Beast in Black Unleashes the Beast on Zurich

Beast in Black Unleash a Decade of Power Metal Fury in Zurich as They Shake The Hall to Its Core

20.11.2025 — The Hall, Dübendorf (practically Zurich)

If you attend a Beast in Black show, you’d better be ready to whip your long (or short) lion’s mane in time — because the Finns brought their Nordic heaviness with them as they opened the 40th anniversary show of the legendary metal giants Helloween. (Read the review here). And guess what? Beast in Black had something to celebrate too: their 10-year anniversary.

With three studio albums, countless fan-favourite singles like Blind and Frozen (2017), Born Again (2017), and Sweet True Lies (2018), over 400 shows, and many more ahead – they had plenty of reasons to walk onstage with confidence.

And yes – the show was exactly as gigantic and beastly as expected.

They opened with the obvious choice, “Power of the Beast,” proving exactly what power sounds like. Yannis Papadopoulos’ smoky powerhouse vocals reminded the crowd that octave-jumping acrobatics aren’t just for power metal – they are power metal. Guitarists and stage entertainers Anton Kabanen and Daniel Freyberg (new addition), together with bassist Mate Molnar, didn’t need any decorative gimmicks to shine: their perfectly choreographed, synchronized headbanging routines and footwork had the crowd grinning from ear to ear.

Drummer Atte Palokangas clearly had the time of his life — he might just dethrone Iron Maiden’s Nicko McBrain as the happiest drummer alive. There wasn’t a single second where his wide grin disappeared. Whenever he wanted to clap along, he simply gave himself a rhythmic headbutt with his free hand. What can you do? When the spirit grabs you, the spirit grabs you.

“From Hell with Love” transformed The Hall into a massive jump-fest. The previously half-filled venue quickly turned into a packed sea of bodies — even those still finishing their last beer outside realized that this was not the show to miss. Hard not to notice, considering the literal Lord of Black was standing onstage: Yannis, cloaked in a long black leather coat covered in sharp studs, looked straight out of a sci-fi villain audition. Or at least like someone who could definitely tame the Beast.

Their decade-long celebration called for a deep dive into their discography. Fan-favourite “Blood of the Lion” roared over Zurich, with guitarist Anton and bassist Mate proving that not only can they shred flawlessly — they are also fantastic backing vocalists.

The betrayed and broken among us nearly threw sparks when the anthem of vengeance, “Sweet True Lies,” kicked in. A classic Beast in Black recipe: hard and vulnerable at the same time, carried by piercing solos and Yannis’ smoky, emotional vocals. Anyone who somehow managed to sleep until that point was forcibly woken up and dragged straight into the collective enthusiasm.

Frontman Yannis also brought some good news from cold Finland:
a fourth studio album is coming in 2026.
When? Good question. But it’s coming.
Just like Beast in Black – Zurich will see them again on 17 November 2026. The eruption of cheers confirmed one thing: the band gained a whole new wave of fans that night.

As a teaser for the new era, the Swiss crowd got to hear the new single “Enter the Behelit.” Don’t let the soft intro fool you – in true Beast in Black fashion, the track quickly evolves into an addictive power anthem that makes your foot tap whether you want it to or not. Flying drumsticks, addictive melodies… simply irresistible.

A fire ignites whenever their three string instruments unleash themselves fully – and “Beast in Black” did exactly that. If you still had energy after that, respect.

With the disco-flavoured “Die by the Blade,” it wasn’t just the string masters doing synchronized headbanging — the whole hall joined in. Then Yannis declared the obvious:
“Even though it’s metal, you can still dance.”
Cue “One Night in Tokyo,” transporting the crowd straight into a neon-lit gamer universe. The master said “dance,” and everyone danced. Rightfully so.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Beast in Black show without “Blind and Frozen.” Yannis’ vocal chameleon abilities were on full display – warmth clashing with frost, vulnerability hardening into fury. Yes, this was the moment the crowd had waited for the whole hour: singing every word from the bottom of their hearts.

And for the finale, they played the band’s own favourite: “Never Surrender.”
A motto they clearly live by:

Keep the faith alive
Don’t give up the fight
Remember
In the burning heart
There can never be surrender at all.

A motivating send-off and a powerful message to take home.
One hour of power, vulnerability, and pure Beast in Black energy.
The Finnish festivities ended – now it was time for Halloween…
I mean Helloween. Of course. (Review here)