Mad with Power Fest takes place each year in Madison, Wisconsin, at an amazing venue called The Sylvee. It is run by Ty Christian, lead vocalist of Lords of the Trident, and he does an absolutely fabulous job running this fest. In fact, I would say it is one of the best run fests I have ever seen, with a true passion for supporting the bands and the overall metal community. I interviewed Ty at the beginning of May to get more of his perspective and deep dive into the origins and motivations of Mad With Power, and you can check out the interview I did with Ty at the mymetaloftheday YouTube channel to get more insight into the fest and his overall approach! One big insight is that Mad with Power 8 took its toll on Ty, and last year was the first year he didn’t have a reel for the next year’s lineup ready to go. In fact it wasn’t even certain Mad with Power would happen at all. Thankfully, the community came through, and Mad with Power 9 became reality. Community is a huge pillar of this fest, and I will talk about that more in a bit.

This year was Mad with Power Fest 9, which took place June 5 & 6, 2026, with a pre-party the evening of June 4. It was my third consecutive time attending (along with my son) and my first as a sponsor, and this fest has easily become one of my favorite fests every year. Though the focus is heavy and power metal, the fest spans a good variety of other genres, with this year also including symphonic, thrash, folk, progressive, and melodic death metal. The lineup is consistently great year after year, featuring bands from all over the world, though visa concerns have made it more challenging to bring bands from outside the US to pretty much any fest these days. This edition featured 2 bands from Europe (Twilight Force and Dragonland), with the remaining bands all hailing from the US. As is usually the case, there were quite a few bands I was not familiar with at all, and I always enjoy getting acquainted with new bands. Of course, there were also several I was very familiar with and quite excited to see!

This fest offers a number of VIP options that provide varying levels of perks. These pretty much sell out in the pre-sale (usually takes place early to mid February) that occurs approximately 1 month prior to general sales. In order to participate in the pre-sale, you must be a Patreon member of Lords of the Trident, with at least the minimum level ($1 per month). It is totally worth it, not only because VIP is awesome (a handful of perks include a great goodie bag and early entry to the venue for band meet and greets, and for Gold and above, giving you a place to sit in the second floor balcony, which has amazing view and sound!), but also because the Patreon, regardless of dollar level, helps to support Ty and his band and all they do to make this fest a reality. And as I already mentioned, if you want any form of VIP, they pretty much sell out in the pre-sale, so no Patreon membership means no VIP! And in case you are wondering, I get zero compensation for any of this paragraph, and yes, I am a Lords of the Trident Patreon member. I truly believe in the value and supporting what Ty and Lords of the Trident do here. I got the Gold VIP the previous 2 years (highly recommended), but this year I opted for sponsorships for my son and I. This allowed us to specify a band to sponsor (we chose Seven Spires and Twilight Force), and I got additional fun perks like food during the fest, early access to band sound check, and my logo on the big screen and poster. Regardless of whether you do the entry level Silver VIP all the way to the top levels, I strongly recommend if you can afford it.

Mad with Power Fest takes a serialized approach each day of the fest, enabling you to see every band without having to choose between competing sets or stages. Unlike other fests I have been to, MWP also offers a dinner break, an ingenious idea that ensures people get time to eat without being forced to skip a band, or sacrifice their eating. They even have a couple of local food vendors set up outside the venue to make it as easy as possible to get food for those who don’t want to walk further away (though the hour break allows the time). Each day features 6 bands, with 3 bands starting late afternoon into early evening, a dinner break, and 3 more bands for the nightcap. VIPs get early access at 3:15 PM each day, allowing folks to buy merch and meet band members before the general audience ticket holders enter at 4. The first band starts at 4:30, with each band getting 40 minutes, except for the headliner, who gets an undetermined amount longer than an hour. My maximalist and completist tendencies prefer this format, as I have the option to see every minute of every band if I want (while allowing me to provide the mymetaloftheday live show video experience). A plus with VIP is, if there is a band I am less excited about or don’t feel the need to be at the rail for, I can give my feet a break while still enjoying the show. This was also beneficial the first year I attended when I was recovering from knee surgery and on crutches! And if you like video games and pinball, there are plethora cabinets and machines for you to spend time playing without the need for spending quarters!

One of the key differentiators of Mad with Power Fest is the community aspect of this fest. Ty even said during my interview that seeing and hanging out with friends, many he only sees at this fest, is really what motivates him, and he has done a fabulous job fostering a family environment that I have not seen at any other fest. I have made so many friends at Mad with Power over the past 3 years, and the fest itself is super welcoming and accepting of anyone and everyone with zero tolerance for hate or bullying. This sense of community is reflected in a number of ways. There is a pre-party the night before (Thursday) at the Aftershock Arcade Bar, which isn’t too far down the street from The Sylvee. It serves as the Mad with Power kickoff in a bit of an informal way, allowing folks to congregate together over beers, arcade cabinets, and pinball machines, providing the chance to reconnect and catch up before the fest hits full swing. The sense of community extends to the infamous Cheese Curd Massacre, which happens Saturday morning (Day 2) at the local farmer’s market around the Capitol building. This is a unique experience that allows you to taste Madison culture (there is nothing like a fresh cheese curd that squeaks!) while also fostering metal community. Even the free arcade cabinets and pinball machines scattered throughout the venue during the fest itself invite friendly challenges and an opportunity to meet people in a casual fun environment. Mad with Power is a fest you can come to alone, without knowing anyone, and leave with many new friends that will be lasting. Add to that an incredible line up year after year, and what more can you ask for from a metal fest?

Now let’s dive into the bands! You can use the Table of Contents below to jump to your band of choice.

Also, I want to thank Thomas Noack for providing additional photos for each band carousel. His photos are easily distinguishable from my video stillshots since they are super detailed close ups without any graininess. You will find them in the carousel for each band except Seven Kingdoms. He is a fantastic photographer, and you should check him out at his Instagram page and give him some support!

Day 1 was on Friday, June 5, and featured 6 band: Hinayana, A Sound of Thunder, Helsótt, Ok Goodnight, Dragonland, and Seven Spires. I was on the rail for every band but Helsótt, where I decided to use my VIP privileges and sit. I will cover each of the Day 1 bands next.

Texas melodeath band Hinayana kicked off Day 1 of Mad with Power Fest, and what a way to kick off the fest! I had seen them once prior, as the opening band for last fall’s Omnium Gatherum North American tour, and I was impressed with their stage presence and overall sound. The Sylvee was a much larger stage than when I saw them in November in Seattle, and they just seemed natural in the bigger environment. Lead vocalist / rhythm guitarist Casey Hurd is a great frontman, riling up the crowd and delivering his growls with passion and authority. The entire band was fabulous and sounded so great, melding the aggression of death and doom metal with plenty of melody and atmosphere. They were the perfect opener for the fest, setting the bar early for energy and musicianship.

Hinayana played a 7-song setlist featuring songs from their latest full length and previous EP. Unlike their recent tour, they did not play their single released late last year, swapping it with “Reverse the Code” from their latest album. The setlist was:

1. Death of the Cosmic
2. Cold Conception
3. In Sacred Delusion
4. Spirit and Matter
5. Reverse the Code
6. Triptych Visions
7. A Tide Unturning

Washington, D.C., traditional heavy metal band A Sound of Thunder played second on Day 1. They had last played the second edition of Mad with Power in 2018, though they had apparently been asked to play again previously and had been unable to make it work. After nearly hanging it up in 2023 with the retirement of their drummer, they returned with a new drummer and have been running a crowdfunding campaign for their next album, “The Golden Hourglass.” When Ty announced the band, he was quite excited, and the crowd seemed energized as well. Given my proclivity for power metal rather than traditional metal, they were not a band I was familiar with, so I went in mostly blind. They brought a ton of energy, playing high powered heavy metal with some power metal flirtation at times. Lead vocalist Nina Osegueda is classically trained and has a lot of charisma, constantly bouncing around and interacting with her bandmates as well as the audience as she delivered a broad vocal range. The guitars had plenty of fast riffs and solos, and the drumming was thunderous as the band’s name would suggest. It was a fun show, and Day 1 was off to a great start!

A Sound of Thunder ripped through an 8-song set, with minimal breaks, featuring songs spanning their discography while also including a new song from their upcoming album. The setlist was:

1. Queen of Hell
2. A Sound of Thunder
3. Chainsaw Witch
4. Lifebringer
5. Tremble
6. Cataclysm (new song)
7. Legion of Thunder
8. Udoroth

California folk / death metal band Helsótt (name is Old Norse for “fatal illness”) played third on Day 1. I had listened to a handful of songs ahead of the fest and realized it wasn’t my thing, so I decided to give my legs a break and use my VIP balcony seating privileges. The band reminded me a bit of a heavier Alestorm, just with a more death metal approach. Lead vocalist Eric Dow was very engaged with the crowd, and the band was full of energy. I caught most of their set before heading out early for the dinner break, and even if it wasn’t my thing, they put on a good performance that had the crowd going!

Setlist

Helsótt played a 9-song set, featuring songs from each of their full lengths and EPs. The setlist was:

1. I’ll Make Ya Famous 
2. Southern Shine 
3. Tavern’s Tale
4. Helsótt
5. Babylon: Scarlett’s Saloon
6. Folkvangr
7. Running Down a Dream
8. Whiskey Breath
9. Honour Thy Valkyrie

After the 1 hour dinner break, Boston-based progressive rock / metal outfit Ok Goodnight kicked off the night cap for Day 1. The band was originally supposed to play last year’s edition of the fest but sadly was unable to. I had the opportunity to interview them ahead of the fest as well as listen and review their brand new album, so I was particularly excited for this set. This performance also served as their album release show, with copies of the album available ahead of the release. What unfolded during the set was absolutely mesmerizing, and the band will forever be known as “Ok WOW” in my head. Casey Lee Williams is a phenomenal vocalist, and hearing her do what she does on album in a live setting was spectacular. Each of the instruments were a lot of fun to watch, as the songs themselves have a lot going on, and experiencing these textures live was a treat. The band was so tight musically and yet so loose performance wise, killing it while being engaging and clearly having fun on stage! The set did not disappoint, other than I wished it had been twice as long. I could easily have stood there for hours listening to their entire discography. What a way to kick off the night cap!

Ok Goodnight played songs from each of their albums, including 3 from their brand new album “stop/go,” two of which were brand new and unreleased at the time. They also played one of my favorites from their previous album, “The Bear,” which included bassist Peter de Reyna contributing the growls. The setlist was:

1. 22
2. The Fox and the Bird
3. Day and Night
4. The Game
5. The Bear
6. Top of the Bottom
7. Rapture

Swedish symphonic power metal band Dragonland was another one of my highly anticipated sets for the fest, and they were up next. This was only their second US appearance ever, with their last over 10 years ago at ProgPower, so this was a special performance that a lot of folks were quite excited for. I had the opportunity to interview Jonas (lead vocalist) in the lead up to the fest, and it was a super fun conversation that also had me excited to meet him in person. Throughout the fest, I got to hang out with him multiple times, and he was so much fun to get to know and spend in person time with. I love it when band members are willing to interact and mingle with folks at shows and fests, and this just made me respect Dragonland even more as a band! As a vocalist, Jonas is utterly effortless, running back and forth as he soars into the heavens and then comes back to earth, never missing a beat. The band was so good, with lots of guitar and keyboard action, speedy drumming, and incredible melodies. They were super tight and absolutely crushed each song, and much like the previous set from Ok Goodnight, it felt too short and like it flew by. Hopefully I get to see them again soon!

Dragonland played an 8-song setlist, and one of the running jokes was that the band’s set was full of title tracks. They did play one of my personal favorites, “The Power of the Nightstar,” as well as one of my favorite non-title tracks, “The Black Mare,” with the declaration “This song is about a horse!” They closed with what I think is an incredible cover of the Neverending Story theme song, though Jonas did tell me on Day 2 that something quit working in his ear monitors, and he realized that for the most of the song he was about a half a step high. Regardless it still sounded amazing, and I was so happy they ended with that song. The setlist was:

1. A Thousand Towers White 
2. Holy War
3. Starfall
4. The Power of the Nightstar
5. Astronomy
6. Ride for Glory
7. The Black Mare
8. Neverending Story

Symphonic / progressive / melodic death metal band Seven Spires was the headliner for Day 1, and I was so excited to see them. In fact, they were one of the two bands I chose to sponsor. I had seen them multiple times, the last time when they opened for Epica in NYC in Spring 2025. Their last album, “A Fortress Called Home,” was my 2024 album of the year, and I also had the opportunity to interview lead vocalist Adrienne Cowan in the lead up to the fest. I knew this would be the longest set I had ever seen from them, but I was quite curious how they would approach it. What I did not expect was 100 minutes of Seven Spires, and every minute was incredible! Adrienne is always so appreciative of the fans, and she reiterated this constantly while also flooring everyone with her impressive vocal performance. I consistently say she is one of the most versatile vocalists in all of metal, and seeing her effortlessly switch amongst myriad styles, sometimes in the span of just seconds, is mind blowing to witness in person. Peter is an incredible bassist, deftly finger tapping and slapping his strings, and he backed up Adrienne many times with both growls and occasional cleans. Even more impressive is the fact he played double duty, having played with Ok Goodnight to start the evening. Jack is such an impressive guitarist, and he blew everyone away with his killer melodic guitar solos. Dylan was a thunderous force behind the kit, destroying those drumheads like there was no tomorrow. The crowd was super engaged, with liberal amounts of crowdsurfing, pit action, and crowd participation with the band. This was an absolutely epic way to end Day 1, and Seven Spire’s set is easily one of the top 5 shows I have ever seen.

