Bands 2025

Fabio Lione’s Dawn Of Victory (ITA)

power-metal

This year we welcome a legend in the power metal scene! Fabio Lione’s voice is the sound of power-metal! As the former frontman of the legendary Rhapsody, Fabio Lione’s contribution to power-metal cannot be understated. With Dawn Of Victory Fabio takes the stage with a special old school Rhapsody-set, which will surely delight all fans of this legendary band. Surrounded by his former bandmembers Alex Holzwarth, Patrice Guers and Dominique Leurquin.

‘Dawn of Victory’ is also the third studio-album by the Italian symphonic power metal band Rhapsody, released in 2000. Like the previous albums, it centers on the story of Algalord and The Emerald Sword Saga. It was produced and engineered by Sascha Paeth and Miro. It is also the first album to feature drummer Alex Holzwarth. In 2019, Metal Hammer ranked it as the second best power-metal album of all time!

We are pleased to have Fabio Lione’s Dawn Of Victory headlining Brainstorm Festival 2025! On top of that this will be their only NL-show this year! Does this feels like a once in your lifetime chance to step into the history of Rhapsody? Then you are right! Make sure you don’t miss this special concert. Let’s give Fabio Lione a warm welcome at this years’ Brainstorm Festival!

Iron Savior (DE)

power-metal

Germany has a patent on high-quality power metal. Iron Savior plays an important role in that long tradition. The band around singer/guitarist Piet Sielck kicked off in 1996, at that time with Kai Hansen (Helloween/Gamma Ray) and Thomen Stauch (ex-Blind Guardian) in the line-up. The band quickly made a name for itself, and even after Hansen and Stauch left the band, Iron Savior managed to make itself heard.

The band attracted attention again in 2023, with the strong album 'Firestar'. The hit-sensitive power metal ended up in the charts in both Germany and Switzerland. The band toured Europe again, but this year focuses on playing a select number of festivals. Brainstorm Festival fits nicely into that list.

Iron Savior will provide an unforgettable show. The experienced members know better than anyone how a power metal show should sound like. So count on fast guitar parts, smooth drums and lots of high sing-alongs. It makes Iron Savior the perfect ending to the first day of the festival.

InnerWish (GR)

melodic metal

Athens, 1995. That city, that year, marks the start of InnerWish. Now, thirty years later, the band is still alive and kicking. And how? Their new album ‘Ash Of Eternal Flame’ (released by Reigning Phoenix Music!) is among the best work the Greeks have delivered, and leading Dutch magazine Aardschok rewarded the album with 95/100 points. Plus two pages of interview. Then you are doing something right as a band.

It is not the first time that InnerWish is playing Brainstorm Festival, although we have to dig deep into its history to encounter it last time. That was in 2010. At that time the band mainly played power metal, but in the years that followed InnerWish embraced a broader spectrum of influences. The self-titled album from 2016 opened the door for progressive metal and melodic metal, and the new album brings together all those styles, although the progressive influences have faded into the background.

Whatever InnerWish plays, it doesn't really matter. This is such an experienced band, who knows how to write good songs and how to bring them to the stage with conviction: you simply don't want to miss it. We are therefore very happy that InnerWish is returning and are sure that the Greeks will write history with this show!

The Awakening (SA)

gothic-rock

We've got something very special here! The South African gothic-rock band The Awakening is coming to Brainstorm Festival. On Friday the band plays on the mainstage, a day later they will be in our theater. Anyone who saw the show of Ashton Nyte – the singer of The Awakening – last edition knows that these promise to be two sublime concerts.

The Awakening was founded in Johannesburg in 1995 and quickly made a career at home and abroad. Ashton Nyte and co were the first alternative band to headline major mainstream festivals in South Africa. The Awakening thus became one of the most important export products of the South African alternative scene. To give their career a further push, the band decided to move to the United States in 2009.

The Awakening’s latest album was released last year, and once again the band has hit the mark. For example, the video for the first single ‘Mirror Midnight’ has already been viewed more than a million times on YouTube. If you want to see the band at work in the Netherlands, you are very welcome at Brainstorm Festival. This is the only place where The Awakening will play in our country. The fans will know enough then. This is a ‘must see’!

Iotunn (DK)

progressive metal

Few people will not have included Iotunn’s new album ‘Kinship’ in their 2024 annual list. You always hear that the second album can make or break a band; Iotunn does not seem to have suffered from that struggle. ‘Kinship’ (Metal Blade Records) left a crushing impression, and it is not surprising that doors are wide open for the band worldwide – including a show at Wacken Open Air.

Shortly after the founding of Iotunn, we already had our eye on the band, which resulted in a show at Brainstorm Festival in 2022. The Danes – with singer Jón Aldará from Hamferd behind the microphone – were one of the highlights that year, and both the band and the festival were keen on a new collaboration. With ‘Kinship’ there is sufficient reason to bring Iotunn back to repeat that overwhelming show from 2022.

The band is difficult to categorize. It’s melodic, it’s aggressive, it’s subdued, it’s progressive: Iotunn has turned all those influences into a beautiful sound. Anyone who has already listened to ‘Kinship’ knows: this concert is going to be a blast!

