Hellfest is an American all-ages music festival that existed between 1997 and 2005, and 2025 onwards. The festival showcases hardcore music in its broadest sense, including punk rock, metalcore, emo, post-hardcore and more. It originated in Central New York, in and around Syracuse, but eventually relocated to Central New Jersey. Hellfest is known for its fan-friendly atmosphere, including a lack of barriers that provided easy access to the stage for stage diving and sing-alongs. It also encouraged social-awareness through workshops that discussed such causes as animal rights, LGBTQ and politics, with many of its bands and attendees following straight-edge and/or vegetarian or vegan lifestyles.
Not unlike many festivals of its size, Hellfest encountered several problems, notably the changing venues mere days before starting. This was the case for 1999's Syracuse Hell Fest 99, 2000's Hellfest 2K, 2001's Hellfest 2001 and 2005's Hellfest '05. The relocation caused an entire day to be missed of the 2000 edition, while the 2005 edition was cancelled altogether. The considerable financial dilemma that resulted from the 2005 event's cancellation led to the termination of the festival.
In 2022, Trustkill Records owner Josh Grabelle resumed operations after the rights to the label were restored to him. In 2025, Hellfest returned, under the name Hellphyra in collaboration with New Jersey label Takedown Records, and Connecticut label Ephyra Recordings and took place from July 5-6, 2025 with a July 4 date under the name “Hellfest Presents: New Jersey Hardcore”.
Hellfest took place, under its original name on July 3-5, 2026 in Carteret, NJ, at the Carteret Performing Arts and Events Center.
History and etymology Co-promoter Josh Grabelle, who was also a sponsor of the festival through his record label Trustkill Records, claimed in 2001 that the event was named Hellfest because "This festival has always been the first weekend in July and it is always extremely HOT, hence, the reference to the blazing inferno known as Hell". This explanation, though inaccurate, has since become de facto, even though Grabelle was not involved with the early years of the festival.
The factual reason behind the naming of the festival was linked to founding promoter Keith Allen's concert booking agency, Hardcore As Hell. Allen and his partner Ryan Canavan had been booking and promoting concerts in the Syracuse, New York area since 1996. Canavan also had his own booking agency, Hanging Like A Hex, which gave name to a fanzine that he published and, later, the record label Hex Records. Canavan's fanzine Hanging Like a Hex published the first festival's guide/pamphlet as issue number 7.5. Allen and Canavan co-booked the first three festivals: the first event in 1997 was promoted as Syracuse 3-Day Super Festival; the two events in 1998 were promoted as Syracuse Hardcore Festival and Syracuse Hardcore Festival 2.5. It was only with the fourth event in 1999, once Allen became sole promoter, that the word hell was added to the name and the event was promoted as Syracuse Hell Fest 99. The single-word Hellfest was first used for the 2000 edition as Hellfest 2K. Allen was also keen on booking his own bands (Order of Deceit, The August Prophecy, Found Dead Hanging and Architect) in favorable time slots.
For Hellfest 2004, Allen relocated the festival from New York to New Jersey, forming a new partnership corporation. Paper Street Music Co. LLC was co-founded by Allen and Shawn Van Der Poel and was based in Mount Holly, New Jersey. They copromoted 2004 Hellfest with Heath Miller and Excess dB Entertainment at Rexplex in Elizabeth, NJ.
Hellfest lineups by year
June 20–22, 1997: Syracuse 3-Day Super Festival Location: Hungry Charley's, 727 South Crouse Avenue, Syracuse, New York.
Friday, June 20
454 Big Block Cast Iron Hike Dirge Dissolve Snapcase Sweetbelly Freakdown Ten Yard Fight
Saturday, June 21
Beta Minus Mechanic Bird of Ill Omen Burial Ground Coalesce Culture Handful of Dust Indecision Lockjaw Morning Again Order of Deceit Silent Majority Today Is the Day
Sunday, June 22
Another Victim Ascension Birthright Culture * Day of Suffering Despair Drowning Room Endeavor Frodus Groundzero Hatebreed One to Face Tread
Notes * Culture performed their regular set on June 21, then played a 1-song set on June 22 using Hatebreed's gear.
