70000tons of Metal 2025 Artist Spotlight: Ihsahn

Countdown to 2026: 76 Days

SOOOOOOON, a word 70000tons of Metal cruisers know all too well, love it or hate it. 70000tons of Metal, The Original, The World’s Biggest Heavy Metal Cruise, returns for its 2026 edition from January 29 – February 2, 2026, setting sail from Miami, Florida to Nassau, The Bahamas aboard Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas. For booking and full details are available on the official website. Read our essential packing guide here. Check out the testimonials from several 2025 artists at this location.

70000tons 2025 Round 13: ARTIST 20 of 61 Ihsahn

Stats

2025 Voyage:

Dates: January 30 – February 3, 2025
Destination: Miami to Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Ship: Independence of the Seas

Artist Spotlight

Band: Ihsahn
Number of 70000tons Appearances: 2 (2020, 2025)
Set 1: January 31, 2025 – Pool Deck – 2:30 pm
Set 2: February 2, 2025 – Royal Theater – 5:15 pm
Attended: Set 1 – No, Set 2 – Yes
Country: Norway
Genre: Experimental / Progressive Metal
Latest Album: Ihsahn (2024)
Standout Moment(s):
The legendary Emperor vocalist, Ihsahn, has once again returned to the cruise and once again played double duty, bringing Emperor classics as well as works from his solo career for two additional sets, four total on the metal seas. Making a second appearance of his solo venture, this time around, the iconic Norwegian artist was there to highlight his latest self-titled record. This time around, his Pool Deck set was during the day, which we sadly missed, but luckily made it, being cloaked in darkness inside the Royal Theater, bringing out his experimental side, where anything musically goes. There’s something about watching Ihsahn perform; his presence, alone in the shadowy atmosphere, can captivate the crowd, and it did. We hope Ihsahn brings his solo work and Emperor back on the cruise soon enough.

Ihsahn – Set 2

Latest Ihsahn News

Not too much to report from Ihsahn. The latest bit is his return to The Graveyard Gig after three decades. The event will take place on September 19, 2026, in Norway. More details available on the Facebook Event page.

What is the Artist Spotlight?

Well, it’s more than a review of their performance; as 70000tons goes, each band is a headliner, and we treat each one as such, giving them their own spread, discussing who they are and what they’ve been up to since the cruise. Each spotlight coincides with any updates from 70000tons organizers (if any), leading to days before setting sail. An extensive coverage like no other.

70000tons 2026 Lineup 51 out of 60:

Amorphis
Anthrax
Arkona
Beast in Black
Bloodred Hourglass
Cemetery Skyline
Darkane
Dark Tranquillity
Dødheimsgard
Dragonland
Dust Bolt
Eluveitie
Ereb Altor
Firewind
Gama Bomb
Groza
Haggard
Harakiri For The Sky
Heathen
Hiraes
Hirax
Hour of Penance
Ignea
Illdisposed
Illumishade
In Mourning
Insomnium
Izegrim
Kamelot
Kanonenfieber
Orden Ogan
Paradise Lost
Persefone
Rhapsody of Fire
Royal Hunt
Satan
Saturnus
Seven Spires
Skeletal Remains
Skyclad
Soen
Soilwork
Suidakra
Tribulation
Tyr
Vader
VBO
Vio-lence
Wind Rose
Wolf
Xandria