Some serious situations going on in Haiti has forced the annual metal cruise 70000 Tons of Metal to switch up its destination, opting to head to Nassau, The Bahamas over their normal stop in Labadee, Haiti. And amidst all that, cruise organizers felt it was an appropriate time to also announce the initial 27 bands on next year’s lineup.
Now, you may not be aware of this because Western mass media doesn’t really report on it, but Haiti’s in a bit of a fucked up situation. Political instability that popped off (mostly) following the assassination of their president Jovenel Moïse in 2021 has led to roving criminal gangs running amok and taking control over whole swathes of the country. Things have progressed so poorly in Haiti that its capital, Port-au-Prince, has almost completely been taken over by armed gangs. That’s lead to the displacement of 1.3 million people, mass killings, instances of sexual violence growing at a rapid rate… it’s all gone to shit.
In a prepared statement, 70000 Tons of Metal skipper Andy Piller said that unrest was too much of a risk to consider continuing as normal and docking at Labadee, Haiti. Hence the need to swap destinations.
“While Labadee has been a great port of call on past sailings, we are closely monitoring the evolving situation in Haiti and its surrounding regions. Ensuring the safety and comfort of our Survivors is non-negotiable. With that in mind, we’ve made the proactive decision to change course for 2026. Nassau provides a welcoming alternative that allows us to maintain the world-class experience our Sailors expect — both on board and ashore.”
As we previously reported, the cruise will set sail aboard the Royal Caribbean’s ‘Freedom of the Seas’ from Miami, Florida on January 29, 2026, with plans to return on February 2. Along the way, they’ll make a stop at Nassau. As always, the cruise will span four days and feature 60 bands across four stages, among other fun activities.
The initial list of 27 out of the planned 60 bands is as follows:
- AMORPHIS
- BEAST IN BLACK
- DARK TRANQUILLITY
- DØDHEIMSGARD
- ELUVEITIE
- EREB ALTOR
- FIREWIND
- GAMA BOMB
- GROZA
- HAGGARD
- HARAKIRI FOR THE SKY
- HEATHEN
- HIRAES
- HIRAX
- HOUR OF PENANCE
- INSOMNIUM
- KAMELOT
- ORDEN OGAN
- PERSEFONE
- RHAPSODY OF FIRE
- SATURNUS
- SEVEN SPIRES
- SKELETAL REMAINS
- TÝR
- VIO-LENCE
- WIND ROSE
- XANDRIA
There are some damn good bands planned for this year’s cruise. If you’d like to learn about the various cabins they have available, you should visit the official website to find out more.