Fortress Festival 2025 – Day 1
Fortress Festival 2025 – Day 1
Scarborough Spa, North Yorkshire
Saturday 31st May 2025
Review by Oli Gonzalez
Photos courtesy of Necroshorns
That time of year has come again. Time for nearly 2000 Black Metal fans to make what’s becoming their annual pilgrimage not to the bustling cities of London or Manchester, but instead to the much quieter retreat that is the seaside town of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. The town’s public transport links make this a realistic option, whilst the unique setting offered here, away from the hustle and bustle of said cities, is an attractive prospect. Though the lineup itself was the reason many had travelled so far, from a reported 60 countries worldwide! Whilst the Sunday would be headlined by legendary act Agalloch in a heart-stopping return to the island, the Saturday would be stacked from top to bottom with many UK debuts and exclusive performances, including a headline performance by seminal act and outright genre legends 1349!
After a scenic walk through the town, observing what’s becoming an annual invasion of Extreme Metal fans here, we collected our passes then proceeded to take a spot in the inviting Sun Court with some drinks and hot dogs. The word unique will get tossed around a lot here, but seeing so many do the same whilst catching up with old friends and making new ones with the North Sea only a stone’s throw away is something not many other festivals can offer. Once our drinks had been consumed, it was time for a quick visit to the merch stands (spoiler; my bank account took a hammering) before making our way to the main stage for the opening act of the weekend…
Nemorous
Hushed, reverent silence descended as the austere organs rang throughout the main stage. Juxtaposed to the lively chatter and buzz only a few minutes earlier. Playing their debut album in full, it felt like a testament to the strength of the UK’s Black Metal scene. It’s also a huge vote of confidence from Reaper Agency to offer the band a main stage slot. Perhaps this was a huge ask at this stage, as they seemingly lacked belief in their ability. But they had plenty of talent! They offered a much more melodic and calming approach to Black Metal, though still fierce when needed to be. I found myself headbanging for sure for some of these heavier rhythmic passages! “I need to check these out on Spotify! I loved that last song” a friend of mine commented, hence a connection had been made! I’m sure many others had been impressed too from a band still early in their development, but showing plenty of promise.
https://www.facebook.com/NemorousUK
Perennial Isolation
“It’s much busier than last year” I heard from amongst the crowd as we made for the Ocean Room for the first of many times this weekend. A testament to the quality of the lineup this year and to the growing popularity of the festival. This made it tricky to find an optimal viewing spot, but at least we got in (unlike the unfortunate others who were subjected to the dreaded but necessary one-in, one-out policy). Hailing from the frosty city of Barcelona, Spain, Perennial Isolation released a scorcher of a record in “Portraits” and treated us to an exclusive playthrough this Saturday afternoon. Being the first band on may have led to some teething issues, including the guitarist who had to ride an early wave of technical difficulties, but rode it well. Though things did start to come together – the frosty chilly backing track, fierce lead and backing vocals, an insane drummer and blistering lead guitar – during ‘Silent Solstice’. Albert’s passion and enthusiasm was endearing, as he successfully won over many during this early set. Though, where was the band’s merch stand? Don’t you want my money? Whilst I may not have been able to acquire one of the band’s patches, I truly came away with another gem discovered at Fortress Festival. To hammer home this point, the principal guitar riff to ‘The Breathless Season Baner’ is ringing my head as I type this.
https://www.facebook.com/perennialofficial
Aquilus
One of many UK debuts over the weekend, the main stage was graced by the Australian atmospheric act. Central to their sound was a nightmare-inducing combination of piano and violin, like an excerpt from the soundtrack of a horror movie. All designed to raise the pulse and anxiety. Try to imagine a nightmarish offspring of Opeth and Ne Obliviscaris. If there was ever such a thing. As well as the crushing atmospheric wall of sound, each time the guitars, bass, and drums locked in unison. It’s a shame that the main stage seemed a little sparse. Perhaps some were taking a breather outside, having food, or enjoying the sun. Or if you were like me (and sounding rather hypocritical in the process), ducking out early in order to secure my spot in the limited capacity Theatre. Still, a trip to their merch stand was made later in the day, and my patch collection grew by one.
https://www.facebook.com/AquilusMusic
Darkher
This was different. This was new. One for the aging metalheads to get the weight off their feet and grab a pew in the fully seated Theatre. Whilst this had been used for interviews previously, this was the first time live music would take place here. Now, it was warm. Very warm as festival attendees were shuffling in. Yet still, once Darkher had taken to the stage, this perception of the heat seemingly disappeared. Instead, this was replaced by frosty chills that ran down my spine almost every time Jayn’s hauntingly beautiful voice filled the room. That may seem hyperbolic and coming completely out of nowhere, but genuinely, I was fixated for moments, and totally immersed! Genuinely, her voice is something else, and built for immersive environments like this! This was accompanied by the pounding cavernous beats of the drums that offered a rather minimalistic yet savagely primitive sound. This was an experience. My only gripe? I wish others had observed the no phones and/or talking requests from the promoters (and also, could this realistically be enforced better by the venue?). Though 40 minutes flew by quicker than 40 minutes should. I felt so privileged that I managed to witness this, as sadl,y others, including some friends, had been unable to do the smaller 500 room capacity.
https://www.facebook.com/DARKHERMUSIC
Whilst Spirit Possession took to the main stage, it was time for a break and sustenance in the form of hot food and beverages. I met with friends who had witnessed the reported carnage that Devastator had caused in the Ocean Room. I knew there was going to be clashes this weekend, the first major one for me being Suldusk Vs Osi And The Jupiter. Seeing as the former were travelling from Australia for the very first time to the UK (and perhaps not for a long time again after), this weighed heavily in my decision to take up refuge in the Ocean Room and not the Theatre this time round.
