Fortress Festival returns to Scarborough with another specially curated line-up representing the finest in extreme metal from across the globe.
All live pictures courtesy of Andy Pountney (Instragram), Fortress House Photographer, in collaboration with Reaper Agency (Instagram) and 3nation (Instagram).
FORTRESS FESTIVAL
After Day One, Day Two at Fortress Festival 2026 had something to live up to. Luckily, the bill as a whole had the potential to not only equal, but exceed expectations.
One thing that struck this writer on the first day was the amount of different accents and languages being spoken in and around the festival. People travel, quite literally, from all over the world to come to this festival. It is wonderful to see and hear and showcases the true global community that events like this harness.
A FOREST OF STARS
Eccentric British black metal mob A Forest Of Stars kick things off on the second day of the festival. With a brilliant new album under their belt, it is from that album they garner a lot of their set.
A real hush descends as the band walk on stage. As the screens flicker into life, we are met with visuals inspired by art from Stack Overflow In Corpse Pile Interface (our review here). It’s psychedelic, cosmic, a bit terrifying and totally hypnotic. Katheryne, Queen of the Ghosts adds great depth to the bands sound on violin, and Mister Curse delivers his wonderfully ornate mantras from the mic like a great orator. Between them, they create a formidable partnership offering a darkness and light in their vocals.
Behind them, the band sound impeccable as they shift through a range of styles. In a weekend full of dramatic bands, A Forest Of Stars offer a different drama…a more hallucinatory drama. The music and visuals work together to create a truly special piece of art. They can soar, they can pulverise, they can mourn, but by God A Forest Of Stars impress. A top start to the day, and Drawing Down The Rain is still spectacular.
THIS GIFT IS A CURSE
Swedish collective This Gift Is A Curse are a violent beast. It is complete and unrelenting fury from the get go as the beats blast and the vocals could strip the paint from the walls. Spoken word style vocals break the maelstrom before more sonic destruction ensues. Elements of industrial metal bleed through their sound in amongst the onslaught.
Their latest album, Heir, is another dose of brutality that traverses sludge metal, doom, black metal and plenty of dastardly depths in between. In the stifling Ocean Room, they push the limits of the sound system and help raise the already high temperature even further.
PORTCULLIS
In an experimental move for the festival, day two in the theatre at Scarborough Spa is a specially curated Dungeon Synth line up. First up are Emsworth based solo project Portcullis. Hailing from a village near the sea (on the South Coast of England), Portcullis have a set up comprising keyboards, electronics, bodhrán and a visual set up. During Crows In The Mist, The one man act orchestrates the crowd to clap along with the beat making for a lovely atmosphere and a great change of pace. It is clear that the decision to make this stage dungeon synth themed is already a success, with bigger acts still to take the stage.
ABIGAIL WILLIAMS
Entering the stage to a lavish and gothic piano, Abigail Williams saunter onstage. When they break the solemnity, they deliver a heavy dose of melodic black metal that is both precise and punishing. No moment is wasted as the abrupt ending to songs are bookended with foreboding drones so not to hit a bout of silence. It’s a well measured move that keeps the pace of the show ticking over. That being said, a technical hitch throws the band off their game which does affect the end of the performance. All things considered though, a really good, potential, final UK performance from the Americans.
FIEF
The buzz in the theatre prior to Fief’s set is palpable. Queues snake waiting for entry and seats are seemingly at a premium. Again, it shows the popularity of this year’s third stage billing.
Castle imagery is the order of the day for Salt Lake City’s Fief. The sound bristles with medieval intent that clearly enthrals those in search of the magical and mysterious. After each composition, the reception is huge. Upon leaving a tad early to get to my next port of call, there is a one in-one out policy in effect.
FLUISTARAARS
To many, Fluistaraars’ performance on the Sunday was something which felt almost religious. The reduced stage production comprising of lots of fog and light created an atmosphere which creates chills. Nasleep was an ethereal experience; when the song breaks into dreamy melancholy many might struggle not get emotional. They also played the 20 minute trip, Verschrung in de schemering which is genuinely mind blowing. Fluistaraars also give us the first taste of their new record Jacht Der Mysteriën. This creates more excitement ahead of its release in September.
