HELLBOUND has quite literally become a floating war zone. Every single ticket to Australia’s first ever metal cruise has now vanished and in under seven minutes.
Launching October 22, 2026, and returning three nights later, HELLBOUND will set sail from Sydney and tear through the Pacific with 3,000 diehards onboard. It’s loud, it’s locked in, and it’s the first time in Australian history something like this has even been attempted — let alone pulled off with a lineup this stacked.
At the helm of the lineup is Parkway Drive. One of the most important heavy exports this country’s ever produced. Alongside them: Polaris, Northlane, The Butterfly Effect, Make Them Suffer, In Hearts Wake, and enough breakdowns to summon the kraken. Also on deck: Belle Haven, Bloom, Windwaker, and more, with DJ sets and artist-run chaos filling every hour not dominated by live riffs. And yeah, there’s also spa. And a gym. And enough food to undo the pit damage.
Choose Your Cruise, the team behind the thing are also very experienced in this area. Despite having have run dozens of genre cruises before, HELLBOUND does feel different. More dangerous perhaps. Like they finally let the metalheads build their own island and said, “See you Monday.”
It’s more than just a win for the bands. This is a rare W for the entire Aussie heavy scene, a scene that’s often left out of the conversation when the money gets divided. I mean, just think about it. A full-scale metal festival, mid-ocean, completely sold out more than a year out? That doesn’t just happen.
It’s proof the demand is there. That the community isn’t just surviving, it’s actually thriving. And come October 2026, it’ll be moshing on a ship.
HELLBOUND has set a new standard. And if you missed out, better pray for round two — or start swimming.
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