The Earth Crisis side-project Brown Stars was scheduled to make a special, unlisted appearance on Sunday, June 22, but backed out the day before, leading local band Tread to be added to the line-up.
June 13–14, 1998: Syracuse Hardcore Festival Location: Cornell Cooperative Extension, 248 Grant Avenue, Auburn, New York.
Saturday, June 13
Anal Cunt Boysetsfire Break of Dawn Buried Alive Dissolve Dragbody Holdstrong Overcast Quioxte Shutdown Still Bleeding The Trans Megetti Turmoil
Sunday, June 14
6 Going on 7 Brother's Keeper Cave In Coalesce Creation Is Crucifixion Defect The Dillinger Escape Plan Disembodied Errortype: Eleven Human Shield Kerosene 454 Morning Again NORA Racetraitor Set in Motion SeventyEightDays Snapcase Thoughts of Ionesco Torn Apart
December 5–6, 1998: Syracuse Hardcore Festival 2.5 Location: The Lost Horizon, 5863 Thompson Road, Syracuse, New York.
Saturday, December 5
Acacia Ascension All Else Failed Cave In Creation Is Crucifixion Crossthread Dead Eyes Under The Grey A.M. Groundzero Motive The Passenger Train Proposal Piebald Shadows Fall Skycamefalling
Sunday, December 6
Alabama Thunder Pussy Burn it Down Burn the Priest Disembodied Drowningman For the Love of... God Forbid Good Clean Fun Indecision Isis Jesuit NORA Racetraitor
Notes This was the only time that the festival held an event during the autumn.
June 26–27, 1999: Syracuse Hell Fest 99 Location: The Lost Horizon, 5863 Thompson Road, Syracuse, New York.
Saturday, June 26
As Friends Rust Boysetsfire Buried Alive Creation Is Crucifixion Eternal Youth Fastbreak NORA Reach the Sky Since the Fall Snapcase Standfast Ten Yard Fight Where Fear and Weapons Meet
Sunday, June 27
Another Victim Break of Dawn Brother's Keeper Disembodied Drowningman Fallout Glasseater Good Clean Fun Grade * Grey Area The Judas Factor Spread the Disease
Notes * Grade were scheduled to play but did not due to an incident with a taser.
The following bands may have also played: Eighteen Visions, Fall Silent, Kid Dynamite, Kill the Slave Master, One King Down and Racetraitor.
Originally scheduled to take place at Another Level, 727 South Crouse Avenue, but it was moved to The Lost Horizon.
June 30–July 2, 2000: Hellfest 2K Locations: The Lost Horizon, 5863 Thompson Road, Syracuse, New York / Club Mirage, 6815 Manlius Center Road, East Syracuse, New York.
Friday, June 30 *
As Friends Rust Burn It Down Candiria Codeseven Creation Is Crucifixion The Dillinger Escape Plan Disciple Dissolve Drowningman Ensign Godbelow Gunmen and Flightpaths Isis The Juliana Theory Kill Your Idols Maharahj The National Acrobat NORA Zao
Saturday, July 1
Adamantium Bane The August Prophecy Beyond Fall Bloodjinn Buried Alive Cave In Converge Death by Stereo Dragbody Eighteen Visions Glasseater Good Clean Fun Head On Idle Hands Killswitch Engage Mid Carson July Prayer for Cleansing Reach the Sky Red Roses for a Blue Lady Time in Malta Walls of Jericho
Sunday, July 2
All Else Failed Anodyne Brother's Keeper Crucible Destro Diecast Every Time I Die The Grey A.M. The Hope Conspiracy New Day Rising One King Down Poison the Well Shai Hulud Spark Lights the Friction Spitfire Starkweather This Day Forward Throwdown Turmoil Twelve Tribes
Notes * The festival was initially scheduled to take place at the Booker T. Washington Community Center in Auburn, New York. On Thursday, June 29, the city of Auburn objected to the festival taking place so the organizers secured a second venue near Syracuse Hancock International Airport in Syracuse, New York. On the morning of Friday, June 30, the fire department objected to the festival because it was too close to the airport. The event was moved again to The Lost Horizon but this time the city of Syracuse objected to the festival taking place. The bands and record labels set up a hardcore flea market in the parking lot of The Lost Horizon to sell merchandise, meanwhile Maharahj and Creation Is Crucifixion performed in a local girl named Emily's front yard down the street. The organizers spent the day finding a new venue and re-booking most of the bands from Friday, June 30 into the next two days. The Saturday, July 1 and Sunday, July 2 shows took place at Club Mirage in East Syracuse.
