{"id":1428,"date":"2012-09-01T14:34:55","date_gmt":"2012-09-01T13:34:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/new.metal-festivals.com\/?page_id=1428"},"modified":"2013-06-18T14:43:57","modified_gmt":"2013-06-18T13:43:57","slug":"wacken-2012-review","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/new.metal-festivals.com\/?page_id=1428","title":{"rendered":"Wacken 2012 Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

WACKEN OPEN AIR 2012<\/strong>
\nWacken is the place of pilgrimage for most of the Metal fans all over the world. Everybody getting in touch with Metal talks about it and plans someday to go to Wacken. So they come from all over the world to breathe the Wacken atmosphere beginning on the campgrounds where all the fans from different countries get in touch with each other and ending on the festivalsite where they celebrate their main passion in unity.
\nAnd the protagonists of this passion as Machine Head, In Flames, Volbeat, The Scorpions, Dimmu Borgir, Saxon as others represented the high-class-billing as well as rare appearances like the last open air show of the mentioned Scorpions, the farewell tour of Nasum as the European festival reunion shows of Sacntuary or Coroner.
\nAs the years before the organization worked very well. The festivalsite as its ways to the different stages offered much space for the masses, the clean restrooms were for free use and the variety of food and beverages was huge.
\nLike the latest WOA-editions the fans also had the opportunity to visit the Wackinger Village with several viking as medieval shows and a market.
\nThe big change in contrast to former years was the outsourcing of the W.E.T. Stage from the main festival area placing it in the Bullhead City Tent where it alternated with the neighbored Headbanger Stage. The only thing which didn’t work was the weather. The rainy European summer didn’t stop for Wacken. So it became very wet as muddy. But the organization considered this and the fans didn’t stop the party. At this year\u2019s Wacken Open Air 75 bands appeared on the now five regular stages (besides several shows on the Beer Garden Stage and the Medieval Stage and as lots of competitors within the Metal Battle contest as further performances on the W.E.T. Stage as the Headbanger Stage on wednesday) in three days for about 75000 visitors (Sold out in november!). Finally we need to express our condolence for one young man who died sleeping next to a generating set and breathing in all its emissions. Sad story which could have happened everywhere, but nevertheless tragic.<\/p>\n

Thursday<\/strong>
\nTrue Metal Stage<\/strong>
\nJim Breuer<\/strong> After his show in the Bullhead City tent 2001 the American comedian evolved to Wacken’s biggest stage. He started with a backing band playing a few own songs before he came to the main part of his performance. Interpreting James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich of Metallica took care of much laughter in Wacken. Very funny and entertaining!
\nU.D.O.<\/strong> After \u201cRev-Raptor\u201d, \u201cThunderball\u201d and \u201cLeatherhead\u201d of the newer U.D.O. era the German tank and his band reached bigger applause for \u201cScreaming For A Love-Bite\u201d and \u201cPrincess Of The Dawn\u201d of Udo’s ex-formation Accept. But who thought Accept classics would have been the dominant highlights was proved wrong. Besides the duet with Doro for \u201cDancing With An Angel\u201d it was the early U.D.O phase which got focussed in the end of the regular set. Even the line-up changed to the old one performing \u201cAnimal House\u201d, \u201cHeart Of Gold\u201d, \u201cThey Want War\u201d and \u201cBreak The Rules\u201d. Matthias Dieth and Andy Susemihl showed they had unlearned nothing. Assisted by Udo Dirkschneider’s son Sven this part of the show was the most surprising as best one. Nevertheless the Accept classics \u201cMetal Heart\u201d as the encore \u201cBalls To The Wall\u201d were the most jubilated songs.
\nVolbeat<\/strong> The headliner from Denmark also had some surprises for the metal crowd. The guest appearances of Kreator’s Mille Petrozza for \u201c7 Shots\u201d as of Napalm Death’s Barney Greenway for \u201cEvelyn\u201d were awaited by nobody for pretty sure and gave back the Metal approach to Volbeat which a lot of fans had missed the latest two recordings and their live shows since. This approach got mostly reached by their earlier songs like the opener \u201cThe Human Instrument\u201d, \u201cAnother Day, Another Way\u201d, \u201cSad Man’s Tongue\u201d which got dedicated to Johnny Cash and \u201cRadio Girl\u201d. The catchy singalongs as the sympathic performance of fronter Michael Poulsen turned the festival area into a large party place. And this party reached its cool final by the encores \u201cA Warrior’s Call\u201d, the Dusty Springfield cover \u201cI Only Wanna Be With You\u201d, \u201cPool Of Booze, Booze, Booza\u201d, \u201cStill Counting\u201d and the Slayer tribute \u201c\u201dRaining Blood\u201d.<\/p>\n

