Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
Get ready for two days of pure darkness! The Gathering Of The Damned Fest 2026 has officially confirmed its dates for this autumn, taking place from Friday, October 16th to Saturday, October 17th, 2026.
The festival doors will open at 17:00 each day, with a curfew set for 22:30.
The lineup will feature 8 crushing bands in total. The first wave of acts has already been revealed, including Hecate Enthroned, Ruadh, Dreich, Aonarach, Heathen Deity, Nyctopia, Misko Boba and Blasfeme.
This is shaping up to be an unmissable weekend for underground metal fans.
While the “Loyal Warrior” Early Bird offer officially ended on June 1st, general admission tickets are now available for £25. Secure yours now before slots fill up! Get your ticket by clicking here.
Stay tuned for more updates
In Wrexham, Wales, the group that would eventually become Hecate Enthroned was founded in 1993. Jon Kennedy, Nigel Dennen, Ian Maiden, Mark Watson-Jones, Steve, Gary, and Marc Evans were members of the blackened death metal group Daemonum (formerly known as Amethyst). “Dreams to Mourn”, a demo cassette, was released in 1993. Jon departed Daemonum in 1994 to join Dani Filth’s band, Cradle of Filth, where he briefly took Robin Eaglestone’s place as bassist. But Kennedy departed Cradle of Filth in 1995 and rejoined Daemonum, renaming the band Hecate Enthroned, adopting a more melodic black metal sound, and taking Ian’s place on vocals.
Andy O’Hara (drums), who joined from the death metal group Nightmare Visions, quickly took Gary’s spot. Mark Watson-Jones continued to play bass, and Marc and Nigel Dennen continued to play guitar. With this lineup, they produced “An Ode for a Haunted Wood”, their debut demo recording, in 1995. In 1995, Hecate Enthroned performed live in the UK with Ireland’s Primordial and Japan’s Sigh, with longtime bassist Dylan Hughes taking Mark Watson-Jones’ place. Blackend Records expressed a strong interest in Hecate Enthroned when they performed at London Astoria for Ved Buens Ende, Impaled Nazarene, and Opeth.
