Το άρθρο METALLICA – “CREEPING DEATH” & “KING NOTHING” (LIVE IN ATHENS, GREECE – 09/05/2026) εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

by Dimitris Zacharopoulos

photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)

As one of the three greatest metal bands of all time, Metallica had been away from Greece for many years. I had, of course, admired them and experienced the power of a Metallica live show several times in the past. Even so, every single time you see this colossal band, it feels special and carries its own great significance. And a Metallica concert is always a great spectacle. This time, however, their performance would be an astonishing production unlike anything seen before. It was not just the fact that they would be playing at the Olympic Stadium (Athens), but that they would perform on a 360-degree stage placed at the very center of the stadium, surrounded by eight towering axes/video walls. As you can imagine, the entire setup was something unprecedented, fully worthy of Metallica’s legendary reputation and immense stature. The unbelievably fast sell-out and the circular stage had already prepared us for a concert destined to make history. And it truly did.
After many months of anticipation, the big day had finally arrived. Metallica were about to perform for us, and everyone’s excitement had reached its peak. After all, the opening of the Metallica pop-up shop in Athens had already set the mood, drawing us even deeper into the experience and intensifying the anticipation even more. And so, we arrived at May 9th, a day that, as you can imagine, belonged entirely to the great Metallica family. We were going to see Metallica — and at that moment, nothing else mattered.
By midday, we had put on our short-sleeved band shirts and jeans. It was a bright, warm day, with just enough of a cool breeze to make it perfect, and we set off for the Olympic Stadium (Athens). The streets were packed with metalheads; the whole city seemed to be living for the concert of the year. We made our way to the electric railway station, thinking we would easily catch the train that would take us close to the stadium. Not a chance. Every train that arrived was already crammed with people, so full that there was simply no way for us to get on. After letting three packed trains pass, we finally spotted a tiny opening on the next one and somehow managed to squeeze ourselves in. Packed together like sardines, we soon arrived at Eirini Station, stepped out, and instantly became part of the massive crowd flowing toward the stadium. We walked quickly, and at last we reached our seats. Settling in comfortably, we waited for Metallica to take the stage.

Even though we arrived at the very last moment, we still managed to catch the first support act of the day, Knocked Loose. The truth is, I did not know much about them beforehand, so it was only natural that I was caught off guard when they launched into their set. Their songs move at the crossroads of metalcore, hardcore, and punk, with touches of nu metal here and there. They struck me as extreme in every possible way: their sound was deafening, their groove flattened everything in its path, the guitars sliced through the air like blades, and the vocals sounded sick, raw, and completely torn apart. The overall result was a bit too hardcore for my personal taste, and I do not really think Knocked Loose were the ideal support band for Metallica. Still, we have to admit that they achieved exactly what they were there to do: warm up the crowd, which slowly but surely began headbanging and opening up mosh pits. It was clear that this is a band with vision and character. Everyone could sense that if they pay close attention to the finer details of their songwriting and arrangements, they are more than capable of delivering truly great things in the future. And with that, Knocked Loose’s performance came to an end, and from that moment on, all eyes were fixed on Gojira.

The French progressive death metallers did not take long to step onto the circular stage that had been set up for Metallica. The crowd filling both the arena and the stands of the Olympic Stadium (Athens) erupted in cheers the moment they appeared. After their remarkable performance at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, the Frenchmen have truly become metal superstars, and that aura, that commanding presence, was evident throughout their entire set. Just watching them, you could immediately tell that this is a major band. Their sound was precise and powerful, their chemistry admirable, and the way they reproduced their studio recordings live was deeply impressive. But beyond all that technical excellence, Gojira possess what matters most: truly outstanding songs, the very foundation upon which their greatness is built. Yes, it was still early evening, and naturally everyone already had Metallica on their minds. Yet those circumstances did not unsettle Joe Duplantier and his bandmates in the slightest. They gave absolutely everything to win over the audience. And they succeeded. They proved their worth and prepared us in the finest and most high-quality way possible for what was still to come.