Black Stage<\/strong>
\nSkyline<\/strong> It had become kind of a tradition by the latest years the former band of WOA organizer Thomas Jensen opened the festival area program by a couple of cover versions like UFO’s \u201cDoctor, Doctor\u201d, Manowar’s \u201cWarriors Of The World United\u201d or Rammstein’s \u201cEngel\u201d. As the years before the band got assisted by Doro Pesch to perform the Wacken hymns \u201cWe Are The Metalheads\u201d and \u201cRaise Your Fist In The Air\u201d.
\nSepultura<\/strong> This appearance of Brazil’s finest was a very exclusive one. The band got assisted by Les Tambours Du Bronx, a percussion group with 16 men drumming on some kind of tin drums stressing the rhythmic element of the quartet. This performance astonished in the beginning setting \u201cRefuse\/Resist\u201d as \u201cSepulnation\u201d into a new sound. After playing \u201cKairos\u201d, \u201cMask\u201d and \u201cDialog\u201d just as band the percussion group returned to interpret with the Thrash Metal original an inspiring set ending in the Prodigy cover \u201cFirestarter\u201d and the classics \u201cTerritory\u201d, \u201cRatamahatta\u201d as \u201cRoots, Bloody Roots\u201d. In the beginning the sound didn’t work, but it got improved during the concert.
\nSaxon<\/strong> The NWOBHM original didn’t have any big surprise, but a best of setlist containing \u201cDogs Of War\u201d, \u201cMotorcycle Man\u201d, \u201cCrusader\u201d, \u201cThe Eagle Has Landed\u201d as \u201cWheels Of Steel\u201d which found support by the spectators applauding as banging. Biff Byford’s announcement to play their final show in Wacken 2045 took care of the entertainment as showing what Wacken means to them. After the regular set finishing \u201cDenim And Leather\u201d the band returned to play the encores \u201cStrong Arm Of The Law\u201d, \u201c747 (Strangers In The Night)\u201d and \u201cPrincess Of The Night\u201d.<\/p>\n

W.E.T. Stage<\/strong>
\nUnearth<\/strong> After destroying the main festival area four years ago Boston’s Metalcore masters did the same with the Bullhead City Tent. Announced by some strange animateur coming on the two tent stages before each band Unearth started with their hit \u201cMy Will Be Done\u201d which started a massively energetic show on both sides of the stage. The fans got crazy in several circle pits while new \u201cDarkness In The Light\u201d compositions like \u201cWatch It Burn\u201d, \u201cShadows Of The Light\u201d and \u201cEyes Of Black\u201d as to the well-known \u201cThis Lying World\u201d, \u201cGiles\u201d, \u201cThe Great Dividers\u201d and \u201cBlack Hearts Now Reign\u201d which marked the end of the show inspiring both guitarists Buzz McGrath and Ken Susi to enter the wrestling ring placed in front of the middle between the stages and doing some fun stunts. Awesome performance!<\/p>\n

Headbanger Stage<\/strong>
\nDanko Jones (spoken word)<\/strong> The well-known Rock ‘n’ Roll artist acted in a suit in front of a speaker’s desk. His spoken word performance focussed on the fake death of Kiss drummer Peter Criss including a conspiracy. Danko Jones and his comments on Rock and Metal music are usually very entertaining as mostly right. But this story bored me and I left the tent.
\nCircle II Circle<\/strong> To my own surprise as pleasure Zak Stevens & Co celebrated the 15th anniversary of the \u201cWake Of Magellan\u201d – masterpiece from Zak’s former band Savatage. And I realized \u201cTurns To Me\u201d, \u201cMorning Sun\u201d, the title song, \u201cAnymore\u201d and \u201cThe Hourglass\u201d had lost nothing of its glory. Zak Stevens showed one of the best voices of the whole weekend, his band acted tight and sang the canon backings well. The fans sang all the lines and jubilated massively between the songs. This fascinating appearance was one of the best in this year’s Wacken Open Air.<\/p>\n

