Wacken 2015 Review

Wacken Open Air
This year’s WOA could be named as the Waterworld edition. From our first Wacken-participation in 1997 we have experienced several weather scenarios including two or three very wet and muddy ones, but this time was special. From the weekend it had rained all the time before the first visitor rushes started. So the grounds never had any chance to let the warter drain.
At this point where many other festivals would have seen no other chance to capitulate the WOA organization showed its professionalism based on all the gained experiences: They reorganized the campsite after several areas had been flooded. So to get more space this year camping and parking got divided at several areas after some information on the official Wacken website, other spectators were advised to car parks from as to where short-termed organized shuttle busses drove all the time. The fans reacted cool and partied as the years before. The weather became almost dry from friday on, and on saturday the sun even shined most of the time. So the mud recreated itself to a much more stabile ground.
Musically the billing impressed by the headliners In Flames and Judas Priest as by rare shows of U.D.O. in collaboration with an army orchestra, Rob Zombie, Running Wild, the Rock Meets Classic – ensemble, Amorphis performing their „Tales From The Thousand Lakes“ – album, Samael performing their „Ceremony Of Opposites“ – album, etc.. But the big memorable highlight was the sensational comeback of the almighty Savatage in collaboration with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra performing simultaneously on both neighbored big stages a unique concert! Besides that the WOA organization installed huge LED video screens as digital backdrops on the two biggest stages. Judas Priest used those ones to show the album covers while each title, all Dream Theater songs got visual support by individual video clips, other bands used them just to visualize their backdrops.
At this year’s Wacken Open Air appeared 116 bands on the five regular stages (besides several shows on the Beer Garden Stage, the Wackinger Stage and the Wasteland Stage) in four days for about 75000 visitors (Sold out just a few days after last year’s edition!).

Wednesday
W.E.T. Stage
Uli Jon Roth The guitar virtuoso and his sidekicks presented a classic Rock show that turned out rocking as atmospheric. The whole set consisted of his Scorpions era like the opener „All Night Long“, „The Sails Of Charon“, „In Trance“ or „Virgin Killer. The bandleader showed himself very thankful for the massive applause from the audience.

Headbanger Stage
New Model Army It wasn’t just this kind of monsoon outside which had populated the tent. Many especially older visitors wanted to watch the British Independent legend. Mainman Justin Sullivan and his bandmates seemed happy as motivated to perform the WOA debut. After „March In September“, „Wonderful Way To Go“ and „Between Dog And Wolf“ they finished by the classic „I Love The World“. But why they hell did they decide not to play „Vagabonds“ and the hit „51st State“?
Europe Finally: The Swedish Hardrock icon were one of the very few well-known acts I hadn’t seen before. After starting by the title track and „Hole In My Pocket“ with two tracks from the new album „War Of Kings“ which got considered by its first seven songs the classic „Superstitous“ took care about the packed tent waiting for those classics. Besides nice announcements in clear German the Swedes around vocalist Joey Tempest and guitarist John Norum convinced by their very tight performed setlist containing 17 tracks which just let miss classics like „Open Your Heart“, „Cherokee“, „Carrie“ and „Prisoners In Paradise“. The crowd’s singalongs as jubilation raised enormously when the quintet played „Rock The Night“ before returning with the hit „The Final Countdown“. The best wednesday tent headliner of all times so far for sure!

Thursday
True Metal Stage
U.D.O. This collaboration between the german tank, his band and the Bundeswehr Musikkorps was kind of a little preparation what was about to happen later about integrating an orchestra on both stages. But just kind of, their interpretations of the opener „Animal House“, „Independence Day“, „Man And Machine“ and „Faceless World“ didn’t really work, band- as orchestra-contributions didn’t fit. So the ensemble finished by the Accept-classics „Metal Heart“ and „Princess Of The Dawn“ a unique U.D.O. live show, but there’s no need for any repetition.
Rob Zombie After the big expectation and the following disappointment of last year’s WFF this time there had been announced the full show Rob Zombie is very well-known for overseas can be expected. But many show effects got stuck at the customs. Maybe this was one reason for Rob seeming that uninspired. Anyway, this can’t be an excuse. But at least the White Zombie hits „More Human Than Human“ and „Thunder Kiss ’65“ were the only highlights in an unspectecular set which got finished by the solo debut hit „Dragula“ as an encore.

