Sunday is the last day of Tuska Festival. It has always been like that, at least since I’ve been going to this event. And just like on Sunday people are sad that on Monday they go back to work, I’m sad that the festival is ending. But before being sad, let’s be happy and enjoy one last day of thrills, music and spectacle. Let’s start at the very beginning…

Neckbreakker

The first band of the Sunday plays at the Nordic Energy stage, and it’s Neckbreakker. If you woke up and you didn’t decide to have some heavy music, they would change that for you. I have never seen a band perform so relentlessly, so fiercely, so incredibly dedicated about their craft. They made me want to join mosh pits and circle pits, and it was barely 1 PM in the afternooon! So either you are prepared to have your world completely turned upside down by these Danish gentlemen, or you won’t have a choice…

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.

Soilwork

How many amazing vocalists are there in the metal world? So many. But how many of them are versatile enough to span different subgenres? Not that many. One of them is definitely Björn Speed Strid, lead vocalist of Soilwork. And you can be sure that if this gentleman is on stage, you won’t be able to leave his presence. His demeanor and his engagement with the crowd are simply remarkable, not to talk about how incredibly powerful and yet expressive his vocals are. But Soilwork is overall a fantastic band to see in a live setting, especially since their choice of setlist will appeal even to people who don’t know them. I’m quite confident that at Tuska they gained many more fans after their set!

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.

Tarot

I know I said that there aren’t many vocalists that are versatile in the metal world, but it looks like today there’s at least four. I mentioned Speed of Soilwork, and the next gentlemen that has captured my heart is called Marko Hietala, lead singer and bass player for the legendary band Tarot. If you’ve loved Marko during his time in Nightwish, you’d love him even more with this band. For him and all the group it seems like time has no effect at all, producing a live show that is entertaining, refined and perfectly curated. I wish I could understand more of the Finnish language to capture all the banter in between the songs, but for now I guess I’ll stick with enjoying their fabulous music!

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.

Amorphis

Part of our ongoing series “The versatile vocalists of Sunday at Tuska”, it’s time to introduce someone who needs no introduction. Amorphis is really one of the top acts to ever come out of Finland. Their performances are so perfect that at times I was wondering if they were playing live (which they were!) or I was listening to the album version of the tracks. Tomi Joutsen has all the qualities that a frontman needs to have: charisma, passion and talent. And well, I don’t disdain good looks either! From new tracks like “Bones” and “Dancing Shadows” to classics like “House of Sleep” and “Black Winter Day“, there is something for literally everyone. I can’t wait to see them again on their headlining tour next year, which I’m confident is going to be even more amazing.

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.

Malevolence

Life is unpredictable, and sometimes more than others there’s nothing we can do about it. Malevolence announced just a few days ago that their lead singer Alex Taylor was supposed to undergo surgery, and that the band would perform with some fill-in vocalists. That is a much preferred solution rather than just cancel the shows already planned, which is why I made sure to attend Malevolence‘s set to support the band in this challenging time. Konan and Tony stepped up to embrace the lead vocals and they did not disappoint. The crowd was doing mosh and circle pits from the first tracks, sign that the band hasn’t declined the quality of their live shows. Unfortunately I wasn’t very familiar with the band’s discography, but I’ll be sure to check them out a bit deeper after this fantastic set!

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.

Bring Me The Horizon

The last time I attended Tuska was in 2024, and these two years have one headliner in common: yes, Bring Me The Horizon. I was absolutely impressed with the band’s show two years ago, so I was really excited to see if this year they would top their game. Final verdict? They absolutely did. They improved the graphics shown on the screens at the sides of the stage, they’ve all returned with face paint (even though I bet that they wouldn’t do that), and they are kicking now more than ever. Their setlist featured some songs from “Post Human: Next Gen”, but also many classics like “Throne” and “Can You Feel My Heart“. The union of spectacular stage presence and production set is working in the band’s favour, creating a performance that you cannot only hear, but you have to see it as well. During “Antivist” a fan went on stage to sing with Oli, and of course he also made his usual walk near the barricade. This is a band that is going to be bigger and bigger, and I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us….

Photo: Niko Sihvonen.