Mangata Festival stormed back into Nottingham for its third edition on the 13th July, celebrating all things heavy with bands from across the UK delivering an earth-shattering experience that left metal heads in awe and eager for more. This year the festival spanned four stages across Rescue Rooms, Tap n Tumbler and the newest addition GHOST, transforming these venues into arenas of relentless sound and fury for the day!

This year’s lineup was a brutal feast for the ears, featuring some of the heaviest hitters in the UK metal scene.

Reckoner : Photo Credit : Richard Langley

Reckoner had the honour of opening proceedings on the main stage as the eager crowds quickly gathered for their set ready to kickstart their day, they delivered a blistering performance with some absolutely incredible vocals and weren’t afraid to push the boundaries of post hardcore, clearly gaining a swarm of new fans in Nottingham they quickly announced a headline show for Mangata promotions this October. Local duo Rogue Limb kicked things off in the red rooms and it was absolutely rammed from the get go and getting stupidly sweaty already as the two piece pummelled their way through a noisy set full of neurotic hardcore its clear to see why they won M2TM this year and will be appearing at Bloodstock festival this summer.

Photo credit : Richard Langley

Hidden Mothers showcased material from their forthcoming album at the new stage in Ghost to a packed room, bringing relentless drumming and dual vocals from Luke and Liam. The only downside was the folk who decided to conduct their loud and inane conversation (despite numerous death stares) during the band’s set. This was especially noticeable during the gentler parts, which are what set Hidden Mothers apart from many metal bands on the scene right now. They alternate between crushingly heavy and serenely beautiful post-rock moments, including delicate vocals from vocalist/guitarist Luke. Keep an eye out for their album, which will be out later this year on Church Road Records.

Hidden Mothers : Photo Credit : MT33 Media

Bristol’s Drip Fed Empire played a ferocious set in the Red Rooms and emerged as the discovery of the day, with their high-energy drum and bass-fueled metalcore whipping the crowd into a frenzy. Brighton’s El Moono delivered a stellar performance full of songs from their latest album “The Waking Sun” Despite a shorter set due to technical issues, they stood out, providing a refreshing contrast to some of the heavier acts on the lineup. Closing with fan favourite “Forced to Smile” from their “Temple Corrupted” EP just left the audience begging for more but it just wasn’t to be sadly but they”ll be back for a headline show for bUTTONpUSHER on the 20th September at JT Soar.

El Moono : Photo Credit – Acidolka Art & photo

Boss Keloid brought their unique stoner prog metal vibes to the main stage to yet another packed out performance before Pijn headlined the Blue Monkey stage, showcasing tracks from their new release “From Low Beams of Hope.” Anticipation was high for their set, and they did not disappoint, playing to a rammed red rooms. Our only gripe was that they weren’t on one of the bigger stages, but they brought their unique post-rock vibes to the fore, and just witnessing them play the new material live was a joy. It’s clear they are making the best music of their career so far. Our festival headliners HACKTIVIST brought an insane energy to the Liquid Light stage in the Rescue Rooms with a thunderous performance that shook the ground as they tore through tracks from “Hyperdialect” Mixing elements of nu-metal with drum and bass and lots of vocal exchanges the mosh pits were wild, and the whole room was electric, it’s no wonder these guys have been support to Korn and Enter Shikari in the past. We weren’t overly familiar with the rap metal band until they were announced for Mangata but they made a great headliner and we were definitely glad we caught them and will be checking out more from them in the future.

HACKTIVIST : Photo Credit MT33 Media

Overall, the festival was a success with a great selection of food and traders on site throughout the day and everything seemed to run really smoothly, thanks to the meticulous planning of the organisers. It’s very clear that Mangata is run by a team of passionate individuals dedicated to ensuring everyone has an unforgettable experience. We can’t wait to see what they pull out of the bag when they return on the 12th July 2025!

Early Bird tickets for 2025 are on sale NOW