The legendary Hellfest music festival is back this year, sort of, and the event’s original founder has a lot to say about it, such as accusing Trustkill Records founder Josh Grabelle of “hijacking” the two-day concert experience.
To start with, some context, the Hellfest in question is one that was founded by Keith Allen (aka Keith In Hell of Found Dead Hanging, The August Prophecy, and Hermon Dekalb) back in the late ’90s in Syracuse, New York. There is also a French music festival called “Hellfest,” but it’s been alleged that this festival took its name from the U.S. version, after it folded just before it could be held, back in 2005.
Lambgoat reports that, earlier this year, Trustkill Records began teasing the return of Hellfest, which eventually became Hellphyra after the label partnered with fellow indie record label Ephyra. The event is set to kick off this weekend, July 5th and 6th, in New Jersey.
Now, there has reportedly been some confusion surrounding the festival, due to it seemingly being billed as “Hellfest Presents: Hellphyra” and “Hellfest Presents New Jersey Hardcore,” which are somehow separate festivals but also the same festival? (Like I said, confusion.) Either way, both events are being promoted at hellfest.com
Finally, this brings us to Allen’s feelings about the whole thing. In a newly released lengthy statement, he claims that he tried to work with Grabelle on bringing back Hellfest but was shut out and had the whole thing snatched out from under him.
Allen says, “Trustkill did not start or create Hellfest.”
“Whatever the hell is happening on July 4th, 2025, in NJ is NOT Hellfest, it looks like a really cool show, but it’s just not Hellfest. That’s not how it works,” Allen said. “You don’t hijack someone else’s idea by setting them up, cutting them out, buying a domain name and just ignoring the actual fact that you didn’t create the event.”
He later added, “To be clear, Trustkill did not start or create Hellfest. Trustkill was an advocate and a sponsor of Hellfest for years. There was certainly mutual benefit and very obvious cross-promotions that tied the two entities together. However, they were both completely separate companies.”
Click here to read Allen’s full statement.
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