Friday<\/strong>
\nTrue Metal Stage<\/strong>
\nSacred Reich<\/strong> The Thrash Metal legend from Phoenix played for the second time in Wacken, and they were the perfect wake-up-call by the opener \u201cDeath Squad\u201d. The classics \u201cOne Nation\u201d, \u201cThe American Way\u201d and \u201cIgnorance\u201d marked the first highlights in the middle of the set. Fronter Phil Rind dedicated \u201cCrimes Against Humanity\u201d to Lamb Of God’s Randy Blythe. The place in front of the stage was pretty much filled with fans celebrating \u201cWho’s To Blame\u201d, \u201cIndependent\u201d the Black Sabbath cover \u201cWar Pigs\u201d and Surf Nicaragua\u201d.
\nKamelot<\/strong> A lot had changed in the previous two years after their latest Wacken participation, especially on the microphone position. Tommy Karevik did a good job on this, but couldn’t nearly replace Roy S. Khan. Besides that the band around guitarist and songwriter Thomas Youngblood produced another fireworks around \u201cGhost Opera\u201d, \u201cCenter Of The Universe\u201d, \u201cForever\u201d, \u201cKarma\u201d and \u201cMarch Of Mephisto\u201d. Numerous fans filled the festival ground and celebrated their Melodic Metal faves.
\nThe Boss Hoss<\/strong> Even the Country Rockers didn’t enter the Wacken stage for the first time. They entertained the thousands of present metalheads by\u201dStallion Battalion\u201d, \u201cRodeo Radio\u201d, their hit \u201cDon’t Gimme That\u201d and the Cameo cover \u201cWord Up\u201d. Not my cup of beer!
\nHammerfall<\/strong> No idea, it must have been about their 8th WOA appearance since their first time in 1997 which was my personal Wacken debut, too. Annyway, Hammerfall had grown since then. Besides the opener \u201cPatient Zero\u201d, \u201cBang Your Head\u201d and \u201cOne More Time\u201d they showed a best of program containing \u201cHeeding The Call\u201d, \u201cBlood Bound\u201d, \u201cSteel Meets Steel\u201d, \u201cRenegade\u201d, \u201cThe Dragon Lies Bleeding\u201d, \u201cLet The Hammer Fall\u201d and the final \u201cHearts On Fire\u201d and must have satisfied every True Metal fan.
\nIn Flames<\/strong> About as many times as their Swedish colleagues In Flames have played Wacken since their first time in 1997. Visually they are one of the most innovative bands. This time they began their show with a shadow play of a house covering the whole True Metal Stage front in its length as in its height. The quintet surprised opening by their hits \u201cCloud Connected\u201d and \u201cTrigger\u201d. Considering the recent album \u201cSounds Of A Playground Fading\u201d by \u201cWhere The Dead Ships Dwell\u201d, \u201cFear Is The Weakness\u201d and \u201cDeliver Us\u201d the ten thousands of fans especially celebrated \u201cOnly For The Weak\u201d, \u201cReroute To Remain\u201d, \u201cThe Quiet Place\u201d, \u201cThe Mirror’s Truth\u201d, \u201cTake This Life\u201d and \u201cMy Sweet Shadow\u201d while the pyros and all the other effects supported the show visually. Vocalist Anders Frid\u00e9n presented himself in best mood talking to a small remote-controlled camera he called E.T. Moving on a rail. Despite all the mud the fans jumped and partied.
\nD:A:D<\/strong> Party is the right word for D-A-D who also brought several special effects like the spark spraying rocket bass or the moving drumkit. This inspired the crowd to give their last daily power reserves to \u201cJihad\u201d, \u201cEverything Glows\u201d, \u201cReconstrucdead\u201d and \u201cMonster Philosophy\u201d. After an unnecessary guitar as drum solo the band rocked by \u201cBad Craziness\u201d as the encore \u201cSleeping My Day Away\u201d.<\/p>\n

