Hellsinki Metal Festival has wrapped up another successful edition, attracting 16,000 metal fans to Helsinki Ice Hall, affectionately known as Nordis, over two days. The nearly sold-out event also welcomed international media, further strengthening its position on Finland’s metal festival calendar.

Now in its fourth edition, the festival featured a diverse lineup of heavy music, including Black Label Society, Opeth, Accept, Carpenter Brut, Carcass, Paradise Lost, Eluveitie, Triptykon, Kalmah and Omnium Gatherum, among many others.

“Somehow, this year has felt different from previous editions. Everything has run smoothly, and the sense of community has grown stronger,” says promoter Toni Törrönen, reflecting on the festival’s development.

Beyond the music, visitors could explore the Dark Art Gallery, Inkferno tattoo area, wrestling performances and various attractions celebrating metal culture. The festival also raised funds for Finnish mental health organisation MIELI ry and Naisten Linja, which supports women experiencing violence.

One of the weekend’s most meaningful moments came during Ikinä’s special performance, featuring 15 female metal vocalists and a moment of silence honouring women who have lost their lives to violence.

The festival also revealed the lineup for Hellsinki Metal Cruise, sailing from Helsinki to Stockholm and back on November 6–8, 2026. The bill includes Samael, Rotting Christ, Groza, Aborym, Waltari, Moonlight Sorcery, Deathchain, Paara and several more acts, with Waltari celebrating their 40th anniversary.

“The cruise is a miniature version of Hellsinki Metal Festival, where the entire tribe is in the same boat,” Törrönen explains.

With another strong turnout and an expanding programme both on land and at sea, Hellsinki Metal Festival continues to bring the metal community together in Helsinki and beyond.