South of Heaven will hold its third edition at the Gashouder in Maastricht.

 South of Heaven will hold its third edition at the Gashouder in Maastricht. Once again, the festival dedicates three days in a row to international-caliber metal. With three distinct headliners, each day will have its own unique identity. Epica will curate their own festival day on Friday, Children of Bodom will top the bill on Saturday, and Kreator will close out South of Heaven on Sunday.

Epica brings Epic Metal Fest back to Limburg

Friday June 4th will revolve entirely around Epica. In honor of their 25th anniversary, the symphonic metal band is bringing back Epic Metal Fest, featuring a lineup curated by Epica themselves.

Lacuna Coil and Ad Infinitum are the first confirmed support acts.

With over a million albums sold, Epica is one of the most successful Dutch metal bands abroad. Following three sold-out anniversary concerts at Royal Theater Carré, the band returns to Limburg, the province where Epica was originally founded. Their performance at South of Heaven will be the band's only Dutch festival show in the summer of 2027.

Children of Bodom returns for 30th anniversary

The band returns to the stage in 2026 for the first time since 2019. They are doing so to mark their 30th anniversary, featuring Samy Elbanna on vocals and lead guitar. A particularly special aspect of this reunion is the return of original guitarist Alexander Kuoppala, who left the band in 2003 but rejoined the core group in 2026. With virtuosic guitar work and a prominent role for keyboards, Children of Bodom grew into one of the most recognizable names in melodic death metal. This reunion show on Saturday will be a tribute to the music and legacy of (original) frontman Alexi Laiho, who passed away in 2020.

Kreator closes out South of Heaven

On Sunday, Kreator will be the final closer of South of Heaven. For over four decades, this German band has been one of the leading figureheads of European thrash metal. In early 2026, they released their sixteenth studio album, 'Krushers of the World'. At South of Heaven, Kreator will combine new material with songs from the band's forty-plus-year history. With Kreator as the headliner, South of Heaven concludes with a band that has played a defining role in European thrash metal since the 1980s.

First names South of Heaven 2027

• Friday, June 4: Epica, Lacuna Coil, and Ad Infinitum

• Saturday, June 5: Children of Bodom

• Sunday, June 6: Kreator

South of Heaven 2027

• Dates: Friday June 4, Saturday June 5, and Sunday June 6, 2027

• Location: Gashouder, Lage Frontweg 8, 6219 PD Maastricht (NL)

• More information and tickets: southofheaven.nl