The Milwaukee Metal Fest, a celebration of all things heavy, loud, and unapologetically metal, is set to return to The Rave/Eagles Club from June 4 to 7, 2026. Revived in 2023 by Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta after a 16-year hiatus, the festival has quickly reclaimed its status as a cornerstone of the American metal scene. This year’s edition promises to be the most ambitious yet, with a lineup that spans the spectrum of metal subgenres, from death and thrash to doom and hardcore.
The festival will kick off on Thursday, June 4, with a pre-party headlined by Jasta & Friends, setting the tone for the chaos to come. Friday, June 5, will see the return of the iconic Acid Bath, whose rare live appearances are always a highlight for fans of sludgy, atmospheric doom. They’ll be joined by Obituary, delivering their signature death metal, as well as Death Angel, who will perform their Act III set in full. Other notable acts on Friday include Agalloch (with a retrospective set), Incantation, Vio-lence, and Pallbearer, ensuring a day of sonic brutality and technical prowess.
Saturday, June 6, is arguably the festival’s most stacked day, featuring Killswitch Engage, whose melodic yet crushing anthems have defined modern metalcore. They’ll share the stage with Suicidal Tendencies, Machine Head, and Power Trip, the latter of which has left an indelible mark on the thrash revival. Napalm Death will also bring their grindcore fury to the Rave Bar, while After the Burial, NAILS, and Iron Reagan add diversity to the lineup with their respective brands of technical death metal, powerviolence, and crossover thrash.
The festival will conclude on Sunday, June 7, with a lineup that leans into the extreme and experimental. Ministry, industrial metal pioneers, will headline, while Napalm Death makes a second appearance, this time on the main stage. John Bush, former Anthrax vocalist, will celebrate the band’s 1993–2003 era, and All Shall Perish will mark the 20th anniversary of their album The Price of Existence. Other Sunday highlights include Cyco Miko, Integrity, Primitive Man, and Green Jellÿ, ensuring the festival ends on a note of sheer intensity.
With single-day, two-day, and weekend passes available, Milwaukee Metal Fest 2026 is a can’t-miss event for fans of the genre. The festival’s commitment to showcasing both legendary acts and rising stars ensures that attendees will experience the full breadth of metal’s evolution. For tickets and more information, visit TheRave.com/MetalFest.
As the metal community converges on Milwaukee this June, one thing is certain: the walls of The Rave/Eagles Club will shake with the force of a thousand riffs, and the legacy of Milwaukee Metal Fest will grow even louder.
Milwaukee Metal Fest solidifies its reputation as a must-attend event for metal enthusiasts, featuring legendary acts like Acid Bath, Killswitch Engage, Ministry, and Napalm Death across an action-packed four-day lineup.