Copenhell 2025! The International Festival of the Year

Copenhell 2025! The International Festival of the Year

Stepping onto the sacred, industrial grounds of Refshaleøen for the very first time, I didn’t just find a music festival, I found a spiritual home. Copenhell 2025 was a revelation, a dark, shimmering ‘Disneyland for metal lovers’ where every rusted corner and smoke-filled alleyway felt like a chapter in a grand, heavy metal fairytale. This wasn’t just a trip; it was a transformative odyssey into the very soul of rock and roll that shattered my expectations and captured my spirit forever. Without a shadow of a doubt, this is the International Festival of the Year!

But whilst the music was next level mind-blowing! The community was the true heartbeat of this experience. No one does it like the Danes do! For a place named after the abyss, it was populated by the loveliest souls I’ve ever encountered, a sprawling family of denim and leather that radiated a warmth so inclusive it felt like a collective embrace. A heavy metal hug you could say! And this was never clearer than when during The Prodigy’s earth-shattering set: as the 35,000-strong crowd began to surge and bounce as one, a local Copenheller, and a complete stranger saw me struggling to see and effortlessly hoisted me onto his shoulders so I could shoot the performance. In that moment, suspended above a sea of joy, I truly understood the selfless camaraderie that defines this legendary gathering. This really is the friendliest festival on Earth!

Day 1: The Magic Begins

The gates of this metal wonderland swung open to a day of pure auditory sorcery. While the entire weekend was a triumph, Skunk Anansie and Within Temptation stood out as the absolute best acts of the entire festival, setting a bar so high it touched the clouds.

Skunk Anansie: Fronted by the magnetic and magnificent Skin, delivered a breathtaking set fuelled by fire, an incredible warmth and camaraderie, and an unshakable passion to always give their fans exactly what they’ve come for. I stood there, heart racing, as Skin commanded the stage with a primal presence that bridged the gap between legends and the raw energy of the now. She is a force of nature, her voice cutting through the industrial air with soul-stirring power. The black-and-white visuals behind them turned hits like ‘Weak’ into a living, breathing piece of art, while Skin’s fearless interactions with the crowd made the massive space feel intimate.

Their performance was an absolute tour de force that left the audience in a state of collective euphoria. From the moment they launched into the high-octane opener “This Means War,” it was clear they were there to conquer. Skin’s technical vocal skill remains staggering after thirty years, effortlessly reaching the wailing heights of “Weak” and “Secretly” without ever compromising her ferocious stage presence. The set was a perfect masterclass in pacing, alternating between the heavy, grooving “Charlie Big Potato” and newer material like “An Artist Is an Artist,” which the crowd embraced with open arms. The climax was nothing short of legendary: during “I Can Dream,” Skin descended into the crowd, physically connecting with fans before being crowd-surfed back to the stage just in time for a primal, mosh-pit-inducing closer. It was more than just a set; it was an inspiring display of vitality and rock-and-roll spirit that proved Skunk Anansie remains a band at the top of their game and more relevant than ever.

Within Temptation: Sharon den Adel’s voice didn’t just sing; it soared with a symphonic majesty that felt celestial. I felt a lump in my throat as she performed with the Ukrainian flag painted on her arm, a powerful, tear-jerking display of solidarity. Their set was a grand emotional spectacle, blending new anthems with beloved classics in a way that felt both intimate and world-shaking.

Kittie: The Canadian heavy metal legends brought a ferocious, snarling energy that was impossible to ignore. It was my first time witnessing their power live, and their raw, unapologetic opening was the exact “sonic onslaught” my soul was craving.

Sylosis: Delivering a performance of “surgical precision,” the British titans hit us with a wall of sound so relentless it felt like a physical force. Watching Josh Middleton’s intricate guitar work was an absolute revelation that left me in total awe of their technical wizardry.

Battlesnake! Without a doubt, my favorite “Rattlesnake”, was a theatrical explosion of pure, unadulterated joy. Clad in robes and outlandish headpieces, they delivered a psychedelic hard rock trip that was as weird as it was wonderful. The frontman’s cheeky, Peralta-esque aura made their genre-bending madness the funniest and most dynamic surprise of the day.

