Neckbreakker, 26th June 2026, Hades, Copenhell Festival, Denmark

Photo: Goran www.urbanmescalero.com

Some bands spend years trying to convince the metal world that they are the next big thing. Neckbreakker simply walk on stage and prove it. The young Danish death metal outfit has built a reputation on relentless live performances and a level of intensity that far exceeds their years, quickly becoming one of the most talked-about names on the national scene. Since then, they have signed with Nuclear Blast and even landed a support slot on part of Slayer’s tour.

On the other hand, one of the band’s driving forces, drummer Anton “Hajn” Bregendorf, left the band last year, putting even more focus on what was their biggest Copenhell show to date – and perhaps giving them even more to live up to.

“We are Neckbreakker and we are from Silkeborg,” declared singer Christoffer Kofoed in the local dialect. Then all hell broke loose. From the very first moment, the band unleashed their vicious blend of death metal, hardcore aggression, and neck-snapping riffs upon Refshaleøen. The audience loved it. There is a sense of local pride when a Danish band achieves international success while still maintaining its local charm. That’s one of the reasons why the area in front of the Hades stage was packed – and packed with action. The other was the sheer explosiveness of their performance.

Bregendorf’s replacement behind the drums, Viktor Bjørnstad, did his job impeccably, and in many ways the same could be said for the rest of the band. Kofoed’s vocal performance wavered at times, especially towards the end of the show, but not enough to have any real impact on the overall experience.

Fire, confetti, drone filming, and plenty of other production elements all indicated that the band has evolved from a promising newcomer into one that is living up to its immense potential. Their confidence on stage and ability to command the audience like seasoned headliners further demonstrated just how far they have come. Yet those glimpses of their “local darlings” roots made the performance all the more charming.