I attended my first Legions of Metal at Reggies in Chicago, Illinois, the weekend of May 1 & 2, 2026. In general, I tend to bias more toward smaller indoor festivals, and I had been curious about this one for a few years. The focus tends to be on North American bands, though occasionally one from outside the continent will find its way into the lineup (e.g. Rhapsody of Fire this year). The fest focuses on a good variety of genres, spanning heavy, power, symphonic, speed, thrash, doom, and melodic death metal. The lineup is consistently great year after year, and I almost went each of the past 2 years. Sadly, life got in the way, and I was excited to finally attend this year. I was admittedly most excited for Trouble, as I had never seen them, but there were so many bands to look forward to.

The fest offers a VIP option above and beyond the 1 or 2 day passes, and I highly recommend it. Reggies serves food (and of course alcohol), and for a bar-focused venue, the food was quite good. VIP gives you the option to go upstairs where the bands get to take a break, with a rotating buffet selection of food (think pub food like wings, hot dogs, mac and cheese, etc, but you are still responsible for paying for alcohol). What is cool is that you essentially have an unofficial meet and greet built into the VIP option. There is no guarantee which bands will be around at any given time, but I saw quite a few the various times I was there. Overall, I felt the value of the VIP option was super high, and it didn’t require you to leave the venue to eat.

Unlike most of the smaller indoor fests I attend, Legions does feature 2 stages. This means it is impossible to see the entirety of every set, making prioritizing essential. If you have followed me for any period of time, you will recognize that I am both a maximalist and a completist, so this format goes against how my brain is wired. The reality, however, is that I am never equally excited about all bands playing any fest, so this forced me to decide who to prioritize while also making it easier to justify using my VIP privileges. The Main Stage was in Reggies, while the smaller Joint Stage was next door, with the merch hall in between the 2 areas. Going back and forth was straightforward, though the Joint Stage area was significantly smaller, sometimes a challenge if you arrived after a set had begun. The fest does a great job offsetting the start and end times for each set, meaning you do have the option to watch part of every set if you want. The 2 co-headliners each night have no bands playing against them, meaning you do not have to miss any of their sets. I found myself taking a hybrid approach, watching some partial sets but also taking in quite a few full sets. This did mean I missed some bands, but I got to experience a ton of music! One critique is I would have liked to have seen published playing times scheduled sooner so I could have planned my approach sooner, but it worked out fine in the end.

Now let’s dive into the bands! You can use the Table of Contents below to jump to your band of choice. I did only cover bands I saw in depth, though I will call out every band that played the fest.

Day 1 was on Friday, May 1, and featured 6 bands on the Main Stage and 4 on the Joint Stage. The Main Stage order was Regiment, Luminator, Nite, Owlbear, Omen, and Rhapsody of Fire, with the Joint Stage bands being Heroine Sentinel, High Castle, Extinction Earth, and Black Sites. I did not catch High Castle at all and only heard 1 song from Extinction Earth, and I didn’t watch Owlbear as I had just seen them at Hyperspace Metal Festival in Vancouver, BC. I will cover the rest of the Day 1 bands.

LA speed/thrash metal band Regiment kicked off the fest on the Main Stage. I was not familiar with them prior to the fest, so I was going in completely blind. Due to the line to get into the venue moving quite slowly, I hadn’t quite gotten in when the band started, meaning I got to hear the first couple songs from the entry and as I was getting into the pit area. I did stay for the rest of the set (except the very last song) and was impressed with them as an opener. They were full of energy and crazy antics, including a high-power mist gun that made for some great and funny visuals (if you ever wondered what a guitarist peeing a massive stream of mist looks like, go see Regiment). They even had a cardboard robot that they had the crowd destroy slam dance style!

