There aren't enough superlatives to describe, how much of a welcoming atmosphere, how much of a sense community and just how much fun Power Metal Quest Fest is every year. Since I've been going to this festival, I've loved every one, catching some of the UK's best power/symphonic/prog metal talent in one place with some truly special overseas acts making their way to The Midlands as headlines and special guests.
Each edition has gotten bigger and better but 2025, was set to be the most ambitious to date. Now rebranded as Quest Fest, the entire operation moved to KK's Steel Mill, and with a bigger stage and audience comes a bigger scope all round, the day of fantoaoc metal joined by some extras that anyone who loves this music will enjoy.
From table top gaming, featuring their own Quest Fest campaign, there was Magic The Gathering, Retro Gaming and songs and stories from the 'wandering bard' who brought some acoustic sing alongs from the likes of Blind Guardian and Wind Rose, the latter played with guilt by Eärendil Steen as of course Elves can't stand Dwarves but any entertainer from any realm will give their audience what they want.
These lextras, the little touches here, the costumes of the door and merch staff, the friendliness of everyone in the venue, made it so much more than a festival, this was a community, one that lives much longer than just the day of the show.
It's a place where you're encouraged to be yourself and accept everyone else, where elves and dwarves drink and sing in harmony, where sorcerers and sorceresses lay down their magic to party with the mortals while all host of mythical and magical beast cause mischief and mayhem.
No matter what or who you identify as, you are safe and accepted here. There are many festivals that promise this but Quest Fest have always made it ring true.
So with the rag tag band of adventures all in place, the giant LED screen counted down to the start of the festival, a loading screen and bar filling up until the opening video rolled and put first band took to the stage.
Manchester by way of the internet band Heroes Of The Gauntlet (7) began the day with some video game driven fantasy metal, dual male and female vocals as the Spartan Warrior and Valkyrie join together to singer songs of battles and victory.
Lyrically they draw from video games and table top gaming too, and while it began as solo project, they are now a fully fledged live act and while there are a few moments where it downs quite gel, it's a big boisterous beginning to the day.
Speaking of boisterous Stormborn (8) don't stop moving for the entirety of their 30 minute set. Moving further down the classic heavy metal route, dual guitars and powerful vocals are the order of the day here.
Playing these songs, in this style while being surrounded by Judas Priest history, added something a little extra to their impact. Owning the stage and never slowing down, there's jokes in the stage banter and plenty of heavy metal to throw you fist in the air too.
Anything thrown by this next band however would need a little help as the wielders of Saxon Steel, Sellsword (9) took the Quest Fest stage by storm packing their set with epic Arthurian fantasy and medieval metal.
Favourites of the festival they took the step up from The Asylum, which marked one of their debut shows with their new singer, to KK's in their stride as it means they could bring another siege engine on stage. Because your know what's better than one trebuchet? Two trebuchet's!
This meant that, guitarists James Stephenson Henry Mahy and Tom Keeley all had to avoid the trebuchet's firing T-shirts into the audience as well as Nathan Harrison's broadsword mic stand. The only person safe was drummer Tom Warner, but Sellsword live for the danger and the crowd was with them from the first moment until the last.
Another returning band, who last played Quest Fest the same years as Sellsword were those resident purveyors of 'happy metal' Fellowship (7) who despite always giving the fans a great time when they play, their bouncy metal where Tolkien meets mental health, was perhaps a little more rushed than usual.
But no one really cared as they were swept up in the likes of Glory Days, Hold Up Your Hearts (Again) and Glint, which had the whole crowd singing "I'll always be worthy" at the top of their lungs. I love Fellowship but they are band who excel on the smaller stage and while their music is joyous they did feel a little lost in the vastness of KK's
Next though were a band who owned every part of the stage despite being one member down. Canadian symphonic metal band Seven Spires (9) offered something different from what had come before mainly due to the insane vocal techniques of Adrienne Cowan, be it operatic soprano or guttural growls, she delivers bothe with ease while the band play hard hitting but theatrical symphonc metal.
Adrienne is also a member of Avantasia and this shows with her stagecraft, getting the crowd with them early despite being heavier than many power metal bands as they veer into death metal, prog metal and more. I believed they were missing a guitarist but you wouldn't have noticed as all their songs hit hard in Wolverhampton.
