After the success of the first Heavy Psych Sounds Fest Athens last year, its return this year was absolutely necessary. In 2025, we witnessed many great bands in a packed heavy rock festival, a true oasis of heavy, powerful music for all fans of the broader genre. What started so well last year continued this year with equal success. Heavy Psych Sounds Fest Athens 2026 turned out wonderfully, offering us many beautiful moments.
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)
This year’s Heavy Psych Sounds Fest Athens took place at Arch Club and Rox Music Hall. Unlike last year, these two live venues were not connected in any way, so moving between them was not easy for the audience. Although the venues were next to each other, in order to enter one, you had to exit the other first. As a result, we were inconvenienced and lost valuable time, sometimes even missing the beginning of certain bands’ sets.
I would also like to point out that I initially had some reservations about one of the venues, Rox Music Hall, since it is usually a venue associated with Greek folk music entertainment and, as is well known, such places have their own distinct layout and aesthetic. However, any doubts I had quickly disappeared, as the organizers had arranged the space properly and Rox Music Hall was transformed into a spacious and fully suitable rock venue.
Let’s go through what happened each day separately.
Friday, 3rd April 2026
Fuzzrider: The festival officially kicked off with Fuzzrider. They are a Greek power trio whose members have spent years active in the country’s heavy rock scene. They appeared fully focused on their craft, which is rooted in heavy blues. With a strong sound and excellent cohesion, they impressed the small crowd that had arrived early at Arch Club. Their compositions sounded flawless and genuinely sparked my interest. A band definitely worth checking out.
Komatsu: Next up were Komatsu. The Dutch trio came in with full force, delivering their stoner rock in a raw, impulsive, and unrestrained way. I wasn’t familiar with them beforehand, but it quickly became clear they have strong songwriting skills and know exactly how to translate them into a live setting. They also went down very well with the crowd, earning a solid and enthusiastic response. Without a doubt, they belong among the most notable heavy rock acts of the day. Definitely don’t miss them — they still have a lot more to offer.
Monsternaut: It was my first time coming across Monsternaut, but the band from Finland is anything but average or unremarkable. With heavy metal riffs and stoner rock grooves as their foundation, Monsternaut blended stoner/doom rock with classic ’80s metal right in front of us. From their intensity and sheer onstage energy, it was easy to realize that the Finns are a seasoned, capable band that knows exactly what it plays and how to deliver it. These stoner metalheads are absolutely wild!
Oreyeon: Oreyeon come from Italy and brought their stoner rock songs to the stage, which, to be honest, didn’t impress me that much. I also wasn’t a big fan of their electronically processed, distorted vocals. That said, they did have power and attitude, a solid sound, tight cohesion, and their own visual and musical identity, along with a grunge/alternative rock edge in their style. If they focus on strengthening their better elements, they could definitely look ahead to a more promising future.
The Cosmic Dead: The surprise of the night came from The Cosmic Dead! The Scottish band delivered their material and absolutely impressed with their mind-blowing kraut hard rock sound. We’re talking about an incredible performance that shook everyone lucky enough to already be inside the venue. A trio as well, they showed us what electronic-tinged rock sounds like in 2026—no doubt their German mentors would be watching proudly! I got seriously hyped, just like many others at Rox. I’m definitely going to dig out some forgotten ’70s vinyl records after this!
Colour Haze: Colour Haze are a historic name in the heavy music scene, and that was immediately obvious from their truly enjoyable set. The Germans were relentless and passionate in their performance, diving into their noisy yet refined brand of heavy rock. It was my first time seeing the band live, and it instantly became clear why they are held in such high regard. Their decades of experience and sheer musical skill really stood out. A special mention goes to their keyboard player, who performed with both restraint and a strong sense of leadership, guiding the sound in a very distinctive way. Absolute legends—Colour Haze delivered on every level!
Witchthroat Serpent: Witchthroat Serpent are a band with strong classic metal roots, and they delivered a loud and imposing set. However, what was missing for me were truly strong songs. It’s not that their material is without value, but rather that they don’t quite reach the compositional level needed to really spark excitement. Especially at that point in the day, after six bands and just before Naxatras were due to come on, the impact felt a bit diluted. Still, Witchthroat Serpent did what they could, and overall, the time passed in an enjoyable way.
Naxatras: So we finally reached the headliners of the first day! Naxatras need no introduction, as most of us already know this Greek band is at the very top of its genre. The crowd, which had filled Rox, erupted with excitement as the five musicians took the stage, embracing them from the very first notes. With an excellent sound and great energy, Naxatras delivered a best-of set and were met with full-on celebration. I can even say that compared to the last time I saw them, they felt even tighter and more relaxed in their performance. We had an amazing time with their stunning cosmic blend of psychedelic, prog, space, and hard rock. Personally, I kept being impressed by the percussionist, while I was also blown away by how naturally and wisely they incorporate ethnic elements into their sound. It was a magical live show that closed the first day of the festival in a powerful and celebratory way.
An hour after midnight, the curtain finally fell. The undisputed stars of the first day were Naxatras, while the biggest surprise, in my personal opinion, were The Cosmic Dead. Tired but fully satisfied, we called it a night and set our sights on the next day.
