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There is something refreshing about a festival that does not feel like it is trying to be everything for everyone. NOX OCCULTUM has quickly developed an identity of its own, focusing on the darker, more atmospheric and uncompromising side of extreme metal. Now, with its second edition taking place on September 4–5, 2026 at Hall of Fame in Tilburg, the festival is returning with an impressive lineup that brings together cult legends, established underground acts and some of the most intense names in contemporary extreme metal.
The lineup alone makes Chapter II a very tempting destination. Beherit, Samael, Cirith Gorgor, Concrete Winds, Gnaw Their Tongues, Trepaneringsritualen, Imha Tarikat, Pale Spektre, Shewolff and many others will take over Tilburg for two days of black metal, death metal, and experimental extremity. Rather than following a single formula, NOX OCCULTUM seems interested in showing just how many different forms extreme music can take.
There is, of course, something particularly exciting about seeing names like Beherit and Samael on the same bill. Beherit need little introduction to anyone familiar with the history of underground black metal. Their primitive, hypnotic and deeply atmospheric approach has influenced generations of extreme musicians, and their presence gives the festival a genuine connection to the early spirit of the genre. For me personally, this appearance is especially meaningful. I have been a Beherit fan since my teenage years, and for a long time they were one of those bands I never imagined I would actually have the chance to see live. When I first heard that they had started performing concerts last year, I was genuinely surprised. Finally getting to see them on stage is therefore something I am particularly looking forward to.
But Beherit are only one part of what makes this year's festival exciting. Samael bring an entirely different kind of darkness. Having seen them live recently as well as in previous years, I can say that their performances continue to have a remarkable impact. There is a dark majesty to Samael on stage powerful, atmospheric and almost monumental. Despite everything the band has explored throughout its long career, they have never lost the spirit that made them so compelling in the first place. Their ability to turn a room into something cold, imposing and strangely beautiful remains one of their greatest strengths.
And then there is Cirith Gorgor, representing the Dutch black metal scene and bringing decades of experience with them. I actually had the chance to see them live as recently as March in Eindhoven, and they delivered a fantastic performance. Their live sound was powerful and uncompromising, with exactly the kind of intensity you want from a traditional black metal band. Knowing how strong they were on that occasion makes their appearance at NOX OCCULTUM even more exciting and it will be great to experience that energy once again.
Imha Tarikat are another particularly personal addition to the lineup for me. I was part of the team that helped bring the band to Turkey last year, so seeing them now on the NOX OCCULTUM bill feels especially rewarding. Kerem and the rest of the guys have brought a different approach to the black metal scene through their style, energy and musical perspective, and it has been great to watch the band develop. Having been involved in bringing them to Turkey, I am genuinely looking forward to seeing them again, this time in the very different atmosphere of a festival like NOX OCCULTUM.
The rest of the lineup offers plenty of reasons to be just as excited. Finland's Concrete Winds promise a completely different kind of assault, delivering their chaotic and ferocious take on extreme death metal. Gnaw Their Tongues bring their unsettling mixture of black metal, noise and dark ambience, while Trepaneringsritualen add an industrial and ritualistic dimension to the weekend. Alongside them, acts such as Pale Spektre, Hadopelagyal, Shewolff, Fir, Nortfalke, Bloed and others ensure that the festival constantly shifts between different shades of darkness.
For anyone who prefers their metal dark, uncompromising and slightly unpredictable, Tilburg should be an interesting place to be this September.
For me, there will certainly be a few personal highlights, finally seeing Beherit live, experiencing Samael's dark majesty once again, catching Cirith Gorgor after their excellent performance in Eindhoven earlier this year, and seeing Imha Tarikat again after being part of the team that brought them to Turkiye. But that is exactly what makes a festival like this special.
After attending two editions of NDF, I'm very much looking forward to being back in Tilburg. Two days, and a lineup that promises to make Tilburg considerably darker than usual.