2026 Line Up
Old Man’s Child
After many years in hibernation, we welcome the long-awaited return of OLD MAN'S CHILD. The legendary Norwegian black metal band will headline Fortress 2026 with an exclusive UK booking.
Gallowbraid
The impossible is finally going to happen; Multi-instrumentalist Jake Rogers' GALLOWBRAID project will perform live for the very first time and close the Sunday Grand Hall main stage at Fortress Festival next year.
Released back in 2010, Ashes Eidolon stands today as one of the most important atmospheric black metal releases of the modern era. We will witness this in full, and more, at Fortress 2026.
Jake Rogers (Caladan Brood, Gallowbraid, Visigoth) said: "I truly didn’t think this would ever happen, but here we are. Sixteen years after the release of the Ashen Eidolon EP, Gallowbraid will be making its very first live appearance of any kind at the esteemed Fortress Fest in Scarborough, North Yorkshire next year. This project was never intended to be presented in a live setting, but I’m already working with a group of incredible musicians to make this a reality. We’re looking forward to cracking open these old songs and experiencing them live for the first time ever with you!"
Misþyrming
The punishing and wrathful, yet melodic beast of MISÞYRMING return to Fortress Festival after their devastating performance headlining the Ocean Room back in 2024. By their hammer let none be saved – Misþyrming return to lay down the law in our Grand Hall main stage in 2026. Authentic and genuine, and entirely devoid of gimmicks, the band is a celebration of violence and excess within the black metal scene.
Mortiis
Fronted by Norway's Håvard Ellefsen, and heralded as one of the pioneers of the dungeon synth genre, MORTIIS will perform at Fortress 2026 and close out the day in our theatre stage; A new dark escape at Fortress Festival, offering otherworldly sounds to the faithful.
Old Sorcery
OLD SORCERY- an ancient and mystical soundscape for any wandering wizard to journey across realms unknown to - will finally perform live for the first time at Fortress Festival 2026.
Gary Stephenson of Fortress Festival, revealed plans for the festival's third stage, stating: "As with previous years, our third theatre stage is something we would like to continue to experiment with, so I am very excited to announce that next year one of the days will play host to a dungeon synth line-up featuring some of the leading acts within the genre."
Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult
Led by the formidable and terrifying presence of frontwoman Onielar, DARKENED NOCTURN SLAUGHTERCULT will headline the Ocean Room stage on Sunday at Fortress Festival 2026.
This Gift Is A Curse
Ascending from the shadowed depths of Stockholm, THIS GIFT IS A CURSE is a force forged in the crucible of black metal and sludge-laden doom, dragging listeners into an abyss where light dares not tread. The band perform in the UK for the first time with an exclusive show at Fortress Festival 2026.
Groza
The German black metal band GROZA will perform an exclusive show at Fortress Festival next year.
Groza said: "After 3 long years, we are finally bringing the storm back to the UK. After a triumphant debut in London in 2023, we will now be playing an exclusive show at Fortress 2026, Scarborough, England. This will be our only performance in the UK for the whole year, do not miss out on this. Onwards!"
Midnight Odyssey
Australian cosmic black metal band MIDNIGHT ODYSSEY will perform a rare live show at Fortress Festival 2026.
Aeon Winds
AEON WINDS will perform in the UK for the first time at Fortress Festival with an exclusive show including music from their EP split with MIDNIGHT ODYSSEY.
Aeon Winds said: "A few years ago, we had the honour of sharing the stage with our friends from Midnight Odyssey. Given the vast distance between us, it felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. That’s why it feels all the more special that Fortress Festival has managed to reunite what once seemed impossible. Together, we will once again revive the spirit of Aeon Odyssey."
Mesarthim
Australian cosmic black metal band MESARTHIM will perform a rare live show at Fortress Festival 2026.
Antrisch
A musical & lyrical expedition to the heights of the world and the depths of man. The German black metal band ANTRISCH will perform a UK debut and exclusive show at Fortress Festival next year.
Dødheimsgard
Longstanding Norwegian avant-garde pioneers DØDHEIMSGARD will perform their masterpiece album 'Black Medium Current' in its entirety in the Grand Hall at Fortress 2026; An expansive 70 minute venture through the fettered layers of the bleak existential cosmos.
Abigail Williams
After the recently released new album 'A Void Within Existence', American atmospheric black metal band ABIGAIL WILLIAMS will return to the UK for the first time in eight years for a UK exclusive - and potentially final ever UK - performance at Fortress Festival.
Ken Sorceron said: “This will be our first time back in the UK in eight years. There’s no clear plan beyond this, no guarantee we’ll return anytime soon-if ever. So we’re approaching Fortress as something final in a way. One night. Everything we’ve carried. Let the weight of it speak.”
Akercocke
AKERCOCKE will perform their legendary 2003 record Choronzon, in full, on the main stage at Fortress 2026.
Whoredom Rife
Norwegian black metal tyrants WHOREDOM RIFE will headline the Ocean Room on Saturday at Fortress 2026.
