Hellsinki Metal Festival‘s first edition in 2023 was such a success that when the festival announced there would be a second round, we had already decided to return before a lineup was even announced. This year’s edition was held at Nordis on August 9th and 10th, 2024, with a varied lineup mostly celebrating extreme metal, featuring bands like WOLFHEART, GUTALAX, EMMURE, TRIUMPH OF DEATH, SATYRICON, AVANTASIA, BLACKBRAID, INSOMNIUM, DORO, ABBATH, MESHUGGAH, HAMMERFALL, KREATOR, and many more.
The festival’s first day included bands like WOLFHEART, GUTALAX, TRIUMPH OF DEATH, THE AMITY AFFLICTION, DEICIDE, OBSCURA, SATYRICON, AVANTASIA, and SWALLOW THE SUN.
Before the festival started, the team behind NIGHTWISH set up a pre-listening event for their new album, “Yesterwynde,” which unfortunately overlapped with the start of the festival. As a result, part of our team missed the first bands, DEATHCHAIN and SUOTANA, who were set to kick off the smaller outdoor stage, Hellsinki-02, and the Ice Hall stage, Hellsinki-03, respectively. Upon their arrival, though, a little while into their sets, it was obvious that something had gone wrong. Later, we found out that the pre-announced pickup point for the wristbands at the shopping center Forum in the city center of Helsinki wasn’t a popular choice. Most people exchanged their wristbands at the festival site itself, causing long queues and, in combination with the scorching heat of the day, making the experience less enjoyable.
It’s not that the pickup point wasn’t well advertised, but it seems the location—rather far from the festival area—was inconvenient, especially for attendees not living in the city center or Helsinki. While having a wristband exchange point is a good idea, perhaps a location like Tripla instead of Forum would have made more sense, as it’s much closer to the festival and more accessible for people coming from various parts of the city. This situation wasn’t anticipated by the organizers but wasn’t entirely their fault either. However, for next year, it might be wise for attendees to consider getting their wristbands from the designated pickup point rather than at the festival site.
At this point, I should also mention concerning picking up the accreditation for press, I thought it was a little inconvenient that you couldn’t pick up the passes at the advertised pre-event of BEAST IN BLACK the day before on August 8th. Because of this, I had to go back and forth to the city center to pick up my accreditation. It would have made more sense to give us the option to pick up accreditation at the warm-up event rather than having to go all the way to Forum.
While some of us were still enjoying NIGHTWISH‘s “Yesterwynde,” the rest of us were able to catch Finnish melodic black metal assembly SUOTANA‘s show at the Ice Hall. As the majority of bands this year, were fairly unknown to me, I made my schedule based on my friends’ recommendations, and this one was recommended by Tuonela Magazine editor-in-chief, Laureline. I’ve said it multiple times, but again I’m not too keen on melodic metal at all. Something in me just calls for more rough sounds, but what I always appreciate is a good stage act, and SUOTANA surprised me with a good show right at the beginning of the festival. During the band’s intro, the led-screen with their logo behind them also included some snowflakes, which gave the illusion of snow falling down on the stage. Vocalist Tuomo Marttinen started the show off with a loud “Perkele,” and then the band launched into their set with full fury.
The band initially started as a solo project by guitarist and vocalist Ville Rautio, but over time, it evolved into a full-fledged group. SUOTANA‘s first release was a demo titled “Forgotten Soil of This Land” in 2008, followed by their debut full-length album “Frostrealm” in 2015. This album helped them gain wider recognition within the metal community. They have since released additional albums, including “Land of the Ending Time” in 2018 and “Ounas I” in 2023, both of which have been well-received by fans and critics alike.
After watching most of their show, I decided to check out DEATHCHAIN, which had mostly been known to me as an embroidery patch on many battle vests. I wanted to find out why so many people sported their patch—was it just for the appealing band logo, the music, or the live performance? I had never familiarized myself with them before, so Hellsinki Metal Festival turned out to be a good opportunity to get acquainted with the band’s music.
DEATHCHAIN is a Finnish death/thrash metal band known for their aggressive and fast-paced sound, blending elements of death metal with thrash metal intensity. The band was formed in 2001 in Kuopio, Finland, originally under the name WINTERWOLF, before adopting the name DEATHCHAIN. Their music is characterized by brutal riffs, relentless drumming, and dark, often occult-themed lyrics, which became clear during their show. The band’s set mostly included songs from the in 2005 released album, “Deathrash Assault,” which a lot of their fans seemed to appreciate.
