Leyendas Del Rock

Villena, Spain — August in southern Spain is unforgiving. The sun hits hard, the ground bakes, and the air stands still. But for four days, 10,000 fans gathered in the Polideportivo Municipal of Villena didn’t just endure the heat—they worshipped in it. Because Leyendas del Rock 2025 wasn’t just a music festival—it was a cathedral of noise, power, and brotherhood.

Now in its 19th year, Leyendas has evolved from a regional celebration of Spanish rock into a full-blown European metal institution. And this year's lineup? Nuclear. A tight, genre-spanning roster that served metal in all its forms—from blackened ritual to symphonic bombast, folk trance to classic thrash. If you weren't there, you missed a ritual. If you were, you're still sweating black eyeliner and beer.

Day one detonated with W.A.S.P., marking their return to Spanish soil with an anniversary performance of their debut album in its entirety. Frontman Blackie Lawless stalked the stage like a man possessed, flanked by pyrotechnics and the kind of chainsaw glam that only 1984 could birth. “I Wanna Be Somebody” hit like a slap to the soul. By the time “L.O.V.E. Machine” came crashing down, the crowd had surrendered completely.

If Thursday belonged to fire, then Friday started in a trance. Heilung, in their first-ever Spanish performance, turned the stage into a pre-Christian battlefield. Chanting in forgotten tongues, banging ritual drums, and wearing bones like armor, they offered no “hits,” only pure sonic immersion. Think Game of Thrones meets Norse prophecy. By the end of their set, you weren’t sure whether to buy a t-shirt or join a warband.

That night, Sharon den Adel of Within Temptation took the stage with otherworldly grace. Gothic yet grounded, commanding yet intimate, she led a masterclass in symphonic metal. Backed by cathedral-sized choruses and walls of light, the band hit every note with cinematic precision. “Faster,” “Stand My Ground,” and “Paradise (What About Us?)” turned the crowd into a sea of raised fists and tears. It was metal with wings.

Saturday night brought Powerwolf, and they didn’t come to play—they came to convert. Cloaked in their trademark vampiric priest aesthetic, the German power metal outfit roared through a thunderous closing set. “Amen & Attack,” “Demons Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” and the church-burning closer “We Drink Your Blood” felt like spiritual warfare—with beer. The entire venue was singing. Howling. Redeemed in the church of the riff.

Leyendas isn’t just about what happens on the main stage. It’s about the sweaty camaraderie of shared pits and sunburned singalongs. The fans here don’t come for TikToks. They come to feel the music—to mosh, cry, scream, and bond with strangers over Iron Maiden patches and warm Estrella.

Off-stage, Villena itself becomes an extension of the festival. Acoustic sets in the Plaza Mayor. Viking battles in the side arena. Shadowed campsites, metal karaoke tents, a freaking swimming pool for daytime recovery, and food trucks slinging everything from churros to curry. You don’t just go to Leyendas. You live it.

And let’s talk accessibility: From shaded zones to family-friendly areas, dedicated fan zones, and even a "ludoteca" (childcare tent), Leyendas shows that metal can be brutal and inclusive.

For more information and tickets to the mighty 2026 event: Leyendas Del Rock Words and photos: Rhyan Paul