Hellsinki Metal Festival has reached its toddler age, with this year’s metal gathering being the third overall, and in this relatively short time, the festival has become a prominent fixture in the Finnish metal music calendar. The festival organisation claims that their dedication to featuring both metal legends and emerging talents sets this event apart from its rivals, and looking at this year’s festival lineup, what with all the black-metal legends, pedigree thrash and death-metal acts, along with some hand-picked rising stars from all over the world, there is more than an ounce of truth in those claims. Let’s look at the headliners, for example. I reckon you couldn’t possibly have much bigger legends than KING DIAMOND and VENOM in this day and age – the bigger ones have either long since passed away or are not in a condition to perform anymore. That said, CANDLEMASS, DISMEMBER, NAPALM DEATH, and Michael Schenker all count as legends in their respective genres, let alone the black-metal giants such as OLD MAN’S CHILD, ENSLAVED, and MARDUK. Plus, the tribute to Quorthon and the music of BATHORY, set to wrap up the whole festival under the name BLOOD FIRE DEATH, sure was a special treat. Check out our photo gallery of the first day here or read our report.
Heavy Metal Perse
Rabbit Cult
Kiuas
Warmen
Kanonenfieber
Forbidden
Decapitated
Dismember
Fear Factory
Old Man’s Child
Moonsorrow
Photos by Laureline Tilkin
