This was the case at ROCK AM RING 2025 with SLEEP TOKEN, KoЯn, POWERWOLF, FALLING IN REVERSE and many more. (Part 3/3)

Automatic translation. Improvements are constantly being worked on.

06.-08.06.2025, Nürburgring

Sunday: Of shooting stars and Arcadia

Time to mobilize the last reserves of strength, get the tired limbs moving and plunge headfirst into the festival frenzy one last time. Those camping on the campsite were thoroughly tired of their clammy clothes by now – but complaining was not an option. Because what awaited us on the final day of the Rock am Ring anniversary was a real treat. The temperatures were somewhere between shivering and chattering, but if you’re cold, you dance! My secret weapon? Merino wool soles. Because warm feet are at least as important on the ring as a functioning mosh pit. The weather? Should actually hold … actually. But we know: The Eifel plays by its own rules – and loves the element of surprise.

Dark omens?

So I found myself at the Orbit Stage in the sunshine – finally without a rain cape in my bag. It was there that Zetra made their Rock am Ring debut. Since signing to Nuclear Blast, the mystical synthrock duo have been on a steep upward trajectory: after tours with Health and Zeal & Ardor, they now not only have the Ring on the agenda, but also the Download Festival and a slot as opener for hotly tipped newcomers President – a brand new band that quite a few see as future competition for Sleep Token. But no sooner had I secured a place in the front row than dark clouds began to gather. A member of security stepped forward and warned us of an impending downpour – advising us to seek shelter under one of the merch stands. Oh, damn. I followed the advice, but the cloud was quicker. It unloaded with full force and so Zetra’s set began in front of just a handful of people as they opened with “Gaia”. As usual, the faces of Adam (guitar/vocals) and Jordan (synth/backing vocals) were covered in gloomy corpse paint and they were dressed in vinyl and leather – Adam barefoot as usual. A picture somewhere between ritual, sci-fi and end-time romance. And although the prelude literally fell into the water, there was an air of cult about the setting.

As if from another world

As quickly as the rain had come, it disappeared again. I made my way straight back to the stage – and with me came more and more curious people who felt drawn to the duo’s dark aesthetic. As the opener faded away, Adam and Jordan looked hesitantly into the audience. Would their synth-heavy music with vocals resonate with the ring rockers – or fizzle out in the cool of the morning? But then: applause, cheers, an audible sigh of relief. A smile flitted across their made-up faces, Adam clenched his fist in relief – now Zetra could start. Their spherical sounds, enchanting melodies and gentle vocals created a dreamlike start to the festival day. You swayed blissfully to the beat, let yourself be carried away by the magic and watched the duo with shining eyes. In addition to songs from their self-titled debut album, they also presented their latest single “So”, and the audience grew with each successive track – along with the first shouts of “Wohoo”. They announced their final “Sacred Song” with a simple “Thank you Germany, we are Zetra” – a piece that began softly, suddenly turned up, even made Adam scream, before calming down again and finally ending in dreamy tranquillity. Thank you for this courage, dear festival organizers – Zetra left a lasting impression. And lo and behold: black-influenced synth music works surprisingly well on the Ring.

Between impact and melancholy

Polaris kicked off the Mandora Stage like a fire engine – with an energetic mix of hard-hitting breakdowns and catchy melodies. Frontman Jamie Hails swept the crowd away, while Rick Schneider, Jake Steinhauser and Daniel Furnari laid down a dense sound foundation that was vocally and instrumentally gripping. But behind the power there was also pain: it was the first festival summer without their late guitarist Ryan Siew. His parts were taken over by touring guitarist Jesse Crofts – an emotional bridge that was deeply moving.

Their latest album “Fatalism”, a posthumous tribute with Siew’s last contributions, established itself at number 1 in the Australian charts. Live, it became clear why the record is being celebrated: Tracks like “Nightmare” and “Inhumane” unloaded with technical finesse and emotional force – a moment when “on stage, our collective pain became the greatest unity”. Anyone who missed this set should urgently catch up: Polaris stand for metalcore with soul – and the really big stages can come.

