Tolminator 2027 announces Children of Bodom reunion while the 2026 Edition is underway

While thousands of fans are attending Tolminator 2026 in Tolmin, Slovenia, organisers have already unveiled one of the headline attractions for next year’s edition. Tolminator 2027 will feature the return of Children of Bodom, whose reunion performances have become one of the most significant stories in melodic death metal following this year’s tribute concerts honouring the late Alexi Laiho. The announcement places the Finnish band among the first names confirmed for the festival, signalling an ambitious start to the 2027 programme.

Since its inception, Tolminator has continued the tradition established by the region’s long association with heavy music festivals, presenting a programme that combines internationally recognised artists with emerging acts across death metal, black metal, thrash, hardcore and adjacent genres. As the 2026 edition continues to welcome audiences to the banks of the Soča River, the organisers have simultaneously looked ahead by revealing one of next summer’s most anticipated performances. The early confirmation of Children of Bodom demonstrates the festival’s intention to maintain its international profile while building momentum well in advance of the 2027 event.

The announcement also reflects the renewed activity surrounding Children of Bodom following their emotional return to the stage in 2026. Originally conceived as “A Celebration of Music”, the reunion brought together original members Janne Wirman, Henkka Seppälä, Jaska Raatikainen and Alexander Kuoppala, joined by Samy Elbanna of Lost Society in tribute to Alexi Laiho. Following the overwhelmingly positive reception to those performances, the band has confirmed additional appearances throughout 2027, including major festival dates, with Tolminator now becoming part of that continuing celebration of the group’s musical legacy.

Formed in Espoo, Finland, in 1993, Children of Bodom became one of the defining bands of modern melodic death metal by combining technical musicianship, neoclassical guitar work, power metal melodies and extreme metal aggression. Led by the distinctive songwriting and guitar playing of Alexi Laiho, the band achieved international recognition through albums such as Something Wild, Hatebreeder, Follow the Reaper, Hate Crew Deathroll and Are You Dead Yet?. Throughout more than two decades of activity, Children of Bodom consistently expanded the boundaries of melodic death metal without abandoning the intensity that defined their sound. Although the band’s original career concluded in 2019 and Laiho’s passing in 2020 appeared to close that chapter permanently, the 2026 reunion performances demonstrated the enduring significance of their catalogue. Rather than attempting to replace Laiho, the current performances celebrate his musical legacy, allowing one of Finland’s most influential metal bands to reconnect with audiences while introducing their repertoire to a new generation of listeners.