GALLERY

GALLERY: 16.8.2026 SaariHelvetti – DAY 2 @ Tampere, Finland

September 8, 2026

August means it’s time for Saarihelvetti, Tampere’s legendary metal festival based on the beautiful island of Viikinsaari. This year’s Saarihelvetti was held on August 15th and 16th, 2026.

The festival’s second and final day included acts like TURMION KÄTILÖT, BORKNAGAR, SPECTRAL WOUND, WHISPERED, ASSEMBLE THE CHARIOTS, MARIANA’S REST, HEXVESSEL, THE MAN-EATING TREE, KNEEL BEFORE THE DEATH, ASHEN TOMB, and GUTALAX.

During this festival, there are also fun and very well-organized activities like: Thrasherien Tietobingo, Hevikaraoke, Speed Dating in Hell, which is great for socializing and meeting even new people with similar interests. On the other hand, there’s also Meet & Greet In Hell, where many bands spent time with their fans to connect.

SPECTRAL WOUND from Quebec, Canada, really caught our interest, with groovy and powerful black n´roll and an obscure atmosphere; they started their show with “Fevers & Suffering,” “Black Satanic Glamour,” and finished with “Frigid and Spellbound”; a very dark and exciting combination of nature and black metal, we absolutely loved their performance.

ASHEN TOMB from Helsinki, formed in 2021, gave us a show full of energy and very robust-sounding death metal, with their band theme being around Horror and Mysticism, destructive-sounding blast beats with very energetic yet sophisticated touches that blend well with their violent and rhythmic riffs. There are a lot of enjoyable transitions through their tracks that make them very refreshing and non-monotone.

WHISPERED, from Tampere, with their Samurai and feudal Japanese-era thematics, gave an interesting performance and unique style at the festival; it was a very theatrical performance as well. Their setlist included tracks like “Battlecry,” “Jikininki,” “Exile of the Floating World,” and even the legendary “Follow the Reaper” (CHILDREN OF BODOM cover), and closed with “Hold the Sword.” It’s no secret that Japanese culture and history are broad and intense. We absolutely loved the band’s style and individual, personalized sound; a must-see show at metal festivals.

GUTALAX unfortunately had to cancel due to a closure of the airspace in Latvia because of a drone; they couldn’t continue with their travel, but we enjoyed CUMBEAST’s brutal pig squeals either way and heavy riffs that started a mosh pit full of people enjoying and ready to have the best time tonight! They started their set with “Cummando,” and also played “Řiťodlak” (GUTALAX cover) for those that really wanted to hear their songs tonight. People were really thrilled and excited with this show. They played around 10 songs in total and closed with “Troll Named Scrot.”

MARIANAS REST, the Finnish melodic metal band formed in Kotka in 2013, was up next. There was some rain during this show, but this only added a very nostalgic and gloomy aura to the show as festival-goers enjoyed either way of the performance with a dark theme inspired by doom and black metal, delivering daunting and melancholic melodies that blended in perfectly with the weather and location. Their set included tracks like: “The Colour of You,” “Pity the Living,” and “Diamonds in the Rough.”

On the main stage, BORKNAGAR brought a piece of Norwegian black metal history to SaariHelvetti. Formed in Bergen in 1995 by guitarist Øystein Brun, the band emerged from a city that played a pivotal role in the development of the Norwegian black metal scene. Seeking a different creative direction from the more traditional death metal he had been involved with, Brun established BORKNAGAR as an outlet for his musical ambitions, blending black metal with folk influences and themes inspired by nature and paganism. Over the years, the band has featured an impressive roster of musicians, including members associated with GORGOROTH, IMMORTAL, and ENSLAVED, further cementing its place in the Norwegian metal scene. It was no surprise to see so many festivalgoers eagerly awaiting their performance, as the band has built an impressive legacy over the decades. Their setlist featured tracks such as “Up North” and “The Rhymes of the Mountain and Voices”.

Next up were Helsinki-based HEXVESSEL, formed in 2009. Continuing the evening’s mystical atmosphere, the band delivered a captivating performance steeped in occult imagery, psychedelic rock, and elements of black and doom metal. Their stage presence and dark, ritualistic aesthetic created an immersive atmosphere that drew us right into their world. We had an exceptionally good time watching them, and anyone looking to explore their sound should check out “A Dark and Graceful Wilderness”.

The highlight of the night was undoubtedly TURMION KÄTILÖT. The Finnish industrial metal outfit from Kuopio, formed in 2003, once again proved that they know exactly how to get a crowd moving. With spectacular lighting, lasers, and an infectious energy radiating from the stage, their performance quickly turned into a full-blown dance party. Tracks such as “Verta ja lihaa” sent the audience into a frenzy, with the crowd responding enthusiastically to every beat. TURMION KÄTILÖT have always known how to put on an explosive show, and this performance was no exception.

Closing out SaariHelvetti were Helsinki-based ASSEMBLE THE CHARIOTS, who brought the festival weekend to an intense and fitting conclusion with their blend of symphonic metal and deathcore. The band, formed in 2008, delivered a powerful set packed with thunderous percussion, crushing riffs, and harsh, aggressive vocals. Songs such as “Discover the Power” and “As Was Seen by Augurers” showcased their ability to combine sheer heaviness with dramatic, emotionally charged shifts in intensity. Their arrangements moved fluidly between crushing passages and more atmospheric moments, keeping the performance dynamic from start to finish. ASSEMBLE THE CHARIOTS proved to be an impressive choice to close out the night, sending us off after a fun and exciting weekend at SaariHelvetti.