RPM Fest has unveiled the lineup for its 10th anniversary celebration, with High on Fire, Khemmis, Monolord, Whores., The Dwarves, Acid Witch, Dopethrone, Ecstatic Vision, Squid Pisser, Phantom, Void, Graveripper, and Castle leading a bill of more than 40 artists. The volunteer-run festival returns to the Millers Falls Rod & Gun Club in Montague, Massachusetts from September 4-6, once again combining heavy music with camping, entertainment, food, craft beer and community in the woods of Western Massachusetts.
Topping the lineup is Grammy Award-winning sludge metal powerhouse High on Fire, whose blend of crushing riffs, speed metal intensity and Matt Pike’s unmistakable guitar work has made them one of the most influential heavy bands of the last quarter century. Their appearance gives RPM Fest one of its biggest headliners to date and continues the festival’s tradition of bringing nationally acclaimed heavy acts to its grassroots setting.
To add on, Swedish stoner doom trio Monolord, known for towering walls of fuzz, hypnotic grooves and massive, slow-burning compositions will be there to rock out. Their atmospheric take on doom metal has earned an international following, making them fitting addition to a festival that has long embraced stoner, doom and sludge music. Colorado’s Khemmis will bring their distinctive mix of traditional doom and classic heavy metal. Acclaimed for balancing crushing heaviness with memorable songwriting, the band has become one of modern doom metal’s most celebrated acts and adds another major draw to the anniversary lineup.
Noise rock favorites Whores. return with their abrasive, feedback-drenched sound, while legendary punk provocateurs The Dwarves add decades of confrontational hardcore punk history to the weekend. Detroit horror-doom veterans Acid Witch promise their signature fusion of doom metal, death metal and horror themes, while Canadian sludge trio Dopethrone continue the festival’s strong emphasis on fuzz-laden heaviness.
The lineup also features psychedelic heavy rock from Ecstatic Vision, chaotic hardcore from Squid Pisser, traditional speed metal from Phantom, crossover thrash veterans Void, blackened speed metal from Graveripper and long-running doom metal outfit Castle. Elsewhere , Mother Iron Horse, Nott, Atomic Witch, Intercourse, Leather Lung, Antagonizör, Pegzilla, The Rumours, Dysentery, Karate Steve, Dead Street Dreamers, Lesotho, Horse Grave, Xenosis, North Star the Wanderer, Goblet, Problem with Dragons, Western Massacre, Miracle Blood, The Prozacs, Street Trash, Gravewraith, Earthlore, Afghan Haze, Accursed, The Outlourdes, Swamphead, Grip Bite and Rock Shop round out the diverse lineup, representing everything from punk and hardcore to death metal, doom, sludge and underground rock.
Beyond the music, RPM Fest will once again offer a full weekend experience with three days of camping, professional wrestling, burlesque performances, horror movie screenings, heavy metal trivia, karaoke, metal yoga, drag bingo, an artist alley and vendor market, plus a wide selection of food and beverages. Organizers expect more than 1,500 attendees for the milestone edition, which remains entirely volunteer-run and continues its mission of supporting local and regional heavy music while creating an affordable, community-focused festival experience. Tickets for RPM Fest 2026 are on sale now.
Photo Credit: Ekaterina Gorbacheva
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