Regiment played 11 songs. The first 5 were all from their debut full length “Soldiers of Speed,” and the remaining 6 are from their upcoming new album. The “Beat up the robot” moment I mentioned happened during the 5th song, “Cyborg Holocaust.” The setlist was:

1. Acid Lord
2. Vultures
3. Voodoo Rock and Roll
4. Drag Me to Hell
5. Cyborg Holocaust
6. Mythomaniac
7. Cyclone Assault
8. Death Rattle
9. War Fair
10. The Art of Arson
11. Emergency (Nuclear Assault cover)

After Regiment, I ran over to the Joint Stage to catch part of the set of Chicago heavy metal quartet Heroine Sentinel, another band I was completely unfamiliar with. I had gotten to know some of the guys in Professor Emeritus, and I found out that the bassist and drummer played in this band as well, making me more curious to check them out. I caught the tail end of the first song and then stayed for the next 4 songs. They had a traditional metal feel, with nice guitar lead and bass work, killer drumming, and big vocals. The band was super tight, and I enjoyed what I heard.

Heroine Sentinel played an 8-song set, including ending with an Ozzy cover, though I only heard the tail end of the first song and then all of the next 4 songs. The setlist was:

1. Nightwalker
2. For All Time
3. Night Breed
4. From the Lakeshore
5. When the Crystal Calls
6. The Huntress
7. Debt Slave
8. S.A.T.O. (Ozzy cover)

I left Heroine Sentinel early and ran back over to the Main Stage, as I had planned on catching the entire Luminator set. Luminator hails from my backyard in Seattle, and I have always enjoyed their mix of Twilight Force-esque symphonic power metal melded with progressive metal. Ironically enough they don’t play live as often as I would like, so this was my first time seeing them live in nearly a year! Vocalist Demi is always so impressive with his incredible effortless range, and the entire band is always so happy and animated on stage. It is particularly fun seeing LJ constantly helicopter and Ruben with a goofy smile always plastered across his face as his fingers dance across the ivory. Luminator’s songs are complex with lots going on, and they absolutely slayed it, delivering a fun and energetic set!

Setlist

Luminator played a 6-song set, with 2 songs from their “On the Clouds” EP, and the remaining 4 from their upcoming full length (release date TBD), Penultimate song “Conquered Monsters” even featured Ty Christian of Lords of the Trident coming on stage and singing with Demi, which was super cool! The setlist was:

1. Dragon Captain (new)
2. Silver Leaves (EP)
3. Storms Eyes (new)
4. The Twisted Mind of the Sorcerer  (new)
5. Conquered Monsters (new) (featuring Ty Christian of Lords of the Trident)
6. The Banner of Light (EP)

Bay Area blackened heavy metal band Nite played next on the Main Stage. I was marginally familiar with them, having given their latest album, “Cult of the Serpent Sun,” a brief listen ahead of the fest. I found their concept interesting but wasn’t quite sure what to expect live. It would be an understatement to say that I was blown away by their stage presence and performance, just energetic and powerful. The blackened vocals and atmosphere works surprisingly well with the more traditional heavy metal approach, and they really got the crowd going! They made a fan of me during this set, and I look forward to seeing what else they do moving forward.

Nite played a 7-song set, with 3 from their last 2 full lengths and 1 from their debut. The setlist was:

1. Ezelia 
2. Crow (Fear the night)
3. Acheron
4. Skull
5. Cult of the Serpent Sun 
6. Carry On 
7. The Trident

After Nite, I briefly checked out a song by Extinction Earth on the Joint Stage and then decided to use my VIP privileges and eat. I had prioritized seeing Black Sites on the Joint Stage but lost track of time and missed the first song. I stayed for the rest of the set, however, and was really glad I did! Hailing from Chicago, this quartet delivered a great set melding more traditional heavy metal with nice progressive flourishes, at times giving me both Queensrÿche and King’s X vibes, just to name a few. Vocalist / guitarist Mark Sugar was phenomenal, and drummer Chris Black was fantastic. The lead guitarist and bassist from Professor Emeritus also play in Black Sites, and they were amazing as expected. As disappointed as I was to miss the first song (which was also a new song!), I thoroughly enjoyed their set, and they ended up being one of my pleasant surprise bands of the fest.

