LINEUP 2027
Few bands have contributed as much to the development of Swedish melodic Black Metal as Naglfar. Since their formation in Umeå in 1992, they have built a catalogue that combines the ferocity of early Scandinavian Black Metal with elaborate melodic arrangements. From the landmark debut Vittra to their latest album Cerecloth, Naglfar have maintained a recognisable musical identity across more than three decades.
Built around the songwriting of V. Einride and the vocals of K.R., Whoredom Rife draw directly from the traditions of Norwegian Black Metal while maintaining a distinct musical identity of their own. Their debut Dommedagskvad, released in 2017, established the foundation for everything that followed. At Hole In The Svn 2027, they will perform an exclusive set celebrating the album's tenth anniversary, revisiting the record in its entirety.
Mare are among the more elusive representatives of the Nidrosian Black Metal scene. Their music is deeply rooted in occultism, drawing the listener into hypnotic patterns, esoteric melodies and an almost trance-like state. Closely associated with the Terratur Possessions circle, Mare have always maintained a particularly selective live presence. Their appearance at Hole In The Svn 2027 is a rare opportunity to witness this enigmatic Norwegian act.
Vemod have developed a musical language they describe as Dark Ethereal Metal, an approach that reaches beyond the conventional boundaries of Black Metal. Their compositions are characterised by melancholic guitar work, expansive arrangements and a profound connection to nature, philosophy and transcendence. The long-awaited The Deepening, released in 2024, continued the musical journey first established on their remarkable debut Venter på stormene.
Houston, Texas, 1991. At a time when Death Metal was still taking shape, Imprecation were already exploring its darker and more occult dimensions. Alongside bands such as Incantation and Necrovore, they helped establish a particularly sinister strain of American Death Metal, where atmosphere and occult subject matter were integral to the music. Their classic Theurgia Goetia Summa remains an essential document of that early underground.
Umeå's Mortuus approach Black and Death Metal through a distinctly metaphysical perspective. Their 2007 full-length De contemplanda morte (De reverencie laboribus ac adorationis) is a conceptual exploration of death and spiritual ascension, drawing upon Qliphothic symbolism and occult philosophy. Rather than following familiar genre formulas, Mortuus construct a dense and demanding musical expression in which the subject matter and the music are inseparable.
Describing their own music as Necro Black Metal, Hell Militia have been a fixture of the French underground since 2001. Their history includes musicians associated with several important names in the country's extreme metal scene, but the band's identity has always remained distinctly its own. From the early recordings to Jacob's Ladder, their work has revolved around nihilism, decay and a particularly hostile interpretation of Black Metal.
Umbra Conscientia bring together musicians with backgrounds in different corners of the international Black Metal underground. Their music is built around a forceful and highly individual approach to songwriting, combining sharp guitar arrangements, complex rhythmic structures and an unmistakably dark character. Their connection to Terratur Possessions has placed them within an interesting lineage of contemporary Black Metal, while their own musical direction continues to evolve.
For Thy Darkened Shade, Black Metal is as much a philosophical pursuit as a musical expression. The Greek band explores Gnosticism, spirituality and anti-cosmic Satanism through elaborate compositions that frequently challenge conventional song structures. Their Liber Lvcifer works are particularly representative of this approach, combining intricate musicianship with an extensive esoteric framework. Few acts approach the relationship between musical composition and occult philosophy with such depth.
Morast operate somewhere between the suffocating weight of Doom and the darker foundations of Black and Death Metal. The German band's compositions are built around slow-moving structures, massive guitar tones and a sense of impending collapse rather than conventional speed or aggression. With releases on Ván Records, they have developed a particularly bleak musical identity, further distinguished by their association with musicians from the German extreme metal underground.
Lucifericon have spent more than 15 years developing their own interpretation of Occult Death Metal. Formed in the Netherlands by musicians with backgrounds in acts such as Deströyer 666 and Pentacle, the band combine traditional Death Metal foundations with a fascination for ancient Egyptian mythology and the Qliphothic tradition. Albums such as Al-Khem-Me and The Warlock of Da'ath demonstrate a carefully developed musical identity that is unmistakably Lucifericon.
Malhkebre are not interested in the romanticised imagery often associated with Black Metal. Describing their own approach as Orthodox Black Metal, the French band have built their identity around religious fanaticism, submission, faith and a distinctly hostile anti-humanist philosophy. Closely connected to the French underground collective The Apostles of Ignominy, their musical and ideological direction has remained remarkably consistent since their formation in 2002.
