That’s how it was with AMARANTHE & EPICA

March 06, 2026, Hamburg, Inselpark Arena
Support: Charlotte Wessels

Loud, epic, merciless: The Inselpark Arena in a state of emergency

Black shirts, expectant conversations and that typical moment just before the first note. The Inselpark Arena was already vibrating long before a guitar riff even sounded – that special mixture of anticipation and excitement that only great concert evenings generate. March 6, 2026 was one of those evenings without a classic line-up with a clear hierarchy, but rather a rare concept: two headliners, two worlds of sound and two bands sharing the stage on a completely equal footing. And when two metal worlds meet, sometimes friction arises. Sometimes competition. But on this evening, something else happened: two styles – and a joint explosion of energy, melody and brute live power.

Epica – Symphonic metal in its most brutal form

On the one hand, there is Epica – the Dutch masters of symphonic metal. Since their foundation in 2002, they have combined orchestral monumentality with progressive heaviness and have developed into one of the most influential names in the genre over the years. Orchestral arrangements and brute riffs merge into monumental soundscapes. But despite their epic breadth, Epica never lose sight of their heaviness. Delicate, almost sacred vocal passages clash with aggressive growls and powerful guitars – a play of contrasts that has long since become their trademark. These compositions really come into their own live. As soon as Simone Simons enters the stage, she immediately creates a magnetic presence. Her voice carries effortlessly over every guitar wall, while the band builds a massive sound base underneath.

Amaranthe – Modern metal energy with a futuristic print

On the other side, Amaranthe from Sweden – a band that has created its very own hybrid since its formation in 2008. Modern, digital, futuristic. While Epica stand for orchestral monumentality, Amaranthe deliver the other side of the coin: a sound that fuses melodic metal, electronic elements and anthemic pop structures into an energetic cocktail. A central trademark of the band is the interplay of three voices. Frontwoman Elize Ryd provides the melodic power, Nils Molin delivers classic metal vocals, while Mikael Sehlin provides the necessary pressure with brutal growls. Amaranthe know perfectly how to take an audience with them and get a hall moving within a few minutes.

Charlotte Wessels – The Obsession

Before this double storm could break out, however, the stage first belonged to an artist who is well known to many fans. Charlotte Wessels, long-time frontwoman of the symphonic metal band Delain, has created her own musical world with her current project The Obsession. Her songs move between dark pop, atmospheric rock and cinematic metal. Personal, emotional, sometimes fragile and often with a quiet melancholy – then again surprisingly powerful.

Charlotte Wessels – The prelude

With “Chasing Sunsets” and “Dopamine”, the evening began relatively quietly at first, but the atmosphere in the hall quickly thickened. As the Inselpark Arena slowly filled up, Charlotte Wessels led the audience through the first songs with her warm voice. “The Crying Room” and “Soft Revolution” followed, creating a dark, almost hypnotic atmosphere. Many audience members listened attentively – a rare moment of calm before the evening got much louder. At the end, “After Us, The Flood” and “The Exorcism” once again increased the emotional impact of the set. The final song in particular unfolded a dark drama that suited the evening perfectly.

Epica – Orchestral metal as a wrecking ball

When the lights went out again, there was suddenly a palpable tension in the room. Fog crept across the stage, orchestral sounds wafted through the hall – then the first storm of sound erupted with “Apparition”. A powerful introduction that immediately made it clear: Epica had come to take over the arena today. This was immediately followed by “Cross the Divide”, whose driving guitars and anthemic chorus immediately swept the crowd away. And the photo pit suddenly became cramped when Simone Simons stepped to the edge of the stage and the first rows went completely wild. With “Martyr of the Free Word”, the first real crunch of the evening followed. The riffs ate their way through the hall while Simone Simons hovered seemingly effortlessly over the wall of guitars. After that, “Eye of the Storm” pushed the tempo further forward – a brute mixture of orchestral grandeur and metallic force. Later, “Unleashed” and “Never Enough” provided the first big sing-along moment. The audience immediately joined in, arms in the air, voices in the chorus. A special moment followed with “Sirens – Of Blood and Water”, during which Charlotte Wessels returned to the stage once again. Two voices that complemented each other perfectly, while a massive wall of sound was raised underneath. With “Tides of Time”, things briefly became more atmospheric before the set swung back into monumental sound dimensions with “The Grand Saga of Existence”.

