Summer Breeze Open Air 2025

A full review of a Mainstream Metal Festival, here on The Progspace you might ask? Well, sparked by the idea of one of our new photographers who joined our team this year, Giacomo Astorri, I felt inspired to return to Summer Breeze, six years after my last visit there in an ‘official business capacity’ yielded quite a few memorable interviews for The Progcast. Would there be enough prog gems hidden in the massive line-up? Find out by continuing to read below…

Wednesday, Aug. 13

Múr (20:50 – 21:30, Wera Tool Rebel Stage)

My own personal Summer Breeze 2025 journey started on Wednesday with one of my favorite bands in the line-up: Múr from Iceland. Having seen them before in December 2024 in Munich, shortly after they had released their self-titled debut album while supporting Wheel, I knew we were in for a treat. The rush of adrenaline and serotonin I got from their 40-minute set on the Wera Tool Rebel Stage was truly something special. Being washed over by a constant stream of atmospheric riffing from another galaxy (well, Iceland in this case) served as a much-needed mental reset in the middle of a stressful summer, and I only wished it had lasted longer. Luckily, there were still four whole days of the festival ahead. But still, I can’t wait to hear what the young Icelandic quintet will come up with next – and for my next Múr live fix.

Borknagar (21:35 – 22:35, T-Stage)

From the Wera Tool Rebel Stage to the T-Stage, from Icelandic newcomers to Norwegian legends. Borknagar still have that ‘Fire, fire that burns’, even after more than three decades in the business. But here’s the thing: they are definitely a band that don’t seem to be interested in advancing their career for the sake of business. On the contrary, I believe they’re truly in it for the sake of music and creativity and the passion they have for it. They can rely on two world-class voices – Simen ‘ICS Vortex’ Hestnæs and Lars A. Nedland – who compellingly convey the wonder and awe of Nordic nature and effortlessly demonstrate why Borknagar are still regarded as the best Progressive Viking Metal band ever.. So here’s to hoping Borknagar will be able to continue being a source of inspiration and quality music for a long time to come.

Frayle (22:40 – 23:20, Campsite Circus Stage)

A quick detour to the Campsite Circus Stage was in order after that as I longed for something (rather than the Melodic Death Metal that was provided by Aephanemer on the Wera Tool Rebel Stage simultaneously). Frayle delivered some “Summertime Sadness” with their Lana del Rey meets Doom Metal sound, more fitting to a Halloween circus than the usual party that goes on around the Campsite Circus later at night. The audience lapped it all up willingly though.

Dimmu Borgir (23:25 – 00:25, Main Stage)

Wednesday headliners on the Main Stage was another longstanding Norwegian band –  Dimmu Borgir. Their show gave me a completely different impression though compared to that of Borknagar just about an hour earlier. With such elaborate stage, costume, and make-up design, you’d think there’d be enough budget to hire a few more musicians to perform the clean vocal parts – whether it’s the epic old-school material originally sung by Simen ‘ICS Vortex’ Hestnæs or some of the newer songs. Orchestra and choir on backing tracks? Fine. But these clean vocal parts are so essential to the songs musically, that all the masquerade can’t hide the fact that it seems circus and money comes first for this two-man business entity called Dimmu Borgir. Luckily there was one more Black Metal band still to play that day…

VRTX/Gaerea (01:00 – 02:00, Campsite Circus Stage)

Back at the Campsite Circus Stage, what was ominously announced as VRTEX initially turned out to be none other than Gaerea, one of the hottest Post Black Metal bands currently, performing some of their older stuff in a smaller setting. All clad in white instead of the usual black, the Portuguese phenomenon demonstrated with vigor and passion what it looks like when visual image, choreographed stage and light show form an absolutely awe-inspiring and breathtaking whole together with the main reason we were all there – the music. My expectations for their headliner show on the T-Stage that was scheduled for Saturday were even higher now, but that energetic VRTX/Gaerea set was simply a prime example of five musicians living their music to the fullest, that much was palpable even though we weren’t able to see their facial expressions behind the masks. And thus the first day started and ended on extremely high notes, not easily topped…

Thursday, Aug, 14

Benighted (13:20 – 15:05, T-Stage)

Between the Buried and Me (15:45 – 16:30, T-Stage)

The next day more or less started with arguably the proggiest band of the entire line-up – apart from a short but sweet and brutal mid-afternoon wake-up call courtesy of the French blast-beaters Benighted – Between the Buried and Me! Just two weeks earlier, I had seen the legendary Prog Metal innovators from North Carolina perform their seminal 2007 masterpiece “Colors” in full in Munich.. And, full disclosure here, their wildly different 45 minute set in the scorching Summer Breeze sun couldn’t reach the absolute madness that I had witnessed so recently. But with so many bands on the bill that seemingly put appearance (or masquerade?) before music, it was so refreshing to have a band simply play their asses off with not even so much as a backdrop, as was the fire hose (provided by the festival staff) that cooled down the fans). Let the music do the talking – that approach has always worked well for the BTBAM fam, and their newest member, Tristan Auman (Sometime in February), blends in exceptionally well both musically and performance-wise with his passionate delivery.. So, even if they couldn’t quite reach the insanely high level they had displayed two weeks earlier – I’m only referring to the vibes and personal enjoyment here – this was still a short but sweet lesson in Prog Metal.

Hideous Divinity (16:35 – 17:05, Wera Tool Rebel Stage)

What followed on the Wera Tool Rebel Stage was a 30-minute onslaught of pure dissonant/technical Blackened Death ferocity from Italy’s Hideous Divinity. Here, it had been almost a year that I saw them back home in the Backstage Halle in Munich supporting the mighty Nile. And once again, I had to admit that I enjoyed the small club show more by comparison. Yet there’s something strangely satisfying about seeing a smaller band win over new fans in front of a bigger audience.

Rivers of Nihil (17:10 – 17:55, T-Stage)

Rivers of Nihil are perhaps the hottest Progressive Death Metal band these days (maybe only rivaled by Blood Incantation), so it was no surprise that their late-afternoon slot on the T-Stage became a triumphant celebration of their new, self-titled effort that masterfully balances Prog Death elements with addictive melodies and sexy saxophone. Guaranteed prime time T-Stage headliners within another album circle for sure!

Within Temptation (18:55 – 20:15, Main Stage) / Firtan (19:40 – 20:25, Wera Tool Rebel Stage)

After a nice dinner break, it was time for Thursday’s first round of parallel stage-hopping. With rising prog-keyboard star Vikram Shankar (Pain of Salvation, Lux Terminus) among their ranks as a brand-new full-time member, Within Temptation’s early-evening headliner slot on the huge main stage was a must-see for me.. And even though it had been ages since I actively listened to that kind of Symphonic Metal, I was pleasantly surprised by the heaviness and also simply by how much I enjoyed the show. However, I had to steal away mid-set to watch some of Firtan’s show on the Wera Tool Rebel stage, as they had released one of my favorite Atmospheric Black Metal albums in 2024, “Ethos”. The German quartet quickly had me under their spell and I had to use a lot of willpower to break free from it for a quick visit to the mainstage again where Within Tempation were closing their set with the classic ‘Mother Earth’ as expected (ah, the nostalgia!)… Back at the Wera Tool Rebel Stage, I was lucky enough to be just in time in order to witness the haunting Violin-duo finale of Firtan. So I sure hope I’ll be able to catch a full show of theirs again next time!

