Pestilence are a Dutch death metal band formed in 1986 in Enschede, widely regarded as one of technical death metal's "big four" alongside Death, Atheist, and Cynic. Their early albums - above all Consuming Impulse (1989) and Testimony of the Ancients (1991) - helped define European extreme metal. Guitarist, vocalist, and composer Patrick Mameli has been the band's constant driving force through two breakups and reunions. Their tenth studio album, Portals, is in preparation as of 2026.
Pestilence launched their European tour Entering The Portals Tour 2026, which includes stops in Ljubljana, Italian cities, Copenhagen, Hamburg and others.
New guitarist Max Blok (Alkaloid, Dark Fortress) joined Pestilence; the band also confirmed that their tenth album Portals will be released in June 2025 on Agonia Records.
Pestilence completed a headlining tour across Asia with concerts in Turkey, Bahrain, UAE, China, Thailand, Taiwan and Japan.
Pestilence released the compilation Levels of Perception (April 26, 2024, Agonia Records) - twelve newly recorded tracks from the band's entire career.
The album Exitivm (2021) charted on Billboard 200, which is an exceptional achievement for a death metal band.