Then came the moment that many had been waiting for. When the first notes of “Cry for the Moon” rang out, an audible murmur went through the hall. Seconds later, the Inselpark Arena was singing along to every line. The guitars rumbled through the arena, while Simone Simons dominated the stage in the white stage lights with an impressive presence and the first rows sang along to every line. With “The Last Crusade”, things got epic once again. Orchestral power and an audience that was completely under the spell of this cathedral of sound. Finally, “Beyond the Matrix” was the finale – a finale that once again combined everything: pressure, melody and epic drama. An orchestral metal storm that had the Inselpark Arena completely under control. But the evening wasn’t over yet.

Amaranthe – Futuristic metal party

Epica had barely left the stage when the atmosphere changed abruptly. The orchestral darkness gave way to glaring lights, electronic beats and an energy that immediately moved forward. Amaranthe opened their set with “Fearless” – a song that ripped through the arena like a shock of energy. This was followed by “Viral”, whose modern metal sound immediately got the crowd moving. “Digital World” and “Damnation Flame” were followed by a massive guitar roll. With “Maximize” and “Strong”, the band finally switched to party mode. The choruses were sung along loudly, while Elize Ryd dominated the stage with a mixture of energy and charisma. “Crystalline” allowed the venue to take a short breather before “Chaos Theory” put the pressure back on.

When “Amaranthine” was played, an audible murmur went through the crowd. The song has long been one of the band’s classics – and was enthusiastically celebrated by the Hamburg audience. With “The Nexus”, it became anthemic and powerful again. “Call Out My Name” and “Archangel” significantly increased the energy once again. The latter in particular had an enormous impact live. Then came the final sprint. With “That Song”, the band got the hall dancing once again before “Drop Dead Cynical” finally brought the evening to a boil. A futuristic metal party – loud, garish and mercilessly energetic.

Conclusion – Symphonic metal collides with future metal

Epica and Amaranthe didn’t deliver a classic support headliner evening, but a real double headliner spectacle. Two completely different sound worlds, two completely different stage concepts.
And yet two bands who know exactly how to bring a hall to the boil. Epica impressed with orchestral grandeur, monumental arrangements and a voice that effortlessly soared over every guitar wall. Amaranthe, on the other hand, delivered a modern metal party with futuristic pressure, electronic beats and a permanent burst of energy. In the end, it was an evening that showed just how versatile modern metal can be. Or to put it simply: what a great night!

Text & Photos: Thomas Friedel Fuhrmann

Setlist Charlotte Wessels:
“Chasing Sunsets” – “Dopamine” – “The Crying Room” – “Soft Revolution” – “After Us, The Flood” – “The Exorcism”

Setlist Epica:
“Apparition” – “Cross the Divide” – “Martyr of the Free Word” – “Eye of the Storm” – “Unleashed” – “Never Enough” – “Sirens – Of Blood and Water” – “Tides of Time” – “The Grand Saga of Existence” – “Cry for the Moon” – “Fight to Survive” – “The Last Crusade” – “Beyond the Matrix”

Setlist Amaranthe:
“Fearless” – “Viral” – “Digital World” – “Damnation Flame” – “Maximize” – “Strong” – “Crystalline” – “Chaos Theory” – “Amaranthine” – “The Nexus” – “Call Out My Name” – “Archangel” – “That Song” – “Drop Dead” – “Cynical”

Listen to Amaranthe and Epica in our “Female Metal Voices in Darkness” playlist on Spotify: