Beyond the Gates

Beyond the Gates is a metal festival located in Bergen, Norway - created by fans, for fans. The five day event takes place in various venues around the city center of Bergen.

Electric Wizard

Electric Wizard are a doom metal band hailing from Bournemouth, UK who since their formation in 1993 have helped shaped the genre producing iconic releases such as “Come My Fanatics” and “Dopethrone”.

Alcest

This is the official Alcest Facebook profile.

Emperor

Belgium based Drum and Bass Producer/DJ.

Rotting Christ

n the dimly lit catacombs of extreme metal, one name stands as a monolith: ROTTING CHRIST. Sakis Tholis and his brother Themis started this band together back in 1987. In the three decades since, these Greek titans have left their blackened imprint all over the metal world. They’ve released 13 studio albums and played more than 1,300 concerts around the globe. Underneath all this hard work, Rotting Christ have but one vision – an urge to not only push the boundaries of extreme metal, but to keep reinventing themselves along the way.

Rotting Christ’s evolution has unfolded across several distinct chapters. After starting out closer to the barely controlled chaos of grindcore, they went on to establish the iconic sound of Hellenic black metal. Their albums often embrace refined gothic soundscapes, only to plunge back into the depths of blasphemous fervour. Each chapter marked another, further exploration, and an unwavering commitment to push boundaries.

But the real turning point came in 2007, when Rotting Christ signed a pact with Season of Mist. They unleashed a series of albums for the French label that defied any and all expectations. From the piercing Theogonia and the symphonic grandeur of Aelo to the ritualistic intensity of Κατά Τον Δαίμονα Εαυτού, the cinematic experiences created by Rotting Christ became a spectacle of bombastic atmospheres, mesmerizing choirs, and neo-classical arrangements. The unexpected is their modus operandi, with the use of various languages (Latin, Arabic, Greek, English) as well as the extensive use of famous poetry woven into their music, like Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Raven’ on The Heretics.

In 2019, Rotting Christ’s epic journey continued with The Apocryphal Spell compilation, which offers fans an intimate glimpse into unreleased and rare material. This allowed them to gather strength, preparing for the release of their next, highly anticipated, 14th full-length studio album: Pro Xristou.

Pro Xristou (‘Before Christ’ in Greek), serves as a fervent tribute to the last Pagan kings who resisted the onslaught of Christianity, guarding their ancient values and knowledge. In this thematic odyssey, intricately woven through tracks such as ‘The Apostate’ and ‘Ygdrassil’, Rotting Christ delves into the legacies of historical figures such as Flavius Claudius Julianus and Nordic mythological kings, embodying the might of Pagan wisdom in the face of Christian adversity. The album encapsulates the essence of Rotting Christ’s signature style – melodic, yet harsh at times – reinventing themselves yet again, while remaining rooted in their 35-year legacy.

