Finland’s NORTHER Reunites, Announces First Concert In 15 Years
Finnish melodic death/black metal band NORTHER have reunited and will play their first show in 15 years at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany next year, marking the end of a split that began in 2012. The reunion brings back the band's classic lineup and gives fans a rare chance to see the group perform live again after more than a decade apart, at one of the world's best-known metal festivals.
The reunited lineup features Petri Lindroos on vocals and guitar, Kristian Ranta on guitar and clean vocals, Tuomas Planman on keyboards, Jukka Koskinen on bass and Heikki Saari on drums. NORTHER, formed in 2000 from roots dating back to 1996, released six studio albums and toured with acts including Dimmu Borgir, Hypocrisy, Turisas and Finntroll before disbanding in 2012, with their last show that year at the Brutal Assault festival in the Czech Republic; the comeback gig is set for Wacken Open Air, running 28-31 July 2027.
In short
- NORTHER reunites for first show in 15 years
- Band to play Wacken Open Air, 28-31 July 2027
- Classic lineup returns after 2012 split
Explained simply
NORTHER are a Finnish metal band whose sound combines melodic death metal with elements of black metal. The group grew out of an earlier band formed in 1996 and released six studio albums after taking the name NORTHER in 2000.
The five musicians named in the reunion played in the band’s classic line-up: Petri Lindroos and Kristian Ranta on guitars and vocals, Tuomas Planman on keyboards, Jukka Koskinen on bass and Heikki Saari on drums. Before splitting up in 2012, NORTHER toured with groups including Dimmu Borgir, Hypocrisy, Turisas and Finntroll.
Wacken Open Air is a major metal festival in Germany, where NORTHER are due to perform in 2027. Their return matters to listeners because the band have not played together since their final show in 2012.