The Sanctum: Modern Metal Festival 2025

After several years of carving their name into the Birmingham alternative music scene, progressive-metalcore band Assurance – operating as Sanctum Promotions when hosting live music events – are proud to present THE SANCTUM: MODERN METAL FESTIVAL 2025. A two-day DIY celebration of modern metal, THE SANCTUM will be taking place at Dead Wax Digbeth on Saturday 26 – Sunday 27 July 2025. The independent venue will be opening their stellar 250-capacity outdoor stage for the event, whilst the welcoming indoor space will be utilised for a band merchandise market, complete with stalls for small independent creatives, a kitchen to cater the event and a plentiful bar area.

This year’s edition follows on from the success of THE SANCTUM’s one-day pilot event, which took place at The Flapper in July 2024. THE SANCTUM offers an expansive and ambitious lineup, brimming with many esteemed and innovative UK metal bands. Cambridge progressive-metallers Exist Immortal will be playing an exclusive headline set on the Saturday, whilst Sunday’s headliner will be unveiled soon. Included among the first wave of acts are InRetrospect, Overthrone, Recall The Remains, Aleya, Vanitas, Veiled, Assurance themselves and many more bands to be announced in upcoming waves.

Joe Hammond (Owner/Promoter of The Sanctum and Guitarist for Assurance) says: 

“The Sanctum was created to materialise our vision of celebrating the vastness of modern metal with those who share our belief that the future of music is in community and the coming together of ideas and sounds that challenge and change us.

Deeply inspired by their soul-stirring offerings, The Sanctum welcomes progressive-metal pioneers Exist Immortal (EXIM) as the headlining act for Saturday 26 July, the first of two sprawling modern metal lineups taking place over the weekend.”