After the NIGHTWISH prelistening, the rest of our group arrived just in time to catch part of WOLFHEART‘s set. This melodic death metal band is gearing up to release their seventh studio album next month, “Draconian Darkness,” via Reigning Phoenix Music, and they included several new tracks in their performance. Although we missed some of their set, it was clear why the band has such a strong following in Finland. Fans had gathered early in front of the Hellsinki-01 stage and were treated to a compelling show. Despite my limited familiarity with WOLFHEART‘s discography, their performance was captivating. Lauri Silvennoinen gave an energetic display with his headbanging, and Vageliss Karzis commanded the stage with a commanding presence. The band performed behind some striking microphones, but unfortunately, this sometimes hid Tuomas Saukkonen‘s face behind the antlers of the deer skull mic.
Once again, we faced a tough choice between TERRORIZER and GUTALAX. Since we hadn’t heard anything about TERRORIZER, but remembered a meme featuring a portable toilet crowdsurfing during one of GUTALAX‘s shows, and based on some recommendations of friends, we decided to check out the gore grind band. The presence of a fan with a toilet brush in the front row was a clear hint about what to expect from the performance.
While the band played standard goregrind, the vocalist emitted some extraterrestrial noises that were hard to believe came from the same person. He’d be perfect for one of those quizzes where you guess whether the sounds are from an animal or an extreme metal vocalist. Despite not knowing any of the songs beforehand, the show was filled with energy, humor, and a lot of fun. One standout track was “Poopcorn.” The audience was fully prepared with toilet paper, toilet brushes, and waste management outfits, adding to the humorous atmosphere.
In a way, GUTALAX gave us a similar vibe to TURMION KÄTILÖT. While the genres and humor subjects are vastly different, both bands share a disco-like energy in their performances. Although GUTALAX might not be something we’d listen to at home often, we definitely enjoyed their live show. In the end, GUTALAX‘s music, while extreme, is more about having fun and not taking the genre too seriously, which makes it a standout act in the grindcore community.
It was also great to see that the organizers had learned from the previous year and opened up the entire arena, allowing people to sit and avoiding the overcrowded areas we’d seen the year before. However, the real test would be the last bands of the evening, so we were curious to see if we’d be able to get into the venue at all.
EMMURE is an American metalcore band known for their heavy, aggressive sound, blending elements of deathcore, nu-metal, and hardcore. Formed in 2003 in Queens, New York, EMMURE has become a polarizing yet influential presence within the metalcore and deathcore scenes. As a long-time fan of metalcore, I must admit that EMMURE was likely the most well-known band of the festival’s lineup to me. Since childhood, I’ve primarily listened to metalcore, nu-metal, industrial, hardstyle, and EBM. Consequently, many of the bands at the Hellsinki Metal Festival were names I heard of but I wasn’t necessarily familiar with their music, so it felt great to also have a band like EMMURE playing at the festival alongside getting to know new names.
Next up at the Hellsinki-03 stage was CADAVER, the Norwegian death metal band formed in 1988, and they are one of the earliest and most influential bands in the Norwegian death metal scene. While their show mostly overlapped with some other bands, we couldn’t catch the whole show, but the most striking moment for us was when vocalist Anders Odden (also known as Nebbo) kept making jokes about how old their songs were. With so much experience and albums in their repertoire, it was great to see the band include a lot of material ranging from many different albums.
The lineup for the festival included a rather confusing entry: HELLHAMMER, but in the small print, it was listed as “TRIUMPH OF DEATH performing.” This created some confusion, as HELLHAMMER was a legendary short-lived band active only from 1982 to 1984, known for a handful of songs that were rarely performed live. For those familiar with the details or skilled at Google, it was clear that TRIUMPH OF DEATH includes several original members from HELLHAMMER, which somewhat clarified the listing. However, ABBATH‘s set, which featured songs from IMMORTAL, was a bit clearer on the festival’s poster in that sense.
