Helsinki is about to roar again. On August 8–9, 2025, the Hellsinki Metal Festival takes over the iconic Helsinki Ice Hall (Nordis) for its third chapter. Two days, one place: a visceral celebration of metal in all its forms, from blistering grindcore to atmospheric post‑metal, epic doom anthems to raw hardcore fury.

This festival isn’t just a show, it’s a sensory performance, a place where old-school legends meet emerging innovators, and where art meets rebellion under the midnight sun.

A Lineup Forged in Fire: Legends, Icons, and New Blood

Blending trailblazers with trendsetters, Hellsinki Metal Festival 2025 delivers a lineup that is at once nostalgic, progressive, and unpredictable:

Napalm Death – The godfathers of grindcore. Their latest collaboration album, Savage Imperial Death March (with Melvins), dropped in early 2025 – a brutal, experimental testament to their unyielding vision. Expect nothing less than chaos on stage.

Venom – The primordial spark of black metal, still as feral and unapologetic as in 1979. Seeing Venom live is like staring straight into metal’s origin story.

Candlemass – With doom anthems from Sweet Evil Sun (2024) and classics that shaped the genre, their set will be a slow-burning sermon in distortion.

Cult of Luna – A breathtaking journey in sound and vision. Known for hypnotic light shows and layered, cinematic music, they promise a near-spiritual experience.

Hatebreed – Metallic hardcore that turns pits into earthquakes. Uniting fans with pure energy and relentless breakdowns, they’re the pulse of Hellsinki Metal Festival’s raw side.

Me and That Man – Behemoth’s Nergal swaps black metal fire for smoky folk noir – an intimate, haunting reprieve between the storms.

King Diamond & Michael Schenker – Michael Schenker presents his “My Years with UFO” special show – a rare European date you won’t forget.

Artistic Immersion: Bathory Tribute & Avant-Garde Edge

Perhaps the crown jewel of this year: Blood Fire Death – Bathory Tribute, an exclusive one-time homage to Quorthon featuring members of Watain, Aura Noir, and Enslaved. Part concert, part ritual – this is metal mythos brought to life.

The festival thrives on contrasts: from GosT’s neon-soaked dark synthwave-meets-metal performance to the surging force of Landmvrks’ modern metalcore and Ill Niño’s Latin-infused grooves, Hellsinki Metal Festival balances brutality with innovation, tradition with reinvention.

What’s New? Fresh Releases & Live Premieres

Every artist arrives with something fresh this year:

• Napalm Death – Savage Imperial Death March (2025) is more than a record, it’s an atmospheric collision of grindcore fury and sludge experimentation. One listener called it “a wild album that defies description”
• Cult of Luna – rumored to premiere live material from their upcoming album. Attendees may hear exclusive previews before the rest of the world.
• Candlemass – Touring Sweet Evil Sun (2024), blending deep cuts with newer, cathedral-heavy riffs.
• Me and That Man – after New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol. 2, Nergal hints at unveiling stripped-down acoustic numbers that cut right through the distortion.

This mix of new material and classic heavy-hitters creates a festival pulse that feels both grounded in history and boldly forward.

Why Hellsinki Metal Festival without any questions?

Hellsinki Metal Festival is more than music. It’s a cultural gathering for metalheads. The indoor setting at Nordis creates an intimate vibe while delivering full-scale festival production. Imagine being close enough to see every detail of the performance while feeling the sonic impact shake the walls.

Add to that Helsinki’s summer magic, long nights, vibrant city energy, and that unforgettable Nordic light meets metal darkness contrast, and you have an experience unlike any other.

Tickets & Practical Info

Venue: Helsinki Ice Hall (Nordis)

Dates: August 8–9, 2025

Tickets: Get yours here – sell-out warning: last year reached full capacity early.

This August, metal is coming home. The only question: Are you ready to step into it?

This is where metal lives in 2025 – in history, in innovation, in community under the northern sky. MyTouche Blog will be there to tell it –  let’s make this story unforgettable.