The spring festival season kicks off in earnest this weekend in Oslo, Norway with the amazingly kvlt experience that is Inferno Metal Festival. The four-day festival of extreme music and culture takes over one of the birthplace cities of heavy music in the world. The fest is sold out once again, adding to the excitement. It’s great to see this scene surviving and thriving after many years.
Satyricon, by Susanne A. Maathuis Photography
The festival features about ten bands per day on two stages, totally doable and not at all exhausting like other festivals are with countless stages and too many artists. Also, care is taken to prevent too much overlap and gives every band and their fans adequate time to enjoy.
Here is your guide to the can’t miss bands of each day.
Thursday:
Odium starts things off followed by the underrated Erimha and Naglfar. Shining steps in for Katatonia who dropped out. This is followed by UADA, Dodecahdron, and the masters in Dark Funeral and Obituary. One Tail One Head ushers in the late night with their set.
Friday:
The first full day is packed with talent, although a little more weighted towards the Rockefeller stage. Mephorash, Audn, and Ulsect will warm things up. After rising stars Wiegedood, tech death wizards, Origin follow. After Earth Electric, the crushing trio of legends Emperor, Fleshgod Apocalypse, and Necrophobic close out day 2.
Saturday:
Supremely heavy and deep, Saturday looks to be short on bathroom and beer breaks! Nordjevil, Necronautical, Krakow, and Sinistro start off the night. Memoriam, on the strength of their brand new album, In Silent Vigil (Nuclear Blast) is a band we are really excited for. After Vangheld, Ihsahn will take the stage with his solo band for one of the few times both his solo work and Emperor will have ever done a fest together. Brilliant doom and gloomers Ahab will make things perfectly uncomfortable before Satyricon closes out the day. They are always killer live.
Sunday:
The final day of any four-day fest is a battle of wills. Still, the day four lineup of Inferno is worth getting in early for. Djevel and Empyreal will provide a needed hangover remedy. Tsjuder is one of the best at the fest, and a Ghost Cult favorite. After Nadra, you have an absolute murderers’ row of greats in Napalm Death, Electric Wizard, Schamasch, Grave and Carpathian Forest closing out the festival in grand style. These bands represent the best of their (sub)genres and a great way to finish what promised to be a great time.
The festival has tons of metal culture to soak up with the symposium, films, merch and other vendors and of course food and beer
Skål!