Artist Spotlight: 70000 Tons of Metal 2023

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 51: Sirenia.

Norwegian symphonic metal giants Sirenia returned to the metal seas for the second time in 2023, their first being in 2018. This time around, it was a few short months before their latest offering, 1977, arrived in May 2023 via Napalm Records, earning a spot on one of our top albums of the year list. While their second return didn’t bring them to the Pool deck, they took on the Studio B Ice Rink Theater on Day 1, January 30, 2023, at 2:15 AM and made it to the Royal Theater on Day 3 at 1:30 AM. We, of course, couldn’t miss these veterans and made it to both sets.

Sirenia Set 1:

The band’s overall musical style has changed since welcoming vocalist Emmanuelle Zoldan to the lineup in 2016. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing; it’s a different sound while incorporating classic Sirenia elements. Each Sirenia vocalist has brought a new era to the group, with mastermind Morten Veland always finding a way to integrate changes, using them as creative tools to release strong records consistently.

With that being said, being with the group for roughly seven years at this point on the cruise, Zoldan has developed a sense of style and comfort with the band, a visible difference from 2018 and possibly earlier. Zoldan has always had a strong performance, but this time just had a more natural flair. Veland himself seems to be embracing the comfortability with the latest lineup, as we could have sworn we saw a few smiles watching the Sirenia genius himself, unable to hide from his joy performing in front of the crowd. While continuing to introduce newer Zoldan material, the band did have time to dive into some older favorites, such as the infamous “Meridian,” from when it all started, on 2002’s At Sixes and Sevens.

Sirenia Set 2:

Now that we’re in the wake of 2024, the group is about to embark on a European tour as they continue to support their latest record. However, Veland has teamed up with 70000tons of Metal 2023 edition comrade Edge of Paradise’s Margarita Monet to collaborate on the song “Eyes of the Viper.” The track is taken from Veland’s solo project, Mortemia, which saw its resurrection in 2021 and was followed by his sophomore record, The Pandemic Pandemonium Sessions, released in 2022. Veland is a mastermind at what he does, and we can expect new music to arrive soon enough.

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 initially moved fast and suddenly went on a halt. However, things are back on track. Unfortunately, Draconian and Marduk were forced to drop off of this year’s lineup due to members unable to enter the United States. Bringing things back to 59 out of 60 artists, that didn’t last long with adding Wolfheart, Pentagram (Chile), and apparently, waiting on band number 62 starting with the letter “B.” Also, check out Metal Insider’s 70000tons essential packing guide.

2024 70000tons of Metal artists:

Aborted
Acod
Angra
April Art
Arion
Avulsed
Before the Dawn
Blind Guardian
Blood Red Throne
Carnation
Crypta
Dalriada
Décembre Noir
Disillusion
Dynazty
Edenbridge
Einherjer
Endseeker
Epica
Equilibrium
Fleshcrawl
Fleshgod Apocalypse
Graceless
Grave Digger
Heidevolk
I Am The Night Horde
Infected Rain
Inhuman Condition
Iotunn
Kataklysm
Katatonia
Leaves’ Eyes
LEFT-ÖVR
Legion of the Damned
Lord of the Lost
My Dying Bride
Mystic Prophecy
Nanowar of Steel
Nervosa
Nile
Noturnail
Omnium Gatherum
Pentagram (Chile)
Rising Steel
Saor
Scar Symmetry
Serenity
Shores of Null
Skyforger
Sodom
Temperance
The Halo Effect
Threshold
Tygers of Pan Tang
Unleashed
Victory
Vision Divine
Waltari
Warkings
Wind Rose
Wolfheart