Suldusk
Perhaps being overly cautious and being amongst the first in the room, this was rewarded with a prime spot at the barrier for the UK debut of Suldusk. The brainchild of Emily Highfield, there was a much smoother and almost relaxing Folk take on Black Metal. Perhaps best illustrated by the use of an electric violin and finger-picked clean guitar passages during the ambient sections. The voice of Emily herself was calming and gentle during said sections. Though like a siren, don’t get too comfortable or you’ll soon be smashed by the most demonic of shrieks conjured up from deep within her! How she came up with such complex and detailed compositions is truly impressive, and worth checking out (‘Solus Ipse’ or ‘Anthesis’ especially). They debuted a new song for us lucky buggers whilst speaking of their sincere gratitude for being on the same lineup as the mighty Agalloch. Let me extend my gratitude for making the journey from the other side of the planet to share your musical gift with us!
https://www.facebook.com/Suldusk
The Great Old Ones
Well, this was a bit special! One of my must-sees of the weekend, having had my senses obliterated by them at Samhain Antwerp almost exactly 2 months previously. They had originally been scheduled to headline the Ocean Room but essentially swapped places with Akhlys due to the latter’s travel issues. Though I felt The Great Old Ones deserved that level of respect and to be placed on the main stage. I also felt more needed to see this stunningly Atmospheric French Black Metal act. The band’s three-pronged guitar attack ran the risk of becoming atmospheric gloop on stage. Yet we were treated to a blistering wall of sound each time all three locked in in unholy unison, alongside the pushing rhythm section and demonic lead vocals. Genuinely, I cannot fault the sound one bit! “Kadath” was released this year, and many of the album’s songs were featured in this set. Check it out. You won’t regret it.
https://www.facebook.com/thegreatoldones
Selbst
Whilst Sylvainne had been on my list, many others had beaten us to it, and this meant a trip to The Ocean instead for Selbst. I regret that this makes them seem like an inferior second choice; they were anything but inferior! Conjured up from the deepest darkest depths of South America, the duo, going by the monikers of ‘Frozen’ and ‘N’, unleashed their devilishly delightful blend of Black Metal. Label it under Post, Progressive, Atmospheric, whatever, this was absolutely solid! Tighter than a mechanic’s wrench, the crushing rhythms felt like a horse galloping and trampling on my rib cage whilst the soaring lead guitars offered a tasty melodic undertone! Whilst the brooding atmospheric passages dripping with primitive rage were a key component to the band’s sound, there were still sufficient slower passages that were necessary to allow breathing space and for an organic build towards these crescendos. One of many new discoveries for the day, and another solid booking by Reaper Agency.
https://www.facebook.com/selbstbm
RUIM
Sometimes I think I’m an expert in Black Metal. I wasn’t familiar with Ruim prior to their announcement and had raised an eyebrow and wondered how they had earned such a prestigious main support slot on the main stage. A few songs in, and I realised how wrong I was! See, RUIM is the product of Rune ‘Blasphemer’ Eriksen from acclaimed acts Mayhem, Aura Noir, and others. He’s clearly learned some valuable lessons and tricks over the years and seemingly put all this into action tonight. They looked immense and every bit a main stage band! With an aesthetic that screamed of Traditional Black Metal yet utilising the finest modern production techniques and progressive compositions in what was an overall utterly complex textured sound. A special guest cameo from 1349 vocalist Ravn was a welcome surprise, too.
“When are they coming back to the UK?” I thought at the end of their set, which sums up the impact they had on me.
https://www.facebook.com/BlackRoyalSpiritism
Now I knew Akhlys were going to be popular. But I’m not sure many would have predicted the immense queues with literally hundreds waiting to gain entry after the first note of their set had rang out. I was in need of a break, both physically and mentally, hence my decision to camp at the barrier in time for the headline act of the evening.
1349
1349. The year the plague first made its way to Norway…
2025. The year that the Norwegian seminal Black Metal act headlined the Saturday of Fortress Festival. Right at the barrier, we were greeted with a swarm of fire breathers, almost like an occult summoning for the band. Once they had made it to the stage and ripped through 2 songs or so, it was pretty clear that they only knew one speed: Full blunt force KVLT intense! After all, they’ve had 3 decades or so to hone their craft. Though the smoke that was as dense as treacle on stage made it tricky to see the action (good luck photographers), the band’s intensity was felt by the crowd for sure. We witnessed the pits to hell open, with easily the biggest pits at the main stage for the entirety of Fortress Festival. This momentum was slowed down only by an issue with the drums. Perhaps those few minutes of rest were needed for those pit warriors, and order was resumed. There’s no doubt about it, 1349 put on an absolute clinic and served as a major statement booking by Reaper Agency.
https://www.facebook.com/1349official
Some joined the official party at Bacchus, others headed to the arcades and amusements, whilst more decided that was enough for the day and headed home. We headed into town for a quiet drink and to compare our experiences of the day whilst also being quizzed by the locals about ‘that Heavy Rock festival’! This speaks to the impact that the festival is having in the area, as well as the likely injection of cash into the local economy as a result. Retreating to our hotel at a rather sensible 1am seemed like a smart move and ensured we’d get some semblance of rest before doing it all again tomorrow.
Photos used with permission from Necroshorns – follow and like here
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Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of Oli Gonzalez and Ever Metal. Photography courtesy of Necroshorns. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
