Drenched in mud and beer, Rock im Park 2025 was a chaotic, rain-soaked epic. From dark rituals with Sleep Token to the hardcore blitz of Knocked Loose and Spiritual Cramp’s punk defiance, the weekend showcased grit, passion, and pure rock ‘n’ roll spirit…

Words by Felix Bartlett, photos by Niamh Louise (@niamhlouphotos) & Felix Bartlett (@bartlettfelix4) | June 12, 2025

---

Oi mate! Wipe that bratwurst off your chin and let’s grab a beer and bagel in the pit! Yes, you read that right, it’s Rock im Park 2025, baby, and we’re here to bring you the ultimate roundup from this year’s absolutely bonkers lineup! Between battling Florida-level humidity and mud that would make even Drownload blush, we fought the elements to deliver the lowdown on Germany’s epic June kick-off. From circle pits to confetti cannons, here’s the full scoop on the bands that turned Zeppelinfeld into a molten cauldron of rock ‘n’ roll chaos.

Canada’s own metalcore behemoths Spiritbox have been demolishing every set since the release of Tsunami Sea, and today was no different, with the bar being set sky-high on the Utopia Stage, delivering an incendiary set that tore through the swampy terrain like a sonic hurricane. With Courtney LaPlante’s ethereal-to-feral vocal mastery and the heavy-hitting new material from Tsunami Sea, including ‘Fata Morgana’, ‘Holy Roller’, and ‘No Loss, No Love’, their performance was both technically immaculate and emotionally pulverising. The immersive lightshow added a touch of theatrical sorcery that elevated their set into something downright spiritual. It’s no longer a matter of if, but only when these behemoths will headline the festival.

Unfortunately, relegated to a cramped side stage and performing to a noticeably thinned-out crowd, Spiritual Cramp could have thrown in the towel. But instead, they doubled down and brought absolute fire. A righteous blend of Clash-esque punk swagger, wiry hardcore energy, and unshakable groove, the San Francisco misfits turned what could’ve been a quiet slot into one of the most defiant performances of the weekend.

Meanwhile, over on the Utopia Stage, Bullet For My Valentine fought through sheets of rain and whipping winds with the kind of power only forged in the Welsh valleys. Matt Tuck’s voice rang like thunder over the crowd, and when they dropped ‘Tears Don’t Fall’, it felt more like a war cry than a throwback. Fans wrapped in soaking wet merch sang every word like it was 2005 all over again. Rain be damned, this was catharsis on a massive scale.

Slipknot unleashed a ferocious Friday night set at Rock im Park, tearing up the 25th‑anniversary self‑titled era in favour of a revitalised, hybrid setlist that still concluded with the classic ‘Scissors.’ They kicked off with the usual ‘742617000027’ hastily followed by ‘(sic)’. The Iowa crew kept the nostalgia flowing with crowd-pleasers like ‘Psychosocial’, ‘People = Shit,’ and ‘Surfacing,’ while peppering in newer cuts and rare deep‑dives, most notably the German debut of ‘Gematria (The Killing Name)’, catching many by surprise. However, it became clear the newer songs didn’t pack the same visceral punch: the pit fighting harder and the chants rising louder during pre-‘ The Devil in I’ material, making the mixing of eras feel deliberate but uneven. The audience’s unwavering reaction to the older tracks underscored that for many, Rock im Park’s real moment came from the pre‑2008 catalogue, but giving the fans their nostalgia fuel with gems like ‘Scissors’ was a savvy move that sent the crowd crashing home on a high.

Of course, there was still more chaos to come on Saturday. Zetra and Fit For An Autopsy gave us doom-drenched openers, Polaris set early fires, while Thrown caused pit-wide pileups with a kick drop to the face set that had the Atmos Stage crowd spilling out into the festival grounds. Back on the Utopia Stage, the rain did little to dampen Idles’ thunder either. Always ready to wage war against apathy with a grin and a scream, the Bristol punks transformed the sodden main stage into a punk rock revival. Tracks like ‘Never Fight A Man With A Perm’ hit like rallying cries, the drenched crowd chanting every lyric with zeal. If the mud didn’t pull you down, Joe Talbot’s voice certainly shook you up.

Jinjer brought their own storm to the Mandora Stage, with Tatiana Shmailyuk bouncing between guttural growls and clean, soaring vocals that echoed across the drenched grounds. Pisces and Teacher, Teacher! had the pit moving like a whirlpool, matching the chaos of the weather step for step. There’s no denying they’re one of the tightest live units in metal right now—and they proved it here with force.

Korn took the Utopia stage by storm on Saturday night, following Slipknot’s seismic set but instantly proving they’re more than capable of owning their own spotlight. Opening with the hard-hitting beats of ‘Blind’, the band unleashed a bolder, more cinematic spectacle, and even bagpipes during the cathartic encore of ‘Shoots and Ladders’. While Jonathan Davis’ iconic green tracksuit was notably absent this evening, (here’s hoping for it’s return this weekend at Download) classics like ‘Here to Stay,’ ‘A.D.I.D.A.S.,’ ‘Twisted Transistor’ and closing track ‘Freak on a Leash’ each ignited monstrous mosh pits and front-row crowd surges. The seamless weaving of nostalgia with modern intensity made the set feel like both a triumph and a long-overdue declaration: Korn are ready for headliner status at Download next weekend.

