FORTRESS FESTIVAL first line-up reveal packed with UK-exclusive shows, including BLACKBRAID, PANOPTICON, FURIA, OBSIDIAN KINGDOM, FELLWARDEN and more

FORTRESS FESTIVAL first line-up reveal is packed with UK-exclusive shows, including BLACKBRAID, PANOPTICON, FURIA, OBSIDIAN KINGDOM, FELLWARDEN and more!

Festival set to take place on 1-2 June 2024 in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, aims to become the biggest black metal festival in the UK

Weekend early bird tickets on sale now at only £109!

The First of June. 2024… Under the watchful gaze of the carrion crows that beset the castle’s crumbling battlements…the hordes of darkness will stir. The mournful bells of the woebegone church will ring out upon the hillside: soon to be lost amid the ravenous battery of an ancient warlord. And from the ashes of the past, a new stronghold will arise… “Fortress…”

Scarborough, UK; 27.08.23: Fortress Festival will return in June 2024 following a successful sold-out first edition. Taking place across two stages at Scarbrough’s iconic Scarborough Spa, and with a capacity of 1,800, a devastating line-up comprising some of the world’s finest and most highly regarded black metal acts will unleash their carnage.

The first wave of confirmed bands includes a host of UK-exclusive shows, including Blackbraid with a debut and exclusive UK show following the recent release of the phenomenal ‘Blackbraid II’, Panopticon with a ‘Roads to the North’ anniversary full album set, Furia with an exclusive UK show promoting the yet-unreleased new album “Huta Luna”, Obsidian Kingdom with a ‘Mantiis’ full album set, Fellwarden with its worldwide live debut, Lamp of Murmuur with a UK exclusive performance and Falls of Rauros with their first ever UK show.

Joining this line-up of exclusive shows will be Danish atmospheric black metal band Sunken and UK black-death-doom act Abyssal.

Jon Krieger of Blackbraid said, “It’s official! Blackbraid will be coming to the UK next year, for the mighty Fortress Fest. I can’t express how excited I am to not only bring Blackbraid to the UK for the first time, but to be doing it at such a unique festival, surrounded by some of the best black metal artists in the world. This will be our only UK appearance next year so we wanted to do or best to make sure it was truly one to remember. A big thank you to Fortress Fest for making this one possible, see you next summer!”

Austin Lunn, the sole member of Panopticon, said, “‘Roads to the North’ was the sound of a young man, only 31 years old at the time reflecting on changes and growth in life, as the symphony of life plays on regardless of mistakes and broken strings. 2024 will be ten years since its release, and it feels like the right time to bring this album in its entirety to the stage for yet another time of reflection on the simultaneous, incredible beauty and horror of this time we  have on earth.”

Frank Allain of Fellwarden said, “Whilst Fellwarden was always conceived as a studio project first and foremost, I’ve always stated from the get-go that I wouldn’t rule out the prospect of performing live should the right opportunity arise. Fortress Festival 2024 is that opportunity. Nevertheless, Fellwarden will not be an entity that performs for the sake of it, that plays shows regularly as a ‘gigging band’. As a musical outlet steeped in narrative and atmosphere, it is imperative for us that anything we engage with aligns with this philosophy. So, as it currently stands, Fortress Festival 2024 is all that is in the calendar – and it may very well stay this way in perpetuity, who knows. It therefore promises to be a special performance and quite possibly the only opportunity to witness this material in the live environment.”

Obsidian Kingdom said, “We’re going to bring ‘Mantiis’ to the stage this one time. And Fortress Festival seems the perfect place to do it, since the members of its organisation are so very keen on the album, and the UK being one of the first countries which would ask us to perform it back in the day.  “Next 1st June we’ll be in North Yorkshire, going through those fourteen bites one after the other, and celebrating that there is some beauty – or at least some sense of humour – to be found in the most vile things on Earth. And we sure hope to see you there.”

Fortress organiser and Reaper Agency UK owner, Gary Stephenson, said, “The festival follows the immeasurable success of 2023’s Fortress, a sold-out event which has rightly taken its place within the glorious pantheon of UK black metal history. Fortress 2023 joins Reaper Agency’s impressive track record so far, which consists of nine sold-out UK festival shows in just three years of activity.

“Fortress 2024 is set to snatch that mantle and wield it a ruinous blow with bigger crowds, more merch stands, more ferocious bands and even greater infamy in its wake… all taking place upon the sun-scorched coastline of this historic North Yorkshire town.”

The first set of early bird weekend tickets for Fortress Festival are on sale now for £109 and can be purchased via https://reaperagencyuk.bigcartel.com/

Two more sets of early bird tickets are planned, rising in price each time.

FORTRESS FESTIVAL 2024

1-2 June 2024

Scarborough Spa

Scarborough, North Yorkshire, UK

Line-Up:

Blackbraid 2024 UK exclusive/debut

Panopticon ‘Roads to the North’ anniversary full album set 2024 UK exclusive

Furia 2024 UK exclusive

Obsidian Kingdom ‘Mantiis’ full album set 2024 UK exclusive

Fellwarden worldwide live debut, 2024 UK exclusive

Sunken

Lamp of Murmuur 2024 UK exclusive

Abyssal

Falls of Rauros 2024 UK exclusive/debut

MORE BANDS TBA

Tickets: https://reaperagencyuk.bigcartel.com/

Early bird weekend tickets: £109

Two more sets of early bird tickets are planned, rising in price each time.

Standard tickets and day tickets are to be released later.  Standard tickets will also be available via the Scarborough Spa Box Office.

Fortress Festival FB page: https://www.facebook.com/fortressopenairfestival

Fortress Festival Forum: https://www.facebook.com/groups/724096719323328

Fortress Festival FB event: https://www.facebook.com/events/598748152453198

Reaper Agency UK FB page: https://www.facebook.com/ReaperAgencyUK

Reaper Agency UK IG page: https://www.instagram.com/reaperagencyuk

To celebrate this stellar announcement TotalRock show The Collective, will have an extensive feature on the Festival and this first reveal line-up on Monday, 4th of September at 6 pm (UK time).  The show will repeat at 6 am (UK time) on Tuesday, 5th of September, and be available to listen to on-demand thereafter.