Inferno Metal Festival 2024 – A Black Metal Pilgrimage

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A Personal Journey to the Heart of Norwegian Metal

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It was that time of the year again. One of the first real metal festivals of the season was upon us. Luckily, this time I didn’t have to figure out flights and hostels – I recently moved to Norway.
Why travel when you can relocate, right?
All jokes aside, moving here was a major step for me and my young family, and honestly, what better way to shake off the stress than to unwind at Inferno?

This wasn’t Festcamper’s first pilgrimage to the blackened grounds of Inferno – our satanic comrade Federico covered it back in 2019 – but it was my first time experiencing what I’d only read about and dreamed of. And believe me, the mayhemic butterflies were real.

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Inferno Beyond the Stage

The main 4-day program took place at the legendary Rockefeller Music Hall and John Dee, but Inferno is more than just music. It's a cultural immersion into the essence of Norwegian black metal:

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•  Art Exhibitions: Works from Zbigniew M. Bielak (Darkthrone, Ghost) and David Thierree (Sventevith) were on display.

•  Tattoo Fair: Ink by metalhead artists like Alex “Impaler” Friberg (Firespawn).

•  Black Metal Bus Sightseeing Tour: Guided by the one and only Anders Odden (Cadaver, Celtic Frost, Order), visiting key historical spots of the Norwegian scene.

•  Black Metal Auction: Collectibles auctioned off by Tore Bratseth (Bömbers).

•  Conference Panels: Featuring voices from all corners of the music industry.

 

Inferno’s been running since 2001, and its scope is impressive. It’s more than a festival—it’s a living museum for black metal, with enough on offer for every taste (even for a metal dad like me).

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Wednesday Warm-Up

 

The pre-festival night kicked off with club gigs, including an Indie Recordings label night at SALT with five bands and another gig at Vaterland Bar. A perfect setting to catch up with friends, grab a beer, and dust off the battle jacket.

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Thursday – The Official Kickoff

 

It was my first time in Oslo, but it wasn’t hard to find the venue—just follow the crowd of “men in black” from Oslo S to Rockefeller.

Wristband?  Check.
Coat checked? Check.
Ready for Inferno? HELL YES!

I arrived between sets, which gave me time to explore. I checked out the tattoo artists and the stunning art stands—watching the artists tattoo live while surrounded by Bielak and Thierree’s pieces was a surreal experience.

Back on the main stage, Keep of Kalessin delivered a blast from the past. It was my first time seeing them live, and their set felt like a throwback to the CD-swapping days. Their atmosphere really matched the festival’s vibe—pure Katharsis (pun fully intended).

I tried to catch Orm at John Dee, but the room was too packed. On my way back, I heard familiar words—Croatian! Naturally, a round of beer was shared.

Then came Nordjevel, whose fire show lived up to the festival’s name. Watching the inferno from a safe distance at the bar was the right call—hot, loud, intense, and unforgettable.

I climbed up to the second floor for a better spot for Candlemass. Their show was majestic—slow doom riffs delivered with decades of passion. I even spotted someone sketching and headbanging up front, fully immersed.

Finally, the night closed with Kampfar, celebrating their 30th anniversary. Norwegian flags on stage, their trademark melodies, and a powerful presence—this is a band whose sound always stands out. A fitting end to the night.

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Friday – Emotion, Legends, and Raw Power

 

I came back a bit later and missed Arthur Brown, but I wasn’t about to miss Carpathian Forest.

The venue was packed, and Nattefrost didn’t disappoint. Even more moving was the emotional and unexpected moment when he brought his 12-year-old son on stage during a cover of All My Friends Are Dead by Turbonegro.
Given everything Nattefrost has been through personally, this felt like a powerful, human moment—showing that even icons of black metal can also be dads. As a fellow metalhead dad, I felt that.

We stayed at Rockefeller for the rest of the night. Sólstafir came next—atmospheric, emotional, and a welcome shift from the heavier acts. I’ve seen them before, and they’re the kind of band I usually enjoy solo in the woods, but here, they set a perfect mood.

Then came Gorgoroth. Red lights. Static presence. Relentless black metal.
Atterigner was on vocals (not Hoest from Taake), and while his presence fit Gorgoroth’s cold, raw energy, I personally missed the fiery frontman energy Hoest brought in past shows. Still, it was brutal and tight—just what you'd expect.

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Saturday & Sunday – Black Metal from the Couch

 

Saturday was sold out early thanks to one band: Dimmu Borgir.
Sadly, I couldn’t attend—parental priorities. But video clips flooded in the next day, and it looked massive.
ICS Vortex, Mustis, and the whole gang joined the stage. A dream setlist and nostalgia overload for those who fell in love with Dimmu during the Enthrone Darkness Triumphant and Puritanical Euphoric Misanthropia era.

I was lucky, though—editing this review months later, I ran into Silenoz while shopping with my daughter. We took a photo, chatted, and when I told him I missed their Inferno set, he said:

“Then you have to come to Tons of Rock next year.”

So yeah. Now I have to. The MAN said so.

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A Festival Like No Other​

 

Inferno isn’t just a festival. It’s a pilgrimage. If Wacken is a metalhead’s holy land, Inferno is its frostbitten temple. A must for anyone who appreciates where it all started—in the unforgiving heart of winter… Norway.

See you at Inferno 2025.