Photo Reports
Day 2 of TollRock 2025 was opened as usual by the TollRockerz Band Contest. At the very early afternoon of the day three selected bands have the opportunity to present themselves to the festival audience. The winner will have the honours to open the next year’s TollRock Festival. In 2025 there was a really hard competition with Tasty Trashpandas, Black Remains and Uncrook. It was a hairline finish for the winners: Black Remains.
Next in line was Moonshot from Finland. Their appearance has blown the audience away for the first time this day. Being rather unknown to the broader part of the festival visitors, all voices that we could pick up said that they have been the major positive surprise of the day. Frontman Ville and his partner in crime on guitar Jussi brought a massive show full of energy, sweat and action onto the stage. What an appearance and won everybody’s heart by storm.
Irish folk punk group Saint City Orchestra from Switzerland took the mighty task to follow. The six piece held up the bar for this day and kept the audience going along. Pyro, flags, water on the drums for splashing effects, permanent movements all over the large venue stage were for sure to the viewer’s enjoyment. Look out for their upcoming Wacken Open Air appearance in a few weeks.
Time for stadium rock and the German embodiment of it: Kissin’ Dynamite. They brought the big stage to TollRock 2025. Massive drum riser, stairs, pyro, fog, perfect choreography and on-the-point light show in combination with their songs is great entertainment. Vocalist Johannes Braun managed to involve the fully loaded infield to play along to all the band’s wishes. The well known Kissin’ Dynamite piano, which is widely recognized, was also played live for a ballad and a rock song. The band is simply a warranty for a bombastic rock show, never disappointing to deliver.
The level of preparation for the evening allowed the Donots to shine. These German punk rock veterans delivered brilliantly and put on a great show, a massive final highlight. No pyrotechnics or fancy effects—just Ingo and his brother Guido bouncing around like human pinballs and top-tier punk rock music with partly German and partly English lyrics. As in every show, Ingo initiates a circle pit around him to perform in the middle. Later on, he dives into the mosh pit. The crowd goes wild and keeps jumping until the very last song. The Donots are totally in control and just as thrilled as every band before them… TollRock 2025 is something special! The vibe, the team, the people, the setting, the audience—it all comes together.
At the very end Five Finger Skull Crushers closed this year’s festival. Performing a Five Finger Death Punch tribute show and being a perfect sent-off.
Some things are perfectly good the way they are. TollRock Festival is one of these things and proving that bigger is not always better. The heartwarming family feeling, so many guests returning for so many years and the cozyness can’t just be beaten easily. The slight improvements each year make it better without breaking it. This year a new cashless payment on festival grounds was implemented and covering all food and drink booths.
Even before the first note rang out, the campsite was pulsing with anticipation. The weather was playing along and a slightly clouded sky provided the perfect surrounding.
By Friday afternoon, Lost Sanity tore into the stage as first act to officially opening up the 2025 issue. Having won the TollRockerz band contest in 2024 with their raw, fast, proudly German metal core, they gave a solid proof this year of how they had developed since. The five-piece with local DNA kicked off the ceremonies in style.
Then came the first real blaze: April Art unleashed a sport-rock spectacle fronted by vocal tornado Lisa. Her blistering energy, accompanied by shredding guitar and bass, pulled the crowd into a frenzy. Moshing beneath palm trees? Yep — the drum riser brought island vibes to the pit with its palm trees. Lisa surfing on audience shoulders was the cherry on top. If there was any doubt, it vanished in that very moment.
Up next were Emil Bulls, heavyweights in the German rock scene. Their set had mass — early eruption with “Euphoria,” but sound issues tampered some impact. Still, the crowd leaned in, and the band leaned back harder. A shoutout to tiny-town festivals drew applause, and their gritty performance proved even giants love grassroots stages.
FIDDLER’S GREEN didn’t play—they unleashed. A storm of Irish folk-punk madness. Drum solos thumped like heartbeats, flags waved like battle calls, and the fiddler climbed a ladder right into the crowd. Seasoned, confident, and infectiously joyful, they had the audience jigging, singing, and swaying like pub legends.
Then the curtain lifted for SKINDRED. If charisma were currency, frontman Benji Webbe would be a billionaire. Dressed in a pink plush hat, fur coat, and another number of other various outfits, he prowled the stage like a beast, never pausing, always engaging the audience. The crowd? Completely under his spell of the ecstatic mix of ska, metal, hip-hop and punk. Audio and lights meshed perfectly — a full-throttle climax to the night. No one stood still and partied till the very last note.
Closing duties fell to ROCK RISING, an Irish cover band was handed the Herculean task of keeping spirits flying after Skindred. Challenge accepted. They brought just enough charm and stomp to seal the evening with a wink.
After a long day of great music and exceptional performances, a great and fantastic first festival day ended. This was setting the bar pretty high for day 2.