Whoredom Rife will bring the coveted sound of Norway’s Nidrosian Black Metal scene to Fortress Festival as an exclusive show for the UK. Known for their authentic, powerful and uncompromising sound, Whoredom Rife channels the bleak, majestic spirit of Nordic devilry into their performances. Their latest album, "Den Vrede Makt" is a testament to their relentless power and dedication to the genre.
Totenwache
Please welcome the German trio TOTENWACHE to Fortress Festival. This will be the bands first and only planned show in the UK.
A Forest Of Stars
120 years before our age, there is a Gentlemen's Club of A FOREST OF STARS, an exclusive brotherhood of Victorian Englishmen who consider themselves representatives of their era, an era as glorious and splendid as it is decadent. This collective finds its musical expression in hypnotic and ghostly Black Metal, expertly streaked with elements of Ambient and Psychedelic.
With great pleasure, we welcome the long awaited return of A Forest of Stars. The band will perform something special for us in the Grand Hall next year. We will announce what this will be in the future.
"Greetings! We are so proud to be playing Fortress Festival. After being sequestered away for some time on charges of gross incompetence (upheld), we are pleased as punch to be returning to the live stage to make a mad shambling fool of our collective selves. It is especially appropriate that we should re-emerge during Fortress 2026, considering the debts we owe for having to shamefully cancel our performance previous, and we hope to take this opportunity to either a) make some vague amends or b) remind of you of why we shouldn’t be let out on our own at any cost whatsoever."
Ossaert
"Fortress Festival! After three years of sorrow and repentance, behold, for my return will come. I foresaw not that I should once again deliver mine own flesh unto the scourge of affliction; yet, there is no rest for the wicked..
It’s an honour to be presenting these blasphemous rites in the presence of fellow artists and sinners who have for many years broken the boundaries of black metal and walked proudly the path of rebellion for these dark arts. I’ll cherish this with pride, and we rejoice I'll partake, and add my voice, cries and hatred to this legacy in the form of a second sacrament. Behold! This shall be the sole offering of Ossaert in the year of 2026.
May our chants of blasphemy and our rites of sacrilege ascend as incense unto the multitude, and sound forth mightily in the courts of Scarborough."
“..For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”
-Revelation 6:17"
Darkenhöld
Caverns, citadels and castles composing a score of phantasmagoria, forests haunted by the blows of ancient times, mythical creatures, legends born of stone and mystery. The music of Darkenhöld draws its inspiration from the source of original times of epic and oneiric Black Metal.
Please welcome DARKENHÖLD to Fortress 2026 and to the UK for the very first time.
Atlantean Sword
Please welcome ATLANTEAN SWORD to Fortress Festival. The mysterious UK artist will bring some medieval and high fantasy adventure to our new dungeon synth stage in 2026.
Vespéral
Please welcome Vespéral to Fortress Festival. Not only will this be a UK debut by the mysterious Québec based band, but they will also perform a worldwide exclusive of their recently released and excellent album, La Mort De L'âme.
Gate Master
Known for weaving cryptic atmospheres and raw intensity, please welcome GATE MASTER to Fortress Festival.
Black Cilice
A claustrophobic ambience and suffocating riffs will wash over the Ocean Room on Saturday as Portuguese raw black metal act, Black Cilice make their Fortress debut. This will be the only show in the UK for the band.
Vinterland
Along with bands like Dissection, Sacramentum and others, Vinterland laid the foundation for the melodic black metal sound that came to inspire and influence both contemporary and subsequent bands.
At Fortress Festival 2026 they will be celebrating 30 years of their legendary album, 'Welcome My Last Chapter' and are once again ready to bring you back to an era where it all began. They will perform the album in full on the Grand Hall main stage on Sunday. This will be Vinterland's first ever show in the UK.
Emyn Muil
We are honoured to welcome Italian Epic/Atmospheric Black Metal solo-project Emyn Muil to Fortress Festival.
"Fortress 2026 will reveal a different incarnation of Emyn Muil. This time, the veil lifts in a more intimate form; three performers, one vision. We return to the UK with a set rooted in instrumental dungeon synth and deep cuts from the discography, alongside a few essential classics. Expect a more immersive, introspective performance. A different journey, same spirit.”
“Tolkien is not just an author; he’s an entire world to get lost in – and every Emyn Muil album is, in a way, an attempt to give back some of that wonder in sound form.”
Fluisteraars
We are honoured to welcome to the return of Fluisteraars to Fortress Festival after their genuine and mind-bending performance inside the Ocean Room back in 2024. Next year the band will take their rightful place inside the Grand Hall with an extended and exclusive 60 minute performance.
"The mysticism woven into their region whispers of a past that defies the reality we think we know. Fluisteraars amplifies these faint echoes, pulling apart the veil of local folklore to expose hidden truths. Their music, both profound and experimental, is a journey where they push the limits of human perception to ascend into spiritual fortresses and forgotten landscapes."