Metaldays 2018 bands to see

Metaldays 2018 in Tolmin, Slovenia is approaching and I just printed my festival and transportation tickets. Don’t miss my Metaldays guide to practical stuff like beer prices, Tolmin town and other festival things below. Here, we will focus on the bands. 2018 is my third, and weakest, Metaldays Iine-up. There are still plenty of bands to be excited about!

Keep reading for a complete guide to the Metaldays 2018 bands. I’m arriving at the festival on Sunday; hence no bands from Saturday or Sunday in the article. Don’t trust the times from the article since they are taken from the current Metaldays homepage. They have a tendency to the change. And if they don’t change, they will when the Slovenian storm arrives.


The quick version – five mandatory Metaldays 2018 bands:

  • Harakiri for the Sky (26 July, 15:35-16:10)
  • Obituary (26 July, 19:10-20:00)
  • Judas Priest (26 July, 23:00-00:30)
  • Cannibal Corpse (27 July, 20:30-21:30)
  • Primordial (27 July, 00:30-01:40)

Monday 23 July

Dust Bolt (14:50-15:20)

Starting Metaldays 2018 off with some crossover thrash metal seems reasonable. Dust Bolt has some solid aggression and should deliver a set fitting for those afternoon festival beers in the sun.

Pillorian (15:35-16:10)

I’m far from a black metal fan, but the Agalloch-related project Pillorian’s full-length debut “Obsidian Arc” really caught my attention. I will do my best to see the Pillorian set, and so should you.

Ingested (18:25-19:05)

Far from the best band in the slam/brutal death metal style, but this music tends to work in a festival. If I don’t get stuck at the camping party, I’ll be at the Ingested gig.

Hate or Leprous (19:25-20:10 or 19:20-20:10)

Really shitty band crash for me. Leprous gig at Rockstadt Extreme Fest 2017 in Romania was one of the festival highlights for me. Hate was equally good when I saw them an eternity ago in Germany. It will be up to my current mood, but I suspect I will go for Polish death metal and Hate this time around.

Tuesday 24 July

Shade Empire (15:35-16:10)

I really love the Shade Empire-related project Thence. Shade Empire themselves is a fairly solid Finnish melodic death metal band with symphonic tendencies that could get another day at Metaldays 2018 going.

Pallbearer (18:25-19:05)

Way too sad for a festival in the glorious Slovenian alps. Also way too good to miss out on. Sad, melodic doom metal with gorgeous lead guitars.

Rotten Sound (20:35-21:25)

Grindcore belongs at every metal festival and Metaldays 2018 has Rotten Sound. The closest you can get to seeing Nasum.

Wednesday 25 July

Supreme Carnage (time unknown)

Catchy old school death metal with no bullshit has a firm place in my heart. Supreme Carnage does exactly this. Odds are low that I will head to the New Forces Stage to see their Metaldays 2018 performance!

1000mods (15:40-16:10)

The variation of styles on Metaldays 2018 is solid and 1000mods is good proof. Nice to get down with some stoner riffs after (hopefully) listening to both doom metal and grindcore the day before.

Gruesome (18:25-19:10)

I admit that while I’m not very impressed by their studio releases, Gruesome’s shameless Death tribute goes down extremely well live.

Thursday 26 July

Harakiri for the Sky (15:35-16:10)

This blackgaze band went from decent to awesome for me just in time for Metaldays 2018. Delivers both sorrow and intensity. Looking forward to see what they can bring in a live environment.

Obituary (19:10-20:00)

The Metaldays 2018 highlight! I’ve seen Obituary many times and they always deliver grooves and oldschool energy that gets the crowd going. Mandatory!

Birdflesh (20:35-21:25)

Ridicilusness has its place on a metal festival, and the best bet at Metaldays 2018 is Birdflesh. Swedish oldschool grindcore.

Shining (21:50-22:50)

I’ve warmed up to Shining over the years and I will probably take this opportunity to see them live.

Judas Priest (23:00-00:30)

Living legends are fun, and Judas Priest also just released their best album since “Painkiller”.


Friday 27 July

Turbowarrior of Steel (13:20-13:50)

Weird place in the schedule to put this feelgood thrash metal band (they were one of the first bands on New Forces last year), but if I’m not completely dead I will probably check them out again. A good party.

Demonical (17:25-18:05)

Meat and potatoes Swedish death metal, now with Alexander Högbom instead of Sverker Widgren on vocals. I liked the new album and chances are high I will come to witness some Boss HM-2 action.

Goatwhore or Municipal Waste (19:25-20:10 or 19:20-20:10)

Damn band crashes! This is a hard choice between two party bands. I will probably go for Goatwhore at Metaldays 2018, since I’ve previously seen Municipal Waste. Might try a brave stage switch if Goatwhore opens with killer “Alchemy of the Black Sun Cult” and then fades in intensity.

Cannibal Corpse (20:30-21:30)

Cannibal Corpse on the night of the last festival day will be rough, I still remember being almost paralyzed at the excellent Death Angel gig at Metaldays 2017. I hope I will be in shape to enjoy it and even do some headbanging.

Primordial (00:30-01:40)

Primordial will be an epic Metaldays 2018 finale. It’s going to be hard to stay awake, but it should be worth it.


About Metaldays 2018

Metaldays 2018 officially starts on Sunday 22 July, but there are bands on the New Forces stage from Saturday 21 July. If you don’t have tickets, get them here. It’s one of the best metal festivals in Europe, if not the best. Check my Metaldays guide for 2018 for practical tips based on my Metaldays 2017 experiences.

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