We held the second edition of our very own folk/pagan (metal) festival, Litha Fest. There was once again a lot to experience in and around Asgaard. We had a killer line-up, with both metal and folk bands performing on the main stage in De Vierde Zaal and the second stage in Asgaard. On top of that, the visitors could also attend workshops balfolk and sword fighting, visit the market where various artisanal items were available, and we had actually hired a Viking masseur. As a finale, two fire shows were scheduled where at the stroke of midnight, we gathered to honour the fire, the light, and the turning of the wheel. The extraordinary Garters and Giggles Cabaret ignited the night with their sensual, fierce fire ritual, followed by Dwayne Pyro firing up the place one last time.
We held the second edition of our very own folk/pagan (metal) festival, Litha Fest. There was once again a lot to experience in and around Asgaard. We had a killer line-up, with both metal and folk bands performing on the main stage in De Vierde Zaal and the second stage in Asgaard. On top of that, the visitors could also attend workshops balfolk and sword fighting, visit the market where various artisanal items were available, and we had actually hired a Viking masseur. As a finale, two fire shows were scheduled.
To warm up the legs, the Balfolk workshop was scheduled as the first activity in Asgaard. The workshop was hosted by Balhalla. Balhalla is a non-profit organization that regularly organizes folk dances at a fixed location in Ghent. Our mission is to introduce as many people as possible to the wonderful world of folk music and dance.
After that, we had a novelty, a workshop sword fighting in which he participants could invoke their inner knight. This workshop was organized by Yannick from SwArta. Yannick has been practicing Historical European Martial Arts since 2010, focusing on Longsword in the early Liechtenauer tradition. The workshop was an enormous succes.
Yes, you’ve read it correctly. We had provided a Viking masseur to give the visitors the chance to have their stiff muscles massaged to get through the rest of the day.
We held the second edition of our very own folk/pagan (metal) festival, Litha Fest. There was once again a lot to experience in and around Asgaard. We had a killer line-up, with both metal and folk bands performing on the main stage in De Vierde Zaal and the second stage in Asgaard. On top of that, the visitors could also attend workshops balfolk and sword fighting, visit the market where various artisanal items were available, and we had actually hired a Viking masseur. As a finale, two fire shows were scheduled.
After the folk dancing workshop and a warm-up, the dancers were able to put their newly learned dance moves into practice at the first folkperformance of the day by the Gentse Folk Studenten. These students gather every two weeks to learn to play folk tunes and realize dreams. The crowd got carried away by their danceable tunes and folky vibes
Then Sanseveria brought a powerful blend of folk energy, technical brilliance, and ear‑worm melodies that left the audience buzzing. Sanseveria’s lineup—uilleann pipes, fiddle, whistles, guitar, and percussion—creates an unorthodox but intoxicating mix. Their arrangements were tight and dynamic, weaving traditional jigs into rock-structured songs. The danceability was high. Even folks unfamiliar with folk‑rock were tapping feet, nodding heads, or dancing along
As the final musical act to gracefully close at Litha Fest on the Asgaard Stage, we welcomed the unique duo of the spiritual band Eleni Neldë. Formed by Faie (with Celtic roots) and Osiris Rosie (with Argentinian/Mexican indigenous traditions), the duo merges South American native chants with Scandinavian pagan folk into a cohesive, healing soundscape. The experience felt closer to a ritual than a typical concert. The audience reflected this quiet engagement—many listeners closed their eyes, swayed gently, or sat comfortably, just floating away on the waves created by the angelic voices of Faie and Osiris. It was a beautiful, transformative experience worth witnessing live. Most striking moment was ‘Tabbe’s lullaby’, a song they brought to honour Tabbe, a beautiful soul that has recently left us.
And then the fantastic day had come to an end.
Organizing a festival requires a lot of volunteers to help set everything up (and then take it down again). Here are some photos of the setup to show our volunteers the love they deserve! Without them, Litha Fest wouldn’t have been possible!
Litha Fest 2025: A fiery celebration of pagan spirit and metal music
On July 5, 2025, Gentbrugge buzzed with the second edition of our very own Litha Fest in our very own Asgaard! The festival is all about pagan/folk and black metal. It attracted a passionate audience of metalheads, pagans, local residents and curious passersby for a day full of music, fire, and mythical energy.
Spread across two stages – the intimate setting of Asgaard and the main stage in De Vierde Zaal – the festival presented a lineup of heavy and atmospheric acts. Fans were treated to enchanting folk melodies and raging black metal riffs.
But Litha Fest offers more than just music. A lively craft market brought together local artisans selling handmade goods. Visitors could also participate in sword fighting initiations, take part in a balfolk dance workshop, or even relax with a Viking massage. After the final concert, the festival concluded with a magnificent fire show that lit up the night in true pagan fashion.
Find the pictures of the performances on the main stage with Hexacurse, Blod Dyr, Serpents Oath, Vanaheim, Prima Nocta and Arkona right here:
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!
