Fire In The Mountains 2025 Rewrote The Script of What A Heavy Metal Fest Could & Should Be
I’m pretty dirty with a heart completely full of love, a head full of new knowledge, and bountiful memories thanks to this year’s Fire In The Mountains. A festival that has returned in 2025 and once again set itself apart from any other experience you’ll ever have.
I’d like to start this review with a disclaimer that Metal Injection is indeed a proud sponsor of this festival, but for no monetary value. I simply believed in the cause, message and impact of FITM since my first attendance in 2022, and I wanted to get even more involved in carrying their message to our audience. In short, I’d like to share this magical event with you and with the best intentions possible.
In my best effort to recap/review what transpired at the fest this year, I’m going to break it down by the frequently most questions I’ve been asked concerning FITM. My hope is to limit any concerns or confusion, and let you in on this must-feel experience for yourself!
The Setting
In a way, FITM reminded me of my Boy Scouts week-long summer camp experiences. The festival campgrounds are only five minutes outside of a small town with plenty of amenities and lodging, but the festival site (Red Eagle Campground) is a picturesque and serene off the grid (and cell tower) setting I found myself not wanting or needing to leave for 3 whole days. It felt great to “unplug” and remind ourselves what life is really about.
The festival grounds are huge with staging, vendors and side program locations built into natural clearings and surroundings that really enhance the festival experience. Walking to the lake front from the stage bowl area the first time is something you won’t forget, it’s a stunning view that keeps getting with each step closer.
Taking a daily dip in the frigid glacier lake, is not only the source of bathing, but the most refreshing way to break up the sun beamed afternoons. I can’t say enough great things about the natural beauty you’ll find all over the festival grounds.
The Food/Amenities
Myself, like many others, wound up overpacking camp-friendly foods for the event not realizing there would be ample food, drink, snack, jewelry and clothing vendors on site. This is on top of a general store inside the camp that provides any essential items you could need during your stay.
The festival also hosts a special farm-to-table bbq during lunch that many of my friends noted was “epic delicious.” The festival grounds also provided ample porta-toilets, hand wash stations and drinking water faucets in each clearing and camping areas.
In short, FITM did a great job at keeping everyone safe, well fed, and quenched of thirst even if you showed up empty handed. This was more than I expected, and pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to grab anything you need.
The Love
With this year’s festival apex being the meeting of Norwegian (By Norse Music) and American Native communities (Blackfeet Nation) coming together to break bread, sweat, and drumsticks with us in attendance, proved to be a cultural experience that was larger than a metal festival and felt more like a meaningful government and social paradigm shift that I couldn’t be happier to witness. Calling this years FITM “a metal festival” might even be a disservice to what unfolded in front of us.
Watching the pre-fest Blackfoot ceremony was hours long and powerful, meaningful and brought many to tears as the tribe donned their traditional dressing and blessings to the large audience of mature and open-minded attendees.
Watching Einar Selvik of Wardruna hold back tears as he accepted the tribe’s offering, a painted animal skull, was raw and emotional to say the least.
The presence of the Blackfoot Nation Council was prevalent through out the entire festival, a reminder why we were all here. I’m happy to report the crowd more than understood, respected and outright cherished the sentiment. It’s truly an honor to be invited by the natives on their land, receive a first-hand learning about their culture, language, history, struggles and what our attention to these things mean to them. It was eye opening, heart warming, gratitude at work and deeply emotional.
The truth is, I have learned more about our natives through FITM in one weekend, than I ever have in any book or documentary. It’s something I’ll take with me, and remember forever. The partnership between FITM and Blackfoot Nation truly brings the earth and arts together in a way I have literally never experienced anywhere in my life.
I was also fortunate to host the official listening party and Q&A for indigenous artist, Blackbraid, who not only provided a profound look at the creation of his art and upcoming album III but annihilated his epic live performance that felt especially passionate and raw.
The Activities
The festival did a wonderful job keeping the audience engaged for the entirety of the days, in a choose your own adventure kind of way. The early mornings begin with yoga and meditation on two breathtaking embankments of the lake, followed by captivating and insightful workshops about the local indigenous tribe as well as many about Viking culture.
I chose to attend as many workshops as possible each day, getting the most out of this exclusive first hand experience. As the workshops come to a close for the day, the stage bowl area comes alive starting with a ceremonial blessing from the natives. Performance after performance we are met with a slew of the most impressive talent that run the gamut of cultural folk to blasphemous black metal and just about everything dark in between.
It felt like Roadburn with cultural purpose, with some of the lesser known artists winning over the crowds with every strum. I honestly didn’t witness one bad set, or one I walked away from. Every artist that hit the stage felt like family, diversely expressive, and on a mission to be part of something greater than us all.
Keeping a crowd attentive, engaged, and inspired for 16 hours a day is no easy feat, but FITM does it in style. Don’t care for a particular workshop or band? No problem, you can go swimming, fishing, hiking, rafting, kayaking, paddle boarding, or just bask in the beauty while you wait. IMO it’s seemingly impossible to have a bad time at this festival. You’re more likely to burn out from wanting to do too much!
The No Alcohol Policy
When they announced that FITM was going to be a dry festival this year, it seemingly became the biggest question on everyone’s mind. A metal festival without its favorite lubricant? How will we survive!? Well, this is one of several ways FITM completely re-wrote what a metal fest is capable of!
FITM’s dry run was made in effort to back suicide prevention and the mental welfare of natives on the reservation. This was understood and respected by the patrons of the festival, and the craziest part is that no one really seemed to miss being drunk, hungover, or feel cheated in this amazing experience. I have personally had more clear and present conversations than I ever had at festivals. I can remember everything that happened. It felt great to connect with other people and be more present by taking the time and patience to do so with no haste.
Since everyone in attendance was equally dry throughout the festival, it never felt awkward or incomplete as an experience. In fact, it felt great knowing we collectively united as a group to stand for something positive and kept that message as vivid as possible within us. Not to mention, the lack of getting shit-faced made waking up at sunrise and attending important workshops a hell of a lot easier and fulfilling each day.
Fire In The Mountains moving to Red Eagle Campground is by and large a whole new challenge for this pioneering group that has been faced with obstacles since its inception. Was the 2025 edition perfect in every way possible? No, but with new vigor, determination and the perfect partnership that can bring the message of nature meets art, eco sustainability, human rights, and cultural learning to the forefront, I have no doubts that Fire In The Mountains has just rewrote the script on what a heavy music festival could and should be moving forward. My deepest respects to these festival artisans, and the group of us who “went first” to explore something entirely new. Do yourself a favor and don’t miss out on 2026!
