Did someone say “folk metal”? Portuguese band Gwydion will headline the inaugural RagnaROCK Festival, set to take place on 16 and 17 October 2026 at Berăria Valhalla in Bacău, Romania.
Alongside Gwydion, the latest round of confirmations includes Cyprus-based Ka’aper, as well as Romanian bands Altlut and Scripped. They join the previously announced Hteththemeth, Shadow Rebels, Eufobia and Davide Laugelli, rounding out a programme that draws from several sides of the metal scene.
Official event poster
© RagnaROCK
When the North Calls
Since their formation in 1995, the members of Gwydion, from Lisbon, Portugal, have built their music around the meeting point of heavy metal, folk melodies and Celtic and Nordic influences, with mythology, history and Viking lore providing much of the subject matter.
Albums such as “Ŷnys Mön”, “Horn Triskelion”, “Veteran” and “Thirteen” have defined that identity over the years, while 2026 marks the arrival of “Legacy”, their latest and most ambitious chapter to date.
There is also a deeply personal story behind “Legacy”, according to the group. The album is dedicated to Daniel, a founding member and keyboard player of Gwydion, who passed away during the recording process. Having been part of the band from its earliest days, his contribution remains woven into the album, giving its themes of loss and legacy an added significance.
A Few More Tales to Tell
The musicians behind Ka’aper formed the band in 2024 and are currently based between Limassol and Larnaca, Cyprus. Their melodic death metal draws heavily on Ancient Egyptian mythology.
That fascination takes centre stage across their two full-length albums, “While Flows the Nile”, released in 2025, and “When Gods Walked the Earth”, which arrived this year.
Based in Iași, Romania, since 2021, the bandmates in Altlut have found their place somewhere between post-metal, doom and sludge, with heavy riffs and dense percussion meeting elements borrowed from classical music.
Their first EP, “Rebearth”, came in 2024. For that release, they drew on personal experiences, as well as certain dreams that stayed with them long after waking.
Bacău will also be represented by Scripped, an alternative metal band formed by local teenagers. After their first live appearances, including their debut at Rock’n’rolla in Iași, they have continued to make their presence felt on the local scene while working towards their first album.
With new songs continuing to emerge, Scripped are still at the beginning of their story, but already have plenty of room to experiment and develop their own voice.
A Word on RagnaROCK
RagnaROCK arrives in Bacău as a new addition to the local live scene, with its first edition bringing eight bands together at Berăria Valhalla across two October evenings. The festival is built around the pleasure of discovering new music, meeting familiar faces and giving both established names and younger acts a stage of their own. The organisers hope RagnaROCK can become the spark that brings artists and audiences closer together, giving the local scene a place where new connections can begin.
The festival programme is as follows:
16 October: Hteththemeth, Ka’aper, Eufobia and Altlut;
17 October: Gwydion, Davide Laugelli, Shadow Rebels and Scripped.
The Place Where It Happens
RagnaROCK will take place at Berăria Valhalla, located on Strada Erou Gheorghe Rusu in Bacău. The venue regularly hosts live music, making it a natural setting for a festival centred on the local metal community and its guests from abroad.
Tickets
https://www.iabilet.ro/bilete-bacau-ragnarock-festival-127162/.
