Fortress Festival 2025 Preview: Five bands to check out
Black metal goes to the Scarborough Fair (sort of)
For about three years, Fortress Festival has been one of the most exciting festivals here in the UK. Held in Scarborough where its venue is near to the seaside beach, Fortress brings into the UK a lot of international black metal bands that are more on the niche side (and the odd death metal band like Mortiferum last year). However, it’s the variety of these acts that makes the festival thrive as its own character; it’s not just the typical black metal you already know from Scandinavia.
Throughout the previous two times I’ve been to the festival, I’ve got to see some brilliant acts that rarely come to the UK which is makes this event special/unique. These include Panopticon twice (one of which was a Roads to the North set), Waldgefluster, Fluisteraars, Vemod, Havukruunu, Vemod, Wolves in a Throne Room doing Two Hunters and so on.
I’ll be going for the third time running this year (expect a review of my time at Fortress coming afterwards, like with my Roadburn article). It’s looking like another stacked lineup with some of the acts that I’m looking forward to including Agalloch (the last time I saw them was 10 years ago at Bloodstock), Ulcerate, Moonlight Sorcery, Grift, The Great Old Ones, Fen doing The Malediction Fields etc. While most will already know these bands as well as the likes of 1349 and Abduction, I thought I’d add to this preview a few bands that might be under the radar for some people and if you’re coming to this festival, you may want to check them out. Even if you aren’t, you’ve got 5 more bands to check out that you may not have heard of, so here goes!
Devastator
Starting off with a British act from Derby, Devastator are one of my favorite up and coming acts in the UK black metal scene right now. This band does their own modern take on the classic blackthrash formula with an old school touch inspired by acts from the first wave of black metal like Venom and Bathory. With a promising debut and a great follow up from last year, Conjurers of Cruelty, this is one you’d want to check out if you want something fast, evil and wild.
Selbst
Based in Venezuela, Selbst has their own take on the dissonant side of black metal as well as throwing in elements from the atmospheric and melodic side of the genre’s wide varieties. Their last two releases, Relatos de angustia from 2020 and Despondency Chord Progressions which came out last year both showed off what this band can do with great results, and I’m really interested to see how this will sound like live.
Spirit Possession
A two-person outfit from Portland, Spirit Possession is one of the fresher acts in the scene who are completely wild and ferocious. Their frontman named as “S.”—who also plays for Black Curse and Ulthar—is an absolute machine on the guitar throughout the band’s discography. It’s also insane when you watch this guy riff these songs out live as it’s an impressive sight to behold, especially from the two times I’ve seen this band live in the past. Check them out if you like to see a modern twist to the old school black metal formula.
Nemorous
Another British black metal band here—formed from the ashes of Wodensthrone—that does a continuation of that band’s style of atmospheric black metal. While it has three members formerly of this band, they also have members that have played for the likes of Ahamkara, Vacivus and Live Burial. After a really promising self-titled EP in 2021, they’ve got a debut album coming and looks like they’re going to be playing this live for this festival which will be a fun treat to hear.
Dödsrit
I’ve saved the best for last with this fantastic band. Formed in Sweden by Chrisoffer, Dödsrit started as a one-man project but they’re now a full-on band with three members from the Netherlands. Throughout their discography, they’ve played a great blend of atmospheric black metal & crust that has now evolved in a more melodic direction. With some absolute killer records such as Spirit Crusher and Mortal Coil, they continued their top form with what was personally one of my favorite records of last year with Nocturnal Will.