HELLHAMMER was a pioneering Swiss extreme metal band, active from 1982 to 1984, and is considered one of the most influential groups in the development of black metal, death metal, and extreme metal in general. Despite their brief existence, HELLHAMMER‘s raw, primitive sound and dark, aggressive themes left a lasting impact on the metal scene. TRIUMPH OF DEATH is a tribute band formed by Tom Gabriel Fischer in 2019 to perform the music of HELLHAMMER live. The band is named after one of HELLHAMMER‘s early songs. As the driving force behind both projects, Fischer’s influence is central to the legacy of HELLHAMMER and its enduring impact on the metal genre. Although HELLHAMMER initially faced harsh criticism, the band is now recognized as groundbreaking, having laid the foundation for many subgenres of extreme metal. TRIUMPH OF DEATH serves as a live manifestation of this legacy, allowing HELLHAMMER‘s music to be experienced by a new generation of metal fans. Altogether, this was perhaps one of the most anticipated shows during the weekend. We were blessed with a relatively long set of 12 songs all featuring cult classics from HELLHAMMER, which it seemed like many of the fans enjoyed.
Another familiar name on the lineup was THE AMITY AFFLICTION from Australia. This turned out to be one of my favorite shows at the Hellsinki Metal Festival. I used to listen to THE AMITY AFFLICTION quite a lot nearly a decade ago, but then I completely forgot about them. I forgot them so thoroughly that I didn’t even recognize their name on the lineup, only realizing who they were when they took the stage, which was quite a surprise. While a lot of their songs came from the 2014 release, “Let the Ocean Take Me,” the band also included a lot of fresh music. Personally, I wasn’t very familiar with their newer material, so the entire show felt like a fresh experience for me and it was fun being re-introduced to the band this way.
While the shows at the outdoor stages were easy to combine, sometimes, due to overlapping performances, it was a little bit more complex to navigate to Hellsinki-03 to once in a while also catch a show there. As a result, I was only able to catch a glimpse of MASSACRE towards the end of their set. MASSACRE is an American death metal band formed in 1984 in Tampa, Florida. They are one of the early pioneers of the death metal genre and are closely associated with the burgeoning death metal scene in Florida, which also gave rise to influential bands like DEATH, OBITUARY, and MORBID ANGEL—all-in-all a great fit for the Hellsinki Metal Festival lineup! After capturing a couple of photos from MASSACRE‘s set, I accidentally crashed into my friend who told me there was a SLAM Wrestling match starting in a moment with one very familiar name fighting, so I decided to hang around to capture that fight.
While some of us were still enjoying the SLAM Wrestling match, the rest decided to check out the action on the Hellsinki-02 stage. The next band, DEICIDE, a legendary death metal group formed in 1987 in Tampa, Florida by current members, drummer/composer Steve Asheim and bassist/vocalist/lyricist Glen Benton, was set to play next at the Hellsinki-02 stage. The band gained mainstream success in 1992 with their second album, “Legion,” and is credited as the second best-selling death metal band of the Soundscan Era. They recently released a new album, “Banished By Sin,” via Reigning Phoenix Music, followed by an extensive summer tour in support of the release.
Thankfully, the band made a stop at the Hellsinki Metal Festival, where many fans eagerly anticipated their performance. At least according to our knowledge, DEICIDE hadn’t been to Helsinki since 2011, making this one of the most anticipated shows of the weekend. The crowd was so packed that it highlighted a recurring issue: when it’s full, it’s full. This was somewhat of a problem last year as well, partly due to the bar’s placement on the side of the Hellsinki-02 stage, creating a bottleneck. In fact, it became obvious that some of the bands that were scheduled to play at the Hellsinki-02 stage, probably would have suited better to the main stage, where despite food trucks being placed at the side, this was a bit of a lesser problem, since more people could fit into that area, DEICIDE definitely was one of those bands that probably should have been playing at the main stage instead.
The band delivered a high-energy set of fifteen songs, mixing tracks from all their albums, including some of their latest hits such as “Bury the Cross… With Your Christ,” “From Unknown Heights You Shall Fall,” and “Sever the Tongue.” Overall, the performance was full of energy and relentless attitude. We hope to see DEICIDE return to Finland sooner rather than later.
Next up was the progressive technical death metal outfit OBSCURA, who took the stage at Hellsinki-03. The last time these lads performed in Helsinki was right before the start of the pandemic, so it had been quite some time since we last saw the band. The band was still on their A Valediction tour, which is nearing its end as they prepare for a new album. Since their last appearance, OBSCURA has undergone some lineup changes, making it exciting to see this new iteration of the band perform their music.
