Metal Gates Festival, one of the most anticipated metal events of the year and the largest indoor festival in the country, which will take place on September 25-27, 2025, at Club Quantic in Bucharest, announces the final line-up for the new edition. We kick off the autumn with:
Warm-up party line-up (25th of September):
Funeral (Norway) – Norwegian Funeral Doom Legends
The Norwegian legends of doom arrive on the Metal Gates Festival 2025 stage as part of the warm-up event. With a history marked by personal tragedies and painful losses, FUNERAL is one of the pioneering bands of the "funeral doom" genre, founded in 1992 by drummer Anders Eek. Albums like "Tragedies", "In Fields of Pestilent Grief" or "Oratorium" are true milestones in doom metal. Their most recent album, "Gospel of Bones" (2024), brings fans back to a more classical style, with Norwegian folk influences, while the 2025 EP "The Funereal EP" completes the picture with outstanding collaborations.
The Norwegian legends of doom arrive on the Metal Gates Festival 2025 stage as part of the warm-up event. With a history marked by personal tragedies and painful losses, FUNERAL is one of the pioneering bands of the "funeral doom" genre, founded in 1992 by drummer Anders Eek. Albums like "Tragedies", "In Fields of Pestilent Grief" or "Oratorium" are true milestones in doom metal. Their most recent album, "Gospel of Bones" (2024), brings fans back to a more classical style, with Norwegian folk influences, while the 2025 EP "The Funereal EP" completes the picture with outstanding collaborations.
HOLLS (France) – Post-Metal / Post-Hardcore
Formed in 2023, HØLLS offers an intense sonic journey, with Sandra Chatelain's voice – a captivating mix of clean vocals and growls – guiding the audience through haunting atmospheric landscapes. Their debut album, "ILL", released in January 2025, was praised by publications such as Rolling Stone and Hard Force.
Formed in 2023, HØLLS offers an intense sonic journey, with Sandra Chatelain's voice – a captivating mix of clean vocals and growls – guiding the audience through haunting atmospheric landscapes. Their debut album, "ILL", released in January 2025, was praised by publications such as Rolling Stone and Hard Force.
Meggera (Brazil / Portugal) – Groove / Death Metal
Meggera is conquering international stages with their album "Half an Hour of Butchering" (2024), a tremendous success, featured in multiple end-of-year lists and praised by critics. Originally from Belo Horizonte – the homeland of Sepultura – Meggera brings modern Brazilian metal tones to Europe.
Meggera is conquering international stages with their album "Half an Hour of Butchering" (2024), a tremendous success, featured in multiple end-of-year lists and praised by critics. Originally from Belo Horizonte – the homeland of Sepultura – Meggera brings modern Brazilian metal tones to Europe.
RoadkillSoda (Romania) – Stoner Groove Machine
Veterans of the Romanian scene with six albums under their belt, RoadkillSoda bring heavy riffs, old-school groove, and a memorable stage presence to our warm-up party. After a special show in July, the band returns to the Quantic stage to properly warm up the Metal Gates crowd.
Veterans of the Romanian scene with six albums under their belt, RoadkillSoda bring heavy riffs, old-school groove, and a memorable stage presence to our warm-up party. After a special show in July, the band returns to the Quantic stage to properly warm up the Metal Gates crowd.
METAL GATES FESTIVAL LINE-UP (26-27th of September):
Insomnium (Finland) – Founded in 1997 in Joensuu, Insomnium captivated metal fans with their debut album “In the Halls of Awakening” in 2002. Continuously evolving, the Finnish band impressed with albums such as “Above the Weeping World” (2006) and “One for Sorrow” (2012). Their latest album, “Anno 1696,” takes listeners into a world full of sorrow intertwined with a fading hope through grandiose and melancholic compositions.
Krzysztof Drabikowski's Batushka - Batushka will play for the first time at Metal Gates Festival 2025, more surprises will come soon from their camp.
Arcturus (Norway) – During the glory days of black metal, the Norwegian band Arcturus released several highly influential albums. Composed of members who have earned their reputation in other renowned bands such as Ulver, Mayhem, Dimmu Borgir, Borknagar, and Ved Buens Ende, Arcturus is now known for their avant-garde and innovative approach.
Saturnus - After several lineup changes, Saturnus has emerged stronger and more united than ever, setting the stage for a new chapter in their journey. Their new deal with Prophecy Productions has led to the release of their “The Lighthouse Session” EP (2022), followed by the “Before The Storm 2022” European Tour, and the long-awaited album “The Storm Within” in June 2023. Known for their melancholic harmonies, epic passages, and soul-crushing tones, Saturnus brings an emotionally intense experience that leaves a lasting impact.
