FESTIVAL REVIEW: FOE Fest 2026

If your head’s still screwed on after FOE Fest you’re doing it wrong. With a non-stop, relentless seven hours’ worth of thrash, hardcore, punk and metal crammed into one afternoon, skaters shredding left, right and centre as well as the temptations of arcade games calling to you like a siren in the ocean, it’s probably the most radical day fest out there at the moment.

Taking place over two stages at Shredenhams (formerly Debenhams, your mum’s going to have to get her knickers elsewhere, sorry), we were treated to some of the most rampageously blistering firepower these sub-genres had to offer.

To say the crowd was up for it is an understatement. The pits opened ceremoniously from the first notes and the two-steps started from the get go. With that being said, it’s hard to pick out a champion of the day based purely on audience reaction. But with so many heavyweights fighting for your attention, it’s only fitting we pick out some standouts.

MONOCHROME – Josh Clapham Stage

Probably our favourite find of the day. Taking the crown at Metal 2 the Masses in 2025, this set was another reminder of why MONOCHROME are a band forging a path of their own and certainly one to have on your radar. If we’re going to be picky, the softer more melodic choruses got lost in the mix but as is the way with DIY venues. If anything, it’s testament to the fact that despite the ferocity they unleash upon an unsuspecting audience, they’ve got a unique sound that deserves a bit of nuance and sets them apart as the most uniquely interesting acts of the day. Nevertheless, they found their way onto our Spotify playlists on Sunday morning and haven’t left since. As this band builds and plays bigger rooms, it’s going to be exciting to see how they evolve.

Rating: 8/10

HUMAN DECEIT – Main Stage 

Another stonker of a band that we stumbled across on the day. We love it when a band looks like they’re having the time of their lives on stage and HUMAN DECEIT did just that. Their enthusiasm on stage was infectious and if anything, everyone caught the bug by the time their set came to a conclusion. With a full day of ripping solos echoing around Bristol, HUMAN DECEIT‘s lead guitarist stood out as a highlight of the day. We only wish they had a second guitarist manning the riffs so as to elevate the whole sound. But as a whole, the Nottingham based hardcore outfit stood their ground against some major players. A David in a sea of Goliaths.

Rating: 7/10

OVERPOWER – Main Stage

Donned in chainmail and out for blood, Bristolian hometown heroes OVERPOWER took the stage in probably the most pulverising set of the day. There’s a real thick density to their sound which elbowed there way to the front of our consciousness when reminiscing the festival. Mostly thanks to the meaty breakdowns and guttural vocals of Matt Howson. Heroes of Bristol and of the scene in general, there was a real anticipation for their set which they grabbed with both hands to clobber home a legendary set.

Rating: 9/10

JAWLESS – Josh Clapham Stage

Taking to the stage midway through the day and having to follow the aforementioned bludgeoning set of OVERPOWER is no easy feat by any stretch. But London based hardcore punk outfit JAWLESS were the perfect band to stamp out any midway lagging. JAWLESS are like a shot of adrenaline in the ass when all you needed was coffee. Far from the heaviest band on the bill, what they lacked in beefy riffs they more than made up for in high energy punk rock. Getting the crowd moving and refusing to take no for an answer, lead singer Theresa Vendetta pretty much bullied the audience into having a good time and we were all for it. With a cheeky cover of BEASTIE BOYS‘ Fight For Your Right in the mix, they really put on a beauty of a set.

Rating: 7/10

DEFIANCE – Main Stage

German hardcore band DEFIANCE are a band that can weather any tempest of rage. But above all else, DEFIANCE stood out because they truly encapsulate the spirit of genre. They stood shoulder to shoulder and made their case for most explosive set, but specifically took time out to recognise inclusivity in the scene. Not that there was any form of discrimination at FOE Fest, but it’s a welcome reminder that outside of the hallowed walls of Shredenhams there’s a bigger fight than any you’d find in the pit. For that, we’re always going to tip our hat.

Rating: 7/10

GROVE STREET – Main Stage

Headlining FOE Fest was the mammoth and utterly earth-shattering outfit that is GROVE STREET. Thrash metal at its finest, GROVE STREET proved why they deserved top spot and are leading the game in British thrash. For anyone familiar with the Southampton legends, the rampage was as spicy and enigmatic as ever as they piled riff after riff on any Bristolian who passed through the door. With some big breakdowns thrown into the mix, the riff to breakdown ratio was as finessed as a cheese and wine pairing at the Ritz. As they called out “Bristol, are you with us?” midway through the set, it was the most bombastic of rhetorical questions as the pit gave their all to offer a turbulent set to top off the most explosive day Bristol has seen in a while.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the day’s action from Serena Hill Photography here; 

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