The first full performance we caught on Sunday was one we had been looking forward to for quite some time. Choosing between Kim Dracula and Korpiklaani was surprisingly easy. As much as we enjoy Finland’s folk metal veterans, opportunities to see Kim Dracula in this part of the world are far rarer. And thankfully, the wait proved more than worthwhile.

From the moment the Australian artist stepped on stage, the performance radiated chaos in the best possible way. Dressed in a decorated pilot-style coat, sporting messy hair and smudged eyeliner, Kim Dracula‘s theatrical presence immediately drew all eyes towards the stage. The wildly expressive movements and constant energy perfectly matched music that refuses to stay within the boundaries of a single genre. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the performance was the incredible vocal versatility on display. Singing, screaming, growls and lightning-fast rap sections all flowed seamlessly into one another. The speed with which Kim switched between styles was genuinely astonishing, and it only added to the immersive experience.

The songs themselves translated wonderfully to a live setting. The constant genre-hopping somehow made perfect sense, with tracks such as “Make Me Famous”, “Drown”, “Undercover” and “Seventy Thorns” keeping the audience guessing throughout. A live saxophonist proved to be another excellent addition to the sound, while the rest of the band provided a solid backbone for the madness unfolding at the front of the stage. One particularly amusing moment saw Kim using an empty microphone stand as an imaginary machine gun aimed at the audience before casually tossing it aside afterwards.

Having wanted to experience this project live for quite some time, expectations were high. Fortunately, Kim Dracula delivered one of our absolute highlights of Tuska 2025 and left us eager to catch another performance in the future.

By now, Apocalyptica are one of those bands that need little introduction. Their performances rarely contain major surprises anymore, but somehow that hardly matters. After all these years, hearing Metallica classics performed on cellos still works remarkably well.

With their Plays Metallica material taking centre stage, the Finnish legends delivered exactly what people came for. “Enter Sandman”, “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, “Master of Puppets”, “Seek & Destroy” and “One” all received enthusiastic reactions from the crowd, while the trio attacked every note with the same energy and passion that have made them beloved for decades.

Perhaps familiarity breeds comfort in this case. Apocalyptica have always been present somewhere on our playlists, and seeing them live remains one of those reliable pleasures that never really gets old.

Remarkably, this was our first time seeing Whitechapel live. Judging by the anticipation in the crowd beforehand, we were far from the only people excited about the Americans’ long-awaited return to Finland after an absence of fifteen years. Once the band launched into “Prisoner 666”, any remaining expectations were quickly blown away.

Whitechapel delivered an absolutely crushing performance. From beginning to end, the sound felt enormous, creating a wall of heaviness that bulldozed everything in its path. Frontman Phil Bozeman proved exactly why he is regarded as one of deathcore’s finest vocalists, commanding the stage with ease and effortlessly switching between monstrous growls and his more melodic approach.

The set naturally featured plenty of material from the then recently released Hymns in Dissonance, with tracks such as “Prisoner 666”, the title track, “A Visceral Retch” and “Diabolic Slumber” fitting seamlessly alongside classics and fan favourites. By the time “The Saw Is the Law” closed the show, one thought seemed to be shared by many in attendance: let’s hope Whitechapel do not wait another fifteen years before returning.

Few things are guaranteed to win over a Finnish crowd faster than opening with Darude‘s immortal classic “Sandstorm”. Motionless In White knew exactly what they were doing. The Americans have developed a special relationship with Finland over the past few years. After finally making their debut here only recently, they have returned almost annually since, and judging by the reception they received at Tuska, the feeling appears to be mutual.

This was one of our reporters’ first opportunity to witness Motionless In White live, and they completely lived up to the expectations. In fact, the performance was so absorbing that they barely touched their phone throughout the set, simply getting swept up in everything happening on stage. Chris Motionless and company delivered a set packed with highlights. Songs such as “Masterpiece”, “Slaughterhouse”, “Voices” and “Eternally Yours” all generated massive responses, while the band’s combination of heavy riffs, gothic aesthetics and infectious melodies proved irresistible.

Sometimes the greatest compliment one can give a performance is that it completely makes you forget everything else around you. Motionless In White managed exactly that.

A bit of reshuffling behind the scenes resulted in Nothing More closing the Nordic Energy Stage instead of Battle Beast, and while strong winds forced the removal of the backdrop, the unusual setup gave the performance a rather interesting appearance. With nothing but blue skies behind them, the Texans delivered a surprisingly stripped-back visual presentation. Fortunately, the music itself required little extra support.

Frontman Jonny Hawkins was impossible to ignore. Bare-chested and painted in gold and black, he radiated emotion and intensity throughout the set. His powerful vocals and boundless energy pulled the audience into songs such as “House on Sand”, “Angel Song”, “Go to War”, “SPIRITS” and “This Is the Time (Ballast)”. Having seen footage of some of the band’s more elaborate productions, it was admittedly a little disappointing not to witness Jonny‘s famous percussion contraption in person. Still, the strength of the songs and the sincerity of the performance more than compensated.

Hopefully the next time Nothing More return, it will be with an even bigger production.

Few bands have risen through the ranks as quickly as Lorna Shore since Will Ramos joined the fold, and by the time they took the stage on Sunday evening it was abundantly clear that they had earned their headlining position. The New Jersey outfit delivered a performance that was every bit as overwhelming and mesmerizing as expected.

Pyro exploded into the evening sky throughout the set, but the real fireworks came from the audience. Before the second song, Will Ramos challenged the crowd by asking where his crowdsurfers were. The answer arrived immediately, with so many bodies making their way towards the barrier that security struggled to keep up.

Musically, Lorna Shore continue to fascinate in ways we never expected a band this extreme could. Beneath the brutality lies an incredible amount of detail, atmosphere and emotion. The layered arrangements constantly reveal new elements, creating a strangely hypnotic experience that makes it easy to get completely lost in the music. Will Ramos himself remains a phenomenon. His vocal range and seemingly inhuman gutturals continue to astonish, but equally important is the charisma he brings to the stage. Whether tearing through “Sun//Eater”, “Into the Earth”, “Oblivion” or the inevitable crowd favourite “To the Hellfire”, he commanded the audience with ease.

And then came the encore.

By now, the “Pain Remains” trilogy has become something of a tradition, but that does not make it any less impactful. “Dancing Like Flames”, “After All I’ve Done, I’ll Disappear” and “In a Sea of Fire” transformed the festival grounds into something almost spiritual. It is rare to see music this extreme evoke such emotional reactions, yet somehow Lorna Shore continue to make it happen.

What a remarkable rise it has been. And what a spectacular way to bring Tuska 2025 to a close.

As much as we were captivated by Lorna Shore‘s headline set, we still found ourselves briefly stepping away to revisit another favourite. The KVLT Stage filled up one final time as Finnish pagan folk outfit Noiduin once again invited listeners into their world of ancient traditions, folklore and timeless instrumentation.

Drawing comparisons to Wardruna and Heilung feels inevitable, although perhaps Noiduin occupies a slightly lighter and more accessible space. That should not be mistaken for a lack of authenticity or dedication. Quite the opposite. The passion with which they approach their craft shines through every note.

The atmosphere inside the tent was magical, and despite sacrificing a small portion of Lorna Shore‘s set, we never regretted the decision. Some experiences simply offer a different kind of connection, and Noiduin once again reminded us why they have become one of the more intriguing names within the Nordic folk scene.