Bergen’s Beyond The Gates festival has announced its first eight bands for 2025.
The four-day black/death metal weekender, which takes place from July 30 to August 2, will be headlined by squealer extraordinaire King Diamond, playing his first Norwegian show in almost two decades.
Lower down on the bill are Abbath Doom Occulta playing songs from his years in Immortal, Triptykon performing Celtic Frost classics, and Destruction celebrating 40 years of debut album Infernal Overkill. David Vincent’s I Am Morbid, Hellbutcher, Hellripper and Dark Sonority have also been confirmed.
Weekend tickets to the festival are now available to buy for 3,785 Norwegian Krone (approximately £269).
Festival booker Torgrim Øyre comments: “For the first time in 19 years, King Diamond will return to Norway with his fantastic, horror-infused, heavy metal spectacle. The King will grant us with a show second to none. The Saint Lucifer’s Hospital tour has been wreaking havoc in the US lately and we can’t wait until it arrives at these shores!”
In July, King Diamond announced the North American leg of his Saint Lucifer’s Hospital tour, which is currently underway and will next stop at The Complex in Salt Lake City tomorrow (November 16). Notably, black metal solo artist Myrkur is part of Diamond’s live lineup for the tour, handling keys and vocals. Whether Myrkur will be present during the Beyond The Gates set is as yet unconfirmed.
Beyond The Gates is now entering its 13th year and will be held at various Bergen venues. Among them is the famed black metal hub Grieghallen, where such masterpieces as Emperor’s Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk and Mayhem’s De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas were recorded.
This year, the event was headlined by Watain, Mayhem and Trelldom. Behemoth, Venom, Enslaved, Satyricon and Death SS also had prominent places on the lineup.
