A little bit of History

Gods of Metal was born long time ago, in 1997 and during the years it became more and more important, and now is one of the most important event for all the metal heads in Europe.

The past editions of the most important Italian metal festival has had a lots of different locations, from Milan to Bologna, and it always has had a bill with high-sounding names, often even better than the best european festivals.

Past editions

1997 – Milan
The first historic one-day edition of Gods Of Metal was set in Milan. Manowar, Angra, Rage, Grave Digger, Moonspell, Time Machine and Eldritch played in that terrific June 7th 1997.

1998 – Milan
After the success of the first edition, the second one couldn’t be less. The bill of that June 6th , on Saturday, was: Black Sabbath (original line-up), Pantera, Stratovarius, Helloween, Gamma Ray, Blind Guardian, Iced Earth, Coal Chamber and Labyrinth.

1999 – Milan
This was the first two-days edition of the Gods Of Metal. On Saturday June 5th Metallica, Stratovarius, Mercyful Fate, Biohazard, Overkill, Monster Magnet, Space Age Playboys, Lacuna Coil, PWR and Cappanera played, while the day after it was the turn of Manowar, Motörhead, Angra, Hammerfall, Iron Savior, Nevermore, Labyrinth, Time Machine, Skyclad, Avalon and Headstone Epitaph.

2000 – Monza
The new millennium edition was a two-days one again, and for the first time not in Milan but near by, in Monza. On Saturday June 10th the sacred metal monsters were Iron Maiden, Demons and Wizards, Dark Tranquillity, Sentenced, Edguy, Domine, Dirty Deeds, Khali and Theatres des Vampires; on Sunday 11th Slayer, Slipknot, Methods of Mayhem, Testament, In Flames, The Kovenant, Death SS, Necrodeath, Magazzini della Comunicazione played.

2001 – Milan
The Gods Of Metal came back to Milan, for a one-day edition, but for the first time with two stages were Judas Priest, Megadeth, Savatage, Motörhead, Gamma Ray, Cradle of Filth, Rhapsody, W.A.S.P., Nevermore, Kamelot, Wine Spirit, Eldritch, Benediction, Beholder, Sungift, Secret Sphere, Centurion e Sigma alternated.

2002 – Monza
Again in Monza, this two-days edition hosted on June 8th : Slayer, Halford, Kreator, Sodom, My Dying Bride, Soil, Ill Nino, Anti-Product, Mushroomhead and Node and on 9th Manowar, Blind Guardian, Running Wild, Symphony X, Virgin Steele, Domine, Doro, Metalium, Blaze and Time Machine.

2003 – Milan
On June 8th ,in a one-day edition again, Whitesnake, Queensrÿche, Motörhead, Saxon, Destruction, Grave Digger, Angra, Pain of Salvation, Vision Divine, Thoten, Mantra, DGM and Madhouse played.

2004 – Bologna
This is the first real change of location of the Gods of Metal which took place in Bologna. A violent storm uncovered the stage on the first day of the festival and so Stratovarius and UFO couldn’t play. While Stratovarius were able to play the day after, UFO weren’t because of their preavious obligations. On a storming Saturday on June 5th the metal crew watched Judas Priest, Nevermore, Symphony X, Anathema, Rage, Domine, Into Eternity and Dark Lunacy. On Sunday, instead, the weather let Alice Cooper, Testament, Motörhead, Twisted Sister, W.A.S.P., Quireboys, Sodom, Naglfar, Stormlord, Dragonforce and Stratovarius play.

2005 – Bologna
Gods Of Metal was set in Bologna with a two-days show again. On Saturday June 11th on stage there were Iron Maiden, Slayer, Lacuna Coil, Obituary, Strapping Young Lad, DragonForce, Mastodon, Mudvayne and Evergrey and on the day after there were Mötley Crüe, Megadeth, Anthrax, Accept, Yngwie Malmsteen, Black Label Society, Hammerfall, Extrema and Exilia.

2006 – Milan
This was the tenth edition of the GOM, and so a special edition was put on with a four days show. On Thursday June 1st: enom, Opeth, Down, Testament, Nevermore, Satyricon, Sodom, Amorphis and Cappanera. The second day was an “only-Italian show”, on Friday 2nd , with: Strana Officina, Fire Trails, Extrema, Vision Divine, Necrodeath, Domine, Novembre, Stormlord, Infernal Poetry, White Skull, Mellow Toy, Boom and Perfect PictureOn Saturday 3rd there were on stage: Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Motörhead, Helloween, Stratovarius, Gamma Ray, Angra, Edguy, Sonata Arctica and Crucified Barbara.And for the last day of this special edition Guns N' Roses, Korn, Deftones, Alice in Chains, Stone Sour, Soulfly, Bloodsimple, DragonForce, Hellfueled, Benedictum and 10 Years played.

2007 – Milan
In this edition the Gods Of Metal was divided into two parts. The first was a two days show on June 2nd with Mötley Crüe, Velvet Revolver, Scorpions, Thin Lizzy, White Lion, Tigertailz, Eldritch and Planet Hard and on June 3rd with Heaven and Hell, Dream Theater, Blind Guardian, Dimmu Borgir, Dark Tranquillity, Symphony X, Anathema, DGM e Sinestesia. The second part was on Saturday 30th in a one day show with Ozzy Osbourne, Korn, Megadeth, Black Label Society, Type O Negative, Sadist, Deathstars, Slowmotion Apocalypse and Outsider.

2008 – Bologna
The last edition of the GOM came back to Bologna in a three days show. With the biggest stage ever seen, it presented on Friday June 27th Iron Maiden, Avenged Sevenfold, Rose Tattoo, Apocalyptica, Airbourne, Lauren Harris, Black Tide and Kingcrow; the day after on the stage there were Slayer, Carcass, Meshuggah, Testament, At the Gates, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Between the Buried and Me, Stormlord, Brain Dead and Oltrezona. And in third day, Sunday 29th Judas Priest, Iced Earth, Yngwie Malmsteen, Morbid Angel, Obituary, Enslaved, Fratello Metallo, Infernal Poetry, Nightmare and The Sorrow played.