Black Stage
Skyline Same procedure as every year: The ex-band of WOA organizer Thomas Jensen traditionally opened the program on the big stages by a couple of cover versions like Deep Purple’s „Highway Star“, Iron Maiden’s „Run To The Hills“, Rammstein’s „Engel“ and Rainbow’s „Kill The King“.
In Extremo The Folk Metal sevenpiece is very familiar to the Wacken audience. So they had an easy excercise to animate the fans singing and jumping to the opener „Frei Zu Sein“, „Spielmannsfluch“, „Omnia Sol Temperat“, „A Vis Lo Lop“ and the final „Rasend Herz“ and let them forget about the weather caused complications of the days before.

True Metal Stage & Black Stage
Savatage & Trans-Siberian Orchestra The time had come for one of the biggest comebacks in Metal: In the line-up of „Wake Of Magellan“ Savatage opened by „Gutter Ballet“ on the left-handed Black Stage, and the masses jubilated loudly. While the following „24 Hours Ago“, „Edge Of Thorns“, „Jesus Saves“, „Dead Winter Dead“ and „Hall Of The Mountain King“ Jon Oliva and Zak Stevens alternated behind the lead vocals microphone. The following second part of the show let the fans focus to the True Metal Stage on the right side where the Trans-Siberian Orchestra began their Rock / Classic show. This couldn’t hold the high level of the first Savatage part, but showed art at its best. In the third part Metal musicians as orchestra members together filled both stages to perform in an impressing tight performance compositions like „Turns To Me“, „Another Way“ (supported by Symphony X vocalist Russel Allen), „Mozart And Madness“, „Morphine Child“ and „Christmas Eve 12/24“. This whole show got supported by nine video screens, lots of visual special effects like pyros, smoke columns, dancing choreographies, etc.. The emotional highlight became „Believe“ which of course got dedicated to the passed mainman Chris Oliva. The musical highlight got set by „Chance“. The famous canon was sung from several protagonists of both stages as all over the festival area. This was one of those rare concert experiences everybody won’t forget. Awesome!

Friday
True Metal Stage
Ensiferum The Folk Metal formation from Finland alway is a magnet to attract many supporters in the noon in front of the stage, and the dry weather helped this effect furthermore. The fivepiece started by the intro „March Of War“, „Axe Of Judgement“ and „Heathen Horde“ with material from the new release „One Man Army“ to let follow a best of program getting celebrated by the Pagan- and/or party-related fans.
Kvelertak The Norwegian Black Punk sixpack set on attack from the first tone on. Much action on stage as an aggressive performance of „Evig Vandrar“, „Bloodtors“, „Fossegrim“ and „Bruane Brenn“ inspired the first rows to move and found the applause of all the rows behind. Others just enjoyed it as a soundtrack for the very first sunshine after days of rain.
Queensryche After years fans had wished the Prog Metal legend to appear in Wacken the time finally had come: And it started with the inspiring „Operation Mindcrime“ intro-instrumental „Anarchy-X“. In contrast to the first years after splitting from original singer Sharon Tate the quintet considered by „Breaking The Silence“, „The Needle Lies“ and „Eyes Of A Stranger“ further songs from this masterpiece. Besides this highlights the older classics „Warning“, „Queen Of The Reich“ and the final „Take Hold Of The Flame“ enthused the fans. The new vocalist Todd La Torre convinced and the band’s tightness was brilliant. By „Arrows Of Time“ the band even presented a new song from the forthcoming album.
Dream Theater The nowadays No. 1 in Progressive Metal also played for the very first time in Wacken. They began as impressed by „Afterlife“, „Metropolis Pt.1: The Miracle And The Sleeper“ and „Burning My Soul“ while movie clips were shown on the digital backdrop each song. Individual brilliance as tightness reigned on as in front of the stage, and over all throned the voice of James LaBrie. After these described 20 minutes of madness the ballad „The Spirit Carries On“ really touched and turned a few fans to tears as it was shown on the video walls. But harder tracks like the following „As I Am“ and „Constant Motion“ inspired the fans as well. The individual skills were obvious, but this still was a convincing and enthusing band performance although it was a bit static as expected because of the musical complicity approach. Awesome!
In Flames To the surprise of all the Melodic Death Metal icon opened by the band anthem „Only For The Weak“. What didn’t surprise was a nearly perfect sound, many special effects like pyros, smoke or confetti and an outstanding light show which included the encircling lights of the neighbored Black Stage. Supported by these visual effects the fivepiece and especially by the still present as obvoius motivation the band had no problem to animate the packed festivalsite to headbang, sing and even jump on the muddy floor to „Bullet Ride“, „Alias“, „Deliver Us“, „Cloud Connected“ and „The Quiet Place“. By „Everything’s Gone“, „Paralyzed“ and „Rusted Nail“ three tracks from the recent „Siren Charms“ release got integrated into the set. Especially the only white-suited fronter Anders Fridén showed his entertainer qualities between the songs. So the band finished another first class headliner show by the stirring „The Mirror’s Truth“, „Take This Life“ and „My Sweet Shadow“.
The Bosshoss The Cowboy Rock ‘n’ Roll combo also known from german TV returned to Wacken to party. And in this late night this plan worked for many people, but not for me. In my opinion this slot could have been filled by a more talented band. Anyway, the staying part of the crowd celebrated the set including the final covers of Cameo („Word Up“) and Tony Joe White („Polk Salad Annie“).

