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This week makes the choice hard: from 3 to 9 August there are over 45 shows across 14 cities between Aachen and Osnabrück – Bay Area thrash, an NYHC anniversary, three festivals and one German date that happens exactly once.
Opeth play their only German show
Friday at the Amphitheater Nordsternpark in Gelsenkirchen: Opeth play exactly one concert in Germany in 2026 – and it happens in NRW. The Swedes bring Candlemass, the inventors of epic doom metal, and retro rockers Hallas. An amphitheatre by the canal, progressive death metal at dusk – it does not get better this summer.
Thrash summit in Cologne
The same evening, three Bay Area institutions stack up on one ticket at the Essigfabrik: Testament, Death Angel and Metal Church. If you love eighties riffs, this is a public holiday.
On Wednesday Soulfly push the tribal grooves of their new album through Matrix Bochum (support: Arriving Home), while Animals As Leaders turn Kulttempel Oberhausen into a masterclass for eight-string guitar. That same night at Turock Essen, US prog metal legends Crimson Glory meet young guns Wings Of Steel – a double headline, no opener. Tuesday brings Corrosion Of Conformity to Cologne's Gebäude 9, Thursday the Turock hosts Armored Saint. And on Friday Kittie, Crypta and Vexed bring an all-female-fronted metal bill to Gebäude 9.
Hardcore: 40 years of "Age of Quarrel"
Monday, Cro-Mags open the week at Bastard Club Osnabrück – celebrating 40 years of "Age of Quarrel", the record without which crossover would not exist. Agnostic Front follow up three times over: Wednesday at Musikbunker Aachen, Thursday at Vortex Surfer Siegen (sold out) and Sunday for a matinee at the Turock. The Ghost Inside are completely sold out at Dortmund's Junkyard on Thursday – if you missed out, Tuesday offers plenty of compensation with Hoods, Brick By Brick and Give Em Blood at Die Trompete Bochum. And on Friday, Dortmund's FZW stacks eight bands on two stages for the Saftige Schläge Hardcore Festival – no breaks, flying rotation, nine euros: Self Inflicted, EXAN, Grim Silence, SIN and No Shelter among them.
Punk, skate and ska
On Wednesday Bürgerhaus Stollwerck turns into a pogo pit: Less Than Jake, The Suicide Machines and A Wilhelm Scream on one stage – three bands that would normally take three separate nights. Thursday follows with Pulley and Horace Pinker at Helios 37 and Wonk Unit at the Pitcher. To close the week The Casualties detonate at the MTC on Sunday – and if you want it calmer afterwards: Uli Sailor plays punk rock on piano in the Sonic Ballroom beer garden, free entry.
Hidden gems and local heroes
Friday the Sonic Ballroom stage belongs to Antinorm, Mettmann noise merchants Fleischwolf and Cologne's Käpt'n Picus. Saturday, Cologne's own Sober Truth host their "Break The Grid" night at the MTC. Also strong: Left To Die – members of Death, Obituary and Gruesome – with Livlos on Friday at Bastard Club, Australian noise duo Mannequin Death Squad on Thursday at Dortmund's Subrosa, and This Will Destroy You, who play two albums in full at Bahnhof Langendreer. Faroese voice Eivør enchants Skaters Palace Münster on Saturday, and Rose Tattoo take their final lap – Zeche Bochum is sold out on Tuesday, Friday at the Live Music Hall is your last chance. Also on Friday, Norwegian stoner-doom crew Kal-El bring the fuzz to Münster's Rare Guitar with Black Trail.
Three open airs, one weekend
From Friday, the Trafostation 61 Festival runs in Frechen: three days, 22 bands, entirely non-commercial – with Gnome, Defocus, Sons of Arrakis and local acts The Night Eternal, Farewell Spit and Masuria. In parallel, the Meti Festival takes over Schützenplatz Unterrath with Düsseldorf punk veterans Korsakow and Shifter. And just across the state border, Hütte Rockt in Georgsmarienhütte brings Emil Bulls, Royal Republic, Deez Nuts and Elwood Stray.
Do not miss a thing with KRACH!
Over 45 shows in one week – and those are only the highlights. All dates, tickets and audio previews are in the KRACH app. 🤘