The big moment was drawing near, and nothing could hold us back. The instant the video walls displayed the official concert poster, absolute chaos erupted inside the Olympic Stadium. In fact, the fans in the stands began creating continuous waves, just like at a football match. It was a fantastic experience, an incredible atmosphere, a true celebration of joy. We were all so happy to be there, about to witness Metallica — some for another one time, others for the very first. United and completely fired up, we were ready to explode. And then, finally, it happened. First came AC/DC’s iconic “It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock n’ Roll)”, followed by Ennio Morricone’s immortal “Ecstasy of Gold”, now the traditional intro to Metallica’s live shows. The packed stadium — more than 80,000 people strong — rose to its feet and gave the four metal superstars a thunderous welcome. And what a dreamlike opening it was. They launched straight into “Creeping Death”, sending the entire crowd into madness. The momentum continued with “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, as flares lit up the night and complete chaos took over. Since this was not a “No Repeat Weekend” show, Metallica delivered their greatest hits — a divine best-of setlist that brought every fan’s fantasy to life. And the classics kept coming: “Fade to Black”, “Master of Puppets”, “One”, “Sad But True”, “King Nothing”, “Moth Into Flame” and “Fuel”, all shook the stadium to its foundations. Thankfully, the emotional highlights were there too, with the deeply moving “The Unforgiven” and “Nothing Else Matters”, moments that brought a different kind of intensity to the night. Of course, they could have played a few more tracks from “Master of Puppets” and “…And Justice for All”, but let’s not ask for absolutely everything.
The experience of witnessing Metallica live and hearing the songs we grew up with performed by their very creators was something else entirely — absolutely thrilling. Tears of joy streamed down many faces and heartbeats raced! These were irreplaceable moments, the kind of memories no one would ever trade for anything. Only a true fan can fully understand what I mean … For the older ones, it made us feel young again; for the younger ones, it was a moment that made them grow. It was pure delirium.
Metallica were clearly in tremendous spirits, and that energy helped them deliver at the highest possible level. They performed their anthems flawlessly, with tight and often slightly reworked interpretations, never allowing minor technical issues — like the brief drum problem during “One” — to distract them for even a moment. Just as importantly, the four musicians were genuinely enjoying themselves, and that translated into fantastic communication with the crowd. James Hetfield, as the natural frontman, spoke to us the most and constantly played off the audience’s energy, but Kirk Hammett, Robert Trujillo and Lars Ulrich also each took their turn addressing the crowd, each leaving their own distinct mark on the night. What especially impressed me was what Hammett said about Greek culture and music theory, acknowledging how it was born in Athens through Pythagoras. And of course, there was the unforgettable Hammett–Trujillo doodle, when they performed the theme from “Zorba the Greek” along with part of “Den Horas Pouthena” by Tripes. The crowd below completely lost its mind — no one was expecting any of that.
Overall, the sound was extremely powerful — among the best I have ever experienced at a concert, the lighting was perfectly executed, and the entire circular stage concept truly felt like a one-of-a-kind experience. It was, without a doubt, a massive production, one that will be remembered for years and has set the bar incredibly high for future rock and metal shows. It really makes you wonder how other live performances will compare now, because so many of them might suddenly feel smaller and less impactful. The only slight drawback I could point out regarding the circular stage is that at certain points it was quite low, meaning that people in the arena didn’t always have a clear view of the band.
After “Enter Sandman”, the curtain fell in triumphant fashion, with Metallica saying goodbye, thanking us, and throwing out a huge number of guitar picks — far more than anyone could count. This incredible live show came to an end in a truly celebratory atmosphere, while we were still trying to process everything we had just experienced. In my opinion, it was the best Metallica concert I have ever seen, and one of the greatest rock/metal live shows ever held in Greece. Ever.
Shortly before midnight, we left the Olympic Stadium and started our way back home. With the best memories in our minds, the sound of Metallica still echoing in our heads, and an overwhelming sense of happiness, we were floating in a sea of pure joy. Anyone who attended that concert will have stories to tell for a lifetime. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before we see Metallica on stage again. Until then, we have plenty of beautiful moments to remember.

Το άρθρο METALLICA, GOJIRA, KNOCKED LOOSE – OAKA, ATHENS, GREECE – 09/05/2026 εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.

“Wow!! Massive thanks to the #MetallicaFamily in Greece for setting a new attendance record Saturday night at Athens Olympic Stadium! Over 90,000 of you packed in, and trust us… we could feel it! We couldn’t think of a better way to kick off this leg of the #M72 World Tour”.

It was an amazing heavy metal concert indeed, which left super-satisfied both the band and its fans! A great moment in metal history!

Το άρθρο METALLICA THANK ATHENS! εμφανίστηκε πρώτα στο Myth Of Rock.