Hellfest 2025 – Thursday Recap

Within the metal scene, references to Hell are pretty common. We love to mention Lucifer as often as possible, much to the confusion (or annoyance) of those who don’t quite get our screaming and loud music. But nothing could’ve prepared us to actually experience Hell, almost as if the Devil himself wanted us to feel the real, sweltering depths of the underworld.

Hellfest 2025 was truly a boiling affair. With daily temperatures soaring over 37°C, this was an unforgettable edition of the festival. Anyone arriving on Thursday, whether to set up camp or check into nearby accommodations, quickly forgot what it felt like to be dry and fresh. After your 15th layer of sunscreen, that became an abstract concept. Personally, I hold onto memories of fantastic concerts… and feeling absolutely gross from the heat. But that’s okay, we were all in the same boat.

Hellfest is built to impress.

From the festival gates to the grounds and VIP areas, it brings out the inner Owen Wilson in all of us: heads turning, mouths open, constantly going “WOW.” Everywhere you look, it stuns. The magic hits hardest on Day 1, and what a stacked day that was across every stage.

Skindred

Kicking things off was Skindred, the ultimate party cannon of a band, with as many outfit changes as songs in their set. The mood was high, and the crowd was slowly settling into the festival spirit. Their purpose? Pure joy. Bouncing energy. Tracks like “Kill the Power” and “That’s My Jam” had everyone grooving. And honestly,rocking that hard in a fur coat in this heat? That’s next-level showmanship. We devoured it. Metalheads shaking their booties? Absolutely, why not!

The festival grounds were full of places to pause and recharge, from countless bars and food stalls to chill hangout spots. There were so many charming corners, you could almost forget to catch your chosen sets. Our press area was located in the VIP section, which had its own perks. And I must say, it proved that if you go for the VIP package, you definitely get your money’s worth.

The bar was intricately decorated with skeleton chandeliers and elaborate bone arches. Lines were quick, and drinks flowed fast. There was a small lily-covered pond and even a bloody fountain where you could cool down. It was an oasis in the tropical weather. Many musicians could be spotted there too, clinging to the shade just like the rest of us.

Slomosa

Venturing back into the sun felt like holding your breath and diving into boiling water. But we had to, because up next on the Valley Stage were Norwegian stoner rockers Slomosa. Sharing the stage with other bands in the stoner, sludge, and doom category, the whole area felt like the Grand Canyon at high noon. The band cranked up the heat even more. Their grooves had a shamanic energy, sending the crowd into a movement trance filled with euphoria. Their riffs are rhythmic spells, enough to make even the most stubborn headbang a little bit. “In My Mind’s Desert” under the scorching sun tipped us into a full-blown fever dream. Picture the perfect droplet of sweat rolling down your temple as you sip a cold beer to cool off. It just hit differently.

Between sets, we wandered and paid homage to the one and only Lemmy Kilmister.
The God. The Legend. The Almighty Motörhead frontman. He was our sacred deity all weekend, guarding us from harm. Our prayers came in the form of headbanging and violent mosh pits.

Next up on the Valley Stage: Chat Pile.

Their sound? Pure chaos, layered, noisy, unpredictable, and cathartic. Their album “Cool World” was easily one of my top five releases last year (not exactly a hot take, it rocked the whole metal scene). Between songs, vocalist Raygun entertained the crowd with “14 Hellish Movie Recommendations,” including The Devil’s Advocate, Drag Me to Hell, Dead Silence, and more. Their set was tightly constructed, though I’ll admit I lost my bearings more than once, especially during “Shame”. The bass was relentless, mean, and heavy, just the way we like it. Chat Pile feels like if the character Anxiety from Inside Out grew up loving Korn, then locked itself in a studio to create unsettling yet healing walls of sound.

Soft Play

After Chat Pile, it was time for the Warzone Stage, the festival’s hardcore realm, where punk and hardcore bands ruled all weekend. One of the highlights? Soft Play, the legendary British punk duo (you might remember them as Slaves). They’ve been soundtracking our summers for over a decade. As they took the stage during golden hour, the atmosphere was pure magic. Their set balanced silliness and rage in the most fun way. Chaos ruled both on and off stage, smashed instruments, fans going wild. The band wasn’t afraid to break that barrier, jumping into the pit, levelling with us. The crowd gave back everything, sing-alongs, circle pits, and pure energy. At one point, I was swept into an all-female mosh pit, and the joy there was unmatched. Smiles, screams, sweat, and solidarity, I’ll never forget it. We danced like there was no tomorrow. Dangerous move, considering it was only Day One. As the sun set, bathing the stage in hues of orange and red, Soft Play glowed,radiating joy and glitter energy. It was beautiful.

Jinjer

There was no rest for the wicked, as Jinjer was next on our roster, taking over the Altar Stage, located under a massive tent near the main festival area. This shaded space was a blessing for many throughout the sweltering weekend, but by now, day was slowly turning into night. There was pure carnage outside the stage entrance, as so many people desperately tried to get in to see the band. It got a little out of control at one point. Thankfully, the sound design was clever: even if you couldn’t make it into the tent, there was a screen and speakers set up so you could still enjoy the concert clearly, without being drowned out by the noise from the main stage. But a huge number of people wanted to be inside, and we ended up packed together like sardines. As more and more bodies pushed through the crowd, it started to feel claustrophobic, and I knew it was time to move. Cleverly, I made my way around and approached the stage from the side entrance, eventually managing to park myself right at the edge of the tent. Some people even tried to crowdsurf to the very front, an ambitious, if chaotic, way to break through the impenetrable sea of bodies.

Jinjer’s set was as tight as ever, they’re always so disciplined with their sound. Their newest release, Duel, got the most stage time, but we also heard some older hits, including my personal favorite, “Pisces.” I still remember when that song dropped, I couldn’t believe those sounds were coming from a woman’s vocal cords! Tatiana is an absolute queen of gutturals, one of the best metal vocalists out there right now, hands down.

Korn

For Korn, “Blind” started it all. It’s the song I sometimes put on to kick off the new year, perfectly aligning that iconic “Are you ready?!” with the midnight countdown. On the Hellfest stage, it sounded extra epic, but you can’t help but wonder how it would hit in a small, tightly packed venue like the ones they used to tear up in the ’90s. “Twist” was next, currently a main character in metal meme culture thanks to those funky beatbox sounds. We all desperately tried to replicate them in our teens (and, let’s be honest, we still do now, with zero shame). Their set was truly relentless, packed with hit after hit, filling the entire 1.5-hour headline slot. Each song carried its own memories, locked in its sound. Hearing them now felt like stepping into a time machine, back to the days when your biggest worries were your school grades and dodging bullies.

Electric Callboy

To wrap up Day 1, Electric Callboy took the stage.The fun German uncles, as I like to call them, are the very embodiment of what I call bonkers metal, diving headfirst into the silly and the ridiculous. The crowd loved that silly goose energy, and it was the perfect way to close out the first day. Somehow, even more people emerged from all directions, completely saturating every corner of the grass in front of Stage 2. The screens occasionally panned to the sea of relentless fans waiting to board the Tekno Train, it was genuinely impressive. Callboy isn’t a gimmick, it’s a full-blown movement for people who love their pop-metal with a side of chaos. You can’t always be serious, after all.

Come back tomorrow for a breakdown of Korn’s headline set, and stick around all week as we take you through the rest of Hellfest 2025.

Artist: Hellfest 2025 - Day 1

Photographer: Chelsea Savage

Reviewer: Natalia Kasiarz

City: Clisson

Country: France