Phoenix from the ashes

Sometimes you don’t just find a band in the line-up, but a sparkling diamond that shines out of nowhere – for me, this time it was I See Stars. The US band from Warren, Michigan, was already successful in the 2010s before things went noticeably quiet: No new album since 2016, hardly any live presence. It wasn’t until 2023 that they made an impressive comeback. Among other things, with the song that put me on the trail of I See Stars a few months ago: “Anomaly” – an electrifying departure between pain and self-empowerment. Fragile and angry at the same time, it hits you right in the heart. Perhaps because it makes you feel what it’s like to find yourself in chaos. Frontman Devin Oliver, more attractive than a rock star can almost be, wore a black, slightly transparent glitter shirt – small rhinestones sparkled at his temples. His light blonde, carefully draped bun barely withstood his whirlwind-like run and spins on stage during the fast-paced opener “Drift”.

In the vortex of the stars

Very close to the edge of the stage, Devin repeatedly sought out the fans, made eye contact and infected everyone with his radiance. The spark was immediate, the crowd danced, cheered and flew. “How are you feeling, Rock am Ring? We’re so fucking happy to be here with you today. Are you alive?” – his voice, sometimes crystal clear, sometimes energetically screaming, spiraled through the electronic hurricane of metalcore breakdowns, EDM drops and synth magic. With “Running With Scissors”, “Are We 3ven” or the sing-along banger “Split!” it was clear: this show doesn’t just ignite – it burns itself in. Emotional, full of energy, approachable. “This is our last show for a while… Thank you so much. We are I See Stars and we’ll see you next year.” A new album will be released in August – title and release date? Still a secret. As the crowning finale, I See Stars naturally played “Anomaly”, the bittersweet anthem combining fragile, luminous synth surfaces with impulsive vocals that switched from vulnerable clarity to eruptive outbursts. An intense, almost cathartic moment – and a brilliant finale to a performance that felt like a frenzy.

The Eifel blows for the next attack

– and came up trumps again: Wind? Oh no, a real storm! Gusts of wind swept across the site into the evening hours and not only gave the Ringrockers original festival hairstyles, but also the Utopia Stage an extra dose of chaos. Mexican power trio The Warning experienced this first-hand. How are you supposed to sing when your hair is constantly blowing in your face and you need your hands on the strings at the same time? The two guitarists Dany and Ale took it with humor – what else could they do? Ale in particular had to battle with the elements: at one point she wanted to run across the stage, but simply couldn’t get against the wind. Better off was drummer Paulina, whose tightly tied back braid and sunglasses defied the storm with aplomb. But the Villarreal sisters were not to be deterred – and made a loud, powerful rock statement. Songs such as “CHOKE”, “MONEY” or the brand new “S!CK” from the current album “Keep Me Fed” hit the mark: hard and rousing. The Warning impressively demonstrated how much power a female trio can pack – and that modern rock can work without posturing, but with attitude, passion and enthusiasm. No matter what wind forces the Eifel region can muster.

Post-punk as a form of protest

British post-punk provocateurs Idles delivered their festival performance with full force: Joe Talbot literally ripped his soul out, while guitarists Mark Bowen/Lee Kiernan, bassist Adam Devonshire and drummer Jon Beavis erected an energetic wall of sound made of punk, anger and heart. Tracks such as “Never Fight a Man with a Perm”, “Danny Nedelko” and fresh songs from the current album “TANGK” transformed the Mandora Stage into an anarchic force field – somewhere between political incendiary speech and ecstatic pogo. Talbot preached against indifference and for solidarity, cracked the mic and was carried by the crowd in the midst of the chaos – an act of pure self-discharge that got under your skin. The Idles impressively demonstrated why attitude in rock is not only possible, but indispensable.

Wounds, dignity, resurgence

The Ghost Inside left no doubt at ringside as to why their name stands for metalcore with backbone and heart. In front of the restrained black and white backdrop, frontman Jonathan Vigil, guitarist Zach Johnson, Chris Davis, Jim Riley and drummer Andrew Tkaczyk unleashed an emotionally charged set – dressed entirely in keeping with the aesthetic: black, white, reduced. A visual unity that reinforced the powerful interplay of toughness and hope. With songs such as “Engine 45”, “Avalanche” and material from the current album “Searching for Solace”, they turned the stage into an outlet for collective liberation – pure goosebumps. Their show was a real intensive course in emotion and power: breakdown-laden metalcore, sing-along moments and crowd wall-of-death action before Vigil paused in the middle of the set. He paid tribute to the unwavering support of the fans since the serious bus accident in 2015 – a poignant moment that made the band’s incredible comeback story palpable.

