Friday will be a powerful day, so powerful that I hope not to wake up with too much hangover and be able to attend from the first moment because there is pure dynamite in the line up.

Be sure to get up early as the first bands will play only 30 minutes, the finnish Rienaus, with their more modern black metal and Gaurithoth, exhumed from the 2000s to play at steelfest.

This year the alliance between the Finnish and French scene is still going strong. The first French band to play will be Ritualization, who we already saw at the last Never Surrender in Berlin, leaving a very good impression. Gravespawn are celebrating their 20th anniversary with a series of concerts, including this exclusive one at Steelfest, so pagan black metal fans are in luck with this unmissable gig.

The Germans Tsattohggua and their depraved and sadomasochistic black metal are one of the highlights of the day, I’m very curious to see their set that I think can give good pictures. Back to Finnish sounds, Ymir‘s debut is another band I’ve been waiting for years after their amazing debut and being a fan of his other band Profetus. I have yet to buy “Aeons Of Sorrow” to my collection and it will be interesting to see Corvus singing in this band, as he is one of my favorite Finnish voices.

Sex Messiah will be another of the highligths, I am curious to talk to them and see how this union between Japan and Bolivia came about, and above all, as I have seen live Volahn and Xaxamatza play with them, I know that the trip from California to Finland can be very expensive so I am curious to see how they perform live with two of the best musicians of the united states black metal scene, if they are going to play of course.

Colombians Infernal is another band that makes me curious, it makes me realize how much I don’t know about the South American scene since these guys have been playing since 1996 and with a very long discography behind them. Atmospheric black metal with keyboards, if this is your thing you will enjoy it. Going up with Canada with Grenadier, everybody agrees that they were the best band at the last Messe Des Morts. The expectations and hype is real. Maybe putting totalselfhatred and their depressive sound between Grenadier and the wild black thrash of Witchtrap is not the best choice, but it’s hard to schedule a slot for them. Either way, an incredible band to see live.

We start with the headliners, Ride For Revenge, everyone’s favorites Ved Buens Ende who together with Gehenna will wave the flag of Norway, I can attest that Gehenna live are a cannon.

Gehenna – Oslo 2023

Behexen, what can I say; I would travel anywhere to see them and we finished the night with Carpathian Forest playing Black Shinning Leather. The Norwegians are back after their performance at Steelfest 2017!

You’re in time to buy plane tickets, festival pass and hotel room, you’re warned!