Inferno Music Conference 2026 Pt.2
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Slow Dragon Music returns for a second helping of heavy music industry talks in Oslo
Following an excellent and inspiring first round of the Inferno Music Conference on the Thursday afternoon, we’re woken, washed, and filled with an epic breakfast. Ready for part two? Read Pt.1 here. The second installment awaits below!
Inferno Music Conference 2026 Pt.2
Career Talk: Jamie Gomez On Produce Nightmares And Other Tales From The Studio
There are few figures in modern heavy music production who carry the same quiet authority as Jaimie Gomez Arellano. To complete the full Brit lineup, Gomez is pulled into the hot seat by longtime co-conspirator and journalist, Jonathan Selzer, as the career talk draws attendees into day two of the Inferno Metal Conference 2026 and back to life – hangovers and all.
Their dynamic promises more than just a retrospective, expect less polished keynote, more bar-side confessional, like something overheard in the Crobar back when things were louder, messier, and far less documented. From a saturated musical upbringing in Colombia to grinding out endless demos in North London, and eventually building Orgone Studios, a creative hub and experiential affair in the heart of Bedfordshire, the audience are in for a ride.
Having worked with genre-defining acts like Paradise Lost, Opeth and Ghost (we prefer marmite to that last one), Gomez brings a wealth of experience shaped by both triumphs and nightmares that every producer inevitably faces. The chat amongst friends is playful yet insightfully comprehensive; touching upon Kjetil and Kim’s discussion yesterday on the rise of Pro Tools and AI in music, to the challenges of dogmatic artists and the arduous endeavour to create something that’s right for all.
Equal parts storytelling and discernment, the panel offers a rare glimpse into the personalities, pressures, and passions that shape the records we love. A great thing about this panel is that it spawns further conversation through the week, including AVZD’s coining of the term “dental metal.”
Inferno Music Conference 2026 Pt.2
Hammer of the Gods
The Icelandic contingent returns for round two, colder (only in the industrious winters it seems), sharper (“with a panelist born this century in town. Haha! I can feel Gunnar’s death stare!” AVZD), and somehow even more locked in on their shared passion that Iceland, the little land of fire and ice should not only not be overlooked, but rates as a force to be reckoned with.
Before settling into the discussion properly, Erin Lynch made an unexpected appearance, opening with a short slideshow introducing Record in Iceland; a platform designed to support international artists looking to record and collaborate within Iceland’s unique creative environment. A concise but insightful addition, it set the tone by highlighting the infrastructure connecting the local scene to a wider global network.
Guiding the discussion is Gunnar Sauermann, a familiar voice within the metal circuit, hosting the panel with the steady hand of someone who has spent decades documenting and championing the scene from multiple angles. Alongside him, new-panelist and contributor, Múr member, Kari Haraldsson is joined by key scene-builders Þorsteinn Kolbeinsson and Gísli Sigmundsson, each representing different but deeply connected arteries of Iceland’s metal infrastructure.
The panel pulls back the curtain on a populous developing metal scene, punching far above its weight compared to most of its mainland counterparts, Þorsteinn explains:
“This nation of 400 000 inhabitants, has no less than 4 bands playing Inferno this year. That’s equivalent to 1 band per 100 000 inhabitants in the country which translates to Inferno booking something like 100+ Swedish bands or 60 Finnish ones, or 900 German bands. You get the idea…”
The panel isn’t a session on scene-reporting for its own sake, but rather a live snapshot of the community’s tectonic might, still shifting underfoot – ideas traded, perspectives clashing. That breadth becomes clear in the panel’s makeup.
Þorsteinn Kolbeinsson’s long-running work bringing international acts to Iceland and steering the country’s Wacken Metal Battle presence whilst Gisli Sigmundsson’s decades in a disputed number of bands and his continued push through festivals such as Sátan (now in its third year), reinforces how the scene is sustained both onstage and behind closed doors. And, looking forward, Múr comes up as a prime example of where things are heading Kári explains that many Icelandic musicians actively play across multiple projects in a web of band “incestery” (their quote, not mine!), and even himself, appearing elsewhere on the Inferno Festival bill.
Perhaps better phrased, the panel hints at a tightly interwoven creative network; one where collaboration and crossover aren’t exceptions, but the foundation to a fruitful scene.
Inferno Music Conference 2026 Pt.2
Festival Presentation
A familiar and always anticipated fixture of the conference (“Really, we’re just windowshopping reviewing holidays, right?” Slow Dragon) is the festival presentation panel which brings together a cross-section of international organisers to share insight and perspective into both the inner workings and the festival experience itself.
Steering the conversation was Cathrine L. Torsvik, a self-confessed festival enthusiast and long-standing force within the Norwegian scene. Having over twenty years experience at Beyond the Gates and Hole in the Sky festivals, and a clear passion for community-building, volunteers, and the mechanics of making events not just function but flourish, Catherine guided the presentation with warm authority.
