HELLSINKI METAL FESTIVAL 2026 UNLEASHES COLOSSAL FIRST WAVE!
The Finnish summer is about to get a whole lot heavier! Hellsinki Metal Festival has just dropped its initial line-up announcement for 2026, and it’s an immediate contender for the heaviest weekend in Scandinavia. Returning for its fourth year, the festival will once again take over the area of the Helsinki Ice Hall (Nordis) on Friday, August 7th, and Saturday, August 8th, 2026. Known for its impeccably curated mix of genre pioneers, extreme metal titans, and rare international acts, HMF has solidified its place as a bucket-list event for the global metal community.
The first wave of artists confirms the festival’s diverse but crushing mandate, featuring the newly announced headliners OPETH, ACCEPT and BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, alongside a terrifying supporting cast including CARPENTER BRUT, TRIPTYKON performing Celtic Frost, MISTHYRMING & NERGAL perform Behemoth, THE KOVENANT, BLOODBATH, BLACKBRAID, HORNA, ILL NIÑO, IOTUNN, BRYMIR, WORMWOOD and the Finnish acts IKINÄ & THE CHOIR OF HECATE.
While the daily schedule is still pending, the sheer calibre of these early names promises two days of relentless metal fury across all stages.
Opeth: Progressive Metal Royalty Ascends to Headliner Status
Swedish progressive metal masters OPETH are set to deliver a breathtakingly dynamic performance that showcases their peerless musicianship. Led by the brilliant songwriter and vocalist Mikael Åkerfeldt, Opeth are renowned for seamlessly blending crushing death metal intensity with complex, beautiful acoustic passages and deep, psychedelic progressive rock. Following the release of their recent albums, their set at HMF is guaranteed to be a journey through light and shade, offering a sophisticated and powerful experience that will captivate both their long-time devotees and newer fans.
Accept: German Metal Gods Bring the Classic Firepower
Flying the flag for classic heavy metal are the legendary German powerhouse ACCEPT. With a catalogue spanning over four decades, hits like ‘Balls to the Wall’ and ‘Fast as a Shark’ are the very foundation of the genre. Accept’s performance will be a masterclass in blistering riffs, thunderous rhythm, and unforgettable choruses. This band knows exactly how to command a festival stage, delivering an authentic, high-energy heavy metal show that is guaranteed to get the entire Helsinki crowd moving and chanting along to every timeless track.
Black Label Society: Zakk Wylde’s Thunderous Southern Grooves
Rounding out the headline additions is the iconic guitar slinger Zakk Wylde and his unstoppable crew, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY. Known for their signature blend of sludgy, Southern-tinged metal, crushing guitar solos, and Wylde’s imposing stage presence, BLS promises a heavy, groove-laden assault. Expect the stage to be draped in biker-metal attitude and saturated with the sound of pinch harmonics and mammoth riffs from songs like ‘Stillborn’ and ‘In This River’. For fans of raw power and virtuosic guitar work, this is a can’t-miss spectacle at the Finnish Metal Festival.
With a line-up already featuring black metal rituals from TRIPTYKON (playing Celtic Frost) and MISTHYRMING & NERGAL (performing Behemoth), synth-wave metal from CARPENTER BRUT, and homegrown Finnish talent, Hellsinki Metal Festival 2026 is cementing its reputation as Europe’s most exciting destination for extreme music.
Which of these monumental new additions is calling you to Helsinki this August? Tell us your thoughts!
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