Masis x NWOFHM, a series of events jointly produced by Masis Brewery and the New Wave of Finnish Heavy Metal Alliance (NWOFHM), featuring the music of emerging Finnish heavy metal bands. In addition to the traditional heavy metal bands of the New Wave of Finnish Heavy Metal Alliance, the two-day event featured a diverse range of music from modern metal to melodic doom, with progressive metal innovation and dramatic metal not shying away.
The Masis x NWOFHM event waved the proudly flying flag of Finnish heavy metal and raise a toast to new dimensions with the NWOFHM lager brewed by Masis Brewery and other tasty beers from Masis.
The event in Pori took place at Monttu New Level on May 16th and 17th.

The first band to take the stage on Friday was Neverfade, a New Wave of Finnish Heavy Metal act formed in Tampere 3 years ago. Paying their respects to the metal legends before them, the band draws influence from decades of heavy metal excellence and puts their own twist into it with a modern and ballistic delivery. The band wants to make their mark with their energetic shows where anything can happen on stage, from confetti explosions to sword and shield battles. Musically, the band has proven to be worthy and have the qualities to be able to perform on bigger stages.
Next up was Ratbreed, a band formed in 2015, With a traditional heavy metal sound and a strong live presence,the band has toured rock clubs tirelessly and warmed the pews at Waltari’s 30th anniversary celebration at Kulttuuritalo, among others. The show was flawless thanks also to the charisma of singer Jasmin Anglén, who at one point even waved the flag of New Wave of Finnish Heavy Metal Alliance.
The last band to take the stage was Satan’s Fall, a heavy metal band known for their fiery riffs, catchy choruses and virtuoso guitar solos. Satan’s Fall has played at festivals and clubs of all sizes across Europe. In Finland, the band has been seen warming up bands such as Primordial, Pentagram, and Satan. Frontman Miika Kokko’s raspy voice makes the show unforgettable, and their live experience on larger stages is easily noticeable even in situations like this, where the stage is smaller and the audience is “more difficult”.

Saturday was supposed to see the closing of the event by Shereign but unfortunately, due to the singer’s health problems, the band had to cancel their presence and at the last moment another band had the opportunity to take the stage.
Opening the second evening was Pressure Points, a melodic progressive metal band founded in Heinola in 2004. The band’s music combines a wide range of musical influences, including progressive and melodic metal. Pressure Points have played a significant number of concerts in Finland and abroad. Experienced musicians, the band is known for its intense live performances. It can be said that the show was perfect without any flaws, the only thing was the small attendance, despite that the band put on a show worthy of their name.
The show continued with Bloody Moon replacing Shereign, who was supposed to close the night. Bloody Moon is a metal band from Laitila that has been making waves around the world since 2021. The band’s music is characterized by tearing riffs and catchy choruses, accompanied by a thunderous rhythm section. The band surprised the audience with their energetic show, a great surprise for most who were unfamiliar with the band.
Closing out the two-day event was Gothony, founded in 1993, whose debut album was released on January 12, 2024. Gothony’s music is full of drama, with pain, anguish, melancholy, melody and the typical 90s flapping wings. The show was energetic, the audience finally let loose at this point in the evening, and the band proved their worth.

From a music and beer perspective it was a top class event. The only shame is the low number of spectators, maybe due to the lack of publicity for the area, otherwise it could not be explained.
Here some photos taken by Cristina Gregori.

Day 1

Day 2