Karmøygeddon Festival Report (2026)
Three Days, 24 Bands and a Completely Wrecked Festival Weekend
This weekend was exactly what festivals are supposed to be — long days, aching feet, little sleep, loud music, sore backs and massive concert experiences.
Over three days I caught 24 bands, ranging from black metal and melodic death metal to progressive metal, hard rock and a few things that just didn't land for me at all.
Some concerts were unforgettable. Some disappointed. Some surprised me completely.
But overall, this was exactly the chaotic and memorable festival weekend I was hoping for.
Thursday
Thursday started strong.
First up was Rioter, and they did exactly what an opening band should do. Young guys going in full energy from the first second and kicking off the festival with a bang. A fantastic start to the weekend.
Next was Mayfire, a band I'd actually been looking forward to. Unfortunately this was one of the weaker sets of the day. The sound wasn't quite right and the vocals kept falling through early on. It picked up towards the end but never really clicked.
Then came Disillusion — and that was something else entirely. Their first ever show in Norway, and you could clearly see how much the band was enjoying themselves on stage. The atmosphere was incredible, almost magical. Shame to see people leaving before it was over just to catch the next band.
Wolfheart followed. I missed the opening but what I caught was delivered with weight and control. They know exactly what they're doing.
I caught a few songs from Infected Rain during a short break. Not really my thing musically, but the sound was solid.
Then it was into the small stage to finally catch Sigtyr live. These guys meant business. From the first note they went straight for the throat and kept the intensity up the whole way through. A very strong set.
After Sigtyr came Adept. I'd heard some of their stuff before and expected something decent, but this didn't land for me at all. The growling worked, but the clean vocals were so unstable and off at times that I eventually had to step back.
Then came my personal highlight of Thursday: Old Man's Child.
I'd been waiting a long time to see them live, and they delivered completely. Epic, dark, beautiful and powerful all at once. Without a doubt one of the strongest experiences of the entire festival.
Beyond the Black followed. I knew little about them going in, but it quickly became clear this wasn't for me. It felt more like standing in the crowd at Eurovision than at a metal festival. After a couple of songs I moved on.
Dark Tranquillity headlined the night but I've seen them twice before, so I chose to go home, eat, sleep and recharge for the next day.
Friday
Friday started early.
First up was Uburen, a local black metal band with folk-inspired elements. They did not disappoint. They gave everything from start to finish and immediately showed they were there to deliver. A fantastic start to the day.
After a longer break I headed back for Wheel, a band I'd been really looking forward to seeing live. Of course there were technical issues, delaying the set by around twenty minutes — almost inevitable with technically advanced bands. But what I heard was incredible. Clean sound, precise playing and a band that clearly knows exactly what they're doing.
Then came one of Friday's biggest highlights: Iotunn.
They delivered on every level. Fantastic vocals, excellent sound, strong stage presence — everything worked. One of those shows where everything just clicks perfectly.
Vintersorg were up next. Still delivering quality all the way through, but I also got the sense that things have become a little predictable over the years. Still good, just not as exciting as before.
Roy Khan put on a very solid set. The man knows exactly what he's doing and there was honestly nothing negative to say about it. I didn't catch the full thing though, because I had to move on to the evening's main highlight.
And that highlight was Havukruunu.
What a show.
Honestly one of the best things I've seen and heard in a very long time. Song after song hit hard, no dead moments, enormous energy and the joy of playing on stage spread straight out into the crowd. Completely insane from start to finish.
Hardcore Superstar followed but didn't work for me at all. It felt messy, and when the vocalist couldn't even remember where he was playing, that didn't help. Too much Eurovision energy again for my taste.
I headed home before the headliner — my back was telling me clearly it was time to rest up for Saturday.
Saturday
Saturday started a little later but things got going quickly.
First up was Thron. Even without a bassist they delivered a very strong set. It could easily have been noticeable, but they handled it masterfully.
I wandered into Self Deception while waiting for the next show. This was probably the least interesting experience of the day for me — it felt like a watered down version of Rage Against the Machine mixed with Limp Bizkit, without really making it work.
Neonfly on the main stage knew exactly how to get a crowd going. Pyro, energy, movement and a proper stage show all the way through. A very strong main stage performance.
Then came one of Saturday's big highlights: Insomnium.
As a fan going in with high expectations, they delivered on every level. The show felt almost magical. Fantastic sound, strong energy, good connection with the crowd and an experience that really hit.
I also caught part of Kvaen — it got a bit hectic since they clashed with Insomnium, so I arrived late and ended up far back in the crowd. Didn't see much of the stage show, but the music is what matters — and what I heard was absolutely great.
Then something I'd been waiting over twenty years for: Clawfinger.
And they delivered completely.
Chaos, energy and full throttle from start to finish. Incredibly satisfying to finally experience them live after all these years.
After that I made my way to the small stage for Throne of Katarsis.
Without a doubt the darkest show of the festival. This wasn't about light — this was about darkness. Cold atmosphere, intense presence and a feeling that hit exactly the way black metal should. It felt incredible to finally catch them live.
The last band of the whole festival for me was Abbath.
He knows exactly what he's doing and delivered a solid set from start to finish. Personally not the biggest highlight of the night for me, but still a strong booking and absolutely worth catching.
Wrap-up
Looking back at the weekend, it had everything a festival should have.
Surprises, disappointments, technical problems, pain, exhaustion, incredible concerts and moments that remind me why I still love live music.
My personal highlights:
- Old Man's Child
- Havukruunu
- Insomnium
- Clawfinger
- Iotunn
Three days. 24 bands.
And despite a bad back, little sleep and total exhaustion — it was worth every single second. 🤘
Hauk
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