LIVE REVIEW: HELL’S HEROES VI

One of the best events for true underground metal succeeds in making dreams come true despite occasional technical hiccups, logistical issues and Mother Nature!

After attending last year’s Hell’s Heroes event and having an absolute blast, I knew I would have to make a return to Houston, Texas if the following year’s lineup showed promise. To say that the masterminds behind the event delivered the goods is a slight understatement. Take a look at this monstrous assemblage of heavy metal’s eldest, truest, and newest acts:

When I saw Eternal Champion, Sumerlands, Wytch Hazel, and the almighty Cauldron on that lineup, I did not hesitate to buy a ticket as soon as that bi-weekly paycheck dropped into my bank balance. All I had to do was wait a few months, make my way back to the fine city of Houston and get ready to headbang once again. Despite air travel in the United States becoming a bit spooky in recent months, I made it there and back in one piece! Let’s break down the show itself day by day:

Thursday: Day 1

Day 1 of the show was an interesting mix of ups and downs with weather being a problem throughout the day. Right after Destructor‘s set, the venue was evacuated due to a tornado warning! We waited outside for about thirty minutes before being let back in and the show resumed with an ultra-short set from Autopsy. My personal highlights from Day 1 were an incredible set by Girlschool on their final North American tour, DORO tearing the house down, Helstar playing their Nosferatu album in full, Night Demon playing a fun set that was almost all cover songs, and the doom metal majesty of Candlemass playing their Nightfall album in full. Unfortunately, due to strict noise ordinances in the area, the set was cut short halfway through Under The Oak. At least they got to complete the Nightfall album! We’ll get into more of the timing issues later in this recap.

Day 2: Friday

Day 2 was a muddy but more fun day in the sun. To the surprise of absolutely no one, Agent Steel pulled out of the festival and the festival’s promoters said a surprise fill-in would take their place. In a shocking, bizarre, but somehow fitting twist, Helstar returned to play a totally different set of songs. You can tell they love their hometown and they even played an Agent Steel song to close their set!

Seeing Eternal Champion play live was a dream come true for me. Living in Northern California, I never expected these true metal stalwarts to come up to our barren wastes, so I knew I had to take action and fly to where they were. This was one of the reasons I bought a ticket and they more than delivered with the time they were given, which allowed them to play the Ravening Iron album in full. The only complaint I have is that the second guitar was barely audible, which was a frequent problem throughout the festival and it didn’t seem to be ironed out until the final day.

The grand return of Cauldron was another bucket list item I got to mark off! I love this band and seeing them back in action after so many years away was genuinely heartwarming. The performance itself was incredible and the vibe in the room was electric. It was my first time seeing them live and I hope it won’t be the last. The “Heroes” part of Hell’s Heroes was made manifest right here. This ate into the fantastic Queensryche set a little bit, but it was well worth it for true NWOTHM aficionados.

Day 3: Saturday

The third day of the fest was the most eclectic of all but it was one hell of a showing from everyone involved. The weather was much kinder to everyone so we didn’t have to worry about sidestepping mud as we went back and forth between the indoor and outdoor stage.

Sumerlands were absolutely incredible. The performance was immaculate and no sound issues were afoot to plague the twin-guitar act like what happened to many other over the previous two days. It was like hearing raw, rip-roaring versions of the tracks from the two albums. This was another reason why I purchased a ticket in the first place and I was on top of the world during this iconic performance.

Cirith Ungol also brought the goods! Seeing these underground legends live was one of those things I never expected to see when I was a wee, young lad sitting in the back of my biology classroom using the computer to read about metal bands of yore! The pandemic took a chunk out of the time we had left for this band to assert their dominance across the world, but at least they are ending things strongly on their own terms.

Wytch Hazel played their first ever US show on Day 3 and it was spectacular. Their wonderful musicianship and infectious energy made them fit in perfectly. Catching this band during their improbable yet meteoric rise in the metal movement is a memory that will stick with me for many years.

Respect must absolutely be paid to the great and powerful Sodom, who played all of the great songs you would hope to hear from them, as well as some fun deep cuts for the more hardcore members of their fanbase. The crowd went absolutely nuts, with shoes, beer cans, trash bins, and even diminutive metal fans being tossed into the air at many points. This was the perfect way to end a tremendous festival.

Wrapping Up:

Hell’s Heroes VI made many of my dreams come true and for that reason alone it will be a treasured memory. It was easily even better than last year’s show, which I was in attendance for as well. I have a hard time imagining how they could top themselves but only time will tell! If you are considering going to this fest some day, don’t hesitate. Houston is an interesting place in itself and meeting like-minded people while seeing some of the best bands of all time is the kind of thing that gets my highest recommendation. Go to Hell, be a hero, and have a time you’ll never forget.