Agalloch headline day two of Fortress Festival; a day where every single band could be the band of the weekend.
Photo: NecrosHorns
DAY TWO
Abduction leave an eerie silence between the lights going down and their show beginning, after an excellent day one (review here). There are plenty of people in attendance although many listen from afar as they are in early to snag their exclusive Agalloch merch (and the queue is mammoth). Flanked by visuals for their latest album, the masked singer, A|V, marches onstage and immediately rips into Legacy of Sores. It begins a full album performance of Existentialismus; their latest LP. Having a band with Abduction’s brutality blows away cobwebs for anyone with hangovers! A|V has an unhinged persona onstage. He lurches perilously over the crowd from the high stage in one moment and stares menacingly at the front rows the next. An aura of claustrophobia and darkness pervades Abduction’s music and they deliver a brilliant bout of it to start day two.
An entrance full of grandeur sees Belore on stage. A huge crowd have hotfooted it across the venue after Old Man’s Child are announced as 2026 headliner following Abduction. Full of wonder and mysticism, Belore takes us on a fantastical journey with their cinematic and folk inspired black metal. When the collective voices of the band come together, it is a regal sound; one that evokes Winterfylleth at their chest beating best. When Belore fire, the tempos and collective of the band have great depth and dexterity.
THE WATCHER
Whereas day one used the Spa Theatre for more atmospheric and quieter performances, day two sees the space in use for a selection of conversations. Frank Allain aka The Watcher; singer with Fen, is up first. There is a hush in the room as he discusses a range of topics including Fen’s creative processes, Malediction Fields, musical evolution, deliberate decisions in musical style and best/worst gigs. A fascinating insight with an incredibly eloquent person.
By contrast, Sweden’s Dödsrit have zero chill. D-beat/crust style rhythms paired with melodic heavy metal guitar lines make for an exciting mix. There is a hint of Iron Maiden in some of the guitar stylings and a dash of Cult Of Luna in some of the atmospheres created. Brendan Duffy keeps pace expertly with a range of drumming styles and motifs. His shadowy figure rises several times to encourage the crowd. “Thank you so much – this is the first time in the UK for us.” Scarborough responds in kind. I dare say it won’t be the last time they hit UK shores – the main stage is packed for the Swedes. The amount of people overheard commenting that Dödsrit were the band of the weekend was high.
A GLOBAL FEEL
Next, to Slovakia via a Hungarian diversion. Autumn Nostalgie is a post black metal band that only recently started to release music. 2020 was when their debut came out, growing from a solo endeavour to full on band project. In amongst the soaring sound, the vocals, largely in Hungarian, are completely savage and harsh.
A shift in style comes from Moonlight Sorcery. Making their UK debut, the Finnish group play a style of symphonic black metal that incorporates a range of styles. They move from chugging riffs to breakneck blasts and wailing solos; the latter of which aren’t strictly on the menu over the weekend. Clad in corpse paint, you’d be forgiven for thinking that you would be witnessing some classic, orthodox black metal. Their medieval style opening is shattered with a cacophony of blistering riffs and harsh vocals. Antti Mikkolainen aka Ruttomieli throws his hair around; it feels like he is living every word he sings. Matti Meri-Huhti aka Mattmagic displays some great lead guitar work that would fall into the face melting category. At this point, the crowd are fully immersed; they pump their fists and chant and clap along. This is one of the standout performances of day two so far.
HIGHLIGHTS?
Aristarchos are heavy on the atmosphere. All hooded and shrouded in smoke, their technical chops are clear for all to see as they dive straight into their set. Having only having a couple (at most) performances under their belt, the tightness with which these mysterious Scots deliver their tunes is exceptional. Thematically, Aristarchos deal more with the cosmic rather than the deathly. Sombre guitar lines are wrapped around shifting tempos with post metal style riffs forming a bedrock. Deviation comes when the band take small left turns into more synthy territory. All of the facets of the band together create something truly memorable. In a weekend of many highlights, Aristarchos are yet another to add to the list.
Antipodean group Ulcerate are next up on the main stage. The New Zealand trio are all business. Unsurprisingly, they’re all in black. There is a foreboding atmosphere in the air as the main stage area fills after Aristarchos. When the lights go out, thumping industrial beats are aided by a single strobe. A pensive and melodic start builds masterfully as the three build tension. Paul Kelland is fearsome as lead vocalist; his tone is gnarly. Ulcerate shift between slow brooding post rock/metal and furious black metal in the blink of an eye. Jamie Saint Merat’s drumming is majestic and a complete joy to witness. Is he actually of this world? The ovation Ulcerate are afforded after each song is nothing short of emphatic. Again, the highlight-ometer is riding high!