Heretoir (DE)

melodic post-blackmetal

For many visitors, the name Heretoir will not ring a bell. How different that will be after their show at the upcoming Brainstorm Festival. The German band plays melodic post-black metal. To give you an idea: relaxing songs with beautiful clean vocals that lead to hard parts – sometimes with blast beats – and vocal outbursts.

The fact that the band appeals to a wide audience is evident from the fact that Heretoir toured Europe as support for Killswitch Engage. At the same time, they appear at black metal festivals, but they also perform at completely different events. So Brainstorm Festival fits in perfectly.

This year, the band will release a new album. We predict that Heretoir could well be the surprise of this years Brainstorm Festival. After all, the band has everything it takes to blow the audience away, and live they manage to capture the attention of both the lover of melodic metal and the fan of hard metal. One thing is for sure: Heretoir is going to be a band to remember!

Within Silence (SK)

melodic-metal

Within Silence is a band that is not in a hurry. The band was founded in 2008, but adopted the name Within Silence later. And then the ball started rolling. The debut album ‘Gallery Of Life’ from 2015 made an impression, and with the subsequent ‘Return From The Shadows’ from 2017 the band definitively established its name in the melodic metalscene. However, then it became quiet...

Sure, there were concerts every now and then, plus tours supporting Theocracy and Sleeping Romance respectively. But fans had to wait patiently for new songs. At the end of 2024 the time had finally come: ‘The Eclipse Of Worlds’ was released, again via the Swedish quality label Ulterium Records, which also released the previous albums.

Within Silence sounds reborn on this new album. The album has been internationally praised and is without a doubt the best work the Slovaks have delivered so far. The question remains how the band will perform live. But actually we do know that. After all, Within Silence consists of talented musicians and singer Martin Klein has a particularly pleasant voice to listen to. Reason enough for us to bring the band back to Brainstorm Festival!

Symphonity (CZ)

symphonic power-metal

or the first time in our 18-year history we welcome a band from the Czech Republic. And with Symphonity they are immediately one of the trendsetters in the metal scene there. It is therefore not surprising that the band has already toured extensively through Europe and has become a welcome guest at festivals.

The band has undergone some changes over the years. Singer Mayo (ex-Signum Regis) has now left, and we now find Michael Brush (ex-Sirenia) behind the drums. When such artists are part of a band, you know that the quality is good.

Symphonity will therefore shine at Brainstorm Festival. Expect a band that gives 200 percent. There's no need to stand still: this is going to be a party!

ALTERIUM (ITA)

power-metal (unplugged show)

Alterium returns to Brainstorm Festival! Last year the band performed on our main stage and was one of the hightlights during the festival. This year the band will give an acoustic performance in our theater hall. And if that’s not enough, the bandmembers will increase the atmosphere in the café on Saturday evening with a nice surprise.

Alterium is steadily building their reputation. Their catchy power metal opens more and more doors, and they are once again more than welcome at our event. For the debut ‘Of War And Flames’ the band managed to get a deal with AFM Records, as a result of which Alterium suddenly became labelmates with Firewind, Orden Ogan and Leaves’b Eyes. It shows that the Italians have a lot to offer.

This time at Brainstorm Festival, Alterium presents itself from a completely different side: acoustic. This promises to be special, so make sure you don't miss the show in our theater hall. As a nice bonus, you will find the band members in the café on Saturday evening where they will increase the atmosphere by playing some more unplugged songs.

BARTH. (NL)

composer-pianist

Behind the stage name BARTH. hides the Dutch pianist/composer Bart van Hanswijk. With his neoclassical music he invites both listeners and himself to slow down. BARTH. is inspired by humanity, nature and the search for inner peace - a search that is beautifully reflected in his debut album 'Finding Peace' (2022).

His new album was released at the end of 2024, which marks a surprising development in sound and experience, with striking melodies that are enhanced by atmospheric string arrangements. With BARTH. you go on a journey full of emotion and beauty. This promises to be a special performance in our theater hall. A place of rest between the overdose of metal!

Battled (NL)

pop-punk/metal

The sudden cancellation by Never Obey Again offers the Dutch band Battled the opportunity to play at this years’ Brainstorm Festival. We have been keeping an eye on this talented band for a while, because they are going through a stormy development. Their melodic pop-punk occasionally has a metal edge, and in terms of vocals it reminds us of Lacey Sturm (Flyleaf).

Energetic, honest and full of feeling: this is how Battled's music is described. After their debut EP 'From The Silence', the band released 'Growing Pains', with songs about hope, resilience and staying true to yourself. And now there is a new single: 'Frenetic'. Battled has everything it takes to perfectly warm up Brainstorm Festival!

Sledeon (NL)

progressive modern metal

With Brainstorm Festival we support local talent, especially when it concerns bands from the region around Apeldoorn. With Sledeon, we bring in a beautiful band from nearby Arnhem. Singer Fabienne Hurkens is behind the microphone, and the band brings progressive, modern metal. Electronic and symphonic influences complete the sound.

The band released their first EP ‘Existence’ in 2022, followed by the single ‘The Last Judgement’ in 2023. In terms of examples, the band mentions Lacuna Coil, Epica and Delain, and we also hear a touch of Vola. Sledeon is working hard, and Brainstorm Festival gives the band an extra push in the right direction. This feels promising!