After a somewhat atmospheric and calm intro, the band launched into their progressive technical death fury with remarkable mathematical precision. We were treated to a set of seven songs spanning their entire discography. It was great to see the many smiles on stage, illustrating that the band was having as much of a blast as we were. Due to their set slightly overlapping with HEAVEN SHALL BURN, we couldn’t catch the end of their show, but we’re sure it was as solid as the rest of their performance—hopefully we get to see them soon again!
German HEAVEN SHALL BURN were set to perform next at Hellsinki-01. Known for their politically charged lyrics and a blend of melodic death metal with hardcore influences, the band has become a prominent name in the global metalcore scene, recognized for their intense music and passionate advocacy for social and political issues.
We had seen the band a few years ago at Rockfest and remembered their show for having one of the friendliest circle pits I had ever witnessed, with people skipping and hopping instead of running. Although I’m not deeply familiar with their music and not the biggest fan of metalcore as a genre, the Germans really know how to deliver an outstanding performance. Throughout their performance, they interacted energetically with the crowd and they gave their all.
When the intro began, the audience clapped and shouted loudly, setting the stage for a solid set. As the two guitarists and the bassist took the stage, they began headbanging in synchronized fashion, a dynamic they maintained throughout most of the show. Even if you’re not a fan of the band, it’s undeniable that they know how to put on a great show. The scorching heat of the day only added to the intensity of their performance, with vocalist Marcus Bischoff eventually stripping off his red shirt midway through the set—the man definitely knows how to entertain an audience to the max despite sweating like hell!
The highlight of the performance came during “Voice of the Voiceless,” which featured an impressive wall of death with a few people—one of which was dressed as Pikachu—stuck in the middle, ready to embrace the chaos!
I had already mentioned that it was odd for DEICIDE to be assigned a slot at the Hellsinki-02 stage, but it was even more peculiar that SATYRICON was scheduled to perform there as well. SATYRICON is a Norwegian black metal band formed in 1991 by vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Satyr (Sigurd Wongraven) and drummer Frost (Kjetil-Vidar Haraldstad). They are one of the pioneering bands of the second wave of black metal, known for evolving the genre by incorporating elements of rock, industrial, and traditional Norwegian folk music into their sound.
The decision to schedule the band on the smaller second stage was so surprising that frontman Satyr even commented, “I don’t know why they put us here… this stage is too small for you… it is too small for all of us,” to which the crowd loudly voiced their agreement. This once again highlighted how the festival may have underestimated the turnout for such a legendary Norwegian black metal act. The crowd was so dense that navigating through it after taking photos was challenging, and we overheard several complaints from people trying to move through the audience.
Despite this odd choice, Satyr came on stage with a flag, and they kicked off their set with “To Your Brethren in the Dark.” A standout moment for me was “Now, Diabolical,” where the crowd passionately shouted along to the chorus, and Satyr passed his mic through the audience. Although I’m not well-versed in the black metal scene, I’ve noticed that many black metal bands don’t actively encourage fan participation. It was refreshing to see how SATYRICON knew how to put on a dynamic show, allowing fans to engage with the band. Satyr proved to be a true entertainer in that regard.
While their set was thoroughly enjoyable, it was unfortunate that the festival overlapped SATYRICON‘s performance with that of progressive metal outfit SOEN. As a proghead, I couldn’t miss the chance to get my prog refill, especially since this year’s lineup was quite light on progressive acts. Nevertheless, many attendees agreed that SATYRICON was a definite highlight of the festival.
One of the evening’s highlights was undoubtedly the performance by the progressive metal outfit SOEN. Originally conceived as a supergroup, SOEN was founded by drummer Martin Lopez (formerly of Opeth) and bassist Steve Di Giorgio (formerly of DEATH and TESTAMENT), both of whom are highly respected in the metal community. Although the lineup has evolved over time, the band’s foundation in progressive and technical music remains strong. Since then, SOEN‘s sound has matured, becoming more melodic and emotionally resonant, which is perhaps why it was a surprise to see them on the Hellsinki-03 stage, which is typically reserved for more extreme bands. The setting, however, proved quite enjoyable for their set, offering excellent sound and lighting.
