Beyond The Gates Kick Off 2026
Olaf Ryes vei 48, 5006 Bergen, Norway, Olaf Ryes vei 48, 5006 Bergen, Norge, Kort
þri. 28.07.2026 19:00
From July 29th to August 1st, Beyond the Gates, one of Norway’s most prominent extreme metal festivals, will take place in the heart of Bergen. In light (or rather darkness) of this occasion, we are pleased to invite you to the official Kick Off for the festival. Deep beneath Nygårdshaugen, in the legendary venue Hulen, come experience some of our most interesting acts. Namely Antinoë, Draken and Malum!
Kick-off event requires a separate ticket. Festival wristbands are not valid for entry.
Doors 19:00
Antinoë (20:00)
From the mountains of Madrid comes Antinoë, the haunting one-woman project of pianist and vocalist Teresa Marraco. With her ethereal voice and stark, piano-driven arrangements, Antinoë shapes soundscapes where neoclassical elegance collides with the atmospheric weight of metal, weaving music that is at once fragile, immersive, and profoundly melancholic. Fans of artists like Agnes Obel or Enya will find resonance here, yet Antinoë’s world is darker, steeped in reflection, loss, and yearning.
Draken (21:10)
True Norwegian Hard Rock! Draken is a hard-hitting trio from Oslo, Norway. Musically, they are somewhere between heavy rock and metal. Formed in 2019 by Even Hermansen (guitars/vocals), Hallvard Gaardløs (bass/vocals), and André Drage (drums), the band delivers uncompromising rock rooted in the legacy of High on Fire, Motörhead, and Entombed.
Malum (22:20)
Raw, atmospheric and melodic black metal —with a sound rooted in the bleak traditions of the second wave of black metal and shaped by modern existentialism and nihilism. Malum delivers music that is both oppressive and cathartic and has carved a path through Norway’s underground with raw intensity and philosophical depth. Malum is not merely a band —it is a confrontation. With the self. With silence. With nothingness.
Flytjendur
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DARK ESSENCE RECORDS
Dark Essence Records is a record label focusing on the Black and Extreme metal genres. Based in Bergen, Norway. Worldwide distribution.
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DrakenFormed in Oslo by bassist Hallvard Gaardløs (Spidergawd, WIZRD) and drummer Andre Drage (Andre' Drage), Draken is a rock band with an appetite for reinvention. Becoming a fully-fledged power triumvirate with the addition of guitar virtuoso, Even Hermansen (Bushman'S Revenge, red kite) on guitar, the trio dig on the Metals and Hard Rocks of old, and in doing so channel the inspiration they unearth into something truly unique. In 2021 they released their self-titled debut album on Swedish label Majestic Mountain Records. In January 2023 they followed up with their sophomore album, Book of Black. In 2026 Draken will return with their third album, this time released on the Norwegian label Dark Essence Records. The first single from the album, «Jólablót», is out now!
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HulenNord-Europas eldste rockeklubb!
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AntinoëCity of memory, architecture of mourning.
One-woman piano project from the mountains of Madrid, rooted in neoclassical music, dark folk, symphonic rock and black metal.
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Beyond the GatesBeyond 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.