Photo Reports

I must admit that due to some events, that had nothing to do with Tuhdimmat Tahdit, I was really not in the mood for a festival on Saturday. Why do I mention this if it had nothing to do with the festival? Well, because I didn’t think I could be having a good time that day, but I kinda did. Everyone at the festival was so lovely, and it was probably the best place for me to be at that moment, and it helped take my mind off the bullshit of the night before. After things wrapped up on Friday night, I still went to grab a bite to eat in town and apparently another festival goer got offended by the fact that I was speaking in English with my friends. Luckily, things like this don’t happen too often in the metal scene, so no need to be worried about visiting this festival even if you’re a foreigner. But should you, against all odds, also encounter some discrimination in or around the festival, then just know that the festival has a person specificity to deal with those kinda things.

Now on to happier topics, food! In my opinion, the eating options were much better this year, I actually had to choose between several things I like. The prices are a bit outrageous though.

We start the day immediately with full force and Michael Monroe, I really don’t know where this guy finds the energy to run, jump and climb around the stage as if it’s nothing. And we’re not slowing down at all with Moon Shot either. Finally, I got a chance to see this band after hearing so much about it, and well, it’s not my cup of tea at all, but at least you certainly won’t get bored while watching them. Next up, we had the Black Devils playing a special Hurriganes show, together with two former members of that legendary Finnish rock band.

Another band that seems to have endless energy reserves is Hardcore Superstar. Singer Joakim Berg continuously kept closely interacting with the crowd, which earned him a lot of love from the fans. Turmion Kätilöt is one of these bands that you just won’t get around seeing if you go to any Finnish summer festival. Good thing that they’re also a lot of fun, so it not a problem to see them yet again for what feels like the millions times. These weirdos always bring the craziness and the party everywhere they go.

Next up was Battle Beast, which I adore, and I don’t think anything could ever change that. They are by far the band I’ve seen most often, and yet they still bring a smile to my face every single time. Now I do have to also say though, that I don’t really like where they are going with their live performances. It just feels too over the top, there’s too many explosions, too many stage props and most certainly too many spikes on Noora‘s outfit. I’m all for bands putting effort into how their live shows look, but in this case I think that all those little add-ons distract more than they add to the experience.

Now to Blind Guardian I first of all have to say that saying “If any other band would say this they would sound arrogant, but in our case it’s totally true” does sound arrogant as well. Although the statement that followed is indeed quite true: “After so many years of making music it doesn’t really matter which song we choose to play next, all the songs we play are hits”. And while the phrasing of that statement did bother me a bit, I can’t deny that they deserve to be one of Germany’s most famous metal bands.

Overall, I had a good time at Tuhdimmat Tahdit again, and I’m looking forward to next year’s edition.

By this point Tuhdimmat Tahdit is pretty much a certain annual event in my calendar. This cosy medium-sized festival has captured my heart right from the start (well, the restart after their long hiatus) and I’m excited to keep growing alongside them.

This year they had to move the festival again, as at Ratinanniemi the preparations for Guns N’ Roses were already in full force. So this year the festival was moved to the few hundred meters away in Eteläpuisto, where many other festivals had been held in the past. I must say though, I’m happy Tuhdimmat Tahdit that it seems like it’ll be back in its usual place next year, somehow I didn’t really like the layout all that much. Aside from that though, the festival was as nice as it had been the last few years. Even with the weather not really playing along I don’t really have any big complaints. The wristband exchange was fast and uncomplicated, and so was the security check at the entrance. You can also easily find all important information on their homepage in Finnish as well as English, with I really appreciate.

On Friday the festival started with Finntroll and due to the fact that nowadays there’s only one stage at Tuhdimmat Thadit they had to start really early. I was honestly a bit worried how many people would be able to show up for their show at 13:30. Luckily their crowd was still surprisingly plentiful.
The next band, Kilpi, was a totally new find for me, but I’ve been told that they are “absolutely legendary” and one of Finland’s “must see” heavy metal bands. I’m wondering a bit how a band like that could have stayed completely under my radar for so long, but they were indeed quite entertaining.

The first foreign band of the day is Mustasch from Sweden, who since I last saw them have turned into a totally different band. Well music wise they still sound the same, but 3 of the 4 members changed, with only singer Ralf Gyllenhammar staying the same.
Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus is one of those bands whose popularity I don’t really understand, to me the just feel kinda basic. If someone wants to enlighten me though I’m all ears.

Lordi is always a lot of fun to see on festivals. Somehow their excentric performance just works great on those big outdoor stages. All their silly little antics combined with their nostalgic and well crafted sound just make for a perfect combo. Technically, I guess Amaranthe wasn’t the headliner on Friday, but judging by the amount of people that showed up for them, they were still the crowd favourite. People are standing all the way back to the little beach bar to enjoy the very energetic show that Elize Ryd, Nils Molin, Mikael Sehlin and the rest brought on stage.

Surprisingly, a lot of people didn’t stick around for HammerFall’s show. Maybe it was because of the weather, after the sun had set it was surprisingly chilly that evening. I’m at least sure it had nothing to do with the quality of their show. While I don’t think they will ever become one of my favourites, they played a fun show that included many of their most iconic songs.