Black Stage<\/strong>
\nEndstille<\/strong> A militant stage setting and five musicians wearing gas masks looked pretty ridiculous. So did their Black Metal sound like, especially while the sun shined as it hadn’t done before this weekend. Shit happens!
\nSanctuary<\/strong> And then the time had come for the long-awaited reunion of Sanctuary including Lenny Rutledge and Dave Budbill as Nevermore’s Warrel Dane and Jim Sheppard. And their set started killing by \u201cEden Lies Obscured\u201d, \u201cDie For My Sins\u201d, \u201cTaste Revenge\u201d, \u201cFuture Tense\u201d, \u201cThe Mirror Black\u201d and \u201cWhite Rabbit\u201d considering both masterpieces \u201cRefuge Denied\u201d as \u201cInto The Mirror Black\u201d. The fans headbanged and the neutral spectators applauded. The band finished by \u201cBattle Angels\u201d a promising show.
\nOverkill<\/strong> The Thrash Metal icon from New York City began with the opener of the new \u201cThe Electric Age\u201d release \u201cCome And Get It\u201d to let follow a best of setlist by \u201cWrecking Crew\u201d, \u201cHello From The Gutter\u201d and the jubilated final consisting of \u201cIn Union We Stand\u201d, \u201cRotten To The Core\u201d and \u201cFuck You\u201d. Bobby ‘Blitz’ Ellsworth, D.D. Verni and their bandmates showed they’re after more than 30 years of existence still ready to rock.
\nOpeth<\/strong> In spite of the returning rain thousands of fans remained in front of the Black Stage to see their heroes, and it was worth it. After presenting by \u201cThe Devil’s Orchard\u201d, \u201cI Feel The Dark\u201d and \u201cLines In My Hand\u201d material from their current \u201cHeritage\u201d album mainman Mikael Akerfeldt announced to continue by older material which caused loud jubilation. Mikael reacted by an ironic middle finger for the preferences of their fans which fell in laughter. \u201cHeir Apparent\u201d, \u201cDemon Of The Fall\u201d, \u201cThe Grand Conjuration\u201d and \u201cDeliverance\u201d were celebrated loudly and caused massive headbanging action all over the festival area. For another time fantastic!
\nDimmu Borgir<\/strong> One of the definitely leading Black Metal acts offered a special event: The premier collaboration with a 51 musicians strong orchestra also coming from Oslo. After the curtain had fallen they began with \u201cBorn Treacherous\u201d and \u201cGateways\u201d. Supported by a cool light show this appearance became very epic. The festival area was pretty packed celebrating a show which won’t be forgotten. \u201cProgenies Of The Great Apocalypse\u201d, \u201cKings Of The Carnival Creation\u201d, \u201cPuritania\u201d as the final band hymn \u201cMourning Palace\u201d sounded even more bombastic.
\nIn Extremo<\/strong> It was up to the Medieval Folk Rockers to hold the party level after a long rainy as muddy day. And while the opener \u201cSterneneisen\u201d it was easy to realize most of the people stayed to take part in. So they danced and sang to \u201cHerr Mannelig\u201d, \u201cSpielmannsfluch\u201d, \u201cOmnia Sol Temperat\u201d and \u201cVilleman Og Magnhild\u201d.<\/p>\n

