We’re counting down to the 2024 edition of 70000 tons of Metal! This is by far one of our personal favorite metal cruises where every artist is a headliner. Metalheads from around the globe share an insane experience of four days with very little to no sleep of nonstop metal shows. From big pool deck experiences to the intimate Star Lounge, there’s something for all metalheads regardless of subgenre, and we love it all. 2023 marked a significant return for the cruise after all cruises generally faced a halt due to the pandemic. The event’s future was uncertain, but it returned, giving sixty unique artists a go. This year we saw a number of acts having their first experience on the boat to artists having some notable silver-to-gold member status returns. We managed to capture all sixty bands, and as we countdown to the 2024 edition, we will share artist spotlights from the 2023 expedition leading up to the 2024 voyage. Artist Number 18: Elvenking.
Italian pagan, folk, melodic death metal outfit Elvenking embarked on their first-ever 70000tons experience in the wake of 2023. Their appearance occurred just a few months before their new album, Reader of the Runes – Rapture, arrived in late April via AFM Records. Given the opportunity to darken two stages, the first being on Day 2, January 31st, at 12:15 pm and the second set at 10:30 pm on Day 4, February 2nd, 2023, at Studio B – Ice Rink Theater. We were there to witness their first appearance on the metal seas. It didn’t matter what time of day it was; with those darkened lights, it felt like it was the witching hour of 3 am, as Elvenking enchanted the theater with their Reader of the Runes atmosphere, opening with the 2019 track, “Heathen Divine,” and despite being months away, managed to make two live debuts from their 2023 offering, “Rapture,” and “The Hanging Tree.” An enticing set with a unique delivery, Elvenking has a distinct style worth witnessing live.
These dark pagan metallers have been busy since then, promoting their latest album, going through the European round of summer festivals, and making it onto American soil at the 2023 edition of ProgPower back in September. With such powerful performances, it’s no surprise Elvenking will return to North America in early 2024, as they will be joining Alestorm’s headlining run in March and April. See all stops at this location. But that’s not all; in fact, just today (30th), the group surprised their fans with a cover of Venom’s “Prime Evil.” However, this isn’t like any cover track, as the song features guest appearances of former Venom singer and bassist Tony Dolan and Snowy Shaw (ex-Mercyful Fate, ex-King Diamond).
The group commented on the track:
“it is a special song in many ways, starting from the fact that it is a love letter to a band and to a specific moment in time when metal was in fact imprinting our lives indefinitely. The second special aspect of this recording is the lineup. It is a surprise and a metal-dream come true for us since it sees Tony Dolan “Demolition Man” on vocals + bass (he was the original singer and bass player of Venom in the era in which this album was released and now he is still kicking with Venom Inc.), Snowy Shaw (ex-Mercyful Fate, ex-King Diamond, ex-Memento Mori, etc.) on drums, Damna on vocals + rhythm guitars, Aydan on solo guitar + keyobards and Lethien on the violin.”
Listen to the cover below:
Elvenking may have more surprises as we move closer to 2024.
Elvenking
70000 tons of Metal will return on January 29th, setting sail from Miami, FL to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, and back on February 2nd with another batch promising sixty bands to perform twice throughout the waves of adventure. The announcements have been moving fast this year as tickets have already gone on sale, and, well no updates since our last post but, in case you missed it, 36 bands out of 60 have been revealed thus far:
2024 70000tons of Metal artists:
Aborted
Angra
Blind Guardian
Blood Red Throne
Crypta
Dalriada
Depressive Age
Draconian
Dynazty
Epica
Equilibrium
Fleshgod Apocalypse
Grave Digger
Heidevolk
Infected Rain
Iotunn
Kataklysm
Legion of the Damned
Lord of the Lost
Marduk
My Dying Bride
Mystic Prophecy
Nanowar of Steel
Nervosa
Nile
Omnium Gatherum
Saor
Scar Symmetry
Serenity
Sodom
The Halo Effect
Tygers of Pan Tang
Unleashed
Victory
Warkings
Wind Rose
70000tons 2024 Line Up Update:
Swedish viking/black metal giants Thyrfing have sadly announced they are no longer able to attend the 2024 edition of 70000tons of Metal. While it’s not currently updated on the 70000tons website just yet, the band issued the following statement:
“We regret to inform that due to conditions beyond our control we have been forced to cancel Thyrfing’s participation at 70000Tons of Metal 2024.”
2023 Artist Spotlight:
