This is our final daily coverage of Sonic Blast 2026 at Praia da Duna dos Caldeirões,Vila Praia de Âncora.
words: Joana Coelho
photos: Ricardo Silva
Opening the First Stage on the final day of Sonic Blast Fest, Summer Of Hate took on the challenge of kicking off the afternoon, stepping in for the previously announced Levitation Room. Performing to a smaller, early crowd that was clearly feeling the physical toll of a three-day marathon, the band gradually warmed up the audience as more festivalgoers trickled in, closing their set on a lively, high-energy note.
Over on the Second Stage, Primitive Ring drew a noticeably larger turnout. Bringing a potent mix of heavy, groove-driven riffs, their catchy hooks got the afternoon crowd moving and setting a more active pace for the day.
Margarita Witch Cult then took over the First Stage, greeted by a strong and eager crowd. Delivering their signature blend of heavy, fuzz-drenched stoner doom and classic heavy metal riffs, the band brought a noticeably more powerful sound to the stage. The frontman persistently encouraged the crowd to start headbanging, and the audience delivered in full force throughout the set.
Things took a dark and ferocious turn as Necrot stormed the Second Stage, unleashing a wave of dark, heavy energy that proved to be the exact wake-up call the crowd needed. Bringing an intense brand of old-school death metal deeply rooted in early underground crust punk, the band’s sonic weight hit with maximum impact.
Luca Indrio, their frontman, made a nostalgic nod to their 2018 show in Porto before driving the audience into wild circle pits, continuous mosh pits, and constant crowd surfing. Joking that the security guards hadn’t done anything all day and needed some work to do, the band proved that despite their style standing out from the rest of the festival line-up, extreme metal fits right into Sonic Blast’s diverse celebration of heavy music.
As the sun began to set, 1000mods hit the First Stage with maximum energy, instantly getting the crowd jumping to their infectious stoner-rock anthems. The Greek outfit commanded a massive response, with the audience singing along to every guitar riff in unison, throwing down wild circle pits, and crowding the front row with non-stop crowdsurfing.
Dani Go. (bass and vocals) jokingly claimed it was their very first time at the festival, later paying homage to Ozzy Osbourne during the track Overthrown, accompanied by a cross bearing the legendary musician’s name displayed on the background screen, before wrapping up a set packed with roaring singalongs.
Facing a brief ten-minute delay due to pedalboard technical difficulties, Teen Mortgage made their Portuguese debut on the Second Stage. Wasting no time, the duo opened their high-velocity garage-punk set with strong political statements, shouting “Free Palestine” and voicing clear support for women’s rights before blasting through a fast, aggressive performance that earned loud, enthusiastic cheers from the audience at the end.
As the grounds reached absolute capacity, Elder took the First Stage for one of the most anticipated sets of the entire festival. Without relying on lengthy public interaction, the progressive heavy psych titans unleashed a wave of colossal, earth-shaking riffs and soaring melodies, captivating the spellbound audience in a sprawling sonic journey that seemed to transcend the space-time vortex itself.
The sheer weight of their performance ignited a constant flow of crowdsurfers riding over the sea of hands, firmly positioning the set as a top contender for the best show of the day.
That battle for the day’s podium was fiercely shared with High On Fire, who delivered a pulverising, unstoppable performance on the First Stage. Featuring Converge drummer Ben Koller behind the kit, the metal titans didn’t need much stage banter as their crushing heavy riffs spoke for themselves. The crowd went wild – quite literally on fire – triggering intense mosh pits and a constant wave of crowdsurfers throughout the entire set.
Offering a complete change of pace on the Second Stage, Adult brought their dark electronic wave sound to the night. Featuring a dynamic duo of a female vocalist and a synthesizer player, their driving industrial beats had the late-night crowd dancing and moving to a completely different rhythm.
Past 2:00am on the First Stage, Early Moods made another memorable debut in Portugal, with the frontman immediately hyping up the crowd the moment he stepped into the spotlight. The doom/heavy metal band didn’t stop moving for a single second, also taking a moment to voice “Free Palestine.” Midway through their set, an unexpected burst of rain sent the majority of the audience running toward the covered Third Stage tent, but the shower was short-lived and the late-night party quickly resumed.
Closing out the festival at the Third Stage around 3:30am, Ungraven brought the marathon to an end. However, their slow, crushing sludge pace left some in the audience questioning whether it was the ideal choice to wrap up three days of non-stop, heavy concert endurance, as many fatigue-stricken festivalgoers struggled to keep up with the slow-tempo finish.
As the final amps powered down and the crowd began their slow trek home, another memorable chapter of Sonic Blast Fest drew to a close. Leaving behind a trail of ringing ears, ocean breezes, and unmatched memories, this edition laid the perfect groundwork for what lies ahead: next year, the festival will celebrate its landmark 15th anniversary, promising an unforgettable milestone edition that will undoubtedly bring the heavy music community together once again on the coast.
There are photo galleries of Sonic Blast 2026 on our Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/mondobizarremagazine/
Reviews:
Day 0 – Warm Up, 05.08.2026.
Day 1, 06.08.2026.
Day 2, 07.08.2026.
Turbonegro Fans at Sonic Blast 2026 on Mondo’s Instagram
Mondo Bizarre Magazine 