South of Heaven is a new festival in the Netherlands. Last year, they had to cancel, but this year the lineup was super strong for a small festival—something many of the artists themselves pointed out. This small-scale gathering in Maastricht, in the south of the Netherlands, took place at Gashouder on June 7th and 8th, 2025. The first edition was so well executed that it left everyone wanting more.
It started as a two-day festival, but as HEILUNG began announcing their final shows before a well-deserved hiatus, another day was added to the program on June 6th, 2025. To build a fitting atmosphere around HEILUNG’s performance, the festival invited ALCEST, THE HU, SOWULO, and NINI to complete the lineup. It was a rare and timely opportunity to experience HEILUNG live ahead of their upcoming break.
It was up to ALCEST to open this festival weekend. They were a great start to this sort of Pagan, folkish, melodic day of the festival. ALCEST is great at playing live, and you’re really in for a treat, but the show felt kind of short since ALCEST isn’t the kind of band you should book to play during broad daylight. I guess they need the dark atmosphere to truly bring out their sound and to be fully captivated. Nonetheless, they had an awesome performance, and they managed to draw out a large crowd at the very start.
The Mongolian folk band THE HU was up next. They brought traditional instruments on stage, creating a distinctive and powerful sound. Full of energy, they seamlessly fused solid rock and heavy metal influences with their native musical roots. Their set featured most of their biggest hits, with catchy lyrics that had the audience singing along enthusiastically.
Most people came to see HEILUNG. The evening was titled Farda Anda, translated as The End of a Journey, marking the band’s final performance in the Netherlands before their upcoming break. Their show is not just a concert, but a ritualistic ceremony—one the audience is very much a part of, or at least, it feels that way. Drawing from ancient shamanic traditions, both the music and visuals are deeply immersive. As the set progresses, some in the crowd seem to enter a trance-like state, fully absorbed in the experience. HEILUNG appears to tap into something primal within their listeners, giving them chills or moving them to dance instinctively. Their performances aren’t meant to be explained—they’re meant to be experienced.
While the main program wrapped up on the outdoor field, the day wasn’t quite over yet. Two more acts played at a nearby venue, which turned into a sort of unofficial afterparty. Dutch band SOWULO turned up the heat—quite literally. If you didn’t arrive early, you weren’t getting in. The place was packed with people eager to witness their performance. Much like HEILUNG, SOWULO draws from Pagan rituals, blending historical and contemporary instruments to craft a deeply atmospheric sound. The result was a truly captivating show.
Closing out the night was NINI, a band built around Taiwanese guitar virtuoso NiNi, who shreds metal riffs on traditional string instruments. It was late, and many had already called it a night, but those who stayed were treated to an electrifying performance packed with energy. Check our photo gallery here…
ALCEST
THE HU
HEILUNG
SOWULO
NINI
Photos by Elvira Visser