With the wildcard of the day having won everyone over it was back to familiar territory with one of the most recognised names in the symphonic/power metal scene. Fabio Lione is the original singer of Rhapsody (now with added Of Fire) and while he hasn't fronted that band for a long time, it's probably the one he will always be associated with.
So it's no suprise that he has formed Dawn Of Victory (8) a touring band playing the music from those Lione Rhapsody albums. Taking the bane from Rhapsody's third album, this was Lione and long time Rhapsody stickman Alex Holzwarth, teaming up with some top quality musicians to play your favourite songs from the Emerald Sword Saga.
Tracks such as Holy Thunderforce, The March Of The Swordmaster and Emerald Sword, got the reception they deserved, with plenty of energy and excitement from the crowd, however the excitement did dip during the classical balladry of Lamento Eroico which did sort of suck the air out of the room, no matter how impressive it is.
Still Lione is a legend, and they could have easily headlined by themselves with a catalogue of songs that are some of the foundations for this whole genre.
Speaking of foundations, a band who celebrate 30 years next year and have defined the genre just as much as Rhapsody, it was time for the last act of the night, a final quest with the pack from Sonata Arctica (10) who were utterly flawless.
With Ecliptica, Sonata Arctica showed everyone what Scandi power metal could be a breakneck mix of double kicks, high speed gallops, passionate vocals and even some anthemic poppy ballads and nearly 30 years on the still know exactly how to please.
A truncated set from what they're currently touring we get My Land, FullMoon and of course Replica from Ecliptica, the latter causing sing along number 2, while it's I Have The Right from the more recent Stones Grow Her Name that is the first song along moment.
But if you're a bit of a super fan, like me, you were ruining your voice trying to keep up with majestic Tony Kakko on every song, be it the modern ones such as First In Line, the rampaging oldie San Sebastian or the perennial favourite Wolf & Raven, he and the rest of the band are in constant motion.
That includes co-founding member Tommy Portimo behind the drums and keyboard player Henrik Klingerman struts around wielding a keytar. The Quest drew to its close, the warriors weary and battle scarred from a whole day skirmishing but there was just enough energy left to bounce along to Don't Say A Word and round out this year's epic journey through the realm of Quest Fest.
I love this festival, and I will continue to go every year if I can. It's a huge celebration of a often maligned genre type and fandom, driven by a passionate team and hardcore supporters, the transition to KK's was a huge success and based on the sneak peak of 2026, next year looks incredible too.
From table top gaming, featuring their own Quest Fest campaign, there was Magic The Gathering, Retro Gaming and songs and stories from the 'wandering bard' who brought some acoustic sing alongs from the likes of Blind Guardian and Wind Rose, the latter played with guilt by Eärendil Steen as of course Elves can't stand Dwarves but any entertainer from any realm will give their audience what they want.
These lextras, the little touches here, the costumes of the door and merch staff, the friendliness of everyone in the venue, made it so much more than a festival, this was a community, one that lives much longer than just the day of the show.
It's a place where you're encouraged to be yourself and accept everyone else, where elves and dwarves drink and sing in harmony, where sorcerers and sorceresses lay down their magic to party with the mortals while all host of mythical and magical beast cause mischief and mayhem.
No matter what or who you identify as, you are safe and accepted here. There are many festivals that promise this but Quest Fest have always made it ring true.
So with the rag tag band of adventures all in place, the giant LED screen counted down to the start of the festival, a loading screen and bar filling up until the opening video rolled and put first band took to the stage.
Manchester by way of the internet band Heroes Of The Gauntlet (7) began the day with some video game driven fantasy metal, dual male and female vocals as the Spartan Warrior and Valkyrie join together to singer songs of battles and victory.
Lyrically they draw from video games and table top gaming too, and while it began as solo project, they are now a fully fledged live act and while there are a few moments where it downs quite gel, it's a big boisterous beginning to the day.
Speaking of boisterous Stormborn (8) don't stop moving for the entirety of their 30 minute set. Moving further down the classic heavy metal route, dual guitars and powerful vocals are the order of the day here.
Playing these songs, in this style while being surrounded by Judas Priest history, added something a little extra to their impact. Owning the stage and never slowing down, there's jokes in the stage banter and plenty of heavy metal to throw you fist in the air too.