A maelstrom of sound and ecstasy

When Lorna Shore entered the Mandora Stage, you could tell: No stone would be left unturned here. Frontman Will Ramos – an apparition between demon and conductor – was enthroned on a specially erected platform on the catwalk, from where he directed the raging crowd with almost magical attraction until they lost themselves in devoted ecstasy. “Are you ready for a fucking good time? Open that shit up!”, he shouted – and ignited a fire that turned into a brute hell ride with “Sun Eater”. Crowdsurfers flew in streams, Bengalos fizzled out, security forces intervened with presence of mind – and in the middle of it all, this one surreal moment: Ramos, in the shimmering sunset, surrounded by a considerable swarm of flying bodies. A scene straight out of a dark dream. “It’s been a fucking bucketlist of mine!” cheered Will, who gave himself to his audience with every fiber. With songs like the newcomer “Oblivion” and the viral hit “To the Hellfire”, the band showed why they are considered the spearhead of modern deathcore: Brute breakdowns, deep black growls, pig squeals and an energy that set the stage on fire. By the gripping “Pain Remains” trilogy at the latest, the pure adrenaline gave way to a kind of dark sublimity. During “Dancing Like Flames” and “In a Sea of Fire”, it became clear that this wasn’t just a concert. It was an inferno. And a promise that Lorna Shore will not remain a side note at the Ring – but a fixture.

Open fire for the anti-hero

Falling in Reverse delivered a show that overwhelmed all the senses: a firework display of genre bending, ego staging and outrageously good live energy. Ronnie Radke, despite – or perhaps because of – his provocative manner a somehow charismatic frontman, juggled effortlessly with his band through metalcore, chanting, pop-punk and stadium rock. Songs such as “Popular Monster”, “Voices in My Head” and the new single “Ronald” caused a collective freak-out – but when “Watch the World Burn” kicked in, the mood turned completely insane. Pyros from all directions, fire fountains even from the video towers – the ring felt like it was on fire. The crowd went wild, sang, screamed – completely unleashed. The fact that Ronnie skipped the current, intense ballad “God Is a Woman”, which he recorded together with Marilyn Manson, was the only downer. As a farewell, “We Are the Champions” by Queen played across the grounds, and thousands and thousands of voices sang along fervently. A memorable performance with great spectacle, but also surprisingly positive announcements – provocation or not – this band is a force to be reckoned with live.

A symphonic spectacle

Powerwolf transforms the infield into a bombastic metal mass: Attila Dorn, Falk Maria Schlegel, the Greywolf brothers and Roel van Helden staged a theatrical mass of anthems and headbangers on several stage levels, with an organ atmosphere and pyrotechnic pathos. Classics such as “Amen & Attack” and “Demons Are a Girl’s Best Friend” struck straight to the heart – while the new material from the album “Wake Up the Wicked” burst over the crowd with infernal power. Between sacred bombast and fantasy-like images, the whole thing felt like a metal opera or scene from a fantasy movie. For the Powerwolf fans, it was more than just a concert – it was a heavy sacra, a ritualized metal outburst in XXL style.

Nu Metal in its purest form

KoЯn made the Utopia Stage shake and showed the ring that they are still the kings of nu-metal. Frontman Jonathan Davis tore the crowd apart with his bloodcurdling “Are you ready?” shout: “Blind”, “Twist”, “Got the Life” – the classics thundered through the pit like cannons, while Davis celebrated with relish and drove the crowd into a frenzy. KoЯn’s strength lies in playing with contrasts: metal heaviness, rap attitude and a dark soundscape that merges live into a single thrust of energy. Particularly epic: when the frontman played the bagpipes during “Shoots and Ladders”. A goosebump moment – between fog, thunderstorms of light and an audience that fell silent for seconds before everything exploded. The primal sound was like a dark ritual that tore open the night and gave goosebumps to the last row. A brute pit formed for “Falling Away from Me” and “Twisted Transistor”, while drummer Ray Luzier juggled his drumsticks as if it was all just a casual warm-up. Even a policeman pulled out his cell phone and filmed a song for his private memory archive – when music goes deep, even duty loses its heaviness. A set like a maelstrom: intense, uncompromising, full of iconic power – and KoЯn right in the middle of it all as the undisputed high priests of a genre that they themselves co-founded.