Line-up

Sakis Tolis - Guitar, Vocals

Themis Tolis - Drums

Kostas "Spades" Heliotis - Bass

Kostis Fouk - Guitar

Marduk

Official Marduk Facebook

Blood Incantation

New album ‘Absolute Elsewhere’ out now

1349

Musically and visually, Oslo's 1349 have roots deeply implanted in the second wave of Norwegian black metal. Their sound, complete with buzzing (rather than roaring) guitars, abundant blastbeats, Satanic lyrics, unclean vocals, etc., is appended by ghastly corpse-paint, leather, spikes, fire breathing, and more, on-stage. Early recordings, such as Liberation and Beyond the Apocalypse, were drenched in lo-fi production, but won fans due to a sometimes-overwhelming physicality and aggression. Though hardly prolific -- they've issued less than ten albums in 22 years -- they are one of the few surviving entities from the era who continue releasing material and touring, while remaining -- with only two exceptions -- close to their sonic and aesthetic origins, as evidenced by 2014's Massive Cauldron of Chaos. Following long tours, overseeing reissues, and a break, 1349 returned with The Infernal Pathway in 2019. Following the pandemic, they returned to touring, and in 2024 released The Wolf & The King. 1349 took their name from the year in which the black death epidemic arrived on Scandinavian shores. Born in 1997 from the remains of black metal quartet Alvheim, 1349 featured vocalist and drummer Olav "Ravn" Bergene, guitarist André "Tjalve" Kvebek, and bassist Tor Risdal "Seidemann" Stavenes. Second guitarist Idar "Archaon" Burheim would join two years later, in time to perform on 1349's second demo (titled "Chaos Preferred") in 2000, and the ensuing eponymous 2001 EP, which established the band's sound as a single-minded throwback to the devastating style of black metal that made Norway the movement's focal point in the early '90s. 1349 made another connection to that seminal period when they recruited Satyricon drummer Kjetil Vidar "Frost" Haraldstad -- to allow vocalist Ravn to roam free on-stage -- which contributed to the band's burgeoning reputation both as players and as performers, thanks to the usual black metal accouterments. A trio of career-affirming albums followed, namely 2003's Liberation, 2004's Beyond the Apocalypse, and 2005's Hellfire, paving the way for a U.S. run (with a different drummer since Frost was denied entry due to a criminal record) supporting the reunited Celtic Frost, and a few years of dedicated touring and major European festival appearances. In 2006, Tjalve left the band to pursue other projects. After several years off, 1349 got back to the business of recording via 2009's Revelations of the Black Flame album. It marked a radical departure in their sound. Produced in partnership with Celtic Frost icon Thomas Gabriel Fischer, he replaced much of the band's old-school black metal with slower ambient and semi-industrial sounds, outraging most fans. The band added guitarist Secthdamon for the purpose of touring. The following year's Demonoir, with only the original quartet, made only token efforts to redress the situation (with numerous atmospheric pieces sprinkled amid the more typical black metal songs) and further polarized 1349's audience, leaving many unanswered questions as to the band's future prospects. Secthdamon returned as a touring member in 2016, and remains part of the live outfit, as does drummer Nils Fjellström, who replaces Frost for U.S. tours. After four years of working on concert and festival stages, they returned to the studio and issued the Dødskamp EP in April of 2019, followed by a second EP in August, Through Eyes of Stone. Both recordings were back-to-basics affairs and were greeted by fans with enthusiasm. That October 1349 released their seventh full-length, The Infernal Pathway. Engineered by Jarrett Pritchard, the set contained guest lyrics by Kenneth "Destroyer" Svartalv, (Nocturnal Breed's bassist/lyricist S.A. Destroyer) on all but one song. The album was celebrated by critics and fans alike as a welcome return to traditional form. The 2020 global pandemic canceled their touring until 2021. They played festivals and toured across Europe. 1349 returned to the studio, two studios actually. They cut tracks and parts at Amper Tone in Oslo, Norway, and finished at Orlando, Florida's New Constellation R.M.P. with producers Jarret Prichard and Ravn; they also recorded and engineered the recording. Prichard mixed and mastered the final takes. Titled The Wolf & The King, the set was issued in October 2024 by Seasons of Mist.~ Eduardo Rivadavia

Castle Rat

On a mission to expand and defend The Realm from those who seek to destroy it!

Spectral Wound

A band from Canada.

The Ruins Of Beverast

The Ruins of Beverast is a German black metal project created by ex-Nagelfar drummer Alexander von Meilenwald.

The musical style showcases a unique approach to creating complex, atmospheric black metal by combining traditional sounds with more unconventional elements. Lengthy compositions featuring an array of atmospheric and hypnotic components and the use of a variety of extreme vocals and choral singing define the style of this project.

Beherit

Official page

Bolzer

https://bolzer.bandcamp.com/

Gaahls Wyrd

Whoredom Rife

Traditional Norwegian Black Metal

Booking & Management

info@abyssalbooking.com

Forteresse

Présence OFFICIELLE de Forteresse sur Facebook

Imha Tarikat

-PASSION BURSTING FOREVER-

Booking: marco@we-live.agency

Misotheist

Testament

The time has arrived for TESTAMENT to unleash new thunder to the masses and reveal their thirteenth studio album: Titans OF Creation. Just as the elements of this planet thrive within all living creatures, each musician in TESTAMENT represents a necessary component of this latest musical endeavor. Still filled with a massive and unstoppable energy since their last release, TESTAMENT has taken their style to the next level and present an album that is loyal to the roots of traditional thrash metal while still bringing alluring, brilliant, and progressive ingredients to the table. Bass is showcased, new vocals are introduced, and as expected, the guitarwork of Peterson and Skolnick is greatly complex and mesmerizing.

