Blastfest 2016 – A One Time Only Celebration Of The Norwegian Metal Scene!

You heard it! Blastfest 2016 will be celebrating its national metal scene and will boast a lineup that will be 100% Norwegian. Has that even been done before?

It’s hard to imagine how when the first ever Blastfest took place in Bergen in 2014 organisers were going to beat the lineup that had been assembled. But, 2015 smashed its predecessor out of the park with bands such as Watain, Satyricon, At The Gates, Primordial, Decapitated, Melechesh, Craft, Demilich and more taking to the stage in what will undoubtedly go down as a major highlight in this year’s festival calendar.

Just hours after the final note rang out across the venue at Blastfest 2015 organisers were brainstorming ideas for the third edition of the festival and here we are, a brand new concept – A One Time Only Celebration Of The Norwegian Metal Scene!

The first round of bands has also been announced including Green Carnation, Ihsahn, Ancient and the very first headliner, Gorgoroth.

An always supremely crushing live band and a true Norwegian phenomenon is back! Six years ago they called it quits, after filling the world with industrial angst for over two decades. Blastfest welcome you to dive into a greater darkness, to handle the cold dark matter that is none other than extreme industrial metal band Red Harvest. This reunion is going to be a fucking hammer-blow to the solar plexus!

Dissolved in 2007 and sporting members that have been a part of class acts such as Emperor, Satyricon, Carpathian Forest, Blood Red Throne, Tristania, Sirenia, etc. This band has finally reunited!!! The usual selling points are completely unnecessary, so we’ll just skip them altogether this time. Why? Because Green Carnation have not only reunited to appear at Blastfest 2016, but they have also agreed to play their masterpiece Light Of Day, Day Of Darkness in its entirety! ‘Nuff said!

A major figure in the Norwegian black metal scene as a founding member of Emperor, Ihsahn has since become the front man of his very own band. Still the primus motor, and in charge of orchestral manoeuvres, his eponymously dubbed solo project sees him channel the sophisticated dark arts through a more progressive expression. In a fitting move, he also uses the members of progressive metal band Leprous as his live backing band. Five critically acclaimed albums have been released by the multi instrumentalist and light bringer. All of which make us really look forward to finally having Ihsahn grace Blastfest! – Thus spake Blastfest.

It’s been eleven years since they released their last album, but 2015 will see them bring their long awaited Back To The Land Of The Dead to life – and in 2016 they will come back to the land of Blastfest. If that isn’t enough, 2016 marks the 20th anniversary of their album The Cainian Chronicle. So brace yourselves for ‘Lilith’s Embrace’ in a live setting, because the renowned and reviled Ancient are finally returning to their roots in Bergen, Norway. This time around they are also bringing the infamous Nick Barker (Cradle Of Filth, Dimmu Borgir, Lock Up, etc, etc) behind the drumkit.

It’s on high time that we present one of the true legends of the Bergen black metal scene. Hence we give you Satan’s propaganda ministerium on earth, Gorgoroth. The notorious collective lead by Infernus have so far released nine albums, with a tenth scheduled for release this coming June, Instinctus Bestialis. It’s already been six years since the band were on stage in Bergen, so they will be catering to a hungry local audience. Blastfest welcome you all, also those who are traveling from afar, bring your hammer and join together under the sign of hell at Blastfest 2016!