Gojira (21:15 – 20:25, Main Stage)

The same goes for the following band. Gojira’s headline set was undoubtedly one of the most anticipated shows of the entire festival, as their popularity had sky-rocketed into the stratosphere after their Olympic Games stunt last year. It was the same for me personally, since I had never seen the French tech-groove masters live before. However, I knew beforehand that I’d have to force myself away, no matter how much I’d have loved to stay – but more on that later. The technical precision was simply off the charts, and paired with the futuristic stage design, this might have been one of the most awe-inspiring shows of that magnitude I had ever seen.. So naturally it was really hard to cut this exciting experience short. But if you like me are someone who enjoys to support young, up and coming bands from the very beginning, you will understand that my heart was telling me I had to go to the Wera Tool Rebel Stage…

Iotunn (21:35 – 22:30, Wera Tool Rebel Stage)

…and that’s where I went, with the sound of ‘Flying Whales’ at my back, where I was welcomed by the cosmic northern giants – the Faroese-Danish Progressive Death/Doom merchants Iotunn. To my surprise and delight, the two huge round pavilion roofs of that smallest of the three stages on the “Infield” were absolutely packed despite that popular French band crushing the main stage at the very same time. Their tales of Cosmic Nihility hit exceptionally hard that night with a kind of starry night sky full of shooting stars blinking in unison with the double bass behind them. And with interim guest vocalist Morten Bering Bryld, they simply couldn’t have found a better temporary replacement for Jón Aldará and his unique, towering timbre. So in the end I did not regret that hard decision at all, not even for a moment!

Septicflesh (22:25 – 23:25, T-Stage)

Taking no break at all on that packed Thursday night, Greek Symphonic Extreme Metal horde Septicflesh took over seamlessly on the nearby T-Stage. Here, it felt like the balance between visual appearance, necessary backing tracks and honest, handmade live metal music was met at least according to my own personal standards or preferences (unlike a certain band from Norway that performed on the mainstage the day before). Not being too familiar with their songs, their performance was absolutely solid and I really wish I could’ve made it to their special Orchestral show in Turkey the other weekend.

Cult of Luna (23:40 – 00:40, Main Stage)

Finishing off this intense day on the main stage was another ‘surprise that I somehow saw coming’. As I had only heard their 2021 EP “The Raging River” prior to this opportunity, the reputation of Swedish Post Metal legends Cult of Luna really did precede them – and they did not disappoint (except maybe the numerous photographers in the photo pit cursing all that fog and backlight). The crushing atmosphere was absolutely mesmerizing throughout the whole hour of their set and even if I don’t seem to gravitate towards their studio output much, they’re an absolute force to be reckoned with.

Friday, Aug, 15

Evergrey (15:45 – 16:30, T-Stage)

After such an intense day for any Prog-inclined Metal fan, the Friday promised to be a bit of a breather. Sweden’s Evergrey, featuring Norwegian powerhouse prodigy Simen Sandnes on drums, brought along a much-needed refreshing rainshower. And the crowd loved it. It wasn’t just the cool-down after a couple of days with over 30 degrees Celsius and scorching sun that the crowd loved. Also, the music. Riff-heavy and dark, yet melodious and uplifting, Evergrey are in the ninth year of their second spring that started with “The Storm Within” and show no signs of slowing down. How could they, as they hear a thousand lungs singing back the anthemic chants of ‘Midwinter Calls’ to you.

Wardruna (23:25 – 00:35, Main Stage)

Finally being able to witness such an ancient ritual that is a show by Wardruna was definitely another highlight I was looking forward to. They did not disappoint. The atmosphere they are purveying is one of a kind, so I can safely add this memory to other memorable late-night gigs on the Summer Breeze Main Stage such as Leprous and Meshuggah (2019), Carpenter Brut (2019) or Cult of Luna just the night before.

Harakiri for the Sky (00:20 – 01:20, T-Stage)

Closing out this rather relaxed Friday on the T-Stage was Austrian Post Black Metal collective Harakiri for the Sky with a solid, fittingly dark set for that time of night, promoting their new album, “Scorched Earth”.

Saturday, Aug, 16

Suffocation (18:35 – 19:35, T-Stage)

Suffering from mild heatstroke symptoms on Saturday, I took it easy during the day and made my way from the camp to the Infield for a fun hour with Suffocation in the early evening. These legends of Brutal Tech Death never disappoint, even though this might have been the third time I saw them over the course of 12 months or so.

