Armstrong MetalFest has announced its 2026 lineup, confirming RIVERS OF NIHIL and DYING FETUS as co-headliners of the annual extreme metal gathering in Armstrong, British Columbia. The festival, now entering its 16th year, will take place July 17-18 at the Hassen Arena, delivering two full days of extreme music and camping in the heart of the Okanagan Valley.
The lineup represents one of the strongest bills in the festival's history. RIVERS OF NIHIL, the Reading, Pennsylvania progressive death metal outfit whose 2018 album "Where Owls Know My Name" is widely regarded as a modern classic of the genre, will headline Saturday night. DYING FETUS, the legendary Annapolis, Maryland brutal death metal institution who have been delivering crushing technical brutality since 1991, will close out Friday. The undercard is equally impressive, featuring CYBORG OCTOPUS, INTO ETERNITY, VINTERSEA, and IRON KINGDOM among the confirmed acts.
Armstrong MetalFest has earned a loyal following among extreme metal fans in western Canada and the Pacific Northwest for its combination of high-quality lineups, affordable pricing, and a uniquely intimate festival atmosphere. Unlike massive commercial festivals, Armstrong maintains a grassroots ethos — the Hassen Arena provides an outdoor venue surrounded by mountains and forests, with on-site camping that creates a community-driven experience where fans and bands regularly interact throughout the weekend.
The festival's 16-year run is a testament to the dedication of the organizing team, who have navigated economic challenges, pandemic-era cancellations, and the inherent difficulty of booking extreme metal acts in a relatively remote British Columbia location. Early bird weekend passes and camping packages are available now through the festival's official website, with single-day tickets to follow in April.