Anything thrown by this next band however would need a little help as the wielders of Saxon Steel, Sellsword (9) took the Quest Fest stage by storm packing their set with epic Arthurian fantasy and medieval metal.
Favourites of the festival they took the step up from The Asylum, which marked one of their debut shows with their new singer, to KK's in their stride as it means they could bring another siege engine on stage. Because your know what's better than one trebuchet? Two trebuchet's!
This meant that, guitarists James Stephenson Henry Mahy and Tom Keeley all had to avoid the trebuchet's firing T-shirts into the audience as well as Nathan Harrison's broadsword mic stand. The only person safe was drummer Tom Warner, but Sellsword live for the danger and the crowd was with them from the first moment until the last.
Another returning band, who last played Quest Fest the same years as Sellsword were those resident purveyors of 'happy metal' Fellowship (7) who despite always giving the fans a great time when they play, their bouncy metal where Tolkien meets mental health, was perhaps a little more rushed than usual.
But no one really cared as they were swept up in the likes of Glory Days, Hold Up Your Hearts (Again) and Glint, which had the whole crowd singing "I'll always be worthy" at the top of their lungs. I love Fellowship but they are band who excel on the smaller stage and while their music is joyous they did feel a little lost in the vastness of KK's
Next though were a band who owned every part of the stage despite being one member down. Canadian symphonic metal band Seven Spires (9) offered something different from what had come before mainly due to the insane vocal techniques of Adrienne Cowan, be it operatic soprano or guttural growls, she delivers bothe with ease while the band play hard hitting but theatrical symphonc metal.
Adrienne is also a member of Avantasia and this shows with her stagecraft, getting the crowd with them early despite being heavier than many power metal bands as they veer into death metal, prog metal and more. I believed they were missing a guitarist but you wouldn't have noticed as all their songs hit hard in Wolverhampton.
With the wildcard of the day having won everyone over it was back to familiar territory with one of the most recognised names in the symphonic/power metal scene. Fabio Lione is the original singer of Rhapsody (now with added Of Fire) and while he hasn't fronted that band for a long time, it's probably the one he will always be associated with.
So it's no suprise that he has formed Dawn Of Victory (8) a touring band playing the music from those Lione Rhapsody albums. Taking the bane from Rhapsody's third album, this was Lione and long time Rhapsody stickman Alex Holzwarth, teaming up with some top quality musicians to play your favourite songs from the Emerald Sword Saga.
Tracks such as Holy Thunderforce, The March Of The Swordmaster and Emerald Sword, got the reception they deserved, with plenty of energy and excitement from the crowd, however the excitement did dip during the classical balladry of Lamento Eroico which did sort of suck the air out of the room, no matter how impressive it is.
Still Lione is a legend, and they could have easily headlined by themselves with a catalogue of songs that are some of the foundations for this whole genre.
Speaking of foundations, a band who celebrate 30 years next year and have defined the genre just as much as Rhapsody, it was time for the last act of the night, a final quest with the pack from Sonata Arctica (10) who were utterly flawless.
With Ecliptica, Sonata Arctica showed everyone what Scandi power metal could be a breakneck mix of double kicks, high speed gallops, passionate vocals and even some anthemic poppy ballads and nearly 30 years on the still know exactly how to please.
A truncated set from what they're currently touring we get My Land, FullMoon and of course Replica from Ecliptica, the latter causing sing along number 2, while it's I Have The Right from the more recent Stones Grow Her Name that is the first song along moment.
But if you're a bit of a super fan, like me, you were ruining your voice trying to keep up with majestic Tony Kakko on every song, be it the modern ones such as First In Line, the rampaging oldie San Sebastian or the perennial favourite Wolf & Raven, he and the rest of the band are in constant motion.
That includes co-founding member Tommy Portimo behind the drums and keyboard player Henrik Klingerman struts around wielding a keytar. The Quest drew to its close, the warriors weary and battle scarred from a whole day skirmishing but there was just enough energy left to bounce along to Don't Say A Word and round out this year's epic journey through the realm of Quest Fest.
I love this festival, and I will continue to go every year if I can. It's a huge celebration of a often maligned genre type and fandom, driven by a passionate team and hardcore supporters, the transition to KK's was a huge success and based on the sneak peak of 2026, next year looks incredible too.
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