Starting a festival with Gatecreeper certainly wasn’t on our Tuska 2026 bingo card, but we’re all for it. Instead of easing everyone into the weekend with something relatively accessible, Tuska hands the keys to one of the strongest modern death metal bands around, opening the Karhu Main Stage with a wall of crushing riffs before many people have even had their second cup of coffee. It feels like a bold statement from the festival, especially considering Tuska‘s broad appeal across metal and hard rock, but it’s also one that feels fully deserved. Gatecreeper have spent years building a reputation as one of the genre’s standout acts, combining old-school heaviness with memorable songwriting that hits just as hard live. If you’re arriving early on Friday, make sure you don’t miss what promises to be one of the most memorable ways imaginable to kick off the weekend.

Few Finnish alternative metal bands have built as much momentum over the past couple of years as Awake Again. We’ve seen them blow up with their take on Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse” or their social media posts about being a Finnish System of a Down, with people actually agreeing to some point. Blending massive choruses with modern heaviness and plenty of emotion, they’ve steadily grown into one of the country’s most exciting live acts. Every time we’ve seen them, they’ve delivered with confidence and energy, and their Tuska debut feels like another important step in that journey. If you enjoy your metal with hooks as memorable as the riffs, make sure to get there early.

If you’re in the mood to discover something a little different, aurorawave should be high on your list. Their mix of alternative metal, post-hardcore and cinematic atmosphere doesn’t fit neatly into one box, especially with that really strong serving of reggae sounds and vibes, which is exactly what makes them such an interesting addition to this year’s line-up. They’re still relatively new to many European audiences, making this one of those sets where you might just stumble upon your next favourite band.

Some bands write songs. Slope create absolute chaos—in the best possible way. Their infectious blend of hardcore, funk, punk and hip hop is impossible to stand still to, and every live video seems to confirm what everyone who’s seen them already knows: these guys are ridiculously entertaining. If you need a shot of pure energy in the middle of your festival day, this should be one of your priorities. We know we’ve been looking forward really hard to someone finally bringing them to the Finnish shores! Let’s go slopegang!

Benji Webbe remains one of the most charismatic frontmen in heavy music, and Skindred have spent decades proving that hardly anyone can blend metal, reggae, punk and rock quite like they can. Whether you’ve seen them before or not, their shows have a way of turning into one big party without sacrificing any of the heaviness. Expect huge singalongs, plenty of bouncing and smiles all around. Last time they were in Finland, was in support of Volbeat’s massive arena tour and we can’t wait for another serving of this kind of partying! We’re pumped!

Talking about partying… One of the things we appreciate about Tuska is that it isn’t afraid to broaden its musical horizons, and Nenerchy is a perfect example of that. The Finnish drum ‘n’ bass artist brings an entirely different kind of intensity to the festival, proving that heavy isn’t always defined by distorted guitars. Though served with a kickass punk attitude and a live band still bringing the riffs and proper gig energy, it totally makes sense. Expect pounding beats, plenty of movement and a refreshing change of pace that still feels completely at home at Tuska.