Masters of Rock 2026, Day 3: Arch Enemy Rocked the Night in Vizovice

We continue with the next day of the Masters of Rock 2026 lineup: Saturday, July 18. The forecast promised another hot day, and the sun was already beating down hard from the morning. But that didn’t deter metal fans from arriving at the festival grounds before 10:00 a.m. to support the bands right from the start.

From Czech Warm-Up to International Melancholy

The first band to take the stage was GATE Crasher from Brno. It’s always great to see how many people gather in front of the stage this early to see popular Czech bands. GATE Crasher definitely knows how to draw a crowd and even get them to sing along. It’s probably not that interesting for international fans, especially since their lyrics are only in Czech, but they definitely know how to draw in the local crowd.
Next up were Lords of the Trident all the way from America. I didn’t know anything about them beforehand, but I have to say they really made my morning. They may not be the only fantasy band in the world, nor perhaps the best, but they put on a very decent show. I liked their costumes and their overall passion for the music.
Melodius Deite brought a bit of a slowdown to the sweltering day. This international band is very impressive to look at, especially the singer in her costume. Unfortunately, I didn’t find their sound quite as memorable, though I’m not sure if that was due to fatigue or the heat.

Whether it's a modern or classic approach, both can be captivating

One of the concerts I was honestly looking forward to was by the Swedish band Self Deception. I only discovered them recently through their latest album, “One of Us,” and I was really curious to hear how they’d sound live. Fortunately, they didn’t disappoint me at all, and with their energetic and catchy songs, they managed to get everyone in the crowd moving. A small mosh pit even formed, and during one song, the band’s bassist Patrick jumped right into it. I definitely haven’t seen this band for the last time.
Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the next act, Doctor P.P. I apologize to everyone who enjoyed it, but I think a performance like this has no place on the main stage at Masters of Rock, especially not at that time of day. It was obvious how many people—not just in the front row—used that time to rest.
My headliner for Saturday was, deservedly, Hammer King from Germany. My opinion is certainly influenced by the fact that they’re one of my favorite bands and their members are my friends. But the packed area in front of the stage shows that others enjoyed it too. For the band itself, it was a major debut not only at Masters of Rock, but also on the big main stage, and I think they really enjoyed their time there. Although not many people knew them before the show, that changed quite a bit afterward, and the line for the Meet & Greet gradually grew longer. I believe this was a major step in their career and will help them grow even more in the future.

From elven folk metal to anthems and primary heavy metal

We’ll stay in this royal mood for a little while longer with the Italian folk metal band Elvenking. Normally, their energy really draws me in, but I guess the weariness and the relentless sun had really taken their effect on me. I heard almost half of the set, but somehow I just couldn’t fully enjoy it and had to step back into the shade. Fortunately, I was in the minority, and the crowd in front of the stage kept cheering them on the whole time.
Miracle of Sound had already disappointed me once in a live performance, but I told myself I’d give them another chance and that it would hopefully be a better experience at the festival. I heard the first half only from a distance, but toward the end I moved closer to the stage. I have to admit that the audience was singing along quite loudly and supporting the band enthusiastically. I enjoyed the final three songs—“Skål,” “Beneath the Black Flag,” and, of course, “Valhalla Calling”—in the company of both new and old friends.
Primal Fear stepped on stage and they did everything they could to satisfy the crowd. They played songs from their new album but also from their first one, giving a good glimpse of their career. With songs such as “I Am The Primal Fear” or “The End is Near”, Primal Fear made the public move until the end! The energy of the band was very good, despite some members being somewhat static. The singer had a very good stage presence and carried the show perfectly. They ended with “Metal is Forever”, which was a perfect conclusion!

From fun to frustration and, in the end, just a quiet echo

I’ve always had a lot of fun with the German band Feuerschwanz, and this time I even let myself get convinced that we’d all have a great time together in the front row. That was a huge mistake. From the very first songs, a large number of crowd surfers appeared, and their numbers only grew as time went on. That pretty much ruined the experience for all of us. Instead of being able to watch the stage, we were dodging kicks from above. Unfortunately, the overall inexperience of the security team also played a role—at times, they did more harm than good. Toward the end of the show, I couldn’t take it anymore and decided to leave. I’m not saying the whole thing was bad, but for me personally, it wasn’t a pleasant experience at all. Of course, the rest of the audience might have seen the show completely differently and enjoyed songs from the new album, such as the opening track “Drunken Dragon,” my favorite “Sam the Brave,” or “Valhalla” in English. They also played a cover of “Dragostea din tei” and some of their older songs like “Schubsetanz” or “Das Elfte Gebot.”
Arch Enemy I only got to enjoy from the side and later from a greater distance. In the mood I was in, I didn’t really enjoy it much. My opinion certainly can’t be objective, but I didn’t like the new singer Lauren Hart at all. I recognized most of the songs only by the guitar melodies, and her vocals didn’t fit in with them at all. But no one has to agree with me.
I only heard the closing act, the young Neckbreaker from Denmark, from my tent, and unfortunately I didn’t pay them much attention. From what I’ve heard, though, they made quite an impression, and plenty of fans gave them a proper reception.

So that was the third Saturday from our perspective. The start looked very promising, but unfortunately, the end of the day wasn’t quite as good. We still have one last day ahead of us, which also featured plenty of great bands, so don’t forget to follow us so you don’t miss our report.

Report by Kerry Lynx, Céline Fetel
Photos by Adrian Hextall, Kerry Lynx (GATE Crasher)