Hills of Rock 2025: the breakdown
The summer of 2025 marked another epic edition of Hills of Rock. Bulgaria’s premier rock and metal festival returned to the Rowing Canal in Plovdiv from July 25 to 27. With its strongest and most diverse lineup yet, Hills of Rock 2025 brought together legendary acts, fierce newcomers and an inclusive, electrifying festival environment that solidified its place on the European music map.
Day 1
Photos by @tijsvl @stories.from.the.pit and @lilly.staykova
The festival kicked off with a blast of raw energy and great performances. French metal legends Gojira took the stage as the first night’s headliners, making their long-awaited debut on Bulgarian soil. In front of over 14,000 fans, frontman Joe Duplantier greeted the crowd in Bulgarian: “Бичите ли айляка, Пловдиииив?”. The fans went insane.
Their set was as emotionally resonant as it was technically flawless. The heavy riffs, philosophical lyrics and captivating visuals contributed for a deeply immersive show. Tracks like “Stranded,” “Flying Whales,” “Silvera” and “Amazonia” had the crowd moving as one. In the meantime, inflatable whales, a nod to the band’s iconic symbol of nature and wisdom, surfed the audience. In one of the most powerful moments of the night, Joe paused to pay tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away just a week prior. Gojira performed "Under the Sun" as thousands of voices chanted “Ozzy, Ozzy!”.
The rest of Day 1 included a solid set from the American band Extreme and incredibly energetic performance from the British legends Skunk Anansie. Fans were disappointed to find out that the new rising stars of the French heavy scene Landmvrks had to cancel just days before the festival. Luckily Rise of the Northstar managed to, at least in part, make up for it and provide the crowd with a high dose of metalcore and street-style chaos.
Meanwhile, the smaller stages offered a vibrant mix of genres, from reggae and industrial rock to experimental punk. Standouts included Dub Pistols and local names such as Crowfish and Pizzza.
Day 2
Photos by @tijsvl
Day 2 of Hills of Rock 2025 turned the volume all the way up. Things kicked off at exactly 5pm, when the weather was hotter than ever at 39 degrees. Easily the hottest festival we’ve ever attended. The UK band As Everything Unfolds had the uneasy task to open the main stage in this unbearable heat. Their emotionally charged set showed why they are on their way to become a standout name in the British metal scene. Their sound instantly connected with the crowd, especially under the blast of the festival’s now-iconic cooling hose.
Next was the Australian rock band Wolfmother. Think of a mix between Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple, but with a modern twist. And with a voice like frontman Andrew Stockdale's cover of Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” was just inevitable. Then came the heavyweights: Fear Factory brought powerful precision and genre-defining aggression, while Sepultura ignited pure chaos with classics like “Territory,” “Ratamahatta” and “Roots Bloody Roots.” The band is on their farewell tour “Celebrating Life through Death” at the moment. And their show was a powerful, emotional send-off that reminded everyone why Sepultura will always remain the metal legends they are.
The night’s climax came with a headlining set from Machine Head. From the moment singer Robb Flynn took the stage, the crowd knew they were in for something intense. Tracks like “Imperium,” “Halo”and “Davidian” resulted in crowd mayhem, while Flynn’s powerful presence and constant interaction with the audience created a direct connection. Ten-ton inflatable hammers were flying around in the crowd, while a massive light show and pristine sound made every riff memorable. At one point, a mosh pit broke out during a bass solo, prompting Flynn to shout, “You crazy motherfuckers!” in disbelief, calling it something he’d never witnessed before.
In the middle of the heavy music, there was also a touching moment when Robb paid tribute to one of his biggest heroes Ozzy Osbourne. He shared that as a kid, he had a poster of Ozzy and a Black Sabbath flag in his room and that Ozzy’s music had a huge influence on him. Before playing “Darkness Within”, Robb asked the crowd to sing so loud that Ozzy could hear them from the sky, turning the song into a powerful and emotional tribute.
Across the festival grounds, side stages buzzed with energy and variety. Acts like Vendetta, Superhiks, Kultur Shock and Smallman brought everything from hardcore to Balkan fusion into the mix and kept the crowd moving way past midnight.
Day 3
Photos by @tijsvl & @stories.from.the.pit
The final day of Hills of Rock 2025 began with Vukovi, a band that the Bulgarian crowd didn’t know too much before. The Scottish alt-rockers, however, turned out to be one of the highlights of the day, impressing everyone with their raw energy and great sound. Despite the intense heat and arguably the toughest time slot, they gave their all. The riffs were tight, the choruses were catchy and their stage presence was fearless. To everyone’s delight, they even sparked the first circle pit of the day, setting the tone for what was to come.
Vukovi were followed by the long-awaited Static-X, who took the main stage after a short delay. Despite the absence of their late frontman Wayne Static, the band delivered a crushing industrial set that showed why they still have such a devoted fanbase in Bulgaria. Up next were the UK metalcore heroes While She Sleeps. This was their third time in Bulgaria and their energy was off the charts. Frontman Loz Taylor didn’t stop moving, running to the crowd, shouting along with fans and making sure everyone felt part of the show. It was a wild, sweaty, high-speed set full of singalongs and excitement. Loz even gave the crowd a quick crash course in crowd-surfing and the Bulgarian fans nailed it.
Then came one of the most anticipated acts of the weekend: Mastodon. With a massive sound and commanding presence, the band took over the crowd completely. Tracks like “The Motherload,” “Blood & Thunder” and “Steambreather” sent fans into a frenzy. Their set was tight, loud and unforgettable.
Not everything ran smoothly, though. Over at one of the smaller stages, Dope were scheduled to play at 9:15pm, shortly after Mastodon began. However, technical issues with their equipment caused a major delay and the band didn’t hit the stage until 10pm. Still, a surprisingly large crowd stuck around, showing just how loyal their fans are. Frontman Edsel Dope expressed his anger numerous times on stage, throwing out curses and criticism, which to be fair was quite entertaining to watch. Eventually, they played a short 20-minute set, leaving many fans disappointed.
Back on the main stage, the final act of the night and of the entire festival was none other than alternative rock legends The Smashing Pumpkins. Led by the unmistakable frontman Billy Corgan, the band showed how to headline a major rock festival. Their moody, atmospheric set struck a perfect balance between massive hits and deeper cuts. The crowd went wild for fan favourites like “Bullet With Butterfly Wings”, “Tonight, Tonight” and “1979”, while longtime followers were treated to live debuts of “Pentagrams”, “Edin” and “999”. The visuals were stunning, the sound great and the audience beautifully mixed between veteran fans from the ’90s standing shoulder to shoulder with their kids and a new generation of festival-goers. “Zero” closed the show, cementing a powerful and emotional end to Hills of Rock 2025.
Beyond the concerts, fans could also explore the Bare Hands Society’s 10-year anniversary art exhibition, featuring original screen-printed posters inspired by bands such as Gojira, Smashing Pumpkins, Guns N’ Roses and more.