Dizzy Mizz Lizzy: These Danish legends led a massive 35,000-strong chorus of pure, local devotion. Being part of that fervent crowd, hearing every single person sing their hearts out, was a beautiful, overwhelming welcome to my first day in “Hell”.

Day 2: The Heart of the Storm

Day two was a testament to the visceral energy that cements Copenhell’s status as the premier global destination for true rock devotees! It started off with a full throttle onslaught of top-notch musical mastery and didn’t let up for a moment! First up, was American heavy metalers, The Sword who ignited the day with a retro-infused power that felt like a timeless echo from the 70s. Their progressive stoner metal was solid, impressive, and felt like a foundational pillar of the festival’s sound.

Bullet for My Valentine were another highlight! The Welsh heroes proved why they are world-class. Performing their debut album, ‘The Poison’ in its entirety for its 20th anniversary was a nostalgic fever dream, and seeing them command that international stage with such authority was nothing short of incredible.

Gloryhammer were another brain-scrambling smile inducing moment of festival delight! They transformed the afternoon into a quest of epic proportions. Wielding giant hammers and battling goblins, they reminded us that metal can be gloriously fun, focusing on pure joy!

The Cult: Ian Astbury and Billy Duffy were in the finest form of their lives. Astbury simply oozes an effortless rockstar charisma that you can’t teach, and as Duffy peeled off the iconic riffs for which they are so loved, the crowd responded with a roar of pure adoration. It was musical history in the making right there!

The Prodigy: As mentioned above, thanks to my knight in shining armour with the shoulders of a giant who carried me around, this was a highlight set for me. The seismic beats turned the main stage into a literal inferno that had to be seen to be believed. It was a life-affirming experience to see tens of thousands of people bouncing in perfect unison to ‘Firestarter,’ a moving tribute to Keith Flint that felt like a spiritual awakening.

Eyes X Syl: One of the most explosive moments of Copenhell 2025 was the visceral band clash between local hardcore heavyweights EYES and SYL. Rather than traditional back-to-back sets, the two groups occupied the stage simultaneously for a collaborative performance billed as SYL x EYES.

The atmosphere was electric, transforming the stage into a chaotic, dual-fronted arena. The bands traded blows with brute force, weaving their discographies together into a seamless wall of sound. Victor Kaas (EYES) and Benjamin Clement (SYL) acted as twin engines of aggression, their vocal styles clashing and complementing one another over a barrage of dissonant riffs and d-beat rhythms.

This wasn’t just a gimmick; it was a masterclass in the power of the Danish underground. By blurring the lines between their respective sounds, they created a unique, “one-night-only” experience that captured the communal, DIY spirit of hardcore on a massive festival scale. For many, it stood out as the weekend’s most raw, uncompromising reminder that the local scene isn’t just surviving; it’s currently setting the standard for intensity.

Syracuse: Igniting the Gehenna stage with a primal fury, they sparked mosh pits that churned the chip-bark floor into dust.

Abbath: The Norwegian icon brought a dark, atmospheric beauty to the night. Beneath the corpse paint and moody lights, his set was a perfectly intense way to descend into the second night’s end. The setlist was a visceral journey, a set that felt like a gift to old-school purists. Operating under his “Return to the Raven Realms” banner, he bypassed his solo material entirely to deliver a relentless barrage of Immortal classics. From the opening chill of “Sons of Northern Darkness” to the epic sprawl of “Withstand the Fall of Time,” the set was a descent into the dark and foreboding. Watching him march through anthems like “Tyrants” and “The Call of the Wintermoon” under the Danish night sky was a highlight of the festival. While the makeup and “crab-walking” theatrics remained as iconic as ever, it was the raw darkness of tracks like “One by One” that proved Abbath remains the true custodian of the Blashyrkh legacy. It was the perfect, shadowy exclamation point to bring day two to a close.

Day 3: A Kaleidoscope of Chaos

The third day pushed the boundaries of my reality, offering a spectrum of sounds that you simply won’t find anywhere else on earth and this began with heavy metal powerhouse Soulfly! Max Cavalera delivered a tribal, world-infused aggression that hit like a tidal wave. Even if it wasn’t my usual listening fare, the sheer, raw presentation was absolutely staggering.

