stage Assault of Debut Acts
This year’s main event on Saturday, 24th May will feature nine bands making their Uprising debut. With a streamlined, single-stage format, fans can soak in every riff without missing a beat.
Already confirmed, with more to be announced, are:
- EARTHTONE9
- ESOTERICA
- BLACK ORCHID EMPIRE
- FORLORN
- DEFENCES
- OBEYER
- GIANT WALKER
- LOWEN
- HIDDEN MOTHERS
- TAYNE
- THE GREY
- VNDER A CRVMBLING MOON
- UNDERDARK
- VOIDWALKER
- SULVAIN
Tickets are priced at £38.50 for adults, with free entry for under 12s and discounted pricing for 12–16-year-olds.
2026: Ten Years of Uprising
As the countdown to Uprising 8 begins, organisers are already teasing plans for 2026’s 10-year anniversary edition. In a first for the festival, part of next year’s lineup will be revealed live on stage minutes before EARTHTONE9’s set at this year’s event.
“We are always learning and always growing,” Simon, one of the event leads, said. “Next year we are breaking out the big guns and will HOPEFULLY have a whole heap of bands to shout about on stage at this year’s Uprising. Contract depending.”
With this year’s tight focus and next year’s explosive ambitions, Uprising is proving once again why it’s one of the UK’s premier underground Metal festivals.
