The first full festival day at Mystic Festival 2026 was packed from start to finish, offering everything from blistering black and death metal to stoner rock, progressive soundscapes and thrash metal royalty. The lineup featured NOCTEM, TRUCKFIGHTERS, BLOODYWOOD, OVERKILL, PSYCHONAUT, DECAPITATED, ANTHRAX, CARACH ANGREN, CAVALERA CHAOS A.D., BELPHEGOR, MEGADETH, BLOOD INCANTATION and SETH, making for one of the festival’s most diverse days.
Spain is not the first country that comes to mind when discussing black metal, but NOCTEM proved exactly why they deserve a place among the genre’s fiercest representatives. The band performed like a well-oiled machine, delivering a relentless assault from beginning to end. Vocalist Beleth stood out in particular, perfectly embodying the carnage and fury that defines the band’s sound. According to the band’s social media, a new album is on the horizon, while their latest full-length remains “Credo Certe Ne Cras,” from 2022.
Representing Sweden’s thriving stoner rock scene, TRUCKFIGHTERS demonstrated just how much power can come from a three-piece lineup. Their infectious grooves quickly won over the audience, proving that sheer energy often outweighs numbers on stage. The band arrived at Mystic fresh off the release of their newest album, “Masterflow,” in 2026.
One of the day’s biggest surprises came courtesy of BLOODYWOOD. The fusion of nu metal with traditional Indian folk music was certainly unexpected, yet it worked remarkably well. Having originally gained attention through metal covers before transitioning to original material, the band has established a unique identity through albums such as “Rakshak,” from 2022 and “Nu Delhi,” from 2025. Their live performance confirmed that their success is well deserved, with infectious enthusiasm and undeniable chemistry carrying the show.
Thrash metal veterans OVERKILL reminded everyone why they remain one of the genre’s most respected names. Even with a slightly reduced lineup due to the absence of D.D. Verni and Derek Tailer, the band had little trouble bringing the crowd to a boiling point. It was especially encouraging to see so many younger fans occupying the front rows, enthusiastically carrying the thrash metal torch into a new generation. The band’s latest album remains 2023’s “Scorched.”
Belgium’s PSYCHONAUT delivered one of the day’s most emotionally layered performances. Seamlessly shifting between contrasting moods while incorporating progressive and psychedelic influences, the trio created an immersive experience that rewarded attentive listening as much as energetic headbanging. Their newest album, “World Maker,” released in 2025, provided plenty of highlights throughout the set.
For many Polish fans, DECAPITATED was one of the day’s most anticipated performances. Following Rafał “Rasta” Piotrowski’s departure, all eyes were on new vocalist Eemeli Bodde, formerly of Mors Subita. Filling such significant shoes, especially while performing in the band’s home country, is no easy task, yet Bodde handled the challenge with remarkable confidence. Despite a few minor sound issues, the performance remained as razor-sharp and precise as fans have come to expect from DECAPITATED. As always, guitarist Vogg once again demonstrated why he is considered one of modern death metal’s finest musicians. The band’s latest studio album remains “Cancer Culture,” from 2022.
Another member of thrash metal’s legendary Big Four took the stage in the form of ANTHRAX. Decades into their career, the band’s enthusiasm remains infectious, with bassist Frank Bello in particular seemingly possessing endless reserves of energy. Rather than taking themselves too seriously, ANTHRAX focused on having fun, and that attitude immediately spread to the audience. After a decade-long wait, the band is preparing to release their new album, “Cursum Perficio,” later in 2026.
Theatrical black metal reached its peak with CARACH ANGREN. Far removed from traditional corpse paint-and-blast-beats conventions, the Dutch trio embraced an extravagant stage presentation led by the charismatic Seregor. The result felt almost like black metal vaudeville: dramatic, over-the-top and immensely entertaining. Their latest full-length remains “Franckensteina Strataemontanus,” from 2020, followed by the EP “The Cult of Kariba,” in 2025.
For many younger fans, seeing CAVALERA CHAOS A.D. was the closest they would ever come to experiencing the classic SEPULTURA lineup performing “Chaos A.D.” live. Max and Iggor Cavalera delivered exactly that, recreating one of groove metal’s defining albums with passion and authenticity. A particularly memorable visual element was the hanging body positioned behind Iggor’s drum kit, echoing the iconic album artwork. Most importantly, the Cavalera brothers appeared to be in outstanding form, making this performance an easy recommendation for anyone wanting to experience these legendary songs live.
Austria’s BELPHEGOR once again proved why they remain one of extreme metal’s most reliable live acts. Led by Helmuth, the band’s ritualistic performance balanced meticulous precision with raw intensity, resulting in a show that felt both carefully crafted and utterly savage. Recent singles “Sanctus Diaboli Confidimus,” from 2025 and “Scarlet Beast – Leviathan,” from 2026 suggest there is still plenty more darkness to come.
One of the emotional highlights of the evening belonged to MEGADETH. With Dave Mustaine announcing the band’s farewell and following the release of their self-titled final album earlier this year, this performance carried additional significance. Although Mustaine’s voice no longer consistently reached the heights fans remember from previous decades, the band’s musicianship remained exceptional. More than anything, the concert felt like a heartfelt goodbye from one of heavy metal’s greatest institutions.
Colorado’s BLOOD INCANTATION once again demonstrated why they have become one of modern death metal’s most celebrated acts. While firmly rooted in death metal, the quartet incorporates progressive influences that add remarkable depth to their compositions. Excellent sound quality allowed every detail of their performance to shine, transporting the audience, borrowing the title of their latest album, to “Absolute Elsewhere.” Unsurprisingly, there was no shortage of enthusiastic headbanging throughout the set.
Closing our coverage was French black metal institution SETH. Celebrating three decades as a band, the group continues to balance aggression with striking melody while embracing theatrical visuals inspired by their latest album, “La France des maudits,” released in 2024. Their commanding stage presence and refined musicianship served as a fitting conclusion to another outstanding day at Mystic Festival.
Day Two demonstrated exactly why Mystic Festival has become one of Europe’s premier heavy music events. Established legends shared the bill with exciting modern acts, while every corner of metal, from stoner rock and progressive experimentation to uncompromising black, death and thrash metal, found its place. It was a long, exhausting and immensely rewarding day that kept the momentum of Mystic Festival 2026 firmly on track.
Photos by Maria Sawicka