Black Stage
Epica All the rain and mud of the last night(s) didn’t hold the fans at the campsite: 11 a.m. and the festival area was pretty populated. The Dutch mainly concentrated by the opener „The Second Stone“, „The Essense Of Silence“, „Victims Of Contigency“ and „Unchain Utopia“ on the current release „The Quantum Enigma“ and impressed by a very tight symphonic appearance lead by the pretty vocalist Simone Simons while the pyro flames got blown to the side by the wind.
Sepultura Brasil’s finest declared by the digital backdrop their 30th anniversary and presented itself on top. They performed a well-balanced set between old and new. Especially the first set half was dominating classics as the opener „Troops Of Doom“, „Inner Self“, „Arise“, „Refuse/Resist“and „Roots, Bloody Roots“ guaranteed the atmosphere and kept the crowd moving while the sun shined for the first time. And so this worked later on while „Choke“, „Kairos“ and the Motörhead cover „Orgasmatron“ as well. Derrick Green, Andreas Kisser & Co showed themselves very motivated as tight, so they still haver further good years to come.
At The Gates The founders of the Gothenburgh Melodic Death Metal sound invaded the stage and raised the speed as heaviness degree. The newer smashers from the recent comeback album „At War With Reality“ like the opener „Death And The Labyrinth“, the title track, „The Circular Ruins“, „Heroes And Tombs“ and „The Book Of Sand (The Abominations)“ inspired hundreds to headbang as of course the classics „Terminal Spirit Disease“, „Under A Serpent Sun“, „Nausea“, „Kingdom Gone“ and the final hit „Blinded By Fear“ did. Fronter Tomppa was always in motion and got the audience’s sympahty stating: „We don’t like Death Metal, we love Death Metal!“
Opeth In contrast to their latest WOA participation the quintet from Stockholm mixed their set instead of dividing it into an old and a new era part. First of all they started with „Eternal Rains Will Come“ and „Cusp Of Eternity“ before mainman Mikael Akerfeldt introduced the band stressing they had come „all the way from Hannover“ catching the first collective laugh. This continued later when he joked to a stagehand: „Get of my stage, bitch.“ Collective headbanging and celebration got achieved by the classics „The Drapery Falls“ and the amazing final consisting of „Heir Apparent“, „The Grand Conjuration“ and „Deliverance“. Generally I have seen many better Opeth shows, but that’s dependent to the style they play which changed with the latest two albums.
Black Label Society Supported by a clear powerful sound Zakk Wylde and his comrades started with „The Beginning … At Last“ and „Funeral Bell“ into their set. The following hymn „Bleed For Me“ set the first accent which inspired much headbanging as singalongs in the crowd. The band acted tight, and Zak showed by his abilities he could be counted to one of the most blessed musicians appearing on this festival. This became even more obvious when he switched behind the piano to perform the mighty ballad „In This River“ while the digital backdrop showed an image of the passed Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell.
Running Wild For the third time after 2003 and 2009 the pirates around mainman Rock ‘n’ Rolf returned to Wacken. The fact they did that after another six years astonished because in 2009 it was declared as the last show. But as it often happens the fourpiece restarted their comeback, and they set by the band hymn „Under Jolly Roger“ the first mark as the opener. In contrast to six years ago the band seemed really motivated. But in my opinion they could have picked a few more classics as „Riding The Storm“ or the final „Bad To The Bone“ instead of playing that much newer material like the world premiere of „Into The West“ from the forthcoming album. Anyway, Running Wild is back!