Black Sites played a 7-song setlist, featuring 2 songs from their upcoming July release, “For Eternity,” with the rest coming from their other albums. The setlist was:

1. Aquarius Betrayed (New song)
2. Sword of Orion
3. Call It by Its Name
4. Silent Wars (new song)
5. Descent
6. Dream Long Dead
7. World on Fire

Back on the Main Stage, US heavy/power metal band Omen was the second to last band of the night, and you could tell the crowd was utterly stoked for them. It was a packed house, and it was easy to see why they were chosen to be one of the co-headliners for the fest. They were playing a special set featuring the majority of the songs from their second full length from 1985, “Warning of Danger,” as well as a handful of other songs. The only original remaining member was founding guitarist Kenny Powell, and it was cool seeing him on stage ripping riffs and solos. Vocalist Nikos Migus Antonogiannakis had fabulous stage presence, engaging the crowd throughout the entire set. It was a great performance, and I am glad I got to experience Omen live for the first time!

Omen played an 11-song set, featuring all but “VBP” from the album “Warning of Danger,” though they were not played in order and had a handful of other songs interspersed, primarily from “Battle Cry.” The setlist was:

1. Premonition / Termination
2. Ruby Eyes (of the Serpent)
3. Make Me Your King
4. Red Horizon
5. Don’t Fear the Night
6. The Axeman
7. Hell’s Gates
8. March On
9. Teeth of the Hydra
10. In the Arena
11. Warning of Danger

It was time for the last band of the night, and who better to close things out than Italy’s symphonic power metal powerhouse Rhapsody of Fire! I last saw them near the end of 2025 in Seattle, and they always deliver an incredible performance. This was a one-off show for them in US this year, making it extra special, though they did promise they would be coming back soon with a new tour. Giacomo is an incredible vocalist and frontman, and the entire band is so full of energy. Sadly, their keyboardist was unable to make the trip out, and his presence on stage was missed. This didn’t stop the band from delivering an incredible set, which included Giacomo both crowdsurfing and entering the circle pit at one point! Rhapsody of Fire was the perfect choice to wrap up Day 1 of Legions, ending the day in adrenaline filled style!

Rhapsody of Fire played a 12-song setlist (along with 2 intro-like tracks) spanning their broad discography. The setlist was:

1. The Dark Secret II (Ira Divina) / Unholy Warcry
2. Rain of Fury
3. I’ll Be Your Hero
4. Chains of Destiny
5. The Magic of the Wizard’s Dream
6. Challenge the Wind
7. On the Way to Ainor
8. March of the Swordmaster
9. Kreel’s Magic Staff
10. Dawn of Victory
11. [encore] A New Saga Begins / Land of Immortals
12. Emerald Sword

The second day of Legions had an earlier start, featuring a few more bands overall than Day 1. Day 2 featured Battle Chapel, Thunder Forge, Wanted, Fires in the Distance, Void, Lords of the Trident, Heathen, and Trouble on the Main Stage. It featured Professor Emeritus, Greenbriar, Brekker, Blind Oath, and “Byrne vs Kastner” on the Joint Stage. Again, decisions had to be made, particularly since there were many bands I did want to see complete sets for. Professor Emeritus was one of my most anticipated sets of the day, but they also ended up being the only set I caught on the Joint Stage. On the Main Stage, I saw half of Battle Chapel and Wanted and will cover them, but I unfortunately completely missed Thunder Forge. I did see the remaining Main Stage bands and will cover them all below.

Pennsylvania-based symphonic power metal band Battle Chapel kicked off Day 2 of Legions. I was wrapping up a band interview with Lords of the Trident so missed the first 3 songs, but I was able to catch the final 3 before I ran over to catch Professor Emeritus. They had a cool dual vocals attack with Jayden and Janelle, and of note, it was only the second show for Janelle, though you never would have guessed! Musically it was a lot of fun, with big hooks and plenty of power and speed. During one of the songs, the bass player left the stage and traipsed through the audience while he played, which was pretty fun! The band had a ton of energy and was a great opener for Day 2. If anything I wish I had caught more of their set!

