Rock Hard Festival 2026 – New Wave of Bands Announced | Pulse Records News

The legendary Rock Hard Festival 2026, held at the iconic Amphitheater Gelsenkirchen, grows stronger with another major announcement of bands confirmed for next year’s edition. The update of December 5, 2025 brings powerful new additions: Saxon, Hällas, The Great Sea, Warlord, and The Neptune Power Federation. Once again, the Ruhr-area institution proves its dedication to mixing legends, fresh blood, and exclusive festival appearances.

A previous wave of confirmations on October 17, 2025 already set the tone for a massive edition. Announced were Dark Tranquillity, Mikkey Dee & Friends performing Motörhead classics, the Swiss cult thrashers Coroner, and a special collaboration between guitar virtuoso Gus G. and vocalist Ronnie Romero. The British heavy rockers Wytch Hazel and melodic death metal force Nailed To Obscurity were also added to the growing lineup.

Editorial favorites return as well: Armored Saint deliver a full 90-minute headline show, bringing their Judas Priest- and Iron Maiden-influenced classic metal to the open-air arena. German anarcho-punk legends Slime add political fire, while Lucifer arrive with a refreshed lineup featuring Rosalie Cunningham and Coralie Baier. U.S. thrash icons Hirax and NWOBHM pioneers Angel Witch promise ’80s classics, and Neckbreakker (ex-Nakkeknaekker) bring youthful hardcore energy.

Ticket sales officially begin on September 26. Three-day passes cost 155 € including all fees. With a billing of this caliber, fans of heavy metal, thrash, doom, and classic rock can expect the Rock Hard Festival 2026 to be one of the strongest editions to date.

Full 2026 Billing
Armored Saint (Headliner)
Saxon (Headliner)
Slime
Lucifer
Angel Witch
Hirax
Neckbreakker (ex-Nakkeknaekker)
Dark Tranquillity
Mikkey Dee Plays Motörhead
Ronnie Romero
Wytch Hazel
Nailed To Obscurity
Gus G.
Coroner
Hällas
The Neptune Power Federation
The Great Sea
Warlord

Links:
⛤ Official Website
⛤ Tickets

More updates soon — keep spinning loud.



Comments

Post a Comment

More Posts

20 Metal & Rock Album Reviews & Collector Buying Guide 2025

Image
Alright, let’s get into it! We're ripping through a killer stack of albums that totally pump us up and shake us to our core. These records ain’t just music; they’re experiences that challenge our souls, tear us apart, or drag us deep into the underground abyss. These quick reviews are our gut reactions to how these albums hit us today, leaving echoes of metal in our bones. Take a read into them one by one, or thrash around through the chaos; each album has its own crazy universe just waiting for you to get lost in. So crank it up, and let the metal take over! \m/ ...
Read more

LUCIFER’S FALL Announce Reunion, New Drummer & New Material in 2026

Image
Australian doom hammer strikes again — after more than two years of silence, LUCIFER’S FALL have officially reunited. One of the most uncompromising doom forces from the southern hemisphere, the band announced their resurrection through a series of raw, old-school updates that sent longtime followers into a frenzy. And in pure underground fashion, they’re not easing into it — the group is already preparing for studio action with a brand-new drummer whose identity remains shrouded in mystery. The first strike came on December 9th, when the band declared themselves “back as a recording entity,” signalling the return of core members Deceiver, Invocator, Heretic and Cursed Priestess. For collectors and doom lifers who’ve been spinning their earlier releases on repeat, this was the moment many hoped for — a promise that the bleak fire of traditional doom still burns in Adelaide. Then, on December 12th, the band doubled down: rehearsals are set for early next year, starting with...
Read more

MÜTIILATION Announces New Album “Pandemonium of Egregores” for December 2025

Image
Some announcements hit harder than others — and this one shakes the very bones of the underground. After decades of silence broken only by scattered manifestations, the unholy French Black Metal pioneer MÜTIILATION has returned with a new full-length: PANDEMONIUM OF EGREGORES , arriving December 26th, 2025. For those who have walked alongside MEYHNACH since the cursed dawn of the 1990s — through the Black Legions era, the darkness of MAJESTAS LEPROSUS , the deranged introspection of RATTENKÖNIG , the atmospheric death haze of SORROW GALAXIES — this moment feels surreal. The myth was supposed to remain buried. The stench of death was supposed to be final. Yet here we stand, welcoming the seventh son of a band that defined an entire underground ethos. In his own words, MEYHNACH writes: “This entity, buried but not dead, whose return you hoped for but no longer expected, has just given birth to its seventh son… The black metal cult is alive, keep an eye opened.” ...
Read more

Vital Remains – Dechristianize (2024 2xLP Reissue) Review

Image
⛤ Death Metal | 40.50€ (Mint) ⛤ Pulse Rating: 9.5 / 10 🛒 Check this item in stock 📧 Order Now When it comes to blasphemous, larger-than-life death metal, Vital Remains stands like a titan, and their masterwork "Dechristianize" is nothing short of colossal. As a die-hard metalhead and the proud curator of Pulse Records, my heart races every time I drop the needle on this iconic album. Finally, with the 2024 2xLP orange/black marble reissue from Listenable Records , "Dechristianize" gets the reverence it has always deserved. Let’s not kid ourselves; Dave Suzuki is the heart and soul of this record. It’s almost unbelievable to think about how much of this album he single-handedly crafted. The drumming, guitar leads, bass lines, and relentless lyrics shout out his obsessive commitment at every turn. Songs that stretch into epics of nine minutes or more — this is what Vital Remains does best. You’ll find yourself humming these riffs in...
Read more

AARON STAINTHORPE Returns to Perform MY DYING BRIDE Material at PROPHECY FEST 2026 With DEEKS & QUAIL

Image
AARON STAINTHORPE , one of the defining voices of British doom, is preparing to revisit a repertoire that influenced generations — now in a renewed, singular artistic context. And the place chosen for this return is none other than the legendary PROPHECY FEST 2026 , where Stainthorpe will perform material associated with MY DYING BRIDE despite the recent and official separation between both parties. Announced under the banner STAINTHORPE, DEEKS & QUAIL , the performance promises to be a rare and emotionally charged moment within the aesthetic universe that has long defined the German festival. For this special appearance, Stainthorpe will be joined by MARK DEEKS , a musician whose work in ARÐ has become synonymous with atmospheric soundscapes and historical depth, and by the acclaimed cellist JO QUAIL , renowned for her expansive, cinematic approach that blends classical, drone, and contemporary sonic textures. According to the official announcement, the setlist wil...
Read more