GALLERY: 3.11.2023 Hellsinki Industrial Festival – Day 1 @ Ääniwalli, Helsinki

November 16, 2023

The spooky season means one thing in the heavy music scene: Hellsinki Industrial Festival is back. This annual event brings together industrial music enthusiasts for a cutting-edge lineup featuring avant-garde acts and genre pioneers. This year’s festival was held on November 3rd and 4th, 2023, at Äaniwalli, with a pre-club on November 2nd, 2023.

Hellsinki Industrial Festival kicked off with the local talents of PROTECTORATE, whom I recently enjoyed at Club Infektio. Soon after, the main stage lit up with industrial metalcore from Denmark’s THE INTERBEING. Unlike last year’s rush between stages, this time there was ample time to enjoy each performance before moving on. This flexible schedule allowed me to overcome my habitual lateness for shows, including those of the local duo MISERIA ULTIMA on the small stage.

Despite the flexibility, an early departure was necessary as one of my bucket list bands, AMBASSADOR21 from Belarus, was set to take the main stage due to last-minute changes. They replaced V2A, who had to cancel. Estonia’s FORGOTTEN SUNRISE, starting with an ominous pace, caught my attention, with the vocalist Kuratino even standing behind me in the audience during the first song.

Next in line, NACHTMAHR, a fan favorite, took the stage with stage dancers, or as Thomas Rainer translated from local band KING SATAN, “tytöt univormuissa” [“girls in uniform”]. The show featured light BDSM play, water guns, and marching drums. PRETTY ADDICTED from London closed the small stage, describing their music as an “evil funfair at a dark rave in hell.” A perfect warm-up for the evening’s closing artist, ZARDONIC.

ZARDONIC, a Venezuelan artist mixing metal and bass, united goths and ravers, evident in the enthusiastic crowd. The night didn’t end there, as Club Infektio continued to offer dance beats for the strongest party people. Not among them, I retreated to gather strength for the next day.