Throughout, the sound is progressive, pushing from heaving heavy moments to the aforementioned melancholia. Thomas Cochrane’s bass work is splendid and vocalist Bob Mollema is a captivating presence upfront. He moves in deliberate fashion, offering non verbal cues to the audience to get involved. They read every request perfectly, allowing the atmosphere to build in sublime fashion. For many, this will have been the turn of the weekend. The crowd become looser on the floor as the set progresses – there are plenty of throwing their hair around and pogoing to the faster paced tracks. A real, returning success story.
ANTRISCH
Talking of turns of the weekend, this writers pick would probably be for Antrisch. In their 45/50 minutes or so in the Ocean Room, they wow the audience with a stunning blend of black metal with a suitable amount of pageantry.
With most of their set being culled from Expedition II: Die Passage, the band arrive clad in full seamen gear. They look dapper and must be absolutely boiling. This matters not, their delivery is cold and clinical. The ambient opening sets the scene with waves lapping and boat lines creaking. When Packeisfalle crashes in with one of the deadliest vocal howls you will hear, the band immediately hit their groove. By definition, Antrisch translates in Austro-Bavarian to eerie or strange. It is the perfect name for Maurice Wilson who fronts the band. He stalks the stage like a mesmerising undead captain, eyeballing the crowd during instrumental passages foregoing verbal interaction. It is haunting.
A couple of later tracks are taken from Expedition III: Renitenzpfad, their latest album (our review here). When the band reach the zenith of their performance, the reception is special. A few have moved to their next destination, but those in the room know that they have seen something special. You can bet on Antrisch returning to Fortress Festival and owning the main stage.
VINTERLAND
Antrisch’s performance was a UK debut. Another UK debut, of arguably larger note, is that of Vinterland. There is a huge ovation as the band assume their positions amidst the hazy forest backdrop. Dried ice absolutely swamps the stage as a fit of purple and pink light cuts through.
This show is celebrating 30 years of Vinterland’s Welcome My Last Chapter. Plenty of the older generation know this album inside out and it’s clear to see in certain quarters as they know every lick and beat of the record.
It must feel great as a band, when 30 years on from release, you see the joy it brings people. Visually, Vinterland take us to the cold depths of the forest. A Castle So Crystal Clear is an early highlight, but it’s A Winter’s Breeze that blows this writers socks off. The furious drumming and deep, dark guitars sound completely compelling. It also sounds incredibly fresh, like it doesn’t have three decades under its belt.
OLD SORCERY
Another UK debut, nee full Flavian debut, comes from Old Sorcery. It’s the first ever live performance for the act. Yet again, there are massive queues to get in, such is the anticipation. I think the fact that there is a real buzz for the dungeon synth aspect of the festival in 2026, surely means a return in 2027?
Whereas Portcullis and Fief were more whimsical in their musical output, Old Sorcery go dark. The synths are deep, and Juuso “Vrăjitor” Peltola offers some deliciously distorted vocals that give a harsher element. Naturally, castles ruins back the music visually, such is the MO of dungeon synth. His table even has a castle on it with raised spikes and skulls.
It’s a spellbinding set from Old Sorcery that showcases, in parts, a real sense of unease and gloom. This music genuinely has an aura that chills. The excellently layered music brings in beats and pulsing synths further into the set. At Scarborough Spa, the theatre feels perfect for this music, but it ain’t ‘alf ‘ot in there!
MISÞRHYMING
Speaking of hot. Misþrhyming add more fire and fury to the main stage. ‘This will be something!’ says one punter as I enter the main stage. They’re not wrong, and plenty agree. An intro tape of Cecilia Ann by The Pixies then Hælið by Misþyrming set the scene.
‘Good evening, Scarborough’ is not a phrase heard enough this weekend, but these Icelandic brutes opt for the geographical greeting. For uninitiated, Misþrhyming are a frightening looking band; they’re also frightening sounding.
