Denmark’s metal scene enters a golden age

Denmark’s metal scene is booming, with new bands and festivals drawing growing audiences, DR reports. People involved in the scene describe it as a possible golden age for the genre.

“It is a very healthy scene,” said Jeppe Nissen, booker and director of the Copenhell festival. He said Danish metal has ambition, confidence and considerable talent.

When Nissen started Copenhell in 2010, there was little competition. Now, he says, many smaller metal festivals have emerged. Copenhell was sold out this year and larger than ever, with 39,000 daily guests. A quarter of them attended for the first time.

Jakob Slyngborg Trolle, host of DR’s metal podcast Sort Søndag, said Danish bands are growing both commercially and creatively. Some are touring the United States, he said, while Danish metal is gaining a stronger foothold in Europe and more attention from international metal media. He has also noticed more people wearing metal T-shirts in city streets.

Metal festivals are appearing across the country. Odense Metalfest began its fifth year on Friday, with around 700 tickets sold before opening, compared with about 350 in its first year. Festival booker Jakob Schultz said there are more Danish bands to book and more people buying tickets, including for its focus on death metal, thrash metal and hardcore.

Other festivals listed by DR include Mejerhell, which began in 2021, Epic Fest, which began in 2023, Gallows Metalfestival, launched in 2025, and Mældfesten, which began in 2026. METALMANIAC is scheduled to hold its first festival in 2027.

Twenty-one-year-old Julius Stisager, from Odense, said he has seen more young people and newcomers at metal concerts. He said the growing number of bands is also bringing people who would not usually attend those shows.

Slyngborg Trolle said the state of the world may be driving interest in music that is hard and uncompromising. Nissen said metal’s strong sense of community may also appeal to people seeking connection.