As I mentioned earlier, Seven Spires played for 100 minutes, spanning 18 songs, 21 if you count 2 tracked intros and 1 tracked outro. It was an epic set featuring songs from all of their albums, including a number of deep cuts. It was also the first time they have ever performed “House of Lies” live, and it sounded fantastic. This was a phenomenal setlist (even without my favorite song “Unmapped Darkness,” still an elusive live experience for me), and I am so thankful I got to experience it. It will be difficult for Seven Spires to top this performance, at least for me. The setlist was:

1. A Fortress Called Home / Songs Upon Wine-Stained Tongues
2. Almosttown
3. No Words Exchanged
4. Every Crest
5. The Paradox
6. Love’s Souvenir
7. Shadow on an Endless Sea
8. Oceans of Time
9. Gods Amongst Men
10. In Sickness, In Health
11. Serenity
12. House of Lies
13. No Place for Us
14. With Love from the Other Side
15. The Trouble with Eternal Life
16. Wanderer’s Prayer / Gods of Debauchery 
17. The Old Hurt of Being Left Behind
18. This God Is Dead / Through Lifetimes

Day 2 of Mad with Power Fest was on Saturday, June 6, and kicked off with the annual Cheese Curd Massacre, a scene with hundreds of black tshirt and battle jacket clad metalheads descending on the Madison Saturday Farmer’s Market, all with the goal to buy and consume as many cheese curds as humanly possible. This is followed by an opportunity to get the Ty version of a State Capitol tour while continuing to hang out with fellow metalheads. The Cheese Curd Massacre is always a highlight (and delicious!!), though I skipped the tour this year in lieu of other things I needed to get done ahead of the start of Day 2.

Day 2 featured 6 additional bands: Super Monster Party, Vintersea, Paladin, Seven Kingdoms, Lords of the Trident, and Twilight Force as the headliner. I stayed on the rail for every band on Day 2, which meant I was pretty worn out by the end, but it was well worth it. I will go into detail on each of the 6 bands below.

Florida video game themed band Super Monster Party kicked off Day 2 with their unique blend of progressive, power, heavy, and melodic death metal. They came to the stage fully embracing the themes of video games and fun, and lead vocalist Rei Sega did a great job engaging with the crowd and encouraging participation. It was quite a sight seeing a conga line wrapping around the entire venue at one point, and the band did a great job working in the themes of the specific song they were performing at any given point. I went in completely blind for the band, and honestly I considered sitting for their set. However, sound check ran long and was still happening when VIPs entered the venue, and after catching a bit of their soundcheck, I chose to be on the rail from the beginning. It was a good decision!

Super Monster Party played a 6-song set, which featured the aforementioned conga line on “Dance Dance Revolution”, crowd singing on “Castlevania,” and Ty Christian joining for only the second live performance ever of “One Winged Angel.” The setlist was:

1. Blue Hurricane
2. It’s Dangerous To Go Alone
3. Dance Dance Revolution 
4. Castlevania
5. One Winged Angel (with Ty Christian of Lords of the Trident)
6. This Is Doom!

Pacific Northwest progressive extreme metal band Vintersea was next. They were slated to play at Mad with Power 7, the first year I attended, but their previous vocalist left the band before that edition of the fest, forcing them to back out. Considering they are in my backyard, it is a bit surprising I had never seen them live, so they were another band I was highly anticipating. I had seen bassist Karl fill in live for Dawn of Ouroboros a few times, and I had seen videos of new vocalist Kayla performing, but I was quite curious how it would all come together at Mad with Power. In my opinion, it was easily one of the best early sets of the fest, and after talking with quite a few people, Vintersea took many people by surprise, in a good way! Kayla is something else on stage, running around like someone who is possessed while showing off versatility ranging from gutterals and blackened shrieks to Whitney Houston-esque gospel/soul cleans, the cleans reminding me at times of Cammie Gilbert of Oceans of Slumber. She is completely in command on stage, connected with the crowd and absolutely mesmerizing to watch and hear. The rest of the band is phenomenal, navigating complex soundscapes that are melodic and super heavy, and it was almost entrancing at times. It was an incredible set that honestly felt too early in the order given how good it was, and I already cannot wait to see the band again!

