On the first day of Spring on March 21st, 2026, it seems only fitting to see HEXVESSEL, despite the recent direction the band has taken, less in the forest folk direction and more towards the harsh cold, darkness, and solitude. A different facet of a band that was never still, reflecting in its constant evolution the mind, influences, and sources from which its mainman Mat McNerney draws inspiration. Supporting the band for the occasion was Helsinki-based HOLLOW WOODS, approaching overlapping themes of nature and mysticism with a more extreme sound, but clearly quite the good fit for the current iteration of HEXVESSEL.
Not many people were present yet when the opening band began, but On The Rocks gradually filled up during the performance. The vocalist Harri Kuokkanen has a strong presence on stage, no matter which band he plays in – or in which role – and that clearly is an added bonus to their live shows. Opening their gig with Jocelyn Pook’s “Masked Ball” as intro (reminiscent of early GHOST shows, although the similarities end here), they had released a new EP, “Weep, Beloved Earth,” just the previous day. Dividing the set between this new release and their second album, “Like Twisted Bones of Fallen Giants,” they gave the audience a no-nonsense live show, throwing the anger and intensity of their powerful music straight at them. Raw and yet at times more melodic, atmospheric, and yet dark, HOLLOW WOODS turned out to be a very good choice in setting up the right atmosphere for the rest of the night.
HEXVESSEL has been playing fairly often live in recent years, or at least it feels like they have been in town once or twice per year; their last show in Helsinki was 6 months ago. It’s still a bit hard to place the band after they so clearly went in a darker direction following “Polar Veil.” Its follow-up, “Nocturne,” insists and explores further this path leading to a more extreme sound, between the past and the pushing of their artistic boundaries. Not surprisingly, tonight’s set was divided between these two records, and the band, once again performing in dark, black hooded cloaks and dark paint on their faces, shows the stark contrast between their early phase and where they are now. Over the course of well over an hour, they embrace the fans in their gloomy, enveloping soundscape, just like a long, wintry night. Their frontman Mat, has been much chattier in comparison to the guys from the opening band, which some might say is not so black metal, maybe, but definitely in character, and it would be weirder otherwise. The four on stage all played their part nicely, with Kimmo Helén also covering the Finnish vocals, and Ville Hakonen‘s energetic and at times a bit menacing presence added to the show, whereas the drummer Jukka set the foundation of the band’s sound in the background, almost on a different plane compared to the trio in front.
All-in-all, it was a good night for both bands, despite the venue not being fully packed – but in terms of crowd experience, that’s not terrible either – and it’s been a pleasure to see HEXVESSEL again for our first time after the release of their latest record (not counting the special commissioned performance at Roadburn in 2024). We are curious to see how this band will continue evolving and where that will lead them and their fans. Shout out also to HOLLOW WOODS, who gave a really solid show out there.
HOLLOW WOODS
HEXVESSEL