July 6–8, 2001: Hellfest 2001 Location: Action Sports & Skate Center, 2299 Brewerton Road, in Mattydale, New York
Friday, July 6
Main Stage
Eighteen Visions Ensign Every Time I Die Glasseater Godbelow Good Clean Fun Just Passed Locked in a Vacancy Long Since Forgotten Martyr A.D. Poison the Well Santa Sangre Spark Lights the Friction This Day Forward Throwdown Trouble Loves Me Walls of Jericho
Second Stage
A Death for Every Sin All Else Failed Anodyne Arma Angelus Arms Length The Bluestardiary Building on Fire Cataract Ebony Sorrow Embrace Today Fairweather From Autumn to Ashes In Pieces Jeromes Dream Kalibas Keelhaul One Nation Under Miles Between Us
Saturday, July 7
Main Stage
American Hot Wax Another Victim Brother's Keeper Burn It Down Burnt by the Sun Course of Action Groundzero Lamb of God Lariat Length of Time Most Precious Blood NORA One King Down Open Hand Reach the Sky Remembering Never Shai Hulud Stretch Arm Strong Thursday Until the End
Second Stage
Cipher Curl Up and Die Destro The Disaster The Grey A.M. Holy Angels Inkling Mastodon Mid Carson July Pig Destroyer Premonitions of War Ruined in a Day Saving Throw Season of Fire Standfast
Sunday, July 8
Main Stage
Arkangel Cable Candiria Catastrophic Diecast Earth Crisis Hatebreed If Hope Dies In Dying Days Killswitch Engage Skycamefalling Spitfire Twelve Tribes Undying Unearth Zao
Second Stage
A Jealousy Issue The August Prophecy Beyond Fall Bleeding Through Blood Has Been Shed Bloodjinn Circle of Dead Children Craig Darker Day Tomorrow Dead Limb Sleep FaceDown Garrison Harakiri Maharahj Stalemate Sworn Enemy Upheaval When Dreams Die Wrong the Oppressor
Notes The festival was originally booked and announced to take place at Action Sports & Skate Center, 2299 Brewerton Road, in Mattydale, New York. However, on June 19, 2001, less than three weeks before the event, the promoters moved the show to Liquids in East Syracuse. In a sleight-of-hand trick, attendees arriving at Liquids on the morning of July 6 were greeted with flyers stating "It wouldn't be Hellfest without drama," with directions back to the Mattydale Action Sports & Skate Center, the true location of the festival.
The 2001 edition was the first to feature two stages.
July 12–14, 2002: Hellfest 2002 Location: New York State Fairgrounds, 581 State Fair Boulevard, Syracuse, New York.
Friday, July 12
Main Stage
Atreyu Bane Bloodlet Diecast The Dillinger Escape Plan Every Time I Die God Forbid Hopesfall Nemesis NORA Norma Jean On the Might of Princes
B Stage
A Life Once Lost Between the Buried and Me Building on Fire Endicott In Pieces The June Spirit Killswitch Engage Love Is Red Open Hand Season of Fire Taken Your Enemies Friends
C Stage
7 Angels 7 Plagues American Tragedy As Hope Dies Breaking Pangaea Bury Your Dead Codeseven Dead to Fall Glasseater Long Since Forgotten Moneen Not Waving but Drowning This Day Forward Uphill Battle
Saturday, July 13
Main Stage
All Else Failed