Party Stage
Angra It was a tough position to appear in the morning in front of a muddy field. But those fans who came shouldn’t regret it. The quintet around the only left original member, guitarist Raphael Bittencourt and ex-Rhapsody-vocalist Fabio Lione let the fans enjoy by the opener „Newborn Me“, „Storm Of Emotions“ and „Final Light“. 16 years after their first WOA-participation the second main stage band from Brasil performed by „Angel’s Cry“, „Nothing To Say“ and „Carry On“ three classics.
Falconer The fivepiece offered Pagan Metal of its better kind. Although the Swedes had technical as climatic sound problems caused by the wind entertained and earned much applause. Especially their voice Matthias Blad enthused by his clear melodic organ. So it was nice to have them back on a Wacken stage after eight years. I hope after the finishing „Clarion Call“ we won’t have to wait a comparable long time.
Stratovarius The Finish Melodic Metal institution can be called as familiar guests in Wacken. In this line-up after their restart it was the second one, and again they rocked on the Party Stage. A band which can call that many classics like the opener „Black Diamond“, „Against The Wind“, „Paradise“ or „Speed Of Light“ their own, owns all it needs to convince in Wacken. And so they did. Lead by vocalist Timo Kotipelto and keyboarder Jens Johansson the quintet introduced by „Shrine In The Dark“ a new song from the forthcoming album. So they finished a succesful show by „Hunting High And Low“ animating to massive singalongs.
Annihilator The Thrash Metal icon from Ottawa returned to Wacken, and this time with mastermind as guitar genius Jeff Waters as the only singer after sharing the vocals with Dave Padden over the last 12 years. The fourpiece opened by the title track of the current album „Suicide Society“ before starting into a best of program. For „Set The World On Fire“ Dream Theater’s Mike Mangini who had played on this masterpiece returned behind the drums. This stamping evergreen as „King Of The Kill“, „Refresh The Demon“, „W.T.Y.D.“, „Phantasmagoria“, „Second To None“ and of course the band hymn „Alison Hell“ animated the crowd to headbang. A great show in which I missed Padden a bit causing a cool alternation and keeping Waters more flexible. Anyway, I stated: Great show!
Oomph! It could have become kind of a release show because this day the new output of the band from Wolfsburg got published. They started with its new track „Alles Aus Liebe“ and preferred to play familiar ones like „Träumst Du“?, „Wunschkind“, „Gekreuzigt“ and of course the hit „Augen Auf“ as finisher.
Within Temptation It was up to the Dutch to enthuse with their Gothic/Symphonic Metal from midnight on. Supported by video clips on the digital backdrop and the fantastic light show they did. Sharon Den Adel’s voice carried the melodic sound and inspired the numerous fans to singalongs during „Faster“, „Stand My Ground“, „Angels“, the Lana del Rey cover „Summertime Sadness“, „What Have You Done“ and „Ice Queen“ before entering the stage again for the encores „Sinéad“, „Covered By Roses“ and „Mother Earth“.

