Louder than Karl
3. & 4, July 2026
Platanenplatz (Templergaben 55, 52062 Aachen)
In 2026, our metal festival Louder than Karl will once again take place over two days, offering hard-hitting sounds and a festival atmosphere in the middle of the RWTH Aachen University campus.
Our goal is clear: to bring metal out of basements and bunkers, onto the big stage, and showcase the diversity of the scene. Louder than Karl is and remains the only metal open-air festival within the city limits—a meeting place for die-hard metalheads and anyone who enjoys handmade, energetic music.
Line-up
Everyone is welcome here, and we have something for everyone! Looking for big names and Wacken veterans?
You’re in luck—Friday’s headliners are Chaosbay, who’ll get the crowd going with their prog-metalcore! Are you more into old-school, tried-and-true traditional heavy metal? Our Saturday headliners, Motor Jesus, are longtime stage veterans in this genre. Looking for nu-metal? Avalanche Effect are just the ticket for you! Maybe you’ve developed a taste for metalcore? Andradite will get even the last person on their feet dancing. Death metal? Devastor know exactly how to get the crowd fired up and make the surrounding area shake!
An exciting, fresh take on folk metal with growls and screams? Okay, we had to look around a bit, but we found Tales of Ratatösk to represent this genre as well. Want some fresh blood? Zeugen eines Niedergangs have only been bringing black metal to the stage for two years, and they do it with power and passion.
Local bands like the punk rockers from Take Your Guilt and groups that have traveled far, such as Fusion Bomb from faraway Luxembourg, will be taking turns at the mic, and of course we’ll also have a few friends from across the border joining us again—Atomic Vulture from Belgium and 52! Factorial from the Netherlands (after all, we do live in the border triangle). Whether they’ve been around for a while or are newly formed, whether they speak German or Dutch, all our bands are looking forward to rocking out with you.
Sponsoring LTK 2026
Become a sponsor at Louder than Karl 2026!
We offer various opportunities to present your company at our festival and reach a diverse audience.
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for Louder than Karl 2026 or have any questions about sponsorship, please contact Maurice Prischmann. (ltk@pak.rwth-aachen.de)
Further information is also available in our sponsorship brochure!