The Bangers Open Air 2026 festival took place on April 25th and 26th at the Memorial da América Latina in São Paulo . In its fourth edition, the festival further solidified its position as the main meeting point for heavy metal music lovers in Brazil and is already confirmed for 2027 .
In addition to headliners Arch Enemy and Angra, the event featured performances by big names in rock and metal. Wikimetal was present on both days of the festival and compiled a special list of the standout shows of the edition.
Saturday
Lucifer
Under a strong sun on the Sun Stage, German singer Johanna Sadonis opened the stage's program for a large audience that eagerly awaited her band's performance at the festival, despite the early hour.
Lucifer delivered top-quality doom metal and put on one of the best shows of the day, even battling the heat, the wear and tear of which was noticeable in the other band members, and the performance might have worked better if it had taken place in the late afternoon. Despite this, the audience was very engaged and the band delivered an extremely competent performance, reinforcing their status as one of the most interesting names in the genre today.
Check out the photos by John Alves:
Jinjer
With one of the most anticipated shows of the day, the Ukrainians completely delivered what a modern metal fan loves: the perfect balance between extreme, progressive, and melodic elements. The way the quartet commands the stage is impressive, especially the way vocalist Tatiana Shmayluk balances her clean voice with guttural vocals, and bassist Eugene Kostyuk plays his notes with such ease.
Jinjer needs no introduction and delivered a show worthy of a potential headliner in future editions, and with its frontwoman, it perfectly balances the beauty and brutality of metal.
Check out the photos by John Alves:
Killswitch Engage
A major exponent of metalcore, the American group made their first appearance of the year at the festival to promote This Consequence, their most recent work, released last year, and included in their setlist a parade of hits such as "This Fire", "Arms of Sorrow", "In Due Time", "My Curse", among others.
The show was explosive, full of mosh pits, and even featured a memorable moment for the fans: vocalist Jesse Leach came down to sing "My Last Serenade" with those at the barrier, and then, like a true Spider-Man, returned to the stage climbing the speaker cabinets. The band's charisma is further enhanced by guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz, his eccentric look, and solos full of strident melodies.
Black Label Society
Another highlight of the day was guitarist Zakk Wylde and his Black Label Society, who came to Brazil after four years to promote their latest work, Enginesof Demolition, released in March. On stage, Zakk commands like a born leader, full of attitude, powerful vocals, imposing riffs, and solos that perfectly justify why he is one of the greatest guitarists in history and keeps the spirit of metal alive.
With one of the largest audiences of the day, Zakk thrilled fans by paying tribute to Dimebag Darrelland Vinnie Paul in "In This River" and in the highly anticipated performance of "Ozzy's Song," a song written for his greatest idol and friend, none other than Ozzy Osbourne. The final stretch of the show featured an image of the Prince of Darkness on the screens until the hit "Stillborn" was played, bringing the performance to a close.
Check out the photos by John Alves:
Arch Enemy
The Swedish melodic death metal band joined the lineup 's cancellation Twisted Sister, and the timing of their appearance at the festival couldn't be better: the highly anticipated debut of their new vocalist, Lauren Hart, in Brazil.
The setlist spanned all phases of the band, even revisiting classics from the Johan Liiva, such as "Bury Me An Angel," which drove longtime fans wild, and the same reaction occurred with the impressive new track "To The Last Breath." Scheduled for Bangers Open Air 2026 with the arduous task of replacing a historic name, Arch Enemy proved why they are headliners of major European events and one of the giants of their genre, confirming that their inclusion in this edition was an absolute success.
With a powerful show, the Swedish group begins a new phase accompanied by a charismatic and technically skilled vocalist, who honors the legacy of her predecessors and perfectly captures the essence of the band, and is about to release an album that will feature good old "pure fucking metal".
Sunday
Nevermore
Nevermore played their first show in Brazil since 2007, and their return featured the debut of their new lineup in the country. New vocalist Berzan Önen impressed not only with his timbre, reminiscent of the late Warrel Dane, but also with his impressive physique.
The performance was marked by the excellent stage chemistry that Önen, Jack Cattoi (guitar), and Semir Özerkan (bass) have already built in such a short time with founding members Jeff Loomis (guitar) and Van Williams (drums). To a standing ovation, the quintet won over the Bangers Open Air 2026 audience with an impeccable performance and gave a taste of what their new lineup will be like.
Check out the photos by Marcela Lorenzetti:
Smith/Kotzen
Making their debut in Brazil, the Smith/Kotzen allowed fans the opportunity to see two great guitarists in a more intimate setting: Adrian Smith, accustomed to Iron Maiden , and Richie Kotzen, with his enviable resume both in bands and as a solo artist. With a blend of blues, hard rock, and even metal, the duo delivered an elegant and technically proficient performance.
Live, the duo of Bruno Valverde (drums) and Julia Lage (bass) meshed perfectly with the musicians, bringing a solid rhythm section to the show, brimming with charisma from both of them, with Julia moving all over the stage, beaming with smiles and genuine warmth, happy to perform in her home country. The show – which was cut short due to time constraints – ended no other way, with Adrian playing his masterpiece "Wasted Years," and having the audience sing along at the top of their lungs.
Check out the photos by Marcela Lorenzetti:
Within Temptation
Co-headlining the day, Within Temptation once again drew a legion of fans to the festival, in a quick return to Brazil just two years after their last performance at the same event, when it was still called Summer Breeze Brasil.
Sharon Den Adel once again shone, showcasing her incredibly fine vocals and wearing a white dress that left the audience speechless with its elegance. In just 1 hour and 15 minutes, the group blended tracks from their most recent work, Bleed Out, along with indispensable hits like “Faster”, “In The Middle of The Night”, and “Mother Earth”. Despite the short duration, the veterans delivered a solid performance, one that stands out not only as a highlight of the day but of Bangers Open Air 2026 itself.
Check out the photos by Marcela Lorenzetti:
Angra
In a three-act show, the group celebrated its thirty-five-year career, spanning all eras of its history, a concept created for the event and which will be repeated again with the side show that will take place this Wednesday, the 29th, at Espaço Unimed, without the presence of the Italian Fabio Lione – who performed as the band's vocalist at the festival.
However, the fans' expectations rested on five names: Rafael Bittencourt, Kiko Loureiro, Edu Falaschi, Aquiles Priester , and Felipe Andreoli, the much- celebrated Nova Era lineup , which would reunite for the first time since 2007.
The quintet played songs from all the albums recorded during their time together, and impressed with the musical chemistry that still exists there, despite so much time apart. Of all of them, Falaschi deserves special mention, because despite his known vocal limitations, the singer performed very well and it was clear how happy he was to finally experience that moment.
Angra's reunion show at Bangers Open Air 2026 will undoubtedly go down as one of the most important moments in the history of Brazilian metal, and leaves a feeling of an open future where a Helloween might become a reality, but only time will tell if that will happen.
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