Before the tour began, Heidenfest was a highly anticipated Folk Metal tour that promised to show off the best talent the genre had to offer and now that the tour is over, we can safely say that it did just that. With a mega bill comprised of The Dread Crew of Oddwood, Trollfest, Heidevolk, Fintroll and Korpiklaani, Heidenfest proved itself to be an absolute must see for anyone with even the slightest connection Folk Metal and Power Metal.

First up was The Dread Crew of Oddwood, a goofy group of pirates that got the crowd moving with their wacky crab dances during Giant Fucking Demon Crab. The most surprising part of this set was the lack of guitars, the whole set seemed like these tracks were written as sea shanties to start with but then they added double bass drums.

The Dread Crew of Oddwood are recommended if you like your folk music with a dash of panto and a healthy serving of bombastic drums. Be sure to check out their latest album, Rust & Glory, lest ye walk the plank.

Next up was Trollfest, a favourite from Bloodstock 2024 and if you weren’t a fan of the untamed goofiness of The Dread Crew of Oddwood then you’re going to hate Trollfest. Still supporting their latest album, Flamingo Overlord, Trollfest entered the stage armed with flamingo hats, pink dresses and colourful face paint. They had a whole fun filled set with flamingo dancing, balloons and even a giant Conga line which made its way all across the Academy.

Sure, most people were here for something a bit more serious but if Trollfest weren’t your thing then it begs the question: where’s your goddamn sense of whimsy? Trollfest may not be a band that works for you on record but in a live setting, they absolutely crush everything in their path like a pink bejewelled bulldozer covered in huggable fur and feathers.

Next up was Heidevolk, the beginning of the serious parts of Heidenfest. Heidevolk are not unique in holding their heritage close to their hearts but they are unique in how they convey it. Their use of almost Tolkienesque imagery gives this sense of mystery to a UK audience and that makes them all the more fascinating.

There are much more serious ideas on display and their use of flags and props with battle ready costumes give it some sense of levity but make no mistake, Heidevolk are the real deal. Between uptempo metal ragers like Ostara and Drinking with the Gods, you have these deep and grand atmospheric anthems like Yngwaz Zonen and the chest beating hunter’s cry of Oeros (read it again, I made that mistake too). Highly recommended for those who like a viking feel but feel more kinship with the Germanic regions.

Next was Fintroll, a cult band with a massive following and arguably one of the biggest draws of this tour. Fintroll came out in full troll gear and makeup which made for some striking imagery and their sound backed this up massively. It’s very easy to get lost in this set owing to the Finnish vocals and fairly repetitive punk sound but that’s coming from the perspective of a newcomer to Finntroll.

Those who knew Finntroll inside and out were welcomed with a lively punk tinged metal show filled with raucous guitar work, breakneck drumming and alcohol fueled partying. It’s a complete mystery to me what Finntroll said during songs but tracks like Trollhammen and Nattfödd were personal stands (I discovered this after the fact with Setlist.fm. There was even something for the resident thrash fans (me) in the form of Skogsdottor, which brought the bootcampbootycamp  double bass drumming and tremolo picked guitar work.

By this point, my knees began to hurt and it was time for bed but after a roaring good time with Finntroll, there was still one band left to see before bedtime.

Finally, Korpiklaani made their headline appearance at Heidenfest. Korpiklaani are a middle ground between the whackier bands like Trollfest and The Dread Crew of Oddwood and the more serious presentation of Finntroll and Heidevolk and that really helped with the pacing of the show which clocked in at a backbreaking 6 hours.

Korpiklaani had a set of Folk Metal classic drinking songs like the heady Beer Beer and the absolutely iconic flask filling masterpiece that is Vodka. This show was the epitome of “marathon, not a sprint”, you could easily see somebody getting blackout drunk after just two sets. A 6 hour long show is a massive undertaking so it speaks to just how strong Manchester’s drinking culture is and how much restraint they can have when there’s metal around.

Korpiklaani have the same problem that Fintroll has, it’s very easy to get lost unless you’re looking at a setlist throughout the show and even then it’s difficult to keep track because most of the songs are Finnish. There’s still a multitude of catchy English tracks like Happy Little Boozer, Man With a Plan and Hunting Song but the rest of the set is best experienced as drunk as possible with unhinged phonetic wailing. It doesn’t matter if you can’t understand these songs, you’re going to Heidenfest for the vibes and Korpiklaani brings only the happiest and brightest of vibes. There’s even a Boney M cover for that extra bit of “drunk at a wedding” feeling.

Heidenfest was an incredibly long show with some ups, downs, confusion and booze. This kind of bill is for die hard folk metal fans but there’s still a lot of fun to be had throughout the entire show if you can ignore your Anglocentric perspective and get past not understanding lyrics and just enjoying how the music feels, then you’re going to have a wonderful time.

Heidevolk (C) Christopher James Ryan Photography

Finntroll (C) Christopher James Ryan Photography

Korpiklaani (C) Christopher James Ryan Photography