Every year lots of us go to one or several Metal festival in Europe. Tell us what is your favorite European Metal festival and why ? (because of the line-up, the atmosphere, the size of the festival, the organization's quality etc.)

Here are 9 festivals, I chose the biggest ones and one per country only. Too many festivals to put them in one poll.

Its not completly because there shood be OTHER option ...
Where is Dublin Doom Days, Malta Doom Fest, Dutch Doom Days ..... you put only mainstream and overated fest
From all in list IU would say Hellfets because of line up , but I never have been in anyof those so .

P[roblem is the biggest festivals are always the worst ones when it comes to line-up, atmosphere, organization etc.
Personally I HATE festivals which draw more than 3000 people because for me those are way too big.

Keeping purely line-up in mind Roadburn is by far the superior festival of all European festivals for me.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 04.01.2013 at 14:01

P[roblem is the biggest festivals are always the worst ones when it comes to line-up, atmosphere, organization etc.
Personally I HATE festivals which draw more than 3000 people because for me those are way too big.

Keeping purely line-up in mind Roadburn is by far the superior festival of all European festivals for me.

how was Dynamo in old days
why it is canceled , what was reason

I agree big fests like hellfest its pain in ass because to many good bands in same time, I hate it I prefere one stage festival only or 2 stages , not more
WAO 80 000 pppl no thanks way to much

and I hate open air fests because you never know what weather is gonna be in that day

reding one of 1th HF reviews on MS .... its enought only from pics

Would have chosen Bloodstock over Download for the UK personally, Download tends to be a big mix of genres nowadays. My votes goes to it anyway as that's the festival the most of my friends go to and it's always fun with things to do, even if the line up disappoints!

Could say which is my favorite of those I tried but it wouldn't be representative as I didn't try all.

Also this seems more about (big) summer open airs, there are indoors ones that are also great... and criterias can change alot.

I find it a bit flawed to vote one.

Out of the list I've been to Wacken twice and Sonisphere Bucharest 2010. I've been to 2 editions of Wacken and I gotta say while both were great times, the mud, the insane amounts of people and the shit weather (combined with the mud) all kinda detracted from my experience. That and the lineup for Wacken is not that good. I've also attended some local festivals here which were not open-air camping (including Sonisphere), so they don't really count but I would not have listed them anyway.

I went to Sweden Rock Festival last year though. Well, aside from the absurdly cold weather (at least no mud!) and the ticket price, I have to say it was FAR superior in every way, with the strong points being the stunning overall organisation, cleanliness and exclusive lineup. The people were far more approachable and friendly than at Wacken for example, no reports of thieves sneaking into tents to grab valuables, and a much more relaxed and airy atmosphere overall with no fighting or shoving, but that's normal I guess for a festival+camping ticket price of 350 euros and an average age of 30-35. Attendance was around 32 000 people, not too many but not too few either, and the space in front of the enormous Festival stage (seriously that's the biggest stage I've ever seen) was more than accomodating for the full festival crowd, unlike Wacken where if you don't grab a spot before the headliners and hold on to it while shoved and pushed from every direction, well, let's hope you have great eyesight or brought some binoculars with you.

This was my vote for the best festival on the list and I'm going again this year. As far as I know, even Tobias from Edguy said while on stage at Hellfest, that Sweden Rock is the best festival in the world.

Written by Valentin B on 10.01.2013 at 13:07

Out of the list I've been to Wacken twice and Sonisphere Bucharest 2010. I've been to 2 editions of Wacken and I gotta say while both were great times, the mud, the insane amounts of people and the shit weather (combined with the mud) all kinda detracted from my experience. That and the lineup for Wacken is not that good. I've also attended some local festivals here which were not open-air camping (including Sonisphere), so they don't really count but I would not have listed them anyway.

I went to Sweden Rock Festival last year though. Well, aside from the absurdly cold weather (at least no mud!) and the ticket price, I have to say it was FAR superior in every way, with the strong points being the stunning overall organisation, cleanliness and exclusive lineup. The people were far more approachable and friendly than at Wacken for example, no reports of thieves sneaking into tents to grab valuables, and a much more relaxed and airy atmosphere overall with no fighting or shoving, but that's normal I guess for a festival+camping ticket price of 350 euros and an average age of 30-35. Attendance was around 32 000 people, not too many but not too few either, and the space in front of the enormous Festival stage (seriously that's the biggest stage I've ever seen) was more than accomodating for the full festival crowd, unlike Wacken where if you don't grab a spot before the headliners and hold on to it while shoved and pushed from every direction, well, let's hope you have great eyesight or brought some binoculars with you.

