The eighth annual Tuska Open Air Metal Festival at Kaisaniemi Park in Helsinki, Finland during 15.-17.7. has confirmed more Finnish and international artists. The 2005 festival will once again present more than thirty bands from different styles of metal, several of which will be announced on a later date. Already at this point, it is once again evident that there will be something for each and every taste, from old school thrash to modern black metal and everything in between.

Saturday 16.7. will be headlined by the infamous Norwegian black metallers Dimmu Borgir. The band has pushed the boundaries of symphonic black metal with every record and are currently preaparing their next release. That is the reason why the group has toured very scarcely in recent times. Their Tuska-performance will be one of few selected festival shows the band will do next summer. Dimmu Borgir was originally scheduled to play at Tuska 2004 but after being offered one of the headlining slots at Ozzfest, they obviously had to cancel their appearance.

Friday night will be closed by American Space-Stoner group Monster Magnet. Vocalist Dave Wyndorf's trimmed moustache and leatherpants were last witnessed on Finnish soil at last year's Ruisrock Festival, where allegedly pants were wet, water turned to beer and the sun stopped shining during their breathtaking performance. Expect no less at Tuska 2005 as well as Ilosaarirock where Monster Magnet will take the stage on Saturday.

Finnish funeral atmosphere will be provided by Sentenced, who will embark on their farewell tour over the summer. This true Tuska-veteran has appeared on the bill several times, therefore it's more than appropriate that their final tour will take them to Kaisaniemi Park, one last time.

Other international competence at Tuska 2005 will be represented by German veteran thrashers Destruction and fellow germans Primal Fear, who will give their debut Finnish performance at Tuska. Swedish goth metallers Lake Of Tears and UK-based folkmetal group Bal-Sagoth have been
requested for a long time by the audience and finally the wait is over, as both have been added to the roster. History is also in the making, as Tuska 2005 will present the first Russian band in the festival's history. Progressive death metallers Hieronymus Bosch have been in the game since the early nineties, therefore their appearance at the festival is very justified.

Speaking of firsts, another one is the debut performance by Wintersun, the new melodic death metal supergroup spearheaded by ex-Ensiferum vocalist Jari Mäenpää. Drum duties are performed by the extraordinaire Rotten Sound -drummer Kai Hahto, second guitar is played by the young Imperanon-axeman Teemu Mäntysaari and Norther-bassplayer Jukka Koskinen will take care of the low end.

In addition to these already confirmed acts, both Finnish and international artists will be added to the roster.

Tickets for Tuska 2005 will go on sale April 1st through Lippupalvelu (www.lippupalvelu.fi). The three day ticket costs 67 euros and day tickets cost 32 euros.

Current Tuska 2005 artist roster reads like this;

Accept (GER)
Dimmu Borgir (NOR)
Monster Magnet (USA)
Children Of Bodom
Testament (USA)
Sentenced
Finntroll
Destruction (GER)
Rotten Sound
Evergrey (SWE)
Primal Fear (GER)
Wintersun
Lake Of Tears (SWE)
Ajattara
Bal-Sagoth (UK)
Deathchain
Thunderstone
Scarve (FRA)
Naglfar (SWE)
Pain Confessor
Teräsbetoni
Turmion Kätilöt
Hieronymus Bosch (RUS)
Sinking

Additional Information:
http://www.tuska-festival.fi