When Sleep Token took to the Mandora Stage just before midnight, everything else at the festival seemed to stand still. Drenched in mystique and surrounded by an elaborate castle-and-waterfall set, Vessel and co. delivered a transcendental experience more akin to a spiritual awakening than a rock show. With songs from Even in Arcadia threaded through their genre-melting catalogue, it was a set that proved they’re no longer just underground favourites, they’re bona fide festival headliners. Find out what else went down here.

Before we even had a chance to recover from Saturday night’s ritual, we were hastily thrust back onto site for the earliest set of the weekend. Luckily, House of Protection were able to give me a kick up the arse I needed to get through the day with House of Protection taking over the Mandora Stage. The duo are rapidly outgrowing cramped venues and are set to take festival season by storm with their onstage antics! Mid‑set, frontman Stephen climbed the stage’s side scaffolding in a moment that had me and other vertigo-prone viewers clutching our chests, oh not to mention this was after he dove into the crowd as a circle pit whirled around him, the pit effectively turning into his personal mosh labyrinth. Meanwhile, drummer Aric Improta capped it all off with a jaw-dropping backflip off his drum kit, the kind of stunt that gave everyone watching their money’s worth. With that level of crowd-command and physical daring, it’s clear these two aren’t just ready for bigger stages, they’re demanding them, and fast..

When news of “very special guests” was announced on the lineup for this weekend, no one could have anticipated we would be getting the Kentucky hardcore crew Knocked Loose feeding us a fistful of chaos on the final morning of the festival. As expected, Knocked Loose didn’t mess about. Brutal, unrelenting, and utterly unforgiving, their Utopia Stage slot was pure sonic violence. With circle pits swallowing half the crowd and frontman Bryan Garris spitting fury like venom, it was hardcore at its most primal. Nobody left clean, calm, or unbroken. Those descending upon Outbreak Fest this weekend are in for a treat!

Poppy, forever the genre wildcard, blurred the lines between performance art and pop-metal chaos. Wrapped in sequins and glitching visuals, her set was a high-concept slap to the face. Tracks from her latest record hit with both sugary sheen and metallic sting—equal parts surreal spectacle and riotous rave. A standout moment came when Stephen Harrison (House of Protection) joined her onstage for the absolute belter they’re all around us, delivering it with the same intensity and ferocity as the recording, accompanied by a blast of flames to sweeten the sensory overload.

Soft Play, formerly Slaves, brought joyous chaos to the Orbit Stage. Their off-kilter punk bangers had everyone bouncing, even in the surrounding seats of the arena. It felt less like a gig and more like a street party hosted by two mischief-loving mates. It was loud, sweaty, and delightfully unhinged.

As the storm clouds lingered, Biffy Clyro brought a moment of melodic clarity. Their emotionally rich anthems, bolstered by Simon Neil’s ever-intense stage presence, made for a triumphant finale. From Mountains to Bubbles, every song landed with weight, the crowd finding catharsis in their soaring choruses. Despite the weather, the trio’s chemistry and passion lit up the night.

As the last echoes of Biffy Clyro’s set dissolved into the Nuremberg night, a different kind of storm gathered over the Utopia Stage. Bring Me The Horizon had arrived, fresh from their Rock am Park triumph, ready to unleash their NeX GEn spectacle upon Germany’s heaviest weekend. As digital visuals from the NeX GEn universe lit up the Utopia Stage, the Sheffield crew erupted with ‘DArkSide’, setting off a relentless barrage of metal, rave, emo, and stadium spectacle. Oli Sykes, ever the incendiary frontman, roared through provocations and provocateur antics, demanding real “German mosh pits” and orchestrating a bizarrely brilliant crowd-wide sing-along to their Oasis cover, ‘Wonderwall’. The setlist blurred old and new, offering nods to the band’s heavier roots with a chaotic ‘Antivist’ cameo and fan-service visuals of BMTH’s journey through the years. But this wasn’t nostalgia, it was evolution in real time. With pyro, confetti, dad dancing to ‘LosT’, and crowd surfers riding the euphoric waves of ‘Doomed’ and ‘Throne’, BMTH’s Rock im Park debut as headliners felt like a long-overdue coronation. And if this marks the closing of a chapter, they’ve exited with a bang: untouchable, unapologetic, and built for the next big chapter.

Rock im Park 2025 was drenched, mud-soaked, and absolutely epic. From dark rituals with Sleep Token to the hardcore blitz of Knocked Loose and Spiritual Cramp’s punk defiance, this festival showcased grit, passion, and pure rock ‘n’ roll spirit and has left us bruised but ready for Download Festival this weekend. Bring it on!