Dream Theater took it up a notch and some! Their virtuosity was mind-blowing. Watching these masters execute complex compositions with such clinical precision felt like watching a grand, musical clockwork come to life.

Kreator brought a hellish spectacle of fire and demon statues, creating the perfect illusion of a band performing straight from the depths of the underworld. The stage was quite literally on fire and the atmosphere hotter than the pits of hell! Outstanding!

Myrkur were the total counterbalance to Kreator’s hellfire! Vocalist Amalie Bruun was utterly mesmerising. Her ethereal, haunting presence drew us all into a dark folk sanctuary. Her voice was a ghostly pinnacle of atmospheric beauty that hypnotised the crowd as she drew them under her spell.

Trold: These Danish folk heroes delivered a pyrotechnic crowning achievement. The use of flame pots and Nordic storytelling made for a visual spectacle that was a definite highlight of the day!

Billy Idol: The icon himself reigned supreme! Alongside Steve Stevens, Idol delivered a powerhouse performance that proved he hasn’t lost an ounce of his punk-rock snarl. Watching Stevens peel off gravity-defying solos, at one point even playing with his teeth was an absolute clinic in stagecraft. He owned every inch of that stage, and for those ninety minutes, we were all living in his world. Idol’s stage set was visually stunning! A hall of TV screens forty feet high that projected images of Idol to the ecstatic crowd!

King Diamond: Closing the night, King Diamond delivered a Victorian horror masterpiece. Pristine, eerie, and gothic, his set featuring the doll Abigail was a rare, incredible treat that felt more like a haunting theatrical play than a concert.

Day 4: The Blazing Finale

One of the bands I’d been most excited to see was Skillet and so I arrived on the final day curious after hearing the hype, but I left as a slightly obsessed, lifelong fan!

Skillet’s on-stage dynamic is a force of nature. John and Korey Cooper share a magnetic synergy that is electric to witness. Watching Korey thrash while John commands the crowd is a spectacle, and Jen Ledger’s aggressive drumming and stunning vocal harmonies radiate a power that is truly breathtaking.

Powerwolf brought a theatrical werewolf spectacle that belonged in the headline slot. Attending a Powerwolf show is like joining a heavy metal mass; the “High Mass of Heavy Metal” was in full effect with an elaborate cathedral-like stage set and massive plumes of fire. Attila Dorn’s operatic vocals were flawless, and the band’s infectious energy turned the afternoon into a grand, cinematic celebration.

Heaven Shall Burn, showed us the true meaning of resilience when despite their regular frontman being out of action due to illness, they called in the big guns in the form of Hiraes frontwoman, Britta Görtz! Britta commanded the stage like she owned the place and blew the crowd away! Her performance was so powerful, so fierce, that she drove the show home in a way I will never forget.

Alien Ant Farm! These guys were pure, high-energy fun. Their cover of ‘Smooth Criminal’ had the entire festival site jumping, providing exactly what you want from a final-day performance.

The Sandmen! To close my journey, this local treasure provided a moodier finale. While the vocals offered a raw edge that wasn’t quite my personal preference, the musicianship was undeniable. Lead guitarist Stefan Moulvad was a revelation, delivering some of the most refined guitar work of the weekend.

Copenhell is more than a festival; it is a meticulously curated universe of passion and sound. I came as a curious visitor, but I left as a devoted believer. See you in the dust next year.

Copenhell 2026 – copenhell2025

Photos and review by Louise Phillips

All photos are owned by Louise Phillips Music Photography and cannot be scared without consent

Photos of Skunk Anansie

Photos of Billy Idol

Photos of Within Temptation

Photos of Dizzy Mizz Lizzy

Photos of Sylosis

Photos of Kittie

Photos of Battlesnake

Photos of Vulvatorious

Photos of The Sword

Photos of Bullet For My Valentine

Photos of The Cult

Photos of The Prodigy

Photos of Gloryhammer

Photos of EYES X SYL

Photos of Abbath

Photos of Syracuse

Photos of Soulfly

Photos of Dream Theatre

Photos of Kreator

Photos of Trold

Photos of Carcass

Photos of Myrkur

Photos of King Diamond

Photos of Dirty Honey