Veteran metal producer Dave Otero is hinting at a new event called Flatline Fest. The festival is set for June 13-14, 2026, in Denver, Colorado. Details on the lineup and venue remain limited.
Dave Otero, the owner of Flatline Audio Studio in Denver, Colorado, has been busy with production work for bands including Archspire, Cattle Decapitation, and Khemmis. Now, he appears to be organizing a new heavy metal festival tentatively named Flatline Fest. According to a Facebook listing, the event will take place over two days, June 13th and 14th, 2026, in Colorado, with Denver as the specified location.
Otero shared a teaser on social media, stating, “I’ve been putting a lot of work into something behind the scenes that will be announced soon. For now, please follow these pages… – Flatline Fest – www.instagram.com/flatlinefest.” No further information has been released about the festival's lineup, exact venue, or ticket sales.
Otero has built a strong reputation in extreme metal over more than two decades at Flatline Audio. His career began in his teenage years using a four-track recorder to capture local band practices. A key early milestone was his engineering work on Cephalic Carnage's album Lucid Interval, which helped establish his name in the underground scene. He specializes in mixing and mastering that balances technical precision with emotional depth, often sharing techniques via Nail The Mix.
His production style adapts to each band's vision, incorporating tools like amp simulations and DI signals. Otero views the producer's role as facilitating creativity while navigating technical and label constraints. Fans have noted the moving impact of his work, such as with Khemmis tracks that evoke strong emotions.
This festival represents another venture for Otero, expanding from studio production to live events in the heavy metal community.