Padded Cell Productions and BMF Productions present Metal in the Mountains 2026. To be held at Beechworth Historic Precinct, 100 Ford Street, Beechworth, Victoria, from November 13 to 15, this dose of alternative, underground culture proudly stands behind the Historic Precinct buildings of Beechworth.
Returning for a massive seventh year in the centre of Beechworth with a full range of heavy bands, ready to pummel the granite foundations into sand, this year’s show will not hold back. The peaceful citizens of the quiet historic township of Beechworth will be shaken from their vintage homes. The earth itself will quake, and the cockatoos will scream from the trees. All within earshot will know that Metalhead Ned is back in town.
The full line up is Segression, Elm Street, PistonFist, Kitchen Witch, Hematemesis, Helluloid, Virulent Invocation and Raise The Fallen. HEAVY has sent out Q&A’s to all of the bands to find out more about them and what to expect, with Segression the focus of todays session.
ELM ST
If you want your heavy metal traditional, unadulterated, and packed with enough power to raise the dead, then Elm St is your next mandatory listen. Since bursting out of Melbourne, these four high school mates have grown into an absolute global touring powerhouse, proving that the classic sound of the 1980s is still alive, kicking, and knocking teeth out.
They first put the metal community on notice with their stellar debut, Barbed Wire Metal, an album that serves as a masterclass in New Wave of Traditional Heavy Metal. They backed that up perfectly with the ruthlessly aggressive Knock ‘Em Out… With a Metal Fist, and their newer opus, The Great Tribulation, which cements them as absolute standard-bearers of the genre. We’re talking twin-guitar harmonies that soar to the heavens, galloping basslines, and powerhouse drumming that hits like a freight train.
What sets Elm St apart is their refusal to soften the edges. They seamlessly blend the majestic melody of Iron Maiden and Judas Priest with the raw, speed-driven grit of early thrash. It’s an infectious, high-octane formula that has seen them tear up international stages alongside icons like Iced Earth and Dirkschneider. Elm St doesn’t just play metal; they live it, breathe it, and unleash it with an infectious, in-your-face energy. If you haven’t banged your head to them yet, it’s time to fix that immediately.
Q & A
HEAVY: METAL IN THE MOUNTAINS returns to Beechworth this November. How excited were you to get the call up?
ELM ST: Stoked! We’ve been wanting to play in Beechworth for a very long time, especially Metal in the Mountains, so to finally have the opportunity to play for the metal community out in Beechworth is a huge buzz.
HEAVY: What does it mean to your band to be playing MIM?
ELM ST: As I mentioned, we’ve been wanting to play at MM for a long time, so for the stars to align and actually have the opportunity to play is a big honour. We have family out in Beechworth, so there’s also the personal connection there, so it’s going to be a huge moment for us so finally play at such a cool festival.
HEAVY: Have you ever been to MIM as a punter?
ELM ST: Sadly not. November seems to be one of our busiest months, and this year is no different, but we’ve made sure to keep ourselves free and ready if the opportunity presented itself, and here we are. We’re really looking forward to getting in amongst it as punters, then end the day banging some heads from the stage.
HEAVY: What were your best memories of the day?
ELM ST: No memories of the festival, but I do have memories of Beechworth in general, as I’m up that way quite a lot. Billson’s seems to contribute to some big black holes in my mind, unintentionally slipping and sliding down the gorge is a summer sport, catching some great gigs at Tanswell’s over the years (and smashing some great parma’s) is always a blast, and, a tip of the hat to Bernie and Flick at Murmungee Basin Produce.
HEAVY: It’s a long day of music. What will you be doing to make sure you will still be standing come your set time?
ELM ST: I’ll be enforcing a strict ban on anything that resembles physical exertion. I’ve been planning for this day for the past few weeks by driving to several Bunnings Warehouses on Saturdays and lining up at the sausage sizzles, not necessarily buying a snag, but mostly to just stand around with purpose. I mean, I can stand around at home, but I can’t replicate that smell of overcooked sausages and deep fried onions.
HEAVY: Give me your Top 3 Festival survival tips
ELM ST: Map out the toilet situation early, and make friends with anyone that you think is carrying spare rolls. Disco naps only take 20 mins, enough to recharge between bands. Don’t be afraid to cry in the pit if things get too scary.
HEAVY: Which band – other than yourself – do you think will get up to the most mischief on the day?
ELM ST: Well it’ll have to be Hematemesis. The name alone lets me know that they will be bringing a certain degree of gastrointestinal uncertainty, which doesn’t guarantee mischief, but doesn’t rule it out either.
HEAVY: Run us through your typical live show and what punters can expect.
ELM ST: Expect a powerful combination of music, punctuality and infrastructure.
HEAVY: If you could get one band on the line-up to cover one of your songs who would it be and what song would they cover?
ELM ST: I’d like Kitchenwitch to cover Heart Racer. They seem like the sort of people that know their way around a kitchen, and I’ve always felt that the protagonist in the song had minimal culinary awareness.
HEAVY: What’s your latest release?
ELM ST: Our latest full length album is The Great Tribulation, which is available in all good web stores and streaming platforms. We are also celebrating the 15th anniversary re-release of our debut album Barbed Wire Metal, out on vinyl for the first time ever.
HEAVY: Finally, what plans does your band have for the rest of 2026 into 2027?
ELM ST: We have some more regional shows locked in for the end of 2026, and also plan on releasing a live EP of the show we performed in front of 63,000 people at Nuremberg’s Max Morlock Stadium, supporting german band Bohse Onkelz. 2027 will see us kick off the year at Hellbound supporting Parkway Drive, and then much more touring overseas, with a some local shows thrown in.
Metal In The Mountains 2026 will be held at Beechworth Historic Precinct, 100 Ford Street, Beechworth, Victoria, from November 13 to 15. Tickets HERE