Houle (France) - Houle is a Parisian Melodic Black Metal band that has been storming the scene since 2021. Inspired by the relentless grandeur of the ocean, they combine razor-sharp riffs with captivating melodies to create a truly immersive experience. Their music presents a journey where one must brave chaos and the unknown to find tranquility.
Sakis Tolis - the solo project of Sakis of Rotting Christ will come back to Bucharest for Metal Gates Festival 2025, presenting the critically acclaimed album Among the Fires of Hell
Saor - out of the mists, where lore whispers in the winds, SAOR, the heralds of Caledonia’s primeval beauty and ancient tales is coming back to Bucharest, this time at Metal Gates Festival 2025.
Machiavellian God (Romania) – The melodic death metal band from Bucharest, formed in 2017, brings to life a unique blend of styles, combining elements of Doom, Black, and Atmospheric metal, all anchored in a solid foundation of melodic death metal. Their latest record, “Beyond The Void”, is a conceptual exploration set, a narrative journey, starting in the grips of nihilism and moving towards a path of existential discovery.
Thy Legion (Malta) – Formed in 2024, Thy Legion is a Blackened Death Metal band from Malta, known for their fast and brutal riffs, supported by infernal harmonies. After performing on international stages alongside renowned bands such as Behemoth, Cannibal Corpse, and Vader, the band will present tracks from their latest album, “Grand Cosmic Funeral,” for the first time.
Ritual Roadmap (Romania) – Formed in 2020, the death'n'roll band from Brașov will bring an energetic and powerful show to Metal Gates. After their live debut in 2022 and performances at major festivals such as Rockstadt Extreme Fest and Posada Rock Festival, Ritual Roadmap released their debut EP, “SCARS”, in 2024.
Ponte Del Diavolo - a Doom / Black metal sound with old school
roots, adding a modern and outside the box background. The
female voice - with strong wave influences - is the lyric corpus
of this strongly esoteric project, which will visit Romania for the first time
roots, adding a modern and outside the box background. The
female voice - with strong wave influences - is the lyric corpus
of this strongly esoteric project, which will visit Romania for the first time
Tortharry - the death metal machine, born in 1991, hailing from Czech Republic, will play in Romania for the first time at Metal Gates Festival 2025
Keres - born in 2015 in South Tyrol (Italy) from the ashes of "The Crying of Angels", Keres will set the stage on fire for the first time in Romania in 2025 at Metal Gates Festival.
Hideous Divinity - Known for their technical death metal infused with dark and dissonant undertones, their new record delves into the theme of Nosferatu the Vampire, inspired by the works of Murnau, Stoker, and Herzog.
Pantheïst - an atmospheric doom metal band that has evolved over the years, blending funereal, symphonic, proggy, and cinematic elements into their distinctive sound. The band has always been permeated by a certain non-religious spirituality, which led to the term “church doom” in their early days.
Winterhorde - Formed in 2001 in Western Galilee, Israel, Winterhorde is known for their blend of powerful compositions and atmospheric soundscapes continues to captivate listeners, and their music remains a standout in the world of metal.
25.09
Schedule
18:00 - Open Doors
18.30 - TBA
19.20 - Holls
20.20 - Meggera
21.20 - Roadkillsoda
23.00 - Funeral
Schedule
18:00 - Open Doors
18.30 - TBA
19.20 - Holls
20.20 - Meggera
21.20 - Roadkillsoda
23.00 - Funeral
26.09
Schedule
16:00 - Open Doors
16.20 - Ritual Roadmap
17.20 - Machiavellian God
18.20 - Ponte del Diavolo
19.20 - Hideous Divinity
20.20 - Saor
21.30 - Sakis Tolis
23.00 - Batushka
00.40 - Houle
Schedule
16:00 - Open Doors
16.20 - Ritual Roadmap
17.20 - Machiavellian God
18.20 - Ponte del Diavolo
19.20 - Hideous Divinity
20.20 - Saor
21.30 - Sakis Tolis
23.00 - Batushka
00.40 - Houle
27.09
Schedule
16:00 - Open Doors
16.20 - Winterhorde
17.20 - Keres
18.20 - Tortharry
19.20 - Pantheist
20.20 - Saturnus
21.30 - Arcturus
23.00 - Insomnium
00.40 - Thy Legion
Schedule
16:00 - Open Doors
16.20 - Winterhorde
17.20 - Keres
18.20 - Tortharry
19.20 - Pantheist
20.20 - Saturnus
21.30 - Arcturus
23.00 - Insomnium
00.40 - Thy Legion