Are you thinking about visiting one of the many Swedish metal festivals? Not sure which one to hit, and why? Here’s my guide to Swedish metal festivals, including some history and personal experiences. Also, don’t miss my metal guides to Stockholm if you’re planning to visit there.
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- Stefan Nordström
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- Stockholm, Sweden
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Popular Swedish metal festivals
Sweden is a metal-heavy country with many festivals and concerts, especially in Stockholm and Gothenburg. There are also plenty of festival options, both indoors and outdoors. Personally, I am a fan of doing the open air thing with camping, but I know that’s not for everyone.
Some examples of popular Swedish metal festivals:
- Sweden Rock Festival (long-running open air festival in Norje, Blekinge)
- House of Metal (indoor festival in Umeå, Västerbotten)
- Muskelrock (open air festival in Alvesta, Småland)
- Bulgasal Metal Fest (open air festival in Västerås, Västmanland)
- The Abyss Festival (indoor festival in Gothenburg)
- Time to Rock Festival (open air festival in Knislinge, Skåne)
- Summoning of Darkness Festival (indoor festival in Stockholm, Sweden)
Metal cruise ships from Stockholm to Helsinki, Turku or Tallinn can also be a cool option. These seem to be coming back after a downturn around Covid, and it’s a very cool option. Keep your eyes open for those!
Disclaimer/R.I.P.
Staying up to date with Swedish metal festivals popping up and shutting down is not easy. So I’m sorry if anything is not completelt up to date, or if anything is missing. Also, if you’re using Terminat.. ehm, ChatGPT, some inactive festivals like Metaltown, Sabaton Open Air, Gates of Metal and so on may show up as suggestions. That’s why local advice usually works much better. R.I.P. to those festivals, and let’s see if they resurface in some shape or form.
My Swedish metal festival experiences
These days, I prefer going to festivals in other parts of Europe, but I’ve done my fair share of attending in Sweden as well:
- Gates of Metal 2003
- Sweden Rock 2004
- Sweden Rock 2005
- Getaway Rock Festival 2012
- Getaway Rock Festival 2013
- Sabaton Open Air 2014
- Sabaton Open Air 2015
- ProstatAttack 2016
- Summoning of Darkness 2025
Why should you attend a Swedish metal festival? Why shouldn’t you?
Why?
For many metalheads, attending a festival in an unfamiliar country is about as cool as it gets. And Sweden being one of the Mecca’s of metal sure adds to it. Swedish metal festivals tend to have pretty good lineups, especially if you’re coming from a place that doesn’t offer much in terms of live music.
You’ll also have a chance to immerse yourself with Swedish metalheads, hopefully sharing a beer or five with some of them. I’ve popped up randomly at metal festivals in Italy, Germany, Romania and so on, and it’s always been a huge win! So don’t hesitate to go solo.
Why not?
Now, on a more personal level, it’s time to yell at clouds and be a grumpy fuck. Sweden is expensive, controlled, and the people are not the most interesting (in my opinion). Swedish metal festivals generally do not offer the type of vibe or excitement that I’m looking for in a fest.
I know this doesn’t impact the average metal tourist that much, but it’s still good to be aware of these things. My experience is that foreign visitors tend to enjoy them anyway, and maybe it’s just a symptom of how much of a spoiled old festival Gandalf I am. But.. anyway! This is an honest guide and not a toxic positivity guide, so there you go.
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