The frenetic lighting fits the frenetic tone perfectly and the crowd are fully up for it as they pogo, headbang and flirt with opening a pit. Með harmi is aired at the start of the set and helps lay down the marker for the bombardment of bluster that the band deliver. They’ve been here before, and they’ve laid waste to these grounds before. As far as reputation goes, Misþyrming have a big one and they absolutely live up to it.
MORTIIS
Masked synth pioneer Mortiis is next up in the theatre stage. Having cut his teeth in Emperor, Håvard Ellefsen aka Mortiis, moved into electronic musical territory. Since then, he has shown evolution in has own sound, and is rightly cited as an influential figure amongst his peers.
There is more than a sense of intrigue as the theatre fills up well before show time. Such is the clamour for Mortiis’ performance, plenty on the fringes leave Misþyrming a little early to ensure admission.
The theatre looks resplendent in red as the drums pound with patterned lights on the ceiling of the grand old room. It is quite something to be in the same room as likeminded folk watching someone who is a musical legend to many. It is silent in the theatre showing the reverence that punters rightly have. When each composition reaches its end, Mortiis signals by raising a single hand. A loud ovation follows each piece of this Era I focussed set, bringing the curtain down on a completely successful day of dungeon synth acts.
GALLOWBRAID
Going on after the blitz of Misþrhyming is no easy task. Whilst still extreme, Gallowbraid are a completely different proposition. As far as exclusives go, getting Gallowbraid to perform for the first time ever, is a masterstroke. Plus, the band have a 30 minute or so long EP making up their discography. How would the one man project of Jake Rogers be able to fill an hour, and pull off the unenviable task of closing the biggest Fortress Festival yet? Well, with absolute assurance.
Ashen Eidolon came out in 2010, a whole 16 years ago. For many, hearing these songs is one of the most mouth watering prospects of the weekend. There are lots of chants as the band enter the stage. The green hues of the lights give the forest feel of the EP cover a little more. The setting feels perfect.
The hulking title track is up first. Just shy of 15 minutes in length, it is truly magnificent to hear it played live. On stage, all the band are energetic and interact with the crowd at the front. For a first ever live performance, the band sound excellent. Vocally, the delivery is excellent, and the instrumental passages are executed sublimely. Random pockets of fist pumping break out around the auditorium as people clap along, fully immersed. The universal headbang from the crowd on the floor is a sight to behold; the band and the crowd are in sync and the energy is palpable.
NEW SURPRISES
‘We’re Gallowbraid from the U.S. and we’ve never played a live show before. Here’s another from the EP you all know!’ Autumn I is a more mellow affair. It’s the kind of respite you might need after such a blistering opening. Scarborough really makes Gallowbraid feel welcome. There is a feel of real uniqueness to the atmosphere, like people know they’re getting something really special and rare. ‘We’ll get back to some metal music now,’ say the band. ‘Many will know that the material we have is short of the hour we’re playing, so we have two new ones we’d like to play.’ This gets a huge roar. Not huge. Massive.
The first of two new songs is Leafdance. When it finds its groove, it has a bit of an Iron Maiden sound in the music (dare I say, a little gallop?) There is a really nice solo in the track and some excellent harmony vocals. Stormcloud Memories is the second of the new tracks. They fudge the opening but immediately restart and settle into a faster tempo track. Some great double kick drum work is epic and dense guitars are killer. It’s a full black metal throwdown that is both soaring and aggressive. To close it out, Rogers plays a deep, lamenting outro on the flute.
OAK & ASPEN
From here, it is back to the EP. Oak & Aspen is epic, but it is Stone Of Remembrance that really jerks at the heartstrings. Initially released as a vinyl bonus track before seeing a digital release years later, the song is the perfect curtain call for the festival and answers the question as to whether or not Gallowbraid were the right call for this slot. They own the space and deliver a genuine masterclass in epic and ethereal black metal.
Thank you to all the people involved in the festival. The organisers are clearly on the pulse of what people want. They offer safe bets, as well as more progressive nods to make a an excellent and varied line up.
All that there is left to say is, roll on 2027!
Black metal legends, Emperor, have been announced as headliners for the 2027 event. There are early bird tickets available now, here.
Read our Day One review here, and stay tuned for a pictorial round up in the next few days.
Fortress Festival: Website