Vintersea played a 6-song setlist, featuring 5 songs from their albums and their latest single, “Become the Wave,” which is the only current song recorded by the band with Kayla on vocals. The setlist was:

1. Befallen 
2. Celestial Abscission
3. At the Gloaming Void
4. Illuminated
5. Devil’s Churn
6. Become the Wave

Atlanta’s Paladin closed out the top half of Day 2, bringing their brand of thrashy speedy power metal to The Sylvee. They last played the fest in 2021 for the 4th edition, which was still fresh off their 2019 release “Ascension.” The band has been relatively quiet since then, and one of their guitarists even played Mad with Power Fest last year, just as part of the band Bit Brigade. For as much as I am into power metal, I was very unfamiliar with Paladin, surprising many of those around me at the fest. I was quite curious to see them, and Jonas of Dragonland, who was also unfamilar with them, stood with me for most of the set. I was blown away by the band as they serenaded the crowd with rifttastic speed and power, almost reminding me of a thrashier Dragonforce at times with the pedal to the metal speed and aggression full of virtuoso guitar solos. I may have gone into this set not knowing the band, but I ended the set a fan thirsty for more!

Paladin played a 7-song set, which included 2 brand new songs. One of the songs they had apparently played once before, but the other, with the working title “Bubble Man,” had not only never been played before but didn’t even have lyrics! In fact, the band joked that the lyrics were “Choose your own adventure,” which essentially meant a bunch of nonsensical syllables that formed melodies. It was simultaneously hilarious and awesome, and I am looking forward to some proper new material from the band soon! The setlist was:

1. Awakening
2. Call of the Night 
3. New Song #1
4. Black Omen
5. New Song #2 (“Bubble Man”)
6. Shoot for the Sun
7. Carpe Diem

After the dinner break, Florida-based power metal band Seven Kingdoms kicked off the nightcap, having last played the fest in 2023 for MWP6. There has been a long running fun competitive storyline between Seven Kingdoms and Lords of the Trident, and they are always picking at each other on socials in interesting ways. It was cool seeing the bands having fun with this dynamic, including some wrestling flair in each of their sets! I have personally seen Seven Kingdoms quite a few times, but lead vocalist Sabrina was sick for all but one of those shows. Also, I had never seen Keith play drums for the band, and this was his first show back in quite some time. Without a doubt this was easily the best I have ever seen Seven Kingdoms live. Sabrina sounded incredible, Cam and Kevin laid waste to their guitar strings, and Keith was a beast behind the set. The energy in the venue was electric, with nonstop crowdsurfing and great engagement from the band. Jonas from Dragonland stood with me for much of the set, and I even talked him into crowdsurfing during one of the songs! This show was the perfect beginning to the final stretch of the MWP 9!

Seven Kingdoms played a 9-song set, spanning their many albums and ending with my personal favorite, the H.P. Lovecraft-inspired “In the Walls.” The setlist was:

1. Diamond Handed
2. A Silent Remedy
3. Through These Waves
4. Valonqar
5. Wilted Pieces
6. Magic in the Mist
7. The Serpent and the Lotus
8. Chasing the Mirage
9. In the Walls

Wisconsin heavy/power metal band Lords of the Trident was up next, playing their usual MWP spot. They are always such a blast to watch, and they usually pull out something special for their MWP performance. I had the opportunity to interview the band a month prior, which was not only super fun but also leaked that I would finally get to hear one of my favorite songs, “Dance of Control.” That interview led to some additional behind the scenes work resulting in Ally from Queen of Dreams joining the band on “keytarpsichord” for the song, revealed on Friday during my interview with Queen of Dreams. Ty is known for his antics, but he was not quite as wild as usual, though still very engaged with the crowd and sharing stories along the way. And though he didn’t play with fire on stage this go around, there were still gold confetti guns, fake $100 bills being shot out and floating everywhere, and massive swords and axes being wielded! The wrestling dynamic entered their set as well, with Ty on the ground and a ref doing a countdown! Brian and Aki were in top form as usual, with solos galore and plenty of shred. Brent brought it on bass, and Brett’s drumming was powerful. You can always feel the appreciation the band has for the crowd and their fans, and this show felt extra special.  

