In France, a media firestorm has raged around the festival following the unsubstantiated attacks of some politicians and religious leaders, who accused Hellfest of promoting “death culture,” anti-Christian hatred and as a threat to disturb public order.

"This festival is openly satanic and advocating murder, suicide, mutilation, hatred, human sacrifice and sexual rituals for kids. (...) React and write your protest and indignation..." wrote a protester, Vincent Périchon, on the petition website Causes.com.

A deputy from the region, however, defended the festival in the parliament, along with the French minister of culture.

On the festival home page, the organisers have written:

"Let us remain unfazed by these attacks and let these self-righteous people waste their time to provide good promotion for Hellfest! (...) No worries, no cancellation is to be expected, ALL the institutions (State, Region, Department, City), partners of the festival or not, have reaffirmed their support, and we would like to thank them for their confidence.The other conservative political parties should be aware that Hellfest is going on very well and would like to graciously thank them for their great (unintentional) efforts in helping to promote the event. More than 30,000 tickets have been already sold — twice as many as we had sold last year at the same time."

Featured in the programme of this year's Hellfest festival are artists and bands such as Alice Cooper, Deftones, Motorhead, Slayer, Fear Factory, Saxon, and many more.

In French, Hellfest means something like ‘Day hell’.