Metalheads with an insatiable appetite for distortion, drama, and decibels are about to be served at Suvilahti’s annual summer buffet.

Yes, my dear it’s time again for TUSKA 2025 — Finland’s loudest, proudest, and most musically ferocious and holistically heavy festival. And if you’re planning on digesting the decibels of the coming sonic firestorm, we suggest preparing your earholes… and your after-party strategy.

These days, more and more Tuska veterans know the score — when the amps cut out and the blood-and-sweat makeup starts to smear, the night doesn’t end, it just shifts venue and continues at Crystal Show Club. Where the dancers with their long legs and sky high heels are just as international as the Tuska lineup.

But first, let’s whet your appetite with a breakdown of this year’s musical feast..

FRIDAY, JUNE 27 – THE APPETIZER PLATTER OF PAIN

Genres: Melodic Death served with Industrialcore, Gothic Symph, and a touch of Power Metal Glaze

Your weekend begins with a delightful amuse-bouche of In Flames – now aged like Swedish cheese and just as pungent. You’ll find your teeth grinding to the hyperactive sugar rush of Electric Callboy, best described as if TikTok went to therapy via Rammstein.

Cradle of Filth returns, hissing through Victorian fog and eyeliner. DragonForce delivers shred noodles at 1,000 BPM. Tarja and Marko Hietala throw in some operatic drama to cleanse your palette of sanity.

Hungry for chaos? Knocked Loose will happily bash your face in with Kentucky-fried breakdowns. Skynd serves true crime-themed vocals that make you feel like the murder victim. And Bambie Thug will hex your drink while you headbang.

By the time the KVLT Stage brings out the raw and unfiltered Finnish upstarts, you’ll be woozy, bruised, and fully marinated for the next course.

SATURDAY, JUNE 28 – THE MAIN COURSE OF MAYHEM

Genres: Blackened Symphonic Groove with plenty of Viking Garnish

Dig in. Powerwolf will anoint you with wolf blood and German theatrics, a communion you didn’t know you needed. Slaughter To Prevail rips your face off and laughs in Russian while you try to call mom one last time.

Orbit Culture and The Halo Effect whisper, “Remember melodic death metal? Good, now scream.” Meanwhile, Alcest pours ambient despair over a bed of French sadness.

Wind Rose is cosplay metal for Tolkien fans with axes. Mokoma will remind you that Finnish thrash tastes best with a hint of melancholia and reindeer jerky. And Jiluka throws in some high-octane J-metal sushi to blow your cultural bearings apart.

Too underground? Head to the KVLT Stage where bands you can’t pronounce scream feelings you didn’t know existed.

SUNDAY, JUNE 29 – THE DESSERT COURSE OF DARKNESS

Genres: Deathcore topped with Metalcore meringue, wrapped in Symphonic Doom drizzle and Folk-fueled madness

Save room for dessert. Lorna Shore shoves symphonic deathcore down your throat until you thank them. Motionless In White and Whitechapel offer a refined course of American breakdowns served with angst glaze.

Apocalyptica soothes you with cello-metal sorbet before Turmion Kätilöt kicks in with latex-scented electro-industrial madness. Korpiklaani pours you a pint of pagan folk and shouts in Finnish.

And in case your ears aren’t bleeding yet, Kim Dracula and Polaris will finish you off with genre-fluid core-core that defies logic and sobriety.

Then there is the afterparty you will remeber

(Familiarly also refrenced as the 5th stage of TUSKA by myself.) Once the lights go down at Suvilahti and you’re surrounded by friendly bangers sticky with pit sweat, what next? Go back to your hotel and stare at the ceiling while tinnitus whispers sweet nothing? Hard pass. Hit the couch and blast a calming classic Sludge album on the old stereo – not unless you your neighbours are also fans.

You know the answer — as surely as you recognize the opening notes of “Blinded by Fear” — head over to Crystal Show Club, the only venue in town open every night from 21:00 to 05:00 with:

• 🌟 International dancers worth missing the encore for
• 🍾 Two floors of chilled drinks and hot performances
• 🏙️ VIP areas where the metal doesn’t stop, it seduces
• ✨ An air-conditioned sanctuary from the post-fest chaos

Located a quick tram or stagger away from the Tuska grounds, we’re the place where the party doesn’t die — it just takes off its leather jacket and gets comfortable.

So if you’re going to go hard at Tuska 2025, make sure you end your night even harder.

Crystal Show Club – the real headliner of your hard core Helsinki weekend.

TUSKA 2025 in a nutshell:

Festival Days & Opening Hours (Suvilahti, Helsinki)
Friday, 27 June 2025

• Gates: 14:00 – 01:00
• First band ~14:30
• Last band finishes ~Midnight
• You must get out of threre shortly after 01:00

Friday’s lineup:

• In Flames – Sweden
• Electric Callboy – Germany
• Cradle of Filth – UK
• Knocked Loose – USA
• DragonForce – UK
• Tarja – Finland
• Marko Hietala – Finland
• Imminence – Sweden
• Bambie Thug – Ireland
• Skynd – USA
• Endstand – Finland
• Blood Command – Norway
• Tyrantti – Finland
• Horizon Ignited – Finland
• Bokassa – Norway
• Enemies Everywhere – Finland
• Intrepid – Finland
• Vähäkyrö Drive‑By – Finland
• Call From Abyss – Finland
• DOL – Finland
• Falling From Grace – Finland

Saturday, 28 June 2025

• Gates: 13:00 – 01:00
• First band ~13:30
• Last band finishes ~Midnight
• You will be banished shortly after 01:00

Saturday’s lineup:

• Powerwolf – Germany
• Slaughter To Prevail – Russia
• Orbit Culture – Sweden
• Mokoma – Finland
• The Halo Effect – Sweden
• Alcest – France
• Wind Rose – Italy
• Insomnium – Finland
• Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus – Finland
• Cemetery Skyline – Finland
• Thrown – Sweden
• Charlotte Wessels – Netherlands
• Jiluka – Japan
• Eihwar – France
• Arion – Finland
• Jarkko Martikainen – Finland
• Royal Sorrow – Finland
• Sepulchral Curse – Finland
• Countless Goodbyes – Finland
• Sorretun Voima – Finland
• Bisa – Finland
• Distant Stares – Finland
• Nameles – Finland

Sunday, 29 June 2025

• Gates: 14:00 – 00:00
• First band ~16:00
• Last band finishes ~23.00
• Out of threre shortly after midnight

Sunday’s lineup

• Lorna Shore – USA
• Motionless In White – USA
• Apocalyptica – Finland
• Nothing More – USA
• Turmion Kätilöt – Finland
• Battle Beast – Finland
• Kim Dracula – Australia
• Polaris – Australia
• Whitechapel – USA
• Korpiklaani – Finland
• Cyan Kicks – Finland
• Havukruunu – Finland
• Octoploid – Finland
• Cryptic Hatred – Finland
• The Vantages – Finland
• Noiduin – Finland
• Kaisa Pylkkänen – Finland
• Ashes In The Fall – Finland
• Lights To Remain – Finland

STAGES
Karhu Main Stage – The primary outdoor stage hosting headliners.
Radio City Stage – A large secondary outdoor stage.
Nordic Energy Stage – A mid-sized outdoor stage suited for rising acts.
Tuska KVLT Stage – Dedicated to underground and emerging metal acts

Performances wrap up roughly one hour before gate closing, with full site clearing following shortly thereafter.