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Bristol's Metal Scene

The wealth of metal events in Bristol is drawn from a rich metal heritage in the city, classic local bands include: Onslaught, Gonga, Jaguar and Evita. A lot of the best events are in underground pubs like the Gryphon and Mother's Ruin where you can hear big riffs and roared vocals most nights of the week - with strong support from the metal scene elsewhere in the West of England.

As well as older cover-style bands at German boozer Bierkeller, you can see larger international acts at Bristol's bigger venues like O2 Academy and Colston Hall. The city's Old Market area is full of old biker-gang hangouts like the Packhorse - with various shops selling metal memorabilia and records - perfect for the morning after a big gig.

Buy tickets for metal events in Bristol

Our recent metal recommendations

Sell out warning! Rotting Christ! In Bristol? The first time in a GENERATION!? We’d get a ticket just for that and 11 hours of silence. But hell there’s also mythical Fenland black metal cvltleaders Infernal Sea, hostile deathgrind veterans Benighted, raw and ritualist Scottish atmoblack from Fuath + your only chance to see Kranuum’s slam brutality this year without hopping a plane. Praying to Baphomet for Extreme Fest 2027 already... BRISTOL EXTREME FEST 2026 at The Trinity Centre.

Marauding skate gangs descend on Bishopstown’s answer to DLH Funday: a verti-fied ROTFEST of hxc / pizza / wipeout proportions. Staining the pool: feral local deathcore merchants Entropic Rot throwing slam-inducing hammer-ons, blistering crossover 80s thrash intensity from Overpower, MTM > Bloodstock rising nu-nu-metalers Fight The Champ + stacks more. SKATE AND DESTROY at Campus Pool Skatepark, Bristol.

Come stare deep into the unforgiving abyss of DEATH. At the bottom of the pit dwells Fossilization, frolicking in the caverns of blackened doom, for they feast only on thee most depraved filth and belch forth hellish sounds to please their Lord. A ferocious display of evil murk metal from the greatest outfit in the Inferno right now FFO: Incantation, Dead Congregation, Immolation, Funebrarum. Death Metal @ Moor? Yes Please!

They say an evening of drone keeps the doctor away… so prepare to descend into Softshadow’s queer AF DIY continuum of live-looping sax ritualism, alongside Enter The Noid’s Ringtones delivering a cacophony of cerebrum-crushing bedroom skrambient. Unruly clatter aplenty! SOFTSHADOW // CRYING CABLE // GIRL A // RINGTONES // YADIE,TAAE

What our editors say

“Subterranean Manifestation started in London back in 2019. After four successful editions with numerous exclusive performances the event now moves to Bristol. The performing artists are always carefully selected to perfectly fit the concept of the event and to provide a well curated underground black death metal line-up. SUBTERRANEAN MANIFESTATION V. 24th April 2027 @ The Fleece, BRISTOL - Horna (FIN) - UK exclusive Ancient Rites (BEL) - UK exclusive Deitus (UK) Dikasterion (BEL) Sulphuric Deity (UK) Verletzen (UK)”
From: Subterranean Manifestation V

“Monochrome returns to once again celebrate ugliness and excess. Set in the heart of Bristol, you'll find a diverse lineup of weirdo metal, gnarled punk and ear splitting noise, in a welcoming and inclusive environment. Lineup and venues TBA but early bird tickets on sale now if you want to grab a bargain”
From: Festival of Ugly Music

“Action! Presents HAKEN With support from Ihlo & Black Orchid Empire Returning with their first new music in three years, ‘in a fever dream’ marks the next chapter for progressive, alternative metal band Haken. The new material sees the band exploring some of their most emotionally direct songwriting to date, continuing a trajectory that has seen the band evolve with each release. Haken bring this new era to stages across Europe this autumn, performing new material alongside songs from a catalogue that has made them one of the defining bands of modern progressive music.”
From: Haken

“SiM (Silence iz Mine) conquered their native Japan with a vibrant mix of nu-metal and postmodern hard rock, injected with hardcore attitude. Then the self-described “Reggae Punx” broke into the US scene with the no.1 smash, ’The Rumbling’. Now the alt-metal four-piece have set their eyes on the world! Their music conjures the melodic bombast and rhythmic punch of early 2000s heavy hitters like Korn, Linkin Park and Deftones, with precision blasts of chunky metalcore and the renegade spirit of classic reggae, and two-tone ska.”
From: SiM

“DB KULT FEST 3:30pm doors £25 Adv Nzenz curates an evening of Black metal, ranging from all subgenres, atmospheric, war metal, blackened punk, 1st wave and black noise. With upcoming bands from across the UK and even an act from abroad, we can guarantee you will be satisfied with harsh blast beats and tremolo picking. FFO: Hellhammer, Ulver, Blasphemy, Darkthrone and Nunslaughter Exchange has a small ramp entrance from the street. Our bar and main event space are on the ground floor with level access throughout and we have an accessible toilet. If you need any other info on accessibility, please contact [email protected]”
From: DB KULT FEST