Eliran Kantor stepped up once again to create a new piece of artwork for the cover of this release. His classic, almost Renaissance style of painting melds beautifully with the ancient, psychological, and enlightened subject matter of the songs. Three monstrous titans stand in the place where the planets are formed. One pours molding liquid which the others hammer into human DNA, twisting and turning into the ring of a newborn planet. Each titan has the flame of a dying star burning in their chest; the origin of the atoms making up the bodies that are bubbling and boiling on the curves of the spiraling helix.

Titans OF Creation has many moods and material contained within; all of which somehow tie into a common philosophy of creation and its necessary counterpart: destruction. “Children Of The Next Level” smashes through the gates as the opening track with a flood of sound that prepares the listener for an abundance of violent thrash. Meanwhile, the lyrics rage about the outrageous philosophies of the Heaven’s Gate cult (founded in 1974).

Songs like “Dream Deceiver” carry more old school sound that will tickle the senses of any common TESTAMENT fan. The lyrics describe being trapped in a dream by an otherworldly female force who is slowly working to degrade the mind. Dreams are part of existence, but when we are asleep we are entirely vulnerable; one of the many mysteries of being human. “Someone’s haunting you and won’t leave you alone; the only time they pick at you is at night when they can control the way you sleep,” describes vocalist Chuck Billy.

“Night of the Witch” features frightening and captivating vocals from Eric Peterson. Carrying a vibe far more akin to Black Metal, Peterson swoops in with a power that melds perfectly with Billy’s ground shaking, guttural growls. Taking some influence from Robert Egger’s 2015 horror masterpiece “The VVitch: A New England Folktale,” the song carries with it a magical quality that directly reflects the mood of the film. At the very end of the track, a theremin howls through the air much like witches rising towards the moon; setting the final tone. “The album has a lot about it that’s fresh to the ear,” explains Peterson.

Written by guitarist Alex Skolnick, “Symptoms” is filled with detailed with intricate guitar work that well represents the complicated and spellbinding journey that comes along with handling depression, mood swings, and a countless list of mental health frustrations. The lyrics in this song discuss a sad truth: that mental illness is more common than we all think, and than many of us are willing to acknowledge. On a lighter note, a vibrant track entitled “The Healers” swings back and forth between waves of death and thrash, heavy and melodic, light and dark. The words are spiritual, and extremely personal. They describe Billy’s own experience dealing with all natural medicine men; the elders of the earth, and how they managed to help him pinpoint and heal his past illness. “City Of Angels” comes bearing an entirely new sound for TESTAMENT. The creeping sludgieness and slow, stalking tempo, walk hand in hand with the almost unbelievably gruesome tale of the Nightstalker Richard Ramierz, all combining to form another stand-out track on the record.

In 2020 the days of writing an album all together in one room are far gone, but to be able to take advantage of technology allows for TESTAMENT to go about a very similar writing process to what they always have. Basic songs are molded, structures are added by everyone in the group, instrumentals are highlighted, and finally the lyrics and vocals are created to finalize the sonic story. Facetime and human on human contact still remain crucial elements to TESTAMENT’s song writing process and at some point throughout, every member physically interacts and writes with one another. In between writing this album, the band toured relentlessly which allowed for less stress, more time in between, and greater inspiration for this album cycle. There was also plenty of anxiety-free and level-headed time for pre-production and the initial recording process with Juan Urteaga of Trident Studios. Andy Sneap was then able to tweak, mix, and master this album to his usual perfection.

TESTAMENT’s process of creation has evolved and progressed yet they’ve remained steadfast over the course of literal decades. While always managing to present the genuine aspects of thrash metal that solidify their existence, they spread into unique horizons through developing crisp and fascinating sounds.

Beyond the Gates 4 Day Festival Pass 2026 Gold

Beyond the Gates 4 Day Festival Pass 2026 Gold

Flytjendur