What is Karmoygeddon?
Karmoygeddon Metal Festival is an annual metal festival held in Kopervik, a small harbour town on the island of Karmoy in western Norway. Founded in 2004 by two local metalheads who wanted to drink beer and watch live metal with friends, the festival has grown from 400 attendees to around 4,000 while keeping its grassroots underground spirit.
What makes Karmoygeddon stand out is its value for money. A festival pass costs from NOK 999 (approximately EUR 87) and gives you access to 73 bands over three days and two stages. That works out to under NOK 14 per band, making it one of the most affordable metal festivals in Scandinavia.
The festival covers the full spectrum of metal, from Norwegian black metal and Gothenburg-style melodic death metal to classic heavy metal, symphonic metal, progressive metal and crossover. With two stages and minimal scheduling overlap, you can catch most of the acts you want to see.
Thursday April 30 to Saturday May 2, 2026. Three full days of metal at the harbour in Kopervik.
Havnegata 4, 4250 Kopervik, Karmoy. The venue is right by the harbour in the centre of Kopervik.
Karmoygeddon is a licensed event with alcohol service. Everyone must be 18 or older. Valid photo ID is required at the entrance.
Website: karmoygeddon.no. Facebook: KarmoygeddonMetalFestival. Instagram: @karmoygeddon.
Who is playing at Karmoygeddon 2026?
73 bands are confirmed across three days. Each night has a different headliner representing a different corner of the metal world. The lineup spans Swedish melodic death metal, German heavy metal, Norwegian black metal, Finnish melancholy, Greek symphonic extremity and much more.
Swedish melodic death metal pioneers from Gothenburg. One of the cornerstones of the Gothenburg scene alongside In Flames and At the Gates. Also on Thursday: Adept, Annisokay, Before The Dawn, Disillusion, Iotunn, Kvaen and more.
German heavy metal legends with over 40 years of history. "Balls to the Wall" and "Metal Heart" are among the most iconic songs in heavy metal. Also on Friday: Clawfinger, Hardcore Superstar, Beyond The Black, Infected Rain, Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons, Kissin' Dynamite, Roy Khan and Djerv.
Norwegian black metal icon and former Immortal frontman. One of the most recognisable figures in Norwegian black metal. Also on Saturday: SepticFlesh, Insomnium, Old Man's Child, Wolfheart, Havukruunu, Vintersorg, Wheel and Throne Of Katarsis.
A larger tent stage (outdoor) and a smaller club stage. With only two stages, scheduling overlap is minimal, meaning you can see most of the bands on the bill.
Genre coverage
Black metal (Abbath, Old Man's Child, Havukruunu, Throne Of Katarsis), melodic death metal (Dark Tranquillity, Insomnium, Wolfheart, Before The Dawn), classic heavy metal (Accept, Kissin' Dynamite), symphonic metal (Beyond The Black, SepticFlesh), progressive metal (Wheel, Vintersorg, Iotunn) and crossover (Clawfinger, Hardcore Superstar, Infected Rain). Previous years have featured Sabaton, Helloween, Behemoth, Katatonia and Kamelot.
Tickets and prices
Karmoygeddon is one of the most affordable metal festivals in northern Europe. With 73 bands on the bill, the cost per band is remarkably low compared to larger Scandinavian festivals.
Full access to all three days (Thursday to Saturday) and both stages. 73 bands for under 1,000 Norwegian kroner. Approximately EUR 87 / GBP 75 / USD 93 at current exchange rates.
Official ticket sales via TicketCo or karmoygeddon.no. Digital tickets are delivered to your email. Buy early as prices may increase and the festival can sell out.
Larger Scandinavian metal festivals typically charge NOK 2,000–4,000 for 30–50 bands. Karmoygeddon offers 73 bands for under NOK 1,000. That is an unbeatable price per band.
Norway uses Norwegian kroner (NOK). As of early 2026: 1 EUR = ~11.5 NOK, 1 GBP = ~13.3 NOK, 1 USD = ~10.7 NOK. Card payments accepted everywhere in Norway.
How to get to Karmoygeddon
Kopervik is located on the island of Karmoy in Rogaland county, western Norway. The nearest airport is Haugesund Airport (HAU), approximately 20 minutes south of Kopervik. From Stavanger, the drive takes about one hour via the T-Connection subsea tunnel.
Haugesund Airport has direct flights from Oslo, Bergen and several European cities (mainly via Ryanair and Wideroe). From the airport, take the airport bus to Haugesund centre, then a local Kolumbus bus to Kopervik. Total transit time: approximately 45–60 minutes. Taxi is faster (approximately 20 minutes).
Stavanger has more international routes. From Stavanger, drive north via the T-Connection subsea tunnel to Karmoy (approximately 1 hour). Alternatively, take Kolumbus bus or rent a car.