Battle Chapel played a 6-song set, featuring 3 new songs and 3 from their existing full length, “Heavy Is the Crown.” Sadly, my being late meant I missed all 3 brand new songs, but I enjoyed the songs I heard! The setlist was:

1. Protectors of the Realm (new)
2. Last Path between Worlds (new)
3. Nimüe (new)
4. Fire Queen
5. Battle of the Bastards
6. Knights of Harrenhall

After Battle Chapel, I ran over to the Joint Stage to see Chicago epic power doom band Professor Emeritus, one of my most anticipated sets of the entire fest. I did an in person interview earlier in the afternoon with the band, which only made me more excited. And wow, did they deliver! Esteban is a fabulous vocalist, with the right balance of passion and aggression. All the instruments were amazing, with chunky guitar riffs, great solos, nifty bass, and crazy jazzy drum fills amidst the thunder. I wish the set could have been longer, and I felt like they were way too good of a band to be an opener on a side stage. I definitely look forward to seeing more from them in the future, and if you get the chance to see them, you absolutely should!

Professor Emeritus played a 6-song setlist, all from their latest album, “A Land Long Gone.” The setlist was:

The setlist was:

1. A Corpse’s Dream
2. Zosimos
3. Passage
4. Pragmatic Occlusion
5. Conundrum
6. Defeater

Michigan heavy metal band Wanted was next on the Main Stage. Since I had plans to see the remaining Main Stage bands in full, I needed to ensure I ate, but I did stay for the first 4 songs from Wanted. They brought an old school attitude with plenty of guitar fireworks and big soaring vocals as they ripped through their set, with plenty of energy and crowd engagement. This style is not generally my thing, but Wanted was very good, and I quite enjoyed the songs I heard!

Wanted played a 9-song setlist, though I was only able to catch the first 4 songs. The setlist was:

1. Under the Law
2. Cutting Edge
3. Armed for Action
4. Take Me Away
5. Late Attraction
6. Chained to Your Love
7. Different Truth
8. Last Command
9. Tooth and Nail

US melodic death metal band Fires in the Distance was next on the Main Stage, and I was quite excited to see them. I had last seen them in late 2024 when they opened on the Amorphis / Dark Tranquillity North American Tour, which was before their current vocalist was with the band. I was curious how he would be live, and he, quite simply, was phenomenal, bringing a lot of energy and passion to his vocals and his guitar playing. The rest of the band was also fabulous, creating an atmospheric wall of sound that was powerfully heavy and melodic. The crowd really got into them, and as the heaviest band of the fest, they absolutely delivered!

Fires in the Distance played a 4-song set (all their songs are LONG!!!), featuring the 2 recently released singles and 2 older songs. The setlist was:

1. Of Radiance and Levitation
2. To You, Author of My Fade
3. Widsom of the Falling Leaves
4. Harbingers

Horror-infused Louisiana thrashers Void played next on the Main Stage. I admittedly knew pretty much nothing about them, only hearing that they played thrash / speed metal from a few others in the crowd. When they came out in their over the top 80’s outfits and hair dos, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. My ears were then treated to a feast of incredible technical speedy thrash with guitar gymnastics galore, thunderous drumming, and a confident aggressive vocal delivery. The vocalist was a showman, bouncing everywhere, and he would even occasionally toss the microphone to a few folks in the crowd to let them sing along. The 2 guitarists in particular were incredible to watch, also giving a show as they absolutely shredded their strings. One other thing to note is that the band across the board was super young. I have no idea what their ages are, but their tightness and stage presence made it seem as if they had been playing together for 20 years. They were easily the surprise of the entire fest for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed them and would see them again in a heartbeat!

Void played an 8-song setlist featuring songs from each of their 2 full lengths. One of the songs, “Beneath… Lives the Impaler,” is over 10 minutes on the album, and they said it isn’t one they play often. They really only played the first part of the song rather than the full track, but it was cool to hear! The setlist was:

1. A Curse / Forbidden Morals
2. Return of the Phantom
3. Gateways of Stone
4. Beneath…Lives the Impaler (beginning only)
5. Voodoo
6. First In, Last Out
7. Apparition
8. Silent Onslaught

Wisconsin heavy/power metal band Lords of the Trident was up next. I have seen them many times, and I always enjoy lead vocalist Ty’s antics on stage as well as the incredible musicianship from the other 4 guys. The dueling guitars from Brian and Aki are always a treat, with solos galore and plenty of shred. Brent always goes hard on the bass, and Brett’s drumming is powerful. Ty is an amazing frontman, with incredible vocals and wild on-stage antics that include setting things on fire, “playing” toy guitar, and more, all while consistently engaging the crowd and getting them riled up. Lords of the Trident is always a blast live, and this show was no exception!

