Welsh ragga-metal legends Skindred have been announced as a replacement act for Hills of Rock 2026, taking over the slot vacated by Nothing More, who have confirmed they are stepping away from their summer touring commitments to focus on new music and spend time with family.
The Newport-formed five-piece are no strangers to commanding big stages, also headlining RADAR Festival 2026 in Manchester’s O2 Victoria Warehouse this summer, and their addition to the Plovdiv bill only adds to what is already a formidable metal line-up at one of Eastern Europe’s standout heavy music events.
Hills of Rock 2026 takes place from 24 to 26 July at the Rowing Base (Grebna baza) in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, bringing together 46 artists across three stages over three days. Tickets are on sale now via Ticket Station, with further details at hillsofrock.com and festteam.bg.
Skindred fuse heavy metal with reggae, punk, hip hop and electronic influences, a style they have famously dubbed “ragga metal.” Fronted by the charismatic Benji Webbe, the band have been building towards new material, with their forthcoming ninth album You Got This set for release via Earache Records. Having formed in 1998, they bring more than two decades of festival-hardened experience to the Plovdiv stage.
The wider Hills of Rock 2026 line-up is stacked with heavy hitters. Marilyn Manson, Godsmack, Electric Callboy, Sex Pistols featuring Frank Carter, Black Label Society, Lamb of God and Nevermore are among the names already confirmed. The bill also features Paradise Lost, P.O.D., Of Mice & Men, Vended, Deafheaven, Northlane, Orbit Culture, The Toy Dolls and Last Train, alongside a broad selection of Bulgarian and regional artists including Khanъ, Vrani Volosa, Hellion Stone, H09909, Koza Mostra, and many more.
For the first time, the festival will also host a special pre-event day, BE4 HILLS (Before Hills), on 23rd July. The dedicated opening concert features performances from Sabaton, Savatage, Epica and Bulgarian act Sevi, acting as a warm-up before the three main festival days get underway.
Image credits:
In this article: Skindred, Nothing More, Benji Webbe, Earache Records, Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Marilyn Manson, Godsmack, Electric Callboy, Sex Pistols, Frank Carter, Black Label Society, Lamb of God, Nevermore, Paradise Lost, P.O.D., Of Mice & Men, Vended, Deafheaven, Northlane, Orbit Culture, Toy Dolls, Vrani Volosa, Koza Mostra, Sabaton, Savatage, Epica. Generated by Wikidata Schema Link Builder.
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