Primordial (22:25 – 23:25, T-Stage)

I got some rest again (apparently missing an energetic Machine Head show full of F-bombs), before making my way to the Infield for one last time this year. Unfortunately, I wasn’t really in the right mood for Primordial’s dark Pagan Metal stories about hanged men and such, so I went to the press tent for a final battery recharge before diving headfirst into the last four bands on the T- and Wera Tool Rebel Stage.

Cytotoxin (23:30 – 00:15, Wera Tool Rebel Stage)

Cytotoxin circle pits are always a lot of fun and luckily I was in the middle of one just a week before at the Free & Easy Festival at Munich’s primary Metal venue, the legendary Backstage. So I was content to watch the spectacle once again from the sidelines. Frontman Grimo not only commands the stage, but also the pit. Sometimes no words are necessary when he’s holding up his infamous roundabout road sign. But his legendary in-between-song banter – ‘We’ve come here to play many notes, maybe all of them, in a very short time,’ or ‘We need to create a lot of Circle-Pittonium to be safe from radiation – only Circle-Pittonium or Cytotoxin merch can do that, and if you create Circle-Pittonium while wearing Cytotoxin merch, you’ll be immune for eternity!’ – always adds that final spark, making an already jaw-dropping display of brutal and techy Chernobyl Death Metal even more memorable and likeable.

Gaerea (00:20 – 01:20)

Still hyped up from Wednesday night’s energetic VRTX/old-school Gaerea set on the Campsite Circus Stage, it was now time for the main performance by the Portuguese Post Black Metal shooting stars on the T-Stage – and they did not fail to deliver. The blue shine of the stage was so intense that it still starts glowing before my inner eye whenever I listen to Gaerea. And I was convinced the goosebumps were caused by the music and not by the nightly chill that had started to settle in. Even after such an exhausting couple of festival days, the music, the atmosphere, the energy, everything seemed to culminate in that very moment emotionally. With Gaerea, the music, the masks, the performances, the light show, the stage design, everything comes together to form a spectacular experience and I am convinced their upcoming album “Loss”, announced for a March 2026 release, is going to catapult them to even bigger heights!

Imperial Triumphant (01:25 – 02:10, Wera Tool Rebel Stage)

By far the most experimental and avantgarde band of the whole line-up was certainly Imperial Triumphant. For me personally, it was another case of having just seen them in a completely mind-blowing whirlwind of a club show at the Free & Easy Festival at the Backstage venue in Munich – just like BTBAM – and even though they played the exact same set list, I needed a few songs to get into the (quite complicated) groove. It was fascinating to see the utter disbelief and bewilderment of my friends and the people around me at what was happening on stage – musically, visually, and theatrically, with the costumes, masks, vocoder announcements, champagne showers, and trumpet-bass solos with pyros. Completely wild, completely out there and thus exactly what an Avantgarde Jazz/Black Metal hybrid conceptually rooted in the decadence of the (19)20’s should be.

Cypecore (02:15 – 03:00)

Last, but not least, German Sci-Fi Metal crew Cypecore fired on all remaining cylinders to close a memorable 2025 edition of Summer Breeze on the T-Stage.

With its comfortable size – roughly half of what the biggest kids on the block (aka Wacken and Hellfest) bring to the table – yet still attracting top headliners while always scouting for hungry new talent, Summer Breeze remains a festival worth visiting, no matter which of the many metal subgenres is your favorite. More than 3/4 for the 2026 edition were already sold in no time, so better secure your tickets if you want to be part of the experience next year! The line-up so far includes Arch Enemy, Lamb of God, Testament, Amorphis, Orbit Culture, Northlane, Deafheaven, Soen, Der Weg Einer Freiheit, Unprocessed, Cryptopsy, Ten56. and more…