Altogether, SOEN is always a captivating live act. Joel Ekelöf, the vocalist, excels as a showman, consistently engaging with the audience. Cody Lee Ford, the guitarist, radiates enthusiasm with his frequent smiles, while Martin Lopez delivers his drumming with focused precision. The band’s performance was impeccable, starting with the newer track “Sincere.” The set was heavily focused on their latest album, “Memorial,” but the highlight for many, including myself, was “Martyrs,” which inspired a spirited sing-along from the crowd.
Since the show overlapped slightly with AVANTASIA‘s set, we couldn’t catch the entire performance. However, SOEN is backed by a great booking agency that knows their strong fanbase in Finland. We’ve seen them several times over the years, and given that AVANTASIA is more challenging to catch live, we eventually made our way to the main stage.
AVANTASIA is a German symphonic metal opera project created by Tobias Sammet, who also serves as the lead vocalist and primary songwriter. Formed in 1999, AVANTASIA is renowned for its elaborate, concept-driven albums that blend power metal, symphonic elements, and rock opera. The project has gained a reputation for theatrical live performances, bringing together a wide array of metal and rock talent to create a unique and immersive musical experience.
The last time AVANTASIA performed in Finland was in 2016, making this show a highly anticipated return. Alongside Sammet‘s regular touring band, this performance featured guest appearances from Kenny Leckremo, Bob Catley, Ronnie Atkins, Adrienne Cowan, Geoff Tate, and more. The stage production was nothing short of spectacular, with AVANTASIA making full use of the entire stage to create a multidimensional experience. The lighting, too, was beautifully executed, adding to the high-quality production values that set this show apart.
The band delivered a full-length set of fourteen songs, kicking off with “Spectres.” A standout moment came early in the set when Adrienne Cowan (known from SEVEN SPIRES), who usually serves as a backing vocalist, stepped forward to perform “Reaching for the Light” alongside Sammet. The performance was clearly well-rehearsed, with even choreographed moments like the face-to-face chorus during their duet. Cowan proved to be an impressive vocalist, hitting all the right notes and radiating a positive, joyful energy that captivated the audience. Her high notes during the song were jaw-droppingly good, sending chills through the crowd. Despite a sudden downpour of rain, the audience remained undeterred, fully immersed in the show.
Ronnie Atkins then joined the stage for “The Scarecrow,” a personal favorite of mine. While I’m not as familiar with his work in PRETTY MAIDS, his powerful vocals and ability to command the crowd were undeniable. However, a performance of “Alchemy” that I had anticipated as a highlight, based on a stellar rendition at Graspop Metal Meeting I saw earlier this summer, fell short as Geoff Tate struggled with the high notes.
Despite this, the band continued with a setlist packed with hits. While I was surprised that “Moonglow” was omitted, I was thrilled to hear tracks like “Shelter from the Rain” and “Lost in Space” from “The Scarecrow.” The show concluded with an epic finale, featuring “Sign of the Cross / The Seven Angels.” While there was no surprise appearance from Tommy Karevik as there had been at Graspop, it was still a memorable ending to a spectacular set.
Closing out the long festival day were SWALLOW THE SUN, who had the honor of delivering the final performance on the Hellsinki-03 stage, and thankfully everyone who wanted to see their show was able to fit into the Ice Hall, unlike last year during the last acts of the festival. Fortunately, the band was scheduled strategically for this slot, as seeing them perform earlier on the main outdoor stage wouldn’t have done justice to their atmospheric sound. Instead, their placement here provided a fitting and intimate end to an amazing night. Even though arguably slow-paced doom metal isn’t exactly what you call a blasting finale.
The setlist was a treat for fans, as SWALLOW THE SUN performed “The Plague of Butterflies” in its entirety—a rare and special experience. Additionally, the band surprised the audience by debuting not one, but two new songs from their upcoming album, “Shining.” Hearing these tracks live for the first time was a highlight, and it left us eagerly anticipating the release of their new material.
While the focus on “The Plague of Butterflies” made the set feel relatively short, despite the lengthy show time, they still managed to include two more classic tracks from their repertoire. Altogether, it was a unique and memorable set, offering a special experience for both dedicated fans and those newly discovering the band’s music.
And so, the first day of Hellsinki Metal Festival came to a close with a memorable ending. Despite a few hiccups and some minor scheduling issues, the day was a resounding success, filled with standout performances and unforgettable moments.
Photos and text by Laureline Tilkin & Richard Forsman