Lords of the Trident played an 8-song set, featuring songs from across their entire discography, which also gave a taste for the evolution in their sound from a more traditional heavy/power sound to incorporating more modern elements today. The setlist was:

1. Knights of Dragon’s Deep
2. Power of Evil
3. Complete Control
4. To Kill a God
5. The Party Has Arrived / Brothers of Cain
6. Death Dealer
7. Charlatan
8. The Metal Sea

US thrash stalwarts Heathen were the co-headliner for Day 2. I had only seen them once before, earlier this year when they supported Coroner on their North American tour. Unfortunately, there were all kinds of sound issues at the Seattle show on that tour, and though I still enjoyed seeing them, at the time I knew I wanted to see them again with better sound. I was excited for the opportunity at Legions, and boy did they sound good! Lead vocalist David is tremendous, full of energy while engaging with his bandmates and the crowd. The band was absolutely on fire, playing banger after banger while making the crowd absolutely electric. Heathen is such an amazing showcase for dueling guitar solos, and the guys are so fun to watch constantly play off each other. The bass player is great and has the best facial expressions, and the drummer is literally a machine behind the set. It was an amazing show!

Heathen played a 9-song setlist featuring songs off their first 2 albums, “Breaking the Silence” and “Victims of Deception.” Many of these songs are not in their regular rotation and had not been performed live in a long time, so this setlist was super special. The setlist was:

1. Grave Intro / Open the Grave
2. Opiate of the Masses
3. Breaking the Silence 
4. Fear of the Unknown
5. Heathen’s Song
6. Mercy Is No Virtue
7. Death by Hanging
8. Hypnotized 
9. Goblin’s Blade

Chicago hometown doom legends Trouble was the main headliner for Legions, and this was also their first time to ever play at Reggie’s. It was clear that the crowd was excited for them, with a very full venue and people packing as close to the front as possible. I had personally never seen Trouble even once in their long history, and they were a key reason why I wanted to attend Legions. From the time they hit the stage until they finished their last song, they had full control of the audience. Lead vocalist Kyle Thomas is an amazing frontman, an utterly phenomenal vocalist who also appreciates the fans so much, easy to see through his engagement with the audience. Long time guitarists Rick Wartell and Bruce Franklin were a lot of fun to watch, playing well off each other as they delivered riff after crushing riff with some nice solos as well. It is amazing how long Trouble has been together as well as how influential they have been on the doom genre overall. Seeing them live for the first time was a treat, and it was an incredible show!

Trouble played a 13-song setlist (13 and a half if you count the “Psalm 9” / “All Is Forgiven” medley that featured only the second half of “All Is Forgiven”), spanning all of their albums. They ended with a cover of the Black Sabbath song “Supernaut.” The setlist was:

1. The Tempter
2. Assassin
3. Come Touch the Sky
4. At the End of My Daze
5. Mr. White
6. Memory’s Garden
7. Wickedness of Man
8. Run to the Light
9. Psychotic Reaction
10. Requiem
11. Psalm 9 / All Is Forgiven (second half)
12. Revelation – Life or Death
13. Supernaut (Black Sabbath cover)

I really enjoyed my first Legions of Metal. It was a well-run fest with a great lineup, plenty of variety, and lots of opportunity to discover new bands. As much as my completist brain does not prefer having to prioritize which bands to see, I had no complaints about who I saw, and I walked away a fan of several bands who were unknown to me prior. I will be curious to see who gets scheduled for the 2027 edition, but I am already biasing toward returning next year, usually a good sign that I think the fest is worth the time and money! If you are looking for a fest early in the year, particularly if you already live in the Midwest, Legions of Metal is a great option!