Fyrnask began as the solitary vision in 2008, gradually developing into a full live formation. Their work moves between raw Black Metal, ambient passages, drones and carefully constructed soundscapes, often abandoning conventional song structures in favour of longer musical narratives. Their 2026 album Íosir follows a consciousness through the realm of the dead, continuing an artistic exploration in which sound, mythology and atmosphere are inseparable.
Derby's Abduction have undergone a remarkable evolution since their formation in 2016. Initially conceived as a one-man undertaking, the band has developed into a full live formation and one of the more active names in British Black Metal. Their 2022 album Black Blood expanded their sound through progressive and psychedelic elements, while the 2025 release Existentialismus returned to a more direct and stripped-down approach without sacrificing their distinctive songwriting.
Based in Göttingen, Atomwinter have been carrying the banner of German old-school Death Metal since 2010. Their music draws upon the heavier and more primitive traditions of the genre, with a particular affinity for the darker European sound of the late eighties and early nineties. Their approach is direct and forceful, built around traditional Death Metal songwriting rather than technical exhibitionism or modern production trends.
Antwerp's Bones approach Death Metal through an unusual combination of primitive aggression and esoteric subject matter. Their lyrics draw upon ancient magic, cruelty, transcendence and death, giving their music a character that extends beyond conventional gore-oriented themes. Released through Invictus Productions, their material reflects a clear affinity for the darker European Death Metal underground, with an identity firmly rooted in occult traditions.
Transilvania take their inspiration from the darker side of eighties extreme metal, combining Black Metal and Thrash Metal with an unmistakable fascination for horror, vampirism and Satanism. The Austrian band's music is driven by sharp, fast-paced riffing and a deliberately old-school attitude, recalling an era when the boundaries between Black, Thrash and Death Metal were still being established. Their allegiance to that tradition is evident throughout their discography.
The Ominous Circle have made a name for themselves through a particularly dissonant and unpredictable interpretation of Death Metal. Their compositions are complex, often shifting between suffocating passages, unusual rhythmic structures and sudden eruptions of violence. Following their debut Appalling Ascension in 2017, the Portuguese act returned in 2025 with Cloven Tongues of Fire, further developing a musical language that deliberately resists conventional Death Metal structures.
Named after Anzû, the monstrous divine storm bird of Mesopotamian mythology, the Portuguese band ANZV have built their musical identity around ancient mythology and the Sumerian underworld. Their interpretation of Black and Death Metal combines highly developed musicianship with an unusual thematic foundation, drawing upon the spiritual and mythological traditions of an ancient civilisation. Their music creates a hostile and otherworldly landscape that is distinctly their own.
Slovenia's Ensanguinate combine the melodic traditions of European Black Metal with the physical intensity of Death Metal. Their songwriting places considerable emphasis on memorable guitar arrangements, dark melodic passages and dynamic shifts between aggression and atmosphere. Rather than limiting themselves to one particular school of extreme metal, they draw upon several traditions to create a sound that is both accessible and firmly rooted in the underground.
SRPNTS approach Black Metal through an explicitly occult and philosophical framework. Gnosticism, nihilism and misanthropy form the thematic foundation of their artistic identity, placing particular emphasis on the adversarial path and the rejection of established spiritual and moral structures. Their name and imagery reflect a deliberately confrontational vision, setting them apart from acts whose lyrical approach remains confined to conventional Satanic or anti-religious themes.
Vel'Har explore Black Metal through a Luciferian perspective, drawing upon esoteric traditions and the concept of individual spiritual transformation. Originally formed in Chile before relocating to Germany, the band combine an interest in occult philosophy with a musical approach rooted in the darker traditions of Black Metal. Their artistic direction places considerable emphasis on the relationship between spiritual exploration, symbolism and musical expression.
Death Pulsation are a relatively new name from Stockholm, but their musical foundations reach deep into the history of extreme metal. Formed in 2024 by musicians associated with Malakhim and Encryptment, they draw inspiration from Angelcorpse, Kaamos, Vorum, Katharsis and early Morbid Angel. Their debut demo, released through Caligari Records in 2025, delivers fourteen minutes of ferocious, bestial Death Metal with a distinctly old-school foundation.
Since their formation in London in 2003, Necro Ritual have cultivated a particularly poisonous strain of British Black Metal. Their music is driven by raw aggression, hostile vocals and a deliberately unpolished character, reflecting an allegiance to the genre's more primitive underground traditions. Their 2022 album Bysmer marked their return with a new full-length statement, reaffirming a band whose live reputation is built on intensity rather than spectacle.