Reaching beyond familiar territory, the panel first brought focus toward Turkey with a presentation from Ibrahim Karakurt of Bosphorus Open Air Metal Fest. Still a relatively young event, having launched in 2022, the festival carries an ambition that feels anything but tentative with video backdrop setting scene and scale to a beautiful backdrop of Istanbul itself. Ibrahim draws on years within the Turkish scene and describes the Bosphorus as more than a name but a literal and symbolic link between European and Asian Istanbul; a fitting identity for a festival that aims to bridge scenes and audiences alike.
Audience discussion quickly turned toward questions of safety and sustainability, particularly given wider geopolitical tensions and concerns around religious restrictions.
These were addressed directly and informatively. Ibrahim clarified that high-profile cancellations, such as Behemoth’s Istanbul show, are often tied to specific localised restrictions rather than indicative of the country as a whole. Bosphorus, he explained, operates in a different context entirely, one where events can and do take place successfully with full embrace. An illuminating first presentation that not only introduced a festival still finding its place on the international circuit, but also that challenged assumptions with clarity and context.
Secondly, we were introduced to a newer name on the festival circuit – Ankea Festival. Presented by Sami Silvennoinen, who joked that friends questioned whether he even liked money, given he was launching a new festival in a financially uncertain climate, and in a country already dense with established events, the project stands as a bold reimagining of what a modern alternative and prog-leaning festival can be.
Set against a post-industrial lakeside backdrop in Tampere, Ankea’s debut edition in June 2026 feels anything but hesitant, pairing an eclectic, forward-thinking lineup with a strong visual identity rooted in street art and atmosphere. With artists spanning nine countries, and names like This Will Destroy You, Sylvaine, Oranssi Pazuzu, Leprous and Katatonia (marking The Great Cold Distance’s 20th anniversary), Ankea positions itself firmly at the more adventurous end of the spectrum.
Sami draws on over 15 years in the live music industry and his work through Nahka Agency, presents the festival as part of a wider, interconnected vision. Already involved in multiple Finnish events, his approach reflects a clear understanding of both artist development and audience appetite. Ankea, in that sense, doesn’t arrive quietly, it lands with purpose, carving out space for something immersive with room to grow.
Andkristni carries a legacy few festivals can match. Introduced by Haukur Valdimarsson, Iceland’s longest-running metal gathering was founded in 2000 as, the audience discovers, a counterpoint to a Christian event, a rebellious spark that has since been passed down through generations. Now under the stewardship of Haukur and Viktor Viegársson since 2023, the festival continues to evolve while holding firm to its roots.
There’s a certain charm in that continuity, not least when Haukur himself notes he’s younger than the festival he now co-organises!
Yet growth has been tangible: the 25th anniversary in 2025 saw a sold-out celebration at Reykjavík’s Iðnó, and recent editions have marked the festival’s largest crowds to date, further emphasising the previous panel’s consensus. It’s a reminder that even the most defiantly underground institutions can expand without losing their identity.
Orgivm Satanicvm stood out for its deliberate positioning against the grain (“…and for the fact that I’ve been relentlessly pestering Mr Slowdragon for us to attend” AVZD). Where many established festivals rely on familiar names cycling through line-ups during the summer season, Orgivm leans into exclusivity and unpredictability, self-proclaining that they start the festival season…in January!
Its recent editions have placed a strong emphasis on rare and debut performances; from projects like Ruïm and Vathr to the elusive Doedsmaghird and Unholy Craft – creating a space where even seasoned audiences encounter something genuinely new. Much like its panel predecessor, it’s a festival built on intent rather than repetition, offering moments that feel singular rather than part of a wider touring loop. Less competitive and more complementary to its peers, this model balances consistency with rarity, meeting different needs within the same community while helping keep the scene active, visible, and evolving.
Bringing things to a suitably unhinged close, Tolminator Metal Fest arrived less as a standard presentation and more of an all-out introduction to its world.
Presented by Matej Ahlin, co-founder of Dirty Skunks and a long-standing force in Slovenia’s live scene, we’re quick to discover, that since 2023, Tolminator has quickly carved out a distinct identity, set against the striking backdrop of the Soča Valley and very different to Metal Days, who pitch up amongst the same alpine rivers and mountain terrain. A tightly curated festival of partying and skating, tattoos and brews, and, most importantly, a no-overlap programme spanning the full spectrum of extreme music.
But it’s the spirit of the festival that truly defines it. With a capped capacity and a clear emphasis on community, Tolminator leans into the idea of a “metal holiday”. Fittingly, the video presentation spoke for itself with Matej taking a back seat to the festival’s own mascot, The Tolminator, turning the closing segment into a manic, high-impact rallying cry rather than a conventional talk. Loud, chaotic, and entirely on-brand!
It’s a panel we find ourselves returning to each year with genuine enthusiasm. There’s something uniquely rewarding in hearing directly from the people who build these spaces. It’s not just about the highlights, but also the challenges, the decisions, and the philosophies behind them. A perfect compliment to our planning and shaping of this year’s Hordes X Festival.
Inferno Music Conference 2026 Pt.2
Viral Marketing: The Great Deception
Like many in Oslo this week, The Great Deception was already on our radar, its ripples hard to ignore. For AVZD, it stirred a familiar sense of déjà vu. Echoes of studying the viral machinery behind The Blair Witch Project, and even further back to the calculated dread of Jaws in 1975. Yet whether it’s fear of the woods or fear of the water, the most effective campaigns share the same instinct; to be fearless, to break ground, and to hold an audience in a state of restless suspense.