This was my vote for the best festival on the list and I'm going again this year. As far as I know, even Tobias from Edguy said while on stage at Hellfest, that Sweden Rock is the best festival in the world.

hellfest 1th MS eddition was same whit mud and this is Scandinavia, this is why never buy tickets pre sale for Scandinavian open air ... if there would rain I would never go to Iced Earth
besdides Tusla and Sweden Rock is werry expenice

One more thing I need to add, is that generally at festivals, more people = more problems = less enjoyable experience of the festival.

For example, at Wacken you are not allowed to take in chairs and umbrellas to the festival area, probably for fear that people might start fighting with them, along with other strict rules about what you can or cannot do in the festival area and camping area. With fewer people, it's easier to contain the ones that are violent and get them the fuck out if they are causing trouble.

Written by Valentin B on 16.01.2013 at 00:16

One more thing I need to add, is that generally at festivals, more people = more problems = less enjoyable experience of the festival.

For example, at Wacken you are not allowed to take in chairs and umbrellas to the festival area, probably for fear that people might start fighting with them, along with other strict rules about what you can or cannot do in the festival area and camping area. With fewer people, it's easier to contain the ones that are violent and get them the fuck out if they are causing trouble.

wellcome tro the football

I agree thats why I dont like such fests, less ppl better, more chicks more better

Mine is not on the list: Metal Female Voices Fest (Wieze (BEL), 18-20 October). Surprisingly, for bands with a female singer A lot of my favorites are usually there. But it's only 2-3 days, and quite expensive too. Hopefully one day I will be able to go...

In Hungary we have Sziget festival, which is huge and very popular, but not a dedicated metal festival (although there are some metal bands). I was there once, but don't think will ever go again, it became ridiculously expensive (for Hungarians at least), totally aimed at "rich" Western-Europeans... And there are less and less metal bands.

Written by [user id=36134] on 25.03.2013 at 11:16

Mine is not on the list: Metal Female Voices Fest (Wieze (BEL), 18-20 October). Surprisingly, for bands with a female singer A lot of my favorites are usually there. But it's only 2-3 days, and quite expensive too. Hopefully one day I will be able to go...

In Hungary we have Sziget festival, which is huge and very popular, but not a dedicated metal festival (although there are some metal bands). I was there once, but don't think will ever go again, it became ridiculously expensive (for Hungarians at least), totally aimed at "rich" Western-Europeans... And there are less and less metal bands.

western europians are not rich, simplye ay europe is cheep, nowdays we can not trabel, our life hre is expenice
example 5 years ago, we bought 4 bags whit food and pay sek 800, nowdays we buy 1 bag of food and pay sek 1200 ... and our incomes is same and all are expenice
simply you have all cheeper and less incomes , so equaly its same like we where all is ''expenice'' whit ''higher incomes''

Wacken, hands down. The atmosphere, people, line-up, side activities, everything is awesome. Most people in the Netherlands prefer Graspop. I think Graspop sucks in every way Wacken owns in. Not to mention it is ridiculously expensive.
A honourary mention goes to the German Hörnerfest. Small festival in someones backyard with only folk, folk metal, folk rock, medieval rock and medieval folk. The small scale makes it so that everyone knows each other after one day and everyone is drunk and awesome. A small folky Wacken, if you will.

There are a lot of festivals I'd like to go to though, like PPM Fest, Roadburn, Dong Open Air and of course Hellfest.

Written by Bad English on 25.03.2013 at 11:25

Written by [user id=36134] on 25.03.2013 at 11:16

Mine is not on the list: Metal Female Voices Fest (Wieze (BEL), 18-20 October). Surprisingly, for bands with a female singer A lot of my favorites are usually there. But it's only 2-3 days, and quite expensive too. Hopefully one day I will be able to go...

In Hungary we have Sziget festival, which is huge and very popular, but not a dedicated metal festival (although there are some metal bands). I was there once, but don't think will ever go again, it became ridiculously expensive (for Hungarians at least), totally aimed at "rich" Western-Europeans... And there are less and less metal bands.

western europians are not rich, simplye ay europe is cheep, nowdays we can not trabel, our life hre is expenice
example 5 years ago, we bought 4 bags whit food and pay sek 800, nowdays we buy 1 bag of food and pay sek 1200 ... and our incomes is same and all are expenice
simply you have all cheeper and less incomes , so equaly its same like we where all is ''expenice'' whit ''higher incomes''

That's not entirely true. i agree that some things are more expensive there (like travel and renting a flat), and you lives are getting more expensive nowadays, but it's not the same for us. We have much less income, and many things are the same price, or more expensive (!) like in WE (for example CDs, fuel, clothes, electronics).
Average mothly income for most people is 400-480 EUR, and one day ticket in Sziget festival is 49 EUR, the full 5 day pass is 199 EUR, it's ridiculous

I chose Brutal Assault only cause tis the only one i've been to. Fairly shitty list. Sweden Rock isn't a METAL festival. Status Quo are playing it this year for crying out loud.

