Without hyperbole, 2025 may have been the greatest year for live heavy metal in a generation. At the epicentre was Back To The Beginning: the spectacular that cast the world’s gaze onto Birmingham as Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath called it quits. But there was so much more as well. Bands from Ice Nine Kills to Killswitch Engage cemented their arena status, Sleep Token grew even more enormous by headlining Download for the first time, and Iron Maiden and Linkin Park conquered stadiums in victorious fashion. As the New Year looms, we got Metal Hammer’s pool of writers to wax lyrical on the best gigs they attended over the last 12 months.
