Tuska, the biggest metal festival in Finland and the largest in Northern Europe, returned once again to Helsinki’s Suvilahti on 26–28 June. Across four stages, 60 bands delivered a weekend of relentless energy, with major international acts such as Megadeth, Bad Omens, and Bring Me The Horizon among the most anticipated. Tuska 2026 sold out both Friday and Saturday, ultimately setting a new attendance record with 66,000 visitors over three days.
Day 1:
The festival launched with explosive energy as American death‑metal outfit Gatecreeper opened the Karhu Main Stage. Fans were already pressed against the barriers early in the day, setting the tone for a weekend defined by relentless enthusiasm.
Finnish post‑hardcore band Awake Again turned the Radio City stage into a party with hits like Saturday Night (I Am Alive), while Lost Society delivered a sharp main‑stage performance built around their latest album Hell Is a State of Mind.
Japanese heavy‑metal legends Loudness continued their 45th Anniversary World Tour with a powerful Radio City Stage set, followed by Swedish industrial metal powerhouse Pain, who unleashed crowd‑pleasers Shut Your Mouth and Party In My Head.
Finnish favorites Bloodred Hourglass delivered one of the day’s standout performances, while Italian progressive melodic death metal band Lunarsea made a historic Finland debut.
The night culminated in a monumental headline performance by Megadeth. Their set drew a single day record of 23,000 attendees, marking a deeply emotional home country debut for guitarist Teemu Mäntysaari, who received thunderous chants from the Finnish crowd. Even a heavy summer downpour only amplified the intensity of the mosh pits, sealing Day 1 as a defining chapter in Tuska history.
Day 2:
Saturday ignited with Australian metalcore outfit Melrose Avenue, whose explosive Radio City Stage set translated their studio darkness into a tightly executed live assault.
One of the day’s most anticipated moments came from HOKKA, performing only their fourth live show ever, but on the Main Stage. Their set, built around debut album Via Miseria IV, included a stunning metal cover of Seal’s Kiss From a Rose.
Despiser performance marked the band’s very first outdoor festival weekend appearance in their history. The crowd packed into Tiivistämö early in the afternoon to witness the new wave of Northern metal energy. The emotional peak arrived when guest vocalist Sara Strömmer, eight months pregnant, joined them for Weakness, powering through the performance with inspiring strength.
Atlanta’s theatrical emo‑rock outfit The Funeral Portrait delivered their first Finnish “Devotion Ceremony,” while P.O.D. finally performed in Finland for the first time in their three‑decade career; an unforgettable bucket‑list moment for thousands of millennial fans like us.
Swiss deathcore titans Paleface Swiss unleashed one of the festival’s most chaotic sets, and Trivium proved once again why they are masters of the modern metal festival stage.
Late in the evening, Caskets delivered a deeply atmospheric performance, setting the emotional tone for the night’s grand finale.
Tuska Saturday closed with a long‑awaited performance: Bad Omens. After cancelling their European tour two years earlier, their 2026 appearance fueled a second consecutive sold‑out crowd of 23,000. Noah Sebastian commanded the massive audience with extraordinary vocal versatility, delivering a visually stunning and emotionally charged set. Due to restrictions, photographers were not permitted to shoot, leaving fans with memories instead of images.
Day 3:
Sunday began with Pikku‑Tuska, the festival’s beloved family concept. From 14:00 to 18:00, children aged 0–12 entered free with an adult, enjoying colorful attractions like the Kids Factory mini‑train and child‑friendly challenges hosted by Wera Tools. At 18:00, the grounds returned to 18+ as the evening’s heavy program began.
Swedish progressive metalcore outfit Allt opened the final day with a cinematic, orchestral‑infused performance that captivated early crowds. Gothenburg legends Soilwork followed with an emotionally charged set honoring the late guitarist David Andersson, whose final creative works shaped Övergivenheten.
A historic milestone arrived as Queensrÿche performed at Tuska for the first time in their four‑decade career, delivering a masterclass in progressive metal precision.
Finnish icons Amorphis anchored the evening with a stunning sub‑headline performance, embodying the atmospheric depth and cultural identity of Finnish metal.
Sheffield heavyweights Malevolence earned immense respect by performing despite frontman Alex Taylor’s emergency surgery, pressing on with fill‑in vocalists and delivering one of the weekend’s most powerful sets.
Tuska 2026 closed with a monumental headline performance by Bring Me The Horizon. Oliver Sykes and the band transformed the Karhu Main Stage into a cinematic spectacle, delivering a grand finale worthy of the festival’s historic attendance record.
Tuska 2026 will be remembered as one of the festival’s most significant editions, defined by emotional homecomings, long‑awaited debuts, theatrical surprises, and a record‑breaking 66,000 attendees. Across three days, Suvilahti became a living monument to heavy music’s power, community, and evolution.
Here the photo gallery from the 3‑day festival by Cristina Gregori.
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