Those who goes to festivals what kind a beer they sold there?
what beer they sold in Wacken sinve in germany shood not be shity beer

On Graspop they had Maes, which is a fine beer. Wacken...I forgot. But they did have Wacken Beer last time I visited.
In Holland most festivals have Heineken, Jupiler or Bavaria. If it's the first case, you're screwed because Heineken sucks.

Written by Hellbrann on 11.04.2013 at 13:40

On Graspop they had Maes, which is a fine beer. Wacken...I forgot. But they did have Wacken Beer last time I visited.
In Holland most festivals have Heineken, Jupiler or Bavaria. If it's the first case, you're screwed because Heineken sucks.

well, Bavaria is even worse And Jupiler isn't too good either hahahahaha

I would call it a close second I actually prefer Jupiler. Nothing beats Hertog Jan though, but I have yet to encounter that on a festival

Written by Hellbrann on 11.04.2013 at 13:46

I would call it a close second I actually prefer Jupiler. Nothing beats Hertog Jan though, but I have yet to encounter that on a festival

I would prefer Grolsch with Hertog Jan and Alfa coming in second. But actually would prefer microbrews at a festival instead of all those bland pilsners

Same shit here Norlands Guld or Höga Kustren ....
I hate Heineken, I hate Bavaria, I never have tryd Jupiler, never have tryd wacken beer but seems they sold those beers what mainstream ppl like,
I suffer a lot of because this beer shit here ;(

Written by Hellbrann on 11.04.2013 at 13:40

On Graspop they had Maes, which is a fine beer. Wacken...I forgot. But they did have Wacken Beer last time I visited.
In Holland most festivals have Heineken, Jupiler or Bavaria. If it's the first case, you're screwed because Heineken sucks.

Graspop has Jupiler for at least 2 years now. I think even 3.
Way better then Maes.

Written by Koen Smits on 11.04.2013 at 21:04

Written by Hellbrann on 11.04.2013 at 13:40

On Graspop they had Maes, which is a fine beer. Wacken...I forgot. But they did have Wacken Beer last time I visited.
In Holland most festivals have Heineken, Jupiler or Bavaria. If it's the first case, you're screwed because Heineken sucks.

Graspop has Jupiler for at least 2 years now. I think even 3.
Way better then Maes.

even though I am not too much of a fan of Jupiler it is vastly superior to Maes. I would say Maes is just as terrible as Heineken and Bavaria

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 11.04.2013 at 21:06




even though I am not too much of a fan of Jupiler it is vastly superior to Maes. I would say Maes is just as terrible as Heineken and Bavaria

What beer they sell in DDD

Written by Bad English on 11.04.2013 at 21:32

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 11.04.2013 at 21:06




even though I am not too much of a fan of Jupiler it is vastly superior to Maes. I would say Maes is just as terrible as Heineken and Bavaria

What beer they sell in DDD

Standard beer at Baroeg is Hertog Jan and usually they also sell Hertog Jan Bokbier during DDD and also Kriek.

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 11.04.2013 at 21:35



Standard beer at Baroeg is Hertog Jan and usually they also sell Hertog Jan Bokbier during DDD and also Kriek.

Never tryd those, are they good?

and how good is Hellfest beer? They still make beer nowadays at fest like 2 years ago?

Written by Koen Smits on 11.04.2013 at 21:04

Graspop has Jupiler for at least 2 years now. I think even 3.
Way better then Maes.

Oh, I had no idea. First visit was in 2008 and my last was in 2012 but I hardly bought any beer because it was too damn expensive on the grounds. We just brought our own.

How was in Dinamo Open Air in old days?

Wacken, because it's near, big and awesome
Also the line-up is nearly always epic

Written by MojoGG on 25.04.2013 at 20:03

Wacken, because it's near, big and awesome
Also the line-up is nearly always epic

Isnt Summer Breeze in Austria and easier to go to Metalcamp in Slovenia from Austria