Fri 4 June
25th ANNIVERSARY SHOW
Epica
25th ANNIVERSARY SHOW
In 2027, Epica will celebrate their 25th anniversary with an exclusive Dutch summer appearance in their home state of Limburg. As part of the South of Heaven Festival, they will revive their legendary Epic Metal Fest with a special, self-curated line-up, bringing the spirit of their event back to their Limburg roots. The celebration follows a remarkable history of headline achievements, including three sold-out shows at Amsterdam’s iconic Carré Royal Theatre.
Emerging from the same region as our festival, Epica has grown into one of the most popular and boundary-pushing bands in symphonic metal. In their nearly 25-year career, the Dutch band has grown into a worldwide touring heavyweight, delivering spectacular live productions to thousands of people every night in all corners of the world. With nine full-length albums and six EPs released and one million albums sold, Epica have built a remarkable international legacy. Their latest album “Aspiral” reached #2 in the Dutch album charts, further cementing their status as one of the Netherlands’ leading metal acts.
LACUNA COIL
LACUNA COIL
For over three decades, Milan’s finest sonic architects have proven that alternative metal can be breathtakingly beautiful, hauntingly epic, and brutally heavy all at the same time. While they originally conquered the global metal elite with classics like Comalies and Karmacode, the band is now kicking off their fourth decade with more fire than ever. Their tenth studio album, Sleepless Empire, delivers a dark, cinematic soundtrack vibe deeply inspired by classic horror films, serving as a heavy musical portrait of our hyper-digital, non-stop scrolling society.
Get ready for a live set at South of Heaven stacked with deep grooves, cinematic darkness, and untamed energy.
AD INFINITUM
AD INFINITUM
Ever since powerhouse frontwoman Melissa Bonny founded the band in 2018, this lineup has been taking the modern metal scene by storm. Combining symphonic grandeur with a contemporary metal attack, their debut album Chapter I: Monarchy (2020) immediately set the stage for an unstoppable ascent, seamlessly continued by Chapter II – Legacy (2021) and Chapter III – Downfall (2023).
With their fourth album, “Abyss”, they further refine their identity, blending heavy, downtuned djent riffs with dark electronic soundscapes. Melissa Bonny’s effortless transition from soaring, angelic melodies to vicious, theatrical growls backed by Adrian Thessenvitz’s intricate guitar work, Korbinian Benedict’s driving bass, and Niklas Müller’s precise drumming creates an immersive soundscape that perfectly balances emotional depth with a powerful, modern energy.
Sat 5 June
Children of Bodom
This legendary melodic death metal band from Finland will resurrect the Reaper on South of Heaven 2027. Children of Bodom returns to the stage in 2026 for the first time since 2019. They are doing so to mark their 30th anniversary, featuring Samy Elbanna on vocals and lead guitar. A particularly special aspect of this reunion is the return of original guitarist Alexander Kuoppala, who left the band in 2003 but rejoined the core group in 2026. With virtuosic guitar work and a prominent role for keyboards, Children of Bodom grew into one of the most recognizable names in melodic death metal. This reunion show on Saturday will be a tribute to the music and legacy of frontman Alexi Laiho, who passed away in 2020.
Sun 6 June
Kreator
For over four decades, these founding fathers of German thrash have been part of the leading figureheads of European thrash metal. The band started out in 1982 under the name of Tyrant and Tormentor, led by vocalist/guitarist ‘Mille’ Petrozza and drummer Jürgen “Ventor” Reil. With their debut album Endless Pain (1985) and the classic Pleasure to Kill (1986), they laid the blueprint for aggressive speed and thrash metal.
In early 2026, they released their sixteenth studio album, ‘Krushers of the World’. At South of Heaven, Kreator will combine new material with songs from the band’s forty-plus-year history.