After more than a decade away from the stage, Finnish melodic death metal veterans Norther are officially making their comeback.
The band has reunited and will perform at the 2027 edition of Wacken Open Air, scheduled to take place from July 28 to 31 in Wacken, Germany. The appearance will mark Norther‘s first live performance in 15 years following their final show in 2012.
For their highly anticipated return, Norther will feature a lineup consisting of several musicians from the band’s most recognized era:
- Petri Lindroos – vocals, guitar
- Kristian Ranta – guitar, clean vocals
- Tuomas Planman – keyboards, synthesizers, electronics
- Jukka Koskinen – bass
- Heikki Saari – drums
The reunion brings together members responsible for some of Norther‘s most celebrated releases and gives fans a chance to once again experience the band’s signature combination of melodic death metal aggression, dark atmosphere, and memorable melodies.
Formed in Finland in 1996, Norther originally started under the name Requiem before later changing their name. The band quickly established themselves as one of Finland’s rising forces in the melodic death metal scene, releasing their debut album Dreams of Endless War in 2002 through Spinefarm Records. The record helped introduce the band to a wider audience and reached the Finnish album charts.
Norther continued building their reputation with their second album, Mirror of Madness, released in 2003. The record became one of the band’s breakthrough releases and was followed by touring opportunities alongside major acts such as Dimmu Borgir and Hypocrisy.
Over the following years, Norther released a string of successful albums, including Death Unlimited (2004), Till Death Unites Us (2006), N (2008), and Circle Regenerated (2011). The band also gained attention with releases such as the Solution 7 and No Way Back EPs, with the latter reaching the top position on the Finnish charts.
The band’s history also saw several lineup changes. In 2009, founding vocalist and guitarist Petri Lindroos departed Norther and was replaced by Aleksi Sihvonen, formerly of Imperanon. The group continued with Sihvonen and released their final studio album, Circle Regenerated, in 2011.
Norther played their last concert at the Brutal Assault festival in August 2012 before announcing their split.
Now, 15 years later, the Finnish metallers are ready to return. Their Wacken Open Air 2027 appearance will serve as a long-awaited reunion celebration for longtime fans who have been waiting to hear Norther‘s music performed live again.