Whilst viral marketing may often carry a whiff of cynicism, I’ve always enjoyed a well-executed scheme, something creative that pushes beyond the obvious. The Great Deception reframes this as something far more unsettling and far more effective. What begins as a missing persons case in the Norwegian wilderness slowly unravels into something deliberate, controlled, and unnervingly precise in execution.
In November last year, the reported disappearance of Snorre W. Ruch and Rune Krieghr Røstad spread at an alarming rate, igniting speculation that ranged from concern to conspiracy. Forums churned, theories multiplied, and the story took on a life of its own, unbeknownst at the time, but exactly as intended.
Known musically through Slagmaur’s ritualistic and experimental sound, Rune Krieghr Røstad co-presents a panel with the same level of precision in shaping narrative as he does in his music. Pulling back the layers of what would become Hulders Ritual, is a forensic breakdown of how myth and legend can be deliberately constructed.
What sets this panel apart is its visceral clarity. Part art project. Part case study in social engineering. It’s not vague theorising, but a voyeuristic peek behind the curtain where data, timing, intent, and later, metrics, are laid bare. Through video documentation, comprehensive slides, and disarmingly jovial narration, the audience is guided step-by-step through how the story was first seeded, how information surfaced, and how speculation was not only allowed, but actively encouraged to spiral.
The jarring realisation is that it works. We’re told not to believe everything we read – especially online – yet with a carefully crafted campaign that builds momentum organically, the uncomfortable truth is that almost anyone can be drawn in.
Initially aimed at the black metal community, the deception quickly spread far beyond it, picked up not only by music media but by wider international press, including the fit-for-purpose; Fosen Folket. Whether you fell for it or not (and whether you’d admit it is another matter), it’s difficult not to admire the execution as Rune enthusiastically recounts each turn with a hint of quiet satisfaction, and a shadow of smugness.
We were drawn to this panel by the sheer audacity of the stunt, and by an appreciation for marketing that dares to go beyond the noise of an already overpopulated influencer-driven ether. With The Great Deception now unpacked, a question lingered in a speechless room like a ghostly entity – in an age where virality is currency, how much of what we believe to be organic has already been carefully set in motion?
Inferno Music Conference 2026 Pt.2
Ukrainian Metal – From Underground Shelters To Global Stages
Closing the Inferno Conference on this note was never going to be easy, but felt so right after 1914 opened the festival. Ukrainian Metal – From Underground Shelters to Global Stages proved exactly why it mattered.
Presented by Oleksandr Masovets, the session carried a natural sense of gravity from the outset, shaped as much by the subject as by the circumstances surrounding it. There was a slight, self-declared nervousness at first, entirely understandable as a solo panelist, but as Oleksandr settled into the talk, he delivered a thoughtful, provoking and quietly compelling account that balanced personal insight with wider context.
Tracing the evolution of modern Ukraine’s metal scene from its underground foundations to its growing international reach, Oleksandr emphasised a story rooted in persistence and long-term development.
The realities of the ongoing war were addressed with clarity and restraint, from disrupted tours to rehearsals shaped around air-raid sirens, but without allowing them to define the narrative entirely. Instead, the focus remained on a vibrant music community built on DIY ethos, collaboration, and determination, continuing to create and connect under difficult conditions while steadily expanding exposure beyond national borders. A fellowship already doing everything it can to continue international collaboration, from navigating travel to sharing knowledge on how to operate safely, and underscoring that inclusion is not just symbolic, but entirely achievable.
This is where the panel took an important turn. An outwardly perspective, making a direct appeal to promoters and organisers in the room: to actively integrate Ukrainian artists into European festivals and events, even when logistics seem challenging.
The discussion that followed was among the most engaged of the conference. Audience questions came steadily, turning the session into a genuine exchange rather than a one-way presentation. It was a difficult subject to close on, but an important one. Oleksandr handled it with care, and left a lasting impression without overstating its weight. Truly fitting of the inclusive, community-led values of the festival, conference and Inferno team.
Inferno Music Conference 2026 Pt.2
…And with that, the main body of IMC industry panels is done…
but there’s much more on offer for attendees and delegates. Much more. In fact, one may well find themselves struggling for something to not do! From art exhibitions to auctions, and bus trips to drag bingo (not to mention a wallet-destroying record shop setting up in the hotel foyer), it is a veritable hive of metal-minded activity.
It’s impossible to get it all in, but between the stacked nights of live entertainment which follow, we do our best. The pre-doors Saturday afternoon is crammed with a guitar workshop from Mayhem axe-wielders, Teloch and Ghul, followed by a rush to the Crow Bar and Brewery, for an alternative fashion show. The Sunday takes on a more peaceful bent, with a saunter past the saunas, and a delegate but trip around the fjord. It makes for a busy weekend, and we haven’t even touched on the Inferno Metal Fest…
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Inferno Music Conference 2026 Pt.2
