Fortress Festival 2025 Sells Out for Third Consecutive Year, Cementing Status as UK’s Premier Black Metal Event in Scarborough

Scarborough, North Yorkshire – Fortress Festival 2025, widely recognised as the United Kingdom’s largest dedicated black metal event, has officially announced a complete sell-out of all tickets. Set to take place on 31 May and 1 June 2025, the festival will return to its established home at the historic Scarborough Spa.

This milestone marks the third consecutive year that Fortress Festival has reached full capacity well in advance of the event dates, a clear indicator of its growing prominence and dedicated following within the international extreme music scene.

Headline Act and Exclusive Performances

The highly anticipated 2025 iteration is headlined by the acclaimed American band Agalloch. Their appearance at Fortress Festival will be a European Exclusive performance for 2025, signifying their first return to the UK stage since their reformation and their initial UK performance in 2015. The inclusion of Agalloch underscores the festival’s commitment to securing rare and significant bookings.

The lineup is further distinguished by a substantial number of UK exclusive performances, offering attendees unique opportunities to witness bands rarely seen on British soil. These exclusive UK appearances for 2025 include French atmospheric black metal pioneers The Great Old Ones, American experimental black metal duo Spirit Possession, US atmospheric black metal act Akhlys, Australian dark folk/metal artist Suldusk, and the Australian melancholic metal ensemble Aquilus.

Adding to the rarity of the programme, the festival will host UK debuts and exclusive sets from French black metal band Belore and Chilean depressive black metal project Selbst.

Swedish blackened crust act Dödsrit will also make their UK debut at Fortress Festival 2025, presenting their powerful blend of genres to a British audience for the first time.

Further cementing the lineup’s unique character are several exclusive full album performances. Swedish post-black metal band Grift will perform their acclaimed album “Syner” in its entirety as a UK exclusive. Perennial Isolation, the Spanish atmospheric black metal group, will not only make their UK debut but also present their album “Portraits” in full, an exclusive performance for the UK. British black metal band Abduction is scheduled to play an exclusive full album set of their release “Existentialismus”, providing fans with a comprehensive live rendition of the work.

A Focus on Atmospheric Sounds

For 2025, Fortress Festival is introducing a new third stage, specifically curated to provide an “atmospheric escape” for attendees. This stage aims to showcase artists exploring the more expansive and ethereal realms of dark and extreme music. The initial lineup announced for this new stage features Danish atmospheric doom artist Darkher, Norwegian multi-instrumentalist Sylvaine, and American dark folk/ambient project Osi And The Jupiter. This addition broadens the festival’s sonic landscape and caters to diverse tastes within the scene.

Industry Programme: Fortress Forum

Beyond the live musical performances, Fortress Festival incorporates the Fortress Forum, an industry-focused programme designed for networking and discussion within the music community. While the festival’s main event is sold out, details regarding the speakers and schedule for the Fortress Forum are yet to be announced. This component highlights the festival’s role not just as a performance venue but also as a hub for industry engagement.

Organiser’s Perspective

Commenting on the rapid sell-out and the calibre of the artists secured for 2025, Gary Stephenson, Founder and Director of Fortress Festival, expressed his enthusiasm. “We are absolutely thrilled with the response from the fans and the speed at which tickets have sold out,” Stephenson stated. “It’s a true testament to the strength of the lineup we’ve assembled and the reputation Fortress Festival has built over the years. We believe this will be our strongest edition yet, bringing an unparalleled collection of artists, many in exclusive UK or European appearances, to the iconic setting of Scarborough Spa. We look forward to welcoming everyone for what promises to be a memorable weekend of extreme music.”

The swift sell-out underscores the significant demand for Fortress Festival and solidifies its position as a flagship event for black and extreme metal music enthusiasts across the UK and Europe. With its blend of iconic headliners, rare exclusive performances, and a commitment to showcasing the breadth of the genre, the 2025 edition is poised to be a landmark event.