IN FLAMES have unveiled the full lineup for their Göteborg Brinner hometown festival, which will serve as the grand finale of their extensive summer 2026 European tour — one of the most ambitious touring endeavors of the band's three-decade career. The Swedish melodic death metal pioneers will headline the event above a diverse and expertly curated bill featuring AVATAR, DARK TRANQUILLITY, RAISED FIST, THROWN, NAPALM DEATH, GAEREA, and MÚR.
The festival celebrates Gothenburg's legendary metal scene — the city that gave birth to the melodic death metal movement in the early 1990s and has since become synonymous with a particular strain of heavy music that blends extreme metal aggression with soaring melody and sophisticated songwriting. The "Gothenburg sound" influenced countless bands worldwide and remains one of the most significant regional movements in metal history, standing alongside the Bay Area thrash movement and the Scandinavian black metal scene in terms of global impact.
With three pillars of the Gothenburg scene represented on the bill — IN FLAMES, DARK TRANQUILLITY, and the spiritual legacy of AT THE GATES — the festival promises to be a historic celebration of the city's metal heritage. DARK TRANQUILLITY, co-founded by IN FLAMES' original vocalist Mikael Stanne, remain one of the most consistent and respected bands in melodic death metal, making their inclusion particularly meaningful for fans of the genre's origins.
The supporting lineup adds further depth and diversity. AVATAR bring their theatrical, circus-influenced heavy metal spectacle. NAPALM DEATH, the legendary Birmingham grindcore originators, represent the extreme end of the spectrum. GAEREA offer atmospheric Portuguese black metal, while MÚR contribute Icelandic post-black metal. RAISED FIST and THROWN round out the bill with Swedish hardcore and metalcore respectively.
IN FLAMES have also been teasing new music, with frontman Anders Fridén strongly hinting at material from their upcoming fifteenth studio album — currently being recorded in Los Angeles with drummer Jon Rice — potentially debuting at the festival. The combination of a career-spanning headline set, new material, and this once-in-a-generation lineup makes Göteborg Brinner one of the most anticipated European festival events of summer 2026.