Saturday
True Metal Stage
Powerwolf Two years ago the wolves performed by very hot temperatures nearly up to 40 degrees. This year after the days of rain they entered the stage on the friendliest day of the Wacken weekend. After a few sound problems they animated the masses of fans to celebrate „Army Of The Night“, „Armata Strigoi“ and the title track of their brandnew album „Blessed & Posessed“ as much as the well-known opener „Sanctified With Dynamite“, „Amen & Attack“, „Resurrection By Errection“, „Werewolves Of Armenia“ and „We Drink Your Blood“. Fronter Attila Dorn entertained by his sympathic ironic comments. So he wanted the fans to do a circle-pit backwards.
Danko Jones For the third time the Canadien trio appeared in Wacken. And as always they rocked. Rock ‘n’ Roll songs like „Sugar Chocolate“, „Forget My Name“, „Do You Wanna Rock“, „First Date“ and „Full Of Regret“ left no spectator cold. And Danko’s cool as funny comments between the songs showed for another time his entertainer abilities suggesting to appear in Wacken each year. So „Bring On The Mountain (Become The Mountain)“ set the final accent after an entertaining show.
Bloodbath I was very curious about how Paradise Lost vocalist Nick Holmes would fit to the Swedish highspeed Death Metal. But he did! With a blood red covered face he still is able to shout and grunt. Supported by a tight performance the band inspired to headbang to the opener „Let The Stillborn Come To Me“, „Breeding Death“, „Cancer Of The Soul“ and „Soul Evisceration“. After „Cry My Name“ the Swedes surprised presenting original fronter Dan Swanö behind the microphone for the final Death Metal classic „Eaten“.
Judas Priest The NWOBHM legend returned to Wacken, and they seemed stronger than ever before. The opener „Dragonaut“ of the current „Redeemer Of Souls“ release lead into a best of set getting continued by „Metal God“ leading over „Victim Of Changes“ as „Turbo Lover“ up to „Breaking The Law“ and „Hell Bent For Leather“. For each track the individual album cover got shown on the digital backdrop. Lead by the newer sixstringer Richie Faulkner and a Rob Halford in his seemingly best days the fivepiece returned for the encores „Electric Eye“ and „You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’“. But the fans didn’t let them go without another encore return celebrating „Painkiller“ and „Living After Midnight“.
Subway To Sally It has become kind of a ritual the german Folk Metal sevenpiece plays one of the latest slots every second year in Wacken. So after the WOA-organizers farewell especially the second half of the set they considered by „Kleid Aus Rosen“, „Falscher Heiland“, „Sieben“, „Veitstanz“ and the long awaited as demanded „Julia Und Die Räuber“ causing singalongs minutes after the show.

Black Stage
Khold The fivepiece from Oslo started in the noon with Black Metal. But the majority of those ones being present on the festival area that time went to Kataklysm appearing on the Party Stage. So just a smaller number of fans followed the Norwegians.
Amorphis One of this weekend’s highlights got marked by the 20th anniversary of the masterpiece „Tales From The Thousand Lakes“ played in its entirety in front of the non-digital album cover backdrop. The festival area was packed and the band as fans were motivated for this very special show. That of course began by „Into Hiding“ and „The Castaway“. Supported by pyro and smoke effects the hymn „Black Winter Day“ became amazing. And this didn’t stop over „In The Beginning“ up to „Magic And Mayhem“ after which the very tight sixpiece left the stage to return a bit later for the „Elegy“-encores „Better Unborn“, „Against Widows“ and „My Kantele“. Awesome!
Rock Meets Classic The collaboration between famous Hardrock and Metal vocalists with the Prague Bohemian Orchestra as backing band was kind of a new event in Wacken, but actually it wasn’t that new after all those orchestra collaborations in the latest years.The highlight was the final introducing Twisted Sister’s Dee Snider on stage performing „You Can’t Stop Rock ‘n’ Roll“, „We’re Not Gonna Take It“, „The Price and „I Wanna Rock“. Anyway, this project is kind of superfluous nowadays.
Sabaton Assisted by two tanks on stage as several pyros the Swedish fivepiece opened their performance by „Ghost Division“ when the filled festival area yelled out for their faves. It was interesting to see how this Power Metal formation had become such jubilated heroes. So lead by fronter Joakim Brodén „Carolus Rex“ and „The Art Of War“ got celebrated as much as the encore section consisting of „Night Witches“, „Primo Victoria“ and „Metal Crüe“.
Cradle Of Filth The UK Blackies appeared after their WOA debut in 1998 for the fourth time in Wacken. Supported by pyros and an atmospheric live show fronter Dani Filth and his band had the complete attention of the festival area. They considered by „Right Wing Of The Garden Triptych“ one track from the brandnew „Hammer Of The Witches“ album and concentrated on a best of set containing „Summer Dying Fast“, „Funeral In Carpathia“, „Nymphetamine“, „Cruelty Brought Thee Orchids“, „Her Ghost In The Fog“ and the finisher „From The Cradle To Enslave“ which caused headbanging action and jubilation from the audience.