Arcadia awaits at the end

As we all know, the best is saved for last – and Rock am Ring knows how to stage a finale. While other festivals often rush through their headliners, here you get the full package: a set that is allowed to breathe, grow and unfold. And who could be better suited for such a musical development than Sleep Token – the mysterious formation that is currently considered the most successful metal band in the world. The hype? Huge. The expectations? Gigantic. But recently a slight doubt crept in: Could they live up to these tons of expectation? The answer came with the new album “Even in Arcadia”, which ushers in a new era not only musically but also visually – away from the dark heaviness and escalation of “Take Me Back to Eden” and towards light, transcendence and a sacred tenderness that takes on an overwhelming shape live. A black curtain covered the stage. And then: “Look to Windward”. Vessel began to sing extremely softly, almost fragile. The singers from Espera entered cautiously – a moment full of goosebumps and tense anticipation. As the curtain rushed to the floor in a powerful breakdown, a stage set like something out of a dream was revealed: multi-storey, modular platforms with artificial rock facades, gothic towers, arches and tendrils of pink flowers. It looked like a sacred hall – like Arcadia itself.

Under the spell of another reality

Sleep Token didn’t just stand on stage – they celebrated. Vessel and his musicians I, II, III wore new, black frocks with golden edges. Their masks: more delicate, more elegant, more mysterious than ever before. Even the live images on the screens were framed by digital rocks and flowers. An image of almost sacred beauty. “The Offering” was accompanied by the dance that makes Vessel so unique – a physical ritual. As if the music itself was taking possession of him, he tore across the stage in jerky, ecstatic movements, every twitch, every gesture an expression of the deepest devotion. It was as if the sound was pressing through his veins – and his body obeyed. Which left me no peace: The confetti trickled down gently for almost the entire duration of the set – quietly, steadily, as if it were part of a higher plan. How was that possible? The visual magic of “Even in Arcadia” was omnipresent – so detailed, so well thought out. For the song “Emergence”, Vessel climbed onto the middle platform, where a piano was enthroned like an altar. He sat down and began to play – the crowd followed this performance, dedicated to their deity “Sleep”, speechless. Even the saxophone part of the piece found its way onto the stage, where a player emerged from the gallery and performed the solo. There was an almost reverent silence between the songs. The crowd was spellbound – you could have heard a pin drop had it not been for the bass-heavy demolition of Brutalism 3000 coming from the Orbit Stage. A small disruptive factor in the midst of an otherwise flawless setting. A collective murmur went through the audience when “Alkaline” started – this track has a hypnotic power live that completely captivates you. And while everyone was still listening spellbound, it already merged with “Hypnosis” – a transition of beguiling perfection and intense beauty. You couldn’t get enough of it as Vessel swept across the stage again – like a shadow that had become light.

And suddenly the ring holds its breath

At the latest when “Rain” was played, the last doubts disappeared: Sleep Token showed all haters in an impressive way what they are capable of. Suddenly, a real waterfall rushed down under the band’s logo – not a light effect, not a projection, but pure, flowing water! Incredulous looks, collective amazement. The flowers on the rocks glowed in vibrant colors, as if they wanted to capture the moment forever. You hardly reached for your cell phone that night – the feeling of being part of this other world was too strong. Well-known songs and new material flowed into each other like two united streams – and flooded the senses. The delicate chimes of “Caramel” set in, and when Vessel breathed: “Stick to me like Caramel”, we were inseparably glued to Sleep Token that night. The song built up like a storm of emotion – and erupted in frenetic cheers. With the force of “The Summoning”, ecstasy raced through the crowd, “Higher” left us speechless, so powerful was the contrast between fragility and harshness. After the gently floating ballad “Damocles”, the stage was once again shrouded in darkness. Then, almost like an awakening: The screens lit up, revealing a silent, glowing forest. Light penetrated the darkness, delicate birdsong began – as if Arcadia itself was holding its breath. The waterfall fell one last time to “Take Me Back to Eden”, confetti danced like leaves in the wind and the heavy guitar riffs gently carried us out of this world. A finale so moving that many simply stood there – amazed, moved, speechless. A concert like a revelation. A farewell like a promise. And a moment that you keep in your heart, as if you had really touched Eden. People lay in each other’s arms. Standing in the middle of the night on the huge grounds. There was a gradual sense of departure and yet at that moment you wanted to hug the whole world!

Reverberations and an inspiring outlook

The festival is now a few days behind us – and as I write these lines, all I can think is: “Take Me Back to Eden!” But now we have to wait another year until Rock am Ring opens its doors again. However, a real sensation was announced on site: Linkin Park will finally return to the Ring in 2026. Pre-sales have already started – and have broken records straight away: Over 50,000 tickets have already been sold. We too are already full of anticipation – see you in 2026, Rock am Ring!

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