Lords of the Trident played a 10-song set, featuring 4 brand new songs. The first, “The Way,” had been teased ahead of the fest, and it featured Matt from Fellowship on guest vocals in prerecorded fashion. Eric from Helsótt joined Ty on new song “Pretty Words.” As already mentioned, Ally from Queen of Dreams joined on stage for “Dance of Control.” And the inclusion of “Burn It Down” felt like a teaser for the upcoming roster reveal for Mad with Power X that features Unleash the Archers as one of the headliners. I loved not only hearing 4 new songs, but also hearing so much material from my personal favorite album “The Offering.” It was a great setlist and one I really enjoyed! The setlist was:

1. The Way (new, Matt of Fellowship virtually)
2. Insatiable (new)
3. Dance of Control (with Ally from Queen of Dreams)
4. Tower Walls
5. Pretty Words (new)
6. Acolyte
7. Burn It Down
8. I I I (new)
9. Charlatan
10. The Metal Sea

The time had arrived for the final headliner, featuring Swedish symphonic power metal band Twilight Force, the other band I chose to sponsor. I had just seen them in Vancouver the previous weekend as they wrapped up their Canadian tour supporting Alestorm. Unfortunately, Alessandro Conti was unable to come to Mad with Power, leaving the vocal duties squarely on Kristin Starkey. She had already done this once before during their North American tour in 2024, handling lead vocals until Alessandro was able to join later in the tour. Ironically enough, his first show back was the Seattle show I attended, meaning I never experienced a Kristin solo show, at least until now! Alex, the band’s bass player, also was unable to make the fest, so Peter de Reyna of Seven Spires / Ok Goodnight filled in, meaning this would be the third set he played at the fest! Twilight Force is always amazing to watch, and this was no exception. Kristin is such a fabulous frontwoman, with incredible stage presence and charisma. The songs had a bit of a different feel without the dueling vocals that Alessandro and Kristin bring together, but it was a lot of fun hearing her own take on each song. The rest of the band was also incredible, with plenty of theatrics and crowd participation involving both Kristin and Daniel Beckman (aka Blackwald), ridiculous beyond ridiculous guitar shredding from Galyn, powerful drums with plenty of blastbeats from Isak, and the expected incredible bass from Peter, making you believe he had always played with the band! Twilight Force really delivered an incredible set to close out Mad with Power Fest 9, and they were the perfect choice to end the evening.

Twilight Force played an 11-song setlist, featuring songs from their entire discography, even going back all the way to their debut! They had the usual sapphire dragon floatie going around the crowd for “Flight of the Sapphire Dragon,” but Mad with Power had to make it even more epic by having a number of folks crowd surf in the floatie itself! For “Thundersword,” Kristin instructed the crowd to perform a “Wall of Thunder,” perhaps the first time I have seen a more aggressive pit at a symphonic power metal show! Late in the show, during “Enchanted Dragon of Wisdom,” the entire band sans Kristin froze, and Kristin asked for crowd participation to unfreeze the band. They also played their new song, “Magic of a New Dawn,” for only the second time ever live. The first time was at Epic Fest earlier this year, but Kristin was unable to attend that fest. Hence, Mad with Power got the very special Kristin only version, and it was amazing! The setlist was:

1. Intro / Twilight Force 
2. Dragonborn 
3. Thundersword (with Wall of Thunder)
4. Flight of the Sapphire Dragon
5. Sunlight Knight 
6. Twilight Horizon
7. Magic of a New Dawn
8. To the Stars
9. Enchanted Dragon of Wisdom (with a freeze and crowd participation)
10. Dawn of the Dragonstar 
11. The Power of the Ancient Force

Mad with Power 9 was a blast. After the challenges of the previous year’s edition, I was so happy to see this one happen, and I am also glad I got to be a part of it through my interviews and sponsorships. I continue to believe this is one of the best run fests out there with an amazing and pervasive community spirit that makes it so special. I highly recommend this fest to anyone, and if you are only going to choose one North American fest to attend in a year, Mad with Power Fest is easily one of the best options! And with next year’s edition featuring Unleash the Archers and Majestica as the headliners, it is an absolute no brainer to attend Mad with Power X in 2027!