There’s something magical about walking into a festival where you instantly know — these are my people. That was the vibe at this year’s Hellsinki Metal Festival, where 16,000 metalheads took over the Helsinki Ice Hall area for two sun-soaked days of riffs, roars, and the kind of community spirit you can’t fake.
The man behind it all, promoter Toni Törrönen, is basically a walking embodiment of metal passion. Even if he’s not a fan of a particular band, the music still gives him goosebumps — the good kind. Fun fact: before he was the mastermind of HMF, he was a tour guide in Greece. That wanderlust and knack for showing people a good time have clearly transferred into festival form.
Törrönen first had the idea for HMF about seven years ago, inspired by the legendary Inferno Festival in Norway. The mission? Create a space for the growing number of people who felt like outsiders — a place they could finally call home. And of course, Helsinki was the obvious choice for the location. Three years in at the Nordis area, and the verdict is clear: it just works. There’s no plan to expand, because cozy and connected is exactly the point.
The Stages, The Sauna, and… Wrestling?!
This year’s HMF hosted 35 bands across two outdoor stages and the Ice Hall itself, with heavyweights like King Diamond, Venom, Napalm Death, Fear Factory, and Landmvrks bringing the heat. Last year, the main stage was perfect but the smaller ones looked more like “children’s theatre chic.” Not this time. Stage heights were boosted, sound was balanced, and every band got the platform they deserved.
And yes, there was also a wrestling arena. Because why not?
The Children of Bodom Bar made its return for the second year running, bringing authentic stage props, a sauna, and a secret exhibition in the window. These were relics that don’t even fit in the bar itself — no signs, no ads, no hype. If you book a sauna session, you saw them. If you didn’t… well, some things remain sacred.
Artists were treated like absolute royalty — or at least as close as you can get when you’re far from home and living out of a tour bus. From shuttle buses to ice cream surprises (one band’s day was apparently made by this), the hospitality team went all in.
The Ice Hall backstage deserves its own paragraph: the most metal, most artistic, most beautifully detailed backstage I’ve ever seen. Art on the walls, thoughtful design… but sadly, no photos allowed.
Metal + Art + Heart
The Dark Art Gallery was a feast for the eyes, with an international curation and some Hungarian flair: photographer Andi Balogh’s work was featured alongside Finnish pieces. Norwegian artist Nick Morte even painted live during the festival.
And because metal isn’t just about volume, the Metalheads Against Bullying stand was a quiet but powerful presence, offering educational materials and sparking important conversations about mental health — something Törrönen clearly holds dear.
VIPs got to hang out in the RIP Acropolys area, which sounded as epic as it looked.
2026
Hellsinki Metal Festival will be back August 7–8, 2026, right here at Nordis. The first band announcements drop later this year, but if you can’t wait that long, there’s the Hellsinki Metal Cruise happening November 7–9, 2025.
Author: Ditty
Photos: Péter Tepliczky
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