AIMING FOR THE ALBUM COVER
Christopher Dean aka NecrosHorns offers some compelling respite in the Spa Theatre. His discussion with the brilliant Into The Necrosphere podcaster Jackie Smit about how photography came into his life is inspiring. An ex-pilot who had near death experiences, he speaks eloquently about early photoshoots and how his path to photography came about. He talks passionately about how he is an artist, not a photographer, and how his art is deliberate and not steeped in luck – it is truly inspirational stuff. He challenges people to think about getting ‘the shot;’ like a sniper…not settling for firing the shutter like a machine gun. The desire to create art for the album cover and settling for nothing less shows the drive he has. It is also fascinating hearing the story of how he created his controversial yet iconic image in Jerusalem’s Via Dolorosa with Wraath of Darvaza. To read more about that, click here.
Photo: Dominic Walsh
Métal Noir Québécois
Another country gets a big tick when Forteresse hit the candlelit stage. The Canadian black metal outfit continue a run of main stage bands that are all essential watches. They fly headlong into an absolute masterclass of emotive black metal. The lighting is frenetic around their black and white visuals – it is completely unrelenting. After nearly two days of pummelling, you might expect some fatigue to set in, however the audience is huge and the temperature is cooking. ‘Bonsoir’ says singer Monarque to introduce the Quebec band before an onslaught of monstrously heavy blasts and riffs. Again, the calibre of band on this bill is incredible and Forteresse are another amazing booking. The frightening thing is, is that there are still two more bands to play!
To close out Fortress Festival 2025 in the Ocean Room are British stalwarts Fen. The Watcher, who spent time earlier in the day discussing The Malediction Fields, leads Fen through a full run through of their 2009 debut. As a set, it is a reminder of just how beloved Fen are, and how far they have evolved in their years as a band. After listening to The Watcher, and seeing Fen, it is invigorating to think where the atmospheric black metal band will take us next.
AGALLOCH
With all but one set in the books, it is left to Agalloch to tie the bow on Fortress. Dry ice seeps out of the side of the now closed red curtain. The gallery is full, the heat is rising and pretty much all of Fortress Festival is here. From minute one, Agalloch has been the big draw. Their merch lines have been insane and the amount of shirts worn in the audience is plentiful.
A roar erupts as the lights dim and the curtain slowly opens to reveal the smoke laden stage. Members of the band enter to They Escaped The Weight Of Darkness. Throughout the opening number, Ghosts Of The Midwinter Fire, there is an air of awe frequenting the room as the atmosphere feels totally flammable. The crowd, from top to bottom clap along – the music is precise, technically stunning and sounds monumental.
‘Oh hello…I didn’t notice you there with that huge photo pit!’ says John Haughm, “we are quite chuffed to be back in the UK.” You can tell that Agalloch are in fine fettle as they interact with the crowd in between many of their hulking compositions. Agalloch have an incredibly powerful. Shifts in tempo give Agalloch a genuinely epic sound. They can throw down with the fastest of them but they also hit the power chords to great effect.
Agalloch
Photos: NecrosHorns.
A NEW ALBUM?
“This is one from our new album….from 11 years ago!” says Haughm somewhat sarcastically of The Serpent & the Sphere. There is a moment where the collective of Fortress Festival inhales thinking there was a new album incoming! Dark Matter Gods, like most of the set is grandiose. Don Anderson goads the crowd into joining him in clapping along at the start of Falling Snow; the rapport between artist and audience is so strong.
Each passing track is exulted by someone else hearing their favourite Agalloch song. To witness a crowd showing such devotion makes you realise why you love music so much. Fittingly, the Portland outfit end things with Our Fortress Is Burning – the motto printed on the back of Agalloch’s much sought event shirt (I think the queue might just have died down).
SAME TIME NEXT YEAR?
As previously mentioned, Fortress Festival 2026 is already on sale. Old Man’s Child will headline next years event. It will be the first time that the legendary black metal act have played in the UK since the 1990’s. Founded in 1993 by mastermind Galder, Old Man’s Child quickly carved out a distinctive niche in the black metal scene. From their early demos to their full-length albums, the band’s sound evolved to incorporate rich symphonic elements, intricate melodies, and Galder’s characteristic blend of raw aggression and atmospheric grandeur. While often associated with a rotating cast of musicians, Galder has remained the constant creative force, penning the vast majority of the band’s material and driving their unique artistic vision.
Fortress Festival 2025 has been an undoubted success. A great atmosphere runs through the festival; from the punters, the staff, the security, the bar staff, the food vendors. Yes, there are always things to improve, but Fortress Festival and Reaper Agency UK know how to throw a shindig. Things will change/improve. Thoughts turn to 2026 and who will join Old Man’s Child.
Early bird tickets for 2026 are on sale now, here.
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