From Stavanger: ~1 hour via E39 and T-Connection tunnel. From Bergen: ~3 hours via E39/E134. From Oslo: ~5.5 hours via E134. Parking available near the venue in Kopervik centre.
Kolumbus operates local buses between Haugesund and Kopervik. Journey time: approximately 30 minutes. Check kolumbus.no for schedules and fares.
The venue is at Havnegata 4, right by the harbour in central Kopervik. Se på Google Maps. It is a small town, so everything is within walking distance once you arrive.
Where to stay
Kopervik is a small town, so accommodation options are limited locally. Most international visitors stay in Haugesund (20 minutes by car) or use the festival's own camping area.
The festival has a dedicated RV and camping area approximately 200 metres from the venue. Perfect if you want to stay close without driving. Spaces are limited, so check availability on the festival's website.
Haugesund (20 minutes by car/bus) has the largest selection of hotels. Options include Scandic Maritim, Thon Hotel Saga and Radisson Blu. Book early during the festival period for best availability and rates.
A few accommodation options exist directly on Karmoy island. Check Booking.com or Airbnb for the latest availability. Options are limited, so book as early as possible.
If staying in Haugesund, plan your transport in advance. Kolumbus bus takes about 30 minutes. Taxi is faster but more expensive. Carpooling with other festival guests is common.
What you need to know
Western Norway in late April and early May: temperatures between 8 and 16°C (46–61°F). The weather can be unpredictable with both sunshine and rain. Pack a warm jacket, rain gear and sturdy shoes. The festival has both an outdoor tent stage and an indoor club stage.
Card payment is standard everywhere in Norway. Visa and Mastercard are universally accepted. Cash is rarely needed. The festival has food stalls and a fully licensed bar.
Sound levels at metal festivals regularly exceed 100 dB near the stages. Musician-grade earplugs (not foam plugs) are strongly recommended. Brands like Alpine, EarPeace or Etymotic reduce volume without distorting sound quality.
Official Karmoygeddon merch stands offer t-shirts, hoodies and more. Most bands also have their own merch tables at the festival. Cash and card accepted.
Most Norwegians speak excellent English. Festival staff, bartenders and vendors will be happy to help in English. The metal community in Norway is particularly international and welcoming to visitors from abroad.
Frequently asked questions about Karmoygeddon
- Karmoygeddon 2026 takes place April 30 to May 2 (Thursday to Saturday) in Kopervik on the island of Karmoy in Rogaland county, western Norway. The venue address is Havnegata 4, 4250 Kopervik, right by the harbour.
- A festival pass starts from NOK 999 (approximately EUR 87 / GBP 75) and gives access to all three days and both stages. Buy through TicketCo or karmoygeddon.no. Prices may increase closer to the festival.
- Karmoygeddon has an 18-year age limit because it is a licensed event with alcohol service. Valid photo ID (passport or national ID card) is required at the entrance.
- The festival has an RV and camping area approximately 200 metres from the venue. Hotels are available in Haugesund (20 minutes by car) and on Karmoy. Book early during the festival period.
- The nearest airport is Haugesund Airport (HAU), about 20 minutes south of Kopervik. From Stavanger Airport (SVG), drive via the T-Connection subsea tunnel (approximately 1 hour). Kolumbus operates local buses between Haugesund and Kopervik (approximately 30 minutes).
- Yes. The festival has parking near the venue in Kopervik centre. There is also an RV and camping area approximately 200 metres from the festival grounds.
- Yes. Stavanger Airport (SVG) has more international routes than Haugesund. From Stavanger, drive north to Karmoy via the T-Connection subsea tunnel (approximately 1 hour). Rental cars are available at Stavanger Airport.
- Kopervik is approximately 475 km from Oslo, roughly 5.5 hours by car via the E134. Flying from Oslo to Haugesund takes about 50 minutes and is the fastest option. There is no direct train connection.
- Dark Tranquillity headlines Thursday April 30, Accept headlines Friday May 1, and Abbath (Doom Occulta) headlines Saturday May 2. Other major acts include SepticFlesh, Insomnium, Hardcore Superstar, Clawfinger and Beyond The Black.
- 73 bands are confirmed for 2026, spread across two stages over three days. Genres range from black metal and death metal to heavy metal, power metal, progressive metal, symphonic metal and metalcore.
- Black metal (Abbath, Old Man's Child, Havukruunu), melodic death metal (Dark Tranquillity, Insomnium, Wolfheart), heavy metal (Accept, Kissin' Dynamite), symphonic metal (Beyond The Black, SepticFlesh), progressive metal (Wheel, Vintersorg) and crossover (Clawfinger, Hardcore Superstar).
- Previous headliners and top acts include Sabaton, Helloween, Behemoth, Katatonia, Finntroll, Brainstorm and Kamelot. The festival has been booking international metal bands since 2005.