Fistful of Metal attended the Helsinki-based Hellsinki Metal Festival for the first time this year. Held at the Helsinki Ice Hall (Nordis) on August 7–8, the festival offered an impressive line up of international and Finnish metal acts. The atmosphere was great throughout the weekend, with a strong crowd bringing plenty of energy to the festival area.
Friday
Friday offered a strong start to the festival. One of the highlights for us was Black Label Society, whose powerful performance delivered exactly the kind of heavy, hard-hitting show the crowd had come for. Accept followed with their classic heavy metal sound and a commanding performance.
The night continued into the early hours with Carpenter Brut, who brought something completely different to the festival. His dark synthwave sound, combined with a powerful and highly visual stage performance, created an intense atmosphere and was a memorable way to finish the first day.
Saturday
Saturday continued with an equally strong lineup. The day featured a mixture of Finnish and international metal, with Paradise Lost, Triptykon performing Celtic Frost, and Opeth among the biggest names on the main stage. The atmosphere remained energetic throughout the day, with the crowd clearly ready for another full day of heavy music.
Triptykon’s Celtic Frost set brought a darker and heavier atmosphere to the festival, while Opeth closed the main stage with a powerful and atmospheric performance. Meanwhile, Misþyrming & Nergal performing Behemoth’s Sventevithoffered one of the more extreme moments of the evening.
With two days of diverse metal, a strong international lineup and a great festival atmosphere, Hellsinki Metal Festival 2026 proved to be a solid addition to Helsinki’s heavy music scene. For Fistful of Metal, it was a strong first visit and one we hope will not be the last.
Kati Brugnoli
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