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Inferno Metal Festival Co-Founder Passes Away
February11
Jan-Martin Jensen, a key figure in Norway’s alternative and metal music scene, has passed away foll
Jan-Martin Jensen, a key figure in Norway’s alternative and metal music scene, has passed away following a battle with cancer.
He was widely known for his contributions as a concert promoter, sound technician, and co-founder of the Inferno Metal Festival.
Born in Bodø in 1963, Jensen was an early advocate for punk music in the city, playing a crucial role in the local scene as a concert organizer, book café curator, and band manager. He contributed to the fanzine Gakk and served on the board of Bodø Rockeklubb before moving to Oslo, where he became involved with the Blitz Youth House as a concert promoter and sound technician.
In the 1990s, he co-founded Zone Productions, a record and booking company that organized concerts and events across Norway. He later established the alternative club Mars, which hosted renowned metal acts such as Emperor, Mayhem, and Morbid Angel.
After Mars closed in 1999, Jensen founded Radar Booking, which played a significant role in bringing underground and international metal acts to Norway. Through Radar, he promoted concerts featuring artists such as Mayhem, Manowar, Cannibal Corpse, and Devin Townsend, helping to shape Oslo’s reputation as a hub for diverse music genres.
Since 2000, he was also a founder and promoter of the Inferno Metal Festival, which has grown into a major event in the global extreme metal community. Held annually in Oslo, the festival attracts fans, media, and industry professionals from around the world.
He remained active in his work despite his illness, ensuring that concerts and the Inferno festival continued.
A message from his colleagues at Inferno reads:
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Inferno Metal Festival’s Jan-Martin Jensen after a hard-fought battle with cancer. This is a profoundly difficult day for all of us in the Inferno family.
Jan-Martin meant so much to so many, and to everyone who loved music in Norway. His memory will live on through the joy he brought to countless people by organizing thousands of concerts and the Inferno Metal Festival.
Jan-Martin Jensen will be deeply missed. His passing leaves an immense void. We will forever remember him for the incredible person he was and for everything he did for us.
Rest in peace, Jan-Martin.
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