Hellsinki Metal Festival 2024

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Hellsinki Metal Festival 2024

In only its second year, the Hellsinki Metal Festival once again delivered two electrifying days packed with a diverse lineup of metal artists, making it a must-attend event for metalheads. This time, I had the chance to experience both days, and I've compiled a collection of video clips to share some of my personal experiences of the festival.

Overall, the logistics of the event were impressive, much like last year. However, there were a few notable challenges. A significant underestimation of the required workforce at the entrance led to long delays on the first day, with most of us waiting for an hour to get in. Additionally, the lack of handwashing facilities nearby the urinals was unfortunate, though these issues were outweighed by the many well-executed aspects of the festival.

As an interesting side note, while hundreds of us were queuing, a big accidental explosion occurred at a nearby construction site. Apparently an excavator unluckily hit some explosives that had not yet detonated in earlier demolition works The blast sent massive rocks hurtling several hundred metres, damaging cars and shattering windows. Fortunately, the rocky debris missed the crowded queuing area and instead struck less populated city sections. Remarkably, no one was seriously injured.

Beyond the music, the festival offered a rich array of art, craftsmanship, and merchandise booths, adding to the overall experience. For me, the most significant improvement from last year was the expanded indoor hall, which now includes seating areas around the field. This expansion addressed the problem of the hall being too small and provided a much-needed space for attendees to rest and recharge.

For me, the final highlight ended up to be Kreator, who put on an incredible show as dusk fell, perfectly complemented by the encroaching darkness. Although I had seen the band before and never quite connected with their music, something shifted this time. Whether it was the mood I was in or that their sound finally resonated with me, I truly enjoyed their performance.
Unfortunately, I missed Mayhem, the final performer of the weekend which was supposed to be the final destination. Unlike any other band, they drew such a large crowd that the indoor hall where they performed was completely packed. By the time we tried to enter, security was no longer allowing anyone else inside.

See you next year.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Entry
0:27 Emmure
1:56 Hellhammer
3:55 Massacre
10:23 Deicide
12:25 Heaven Shall Burn
13:04 Satyricon
29:50 Avantasia
41:17 Swallow the Sun
50:15 Helsótt
57:17 Havukruunu
58:52 Blackbraid
1:01:05 Insomnium
1:01:44 Doro
1:18:53 Tyrantti
1:26:37 Meshuggah
1:28:05 Hammerfall
1:30:48 Trelldom
1:33:00 Kreator