September 12th and 13th, 2025 were not just ordinary dates. On the contrary, those days marked a historic event for Greece: the first Rock Hard Festival took place on Greek soil. A festival that is already a well-established institution abroad was finally hosted in our country—and it was a huge success in every respect! For two days, the Technopolis of the Municipality of Athens became the capital of metal in Greece, hosting both Greek and international bands, attracting a massive crowd from Greece and abroad, and giving us the chance to feast on plenty of quality heavy metal! Myth of Rock was present at this great metal celebration, and below you can read everything that happened during this fiery, metal-filled two-day event!
by Dimitris Zacharopoulos
photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)
Day one (1)
We arrived at the festival grounds early, in order to secure a good spot up front, set up our gear, and get organized. Already, the first eager metalheads had camped out in front of the main stage, also waiting in anticipation for the official kickoff of the very first Rock Hard Festival Greece.
Ganzi Gun: The first band of the festival’s opening day was Ganzi Gun. The Greek modern heavy rockers are one of the finest bands in the local heavy rock scene, and since I really enjoyed their album “Time Is Now”, I was eagerly awaiting their set. It was also the first time I would see them perform with their current vocalist. They stormed onto the stage and kicked things off with passion, intensity, and power. For half an hour, we got to hear some of their best songs—I especially loved their guitars, and it became clear to me why Nikos Melas fits perfectly with the band’s sound. Even though they played under the scorching sun, Ganzi Gun gave us plenty of great moments, filling us with positive energy!
Cobra Spell: A new act surrounded by crazy hype, an almost all-female band that grabs everyone’s attention—Cobra Spell were the next group to hit the stage. Wasting no time, they stepped onto the boards and unleashed their dynamic riffs and fiery melodies. It was my first encounter with them, and I must say I was impressed by both the quality of their songwriting and their technical skills. Artistically, they may lean heavily into clichés, but they radiate a sweeping enthusiasm and youthful energy that makes Cobra Spell simply delightful! As it turned out, they have plenty of great things to offer, and if they polish the details, nothing will be able to stop them. Yes—the hype we mentioned earlier is absolutely justified!
InnerWish: And then it was time for InnerWish! I had been waiting for this live performance for quite some time, and when the band hit the stage, they gave it everything they had. With broad smiles on their faces, the Greek power metallers delivered a stunning display of melodic metal, choosing to play some of the finest songs of their career. Their performance was incredible—their passion and zeal spread instantly to the crowd, who kept headbanging nonstop to the divine riffs and infectious melodies. Special mention must be made of George Eikosipentakis’ captivating vocals; he completely commanded the stage with his beautiful voice. For 50 minutes, we indulged in the intoxicating and addictive power metal of InnerWish, who once again proved what a great and important band they are. As Greeks, we should all be proud to have such a band representing our scene!
Overkill: Next up were the legends of American metal, Overkill. It was the first time I had the chance to see Overkill live, but I already knew what to expect—an unrelenting assault, a fierce attack, a speed/thrash metal frenzy from a legendary band that holds its own glorious chapter in the Bible of heavy metal. When Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth stormed onto the stage, chaos erupted in the Technopolis arena, now almost packed to capacity, and the cannons of Overkill started firing! One classic thrash anthem followed another, the five musicians playing as if there were no tomorrow. D.D. Verni dominated the stage with his bass alongside Bobby, and for a full hour Overkill tortured us with their Motörhead-inspired brand of thrash metal. We were hungry for more, and the Americans bombarded us with their filthy, steel-forged anthems. Overkill crushed us, flattening everything in their path like a steamroller! But this dreamlike set eventually had to end, as the clock struck a quarter to ten.
HammerFall: Having released a very strong album (“Avenge The Fallen”), HammerFall arrived in Athens with the air of triumphant conquerors. Indeed, in recent years HammerFall have reached their most mature and wise period; they know exactly who they are and what they can do, and that confidence radiates from their live shows, which are nothing short of exemplary. And truly, HammerFall made a striking and imposing entrance at Technopolis, delivering those first true metal notes. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, fueling the Swedes, who were already on fire. Their performance was crushing, their sound flawless, and with immense passion and intensity, they completely commanded the fans, who sang along and headbanged furiously. With a setlist that was very strong (though I would have loved to hear more from their debut), HammerFall gave everything they had to please us. It was a true celebration of melodic heavy metal—we asked HammerFall for molten steel, and they gave it to us and then some! Today, HammerFall are without question a metal juggernaut, fully deserving of headliner status—each of their shows is an emphatic victory, a crescendo of epic, hymn-like heavy metal! After we got our mighty HammerFall dose and the band left the stage, we began our way home, filled with great feelings and unforgettable experiences.