Party Stage
Kataklysm The Canadien Death Metal machine was the right method to get waken up and into action again. „The Black Sheep“ and „Thy Serpent’s Tongue“ from the brandnew album „Of Ghosts And Gods“ fit into the program between all the classics and got celebrated as „As I Slither“, „At The Edge Of The World“, „Push The Venom“ and „Taking The World By Storm“. They populated on the Party Stage area much more fans than the competitor on the neighbored pretty empty field. Fronter Maurizio Iacono showed his respect for the audience and the band finished a strong set by the classics „In Shadows And Dust“ and „Crippled & Broken“.
Skindred The Reggae Metal from the UK changed a lot on stage for these 45 minutes. Lead by shouter Benji the fourpiece inspired the fans to jump around and others to leave on the other hand.The cover versions of House Of Pain („Jump Around“), Macklemore & Ryan Lewis („Thrift Shop“) and Metallica („Sad But True“) sounded interesting anyway.
Biohazard The NYHC Hardcore attack returned to Wacken to plow the acre for another time. And this actually happened on the still muddy Party Stage area. The fourpiece around running Billy and circling Bobby placed the classics „Punishment“ and „Tales From The Hard Side“ pretty early, so there was no long warm-up till the whole audience was jumping as the band did itself.
Cannibal Corpse Quality brutality without any effect gadgets got served by Florida’s finest in Death Metal. Front grunter Corpsegrinder activated his windmill headbanging, and so did lots of fans to „Stripped, Raped And Strangled“, „The Wrechted Spawn“, „Make Them Suffer“ and the final consisting of „Hammer Smashed Face“ and „Devoured By Vermin“ leaving happy fans.
Santiano The Sailor Rock/Pop combo appeared for the second time in a row on one of the big stages in Wacken, and for the second time we asked ourselves, why?

Conclusion:
As mentioned this extraordinary weather conditions confronted the WOA organization with extraordinary defiances they solved in a brilliant way. Of course not everyone might have been happy this weekend having other camping or parking situations as being used to over the years before, but nearly everyone understood this was the best they could get safed by an optimal organization.
Besides that I met a musician from the Caucasian Metal Battle winner from Georgia (south of Russia). Talking with and especially listening to him emphasized how popular the WOA is worldwide and how much a participation in Wacken means to metalheads from there! On saturday night the WOA organizers announced the first bands to play in 2016: Blind Guardian, Steel Panther, Ministry, Pyogenesis, Kylesa, Unisonic, Therion, Borknagar, Henry Rollins (Spoken Word), Eskimo Callboy, Orphaned Land, Orden Ogan, Legion Of The Damned, Axel Rudi Pell, Callejon, Dragonforce and Eluveitie!
In spite of the described climatic circumstances we really appreciated Wacken 2015! And we’re looking forward to our 20th Wacken Open Air participation in a row since 1997! See you there – rain or shine!
Special thanks go out to Anna Lorenz and the WOA-team!!!!! At the Wacken Open Air rocked, drank and partied Tobi Wan Kenobi, Dumbo, Babyarm & Alex!!!!!