Last month, Soulfly, founded by the legendary Max Cavalera, took over a jam-packed Tavastia bringing a high energy show to the tribe of Helsinki. After over 25 years, Soulfly still sounds and is as energetic as ever, with Max still sounding as great as he did in the 90s. With support from the iconic Finnish hardcore punk band Terveet Kädet – which was a suitable fit, knowing very well how much Max Cavalera loves Finnish hardcore punk – this was a perfect night with fast music for the Helsinki tribe. Check the pics down below!

When you have new friends in Mexico who are musicians, one of your ‘obligations’ is to participate in some way in their growth and help in any way you can, a reciprocal feeling to acquire new opportunities in a new country. I’m very grateful to Chuy Guevara and his project, The Mexican Walker, for the opportunity to be present at a huge party featuring one of the most important Mexican bands of recent times, Kinky.

The usual press conference, at a prestigious hotel in the city of San Luís Potosi (SLP), was used to talk a little about what was being prepared for the following day at the city’s theater in Tangamanga Park. A good mood, a full room and lots of questions made us look forward to a big and memorable show.

Kinky are an electronic rock band who also mix other musical genres, making them popular with a wide audience. With over 20 years’ experience, the project is respected and admired both nationally and internationally.

Opening the night on Saturday, The Mexican Walker gave their biggest performance to date, the home band from SLP managed to reach a wider audience and presented their best version, making the most of the opportunity. The project mixes electronic sounds and traditional instruments, immersing us in an immersive soundscape.

Performing in a hybrid form, Sussie 4 turned the venue into a giant open-air discotheque. Technology hand in hand with the organic, just two men managed to infect a crowd in an intense and long-lasting way, for around 2 hours in which they ‘pumped’ and made people dance to the sound of their very strong mixes.

Even after an intense set by Sussie 4, the SLP crowd still had plenty of energy to unapologetically welcome Kinky, the band from Monterey back in a big way. Their songs are catchy, they’re on the radio, on TV, in films all over the world and everyone knows them and dances to them. An unforgettable evening for those who attended, a huge Saturday night party with good vibes and positive energy.

A big thank you and compliments to Thanku Entertainment for the excellent organisation of a great event.

With “Lihaa Mattoon!”, Ääniwalli played host to a night where heavy metal and wrestling didn’t just coexist, but actively fed off each other. Local metal legends Tyrantti joined forces with FCF Wrestling league for an event that blurred the lines between concert and spectacle, blending live matches and crushing riffs into one continuous experience.

The crossover felt natural rather than forced, which was hardly surprising given the history between Tyrantti and FCF, from music video collaborations to appearances at last year’s Hellsinki Metal Festival, and with keyboardist Koobra being part of the wrestling league himself. What unfolded was a loud, physical, and wildly entertaining celebration of two scenes that thrive on intensity, theatrics, and crowd connection.

As part of the Coolhead Live concert series, a night steeped in darkness and atmosphere unfolded with Septicflesh as the commanding centerpiece. Their symphonic extremity filled the air with weight and grandeur under the golden light of a setting summer sun, balancing brutality and elegance in a way few bands can manage live.

With Afsky and Vermilia setting the tone from different ends of the black metal spectrum, the evening traced a compelling arc from raw, emotive intensity to ritualistic depth, making this Coolhead Live night one that lingered well beyond the final notes.

Tuska is more than what happens on stage. Over the course of the Tuska 2025 weekend, Suvilahti once again became its own small city filled with familiar faces, spontaneous encounters, shared moments in the crowd, and the unmistakable atmosphere that makes Tuska feel like home to so many.

This photo report collects glimpses from between the stages: frontline energy, quiet pauses, random wanderers soaking it all in, and the small details that often say more than any headliner ever could. Included are also a few moments from SKYND’s interview at the Tuska Forum, offering a look behind the scenes of the festival’s broader cultural heartbeat.

Amid the distortion, blast beats, and concrete of Suvilahti, Tuska 2025 made space for something older. We saw pagans taking over the smaller, underground and more intimate KVLT Stage, where the festival welcomed two acts rooted in Nordic and pagan tradition: Eihwar and Noiduin.

Their performances turned the KVLT Stage into a ritual space at these times, where folk instruments, primal rhythms, and ancestral atmosphere stood in stark contrast to the industrial surroundings. These moments felt less like conventional concerts and more like ceremonies, a reminder that heavy music’s connection to folklore and heritage remains very much alive.

While the main stage drew the final spotlight, “Tuska Sunday” also delivered some of its most striking moments across the Radio City Stage and Nordic Energy Stage. The day saw genre boundaries blur and intensity shift shapes, from the unpredictable chaos of Kim Dracula, through the crushing weight of Whitechapel, to the emotionally charged performance by Nothing More.

A strong wind forced the Nordic Energy Stage to strip away its backdrop, leaving bands framed against nothing but open air and blue sky, an unplanned visual twist that gave these performances an extra sense of exposure and immediacy. These photos capture Tuska Sunday away from the main stage, where raw energy met unexpected atmosphere.

“Tuska Sunday” closed out Tuska 2025 with a main stage lineup that leaned heavily into contrast and intensity. The final day brought together cinematic brutality, modern metal spectacle, and symphonic gravitas, offering a fitting conclusion to the weekend.

From the commanding presence of Motionless In White, through the unmistakable elegance and weight of Apocalyptica, to a devastating headline performance by Lorna Shore, the main stage delivered a final chapter defined by scale, emotion, and sheer impact. These images capture the moments that marked Tuska’s powerful closing day.