Party Stage<\/strong>
\nBetontod<\/strong> 2012 was the big live attack of the Punkrock band. After more or less silent years Betontod appeared on nearly every important festival. \u201cFeuer Frei!\u201d, \u201cKeine Popsongs\u201d, \u201cViva Punk!\u201d, \u201cEntschuldigung F\u00fcr Nichts\u201d and the set ending \u201cAuf Eine Gute Zeit\u201d invited to a good rocking entertainment.
\nOomph!<\/strong> Suited with sailor uniforms the band which have had several singles in the heavy rotation of music channels entered the WOA Party Stage. Besides considering by the opener \u201cUnzerst\u00f6rbar\u201d and \u201cKleinstadtboy\u201d tracks of the new release \u201cDes Wahnsinns Fette Beute\u201d Dero & Co played older songs which ended by their biggest hit \u201cAugen Auf!\u201d and the Monthy Python cover \u201cAlways Look On The Bright Side Of Life\u201d.
\nBroilers<\/strong> The German singing Rock band saluted a full Party Stage area. And from the beginning marked by \u201cZur\u00fcck Zum Beton\u201d it became clear the formation from D\u00fcsseldorf can count on a lot of fans even in Wacken. Those celebrated the The Clash cover \u201cLondon Calling\u201d as the Reggae adaption of Iron Maiden’s \u201cRun To The Hills\u201d as own songs like \u201cWie Weit Wir Gehen\u201d and the band hymn \u201cMeine Sache\u201d.
\nCoroner<\/strong> It should have become a great day for the Thrash Metal icon from Switzerland, but just when they entered the stage strong rain started. So just a few hundred die-hard-fans stayed for the live-return of \u201cMasked Jackal\u201d, \u201cMetamorphosis\u201d or \u201cGrin (Nails Hurt)\u201d they had waited for so long.
\nLeaves’ Eyes<\/strong> The sixpiece around the vocalists Alex Krull and Liv Kristine Espenaes known from Atrocity and ex-Theatre Of Tragedy brought a whole viking boat on stage. Further attractions were the guest appearances of Rage guitarist Victor Smolski and T\u00fdr singer Heri Joensen. Just sad that just a smaller audience wanted to see this, probably because of the weather.<\/p>\n

W.E.T. Stage<\/strong>
\nInsomnium<\/strong> The quintet have got the image of a brilliant live-band over the latest years. And as brilliant are their albums. With the same opening of the recent one consisting of the \u201cInertia\u201d intro and the new video single \u201cThrough The Shadows\u201d the Finns started in a very agile set. And the agility worked on as in front of the stage. As the musicians their fans headbanged massively to \u201cThe Killjoy\u201d, \u201cDown With The Sun\u201d, \u201cUnsung\u201d, \u201cWhere The Last Wave Broke\u201d, \u201cMortal Share\u201d and \u201cOne For Sorrow\u201d. Sympathic fronter Niilo Sev\u00e4nen showed his school German between the songs and the entertainment worked. <\/p>\n

Headbanger Stage<\/strong>
\nBlack Dahlia Murder<\/strong> The Deathcore fivepiece from Detroit showed for another time an intense show producing many circle-pits to the opener \u201cA Shrine To Madness\u201d, \u201cWhat A Horrible Night To Have A Curse\u201d, \u201cOn Stirring Wheels Of Salted Blood\u201d and \u201cI Will Return\u201d. Shouter Trevor Strnad took off his shirt presenting his belly for the rest of the show and everybody had fun.
\nGhost Brigade<\/strong> The most intense as in my opinion best appearance of the whole weekend should had taken place on the new Headbanger Stage. The Finnish quintet created by the fantastic hymns \u201cMy Heart Is A Tomb\u201d and \u201cInto The Black Light\u201d as by the newer \u201cUntil Fear No Longer Defines Us\u201d compositions \u201cBreakwater\u201d and the final \u201cSoulcarvers\u201d a very own atmosphere. Celebrated by their fans this show became a complete success.<\/p>\n

Saturday<\/strong>
\nTrue Metal Stage<\/strong>
\nGamma Ray<\/strong> The Melodic Metal icon from the close city of Hamburg entered the stage while a very extreme phase: The sun shined hot. Under the laughing star it felt easy to inspire the fans by a program mainly consisting of classics like \u201cHeaven Can Wait\u201d, \u201cRebellion In Dreamland\u201d and \u201cSend Me A Sign\u201d. Of course the loudest support they earned for the hymns of Kai Hansen’s former band Helloween \u201cRide The Sky\u201d as \u201cI Want Out\u201d.
\nAxel Rudi Pell<\/strong> And another Melodic Metal act from Germany enthused the genre fans. The band of mainman Pell continued holding the Melodic Metal flag high on Wacken’s True Metal Stage. They presented by the opener \u201cGhost In The Black\u201d, \u201cBefore I Die\u201d and the title track the new record \u201cCircle Of The Oath\u201d. The highlights of the show were the two medleys consisting of \u201cThe Masquerade Ball\u201d, \u201cCasbah\u201d and \u201cDreaming Dead\u201d as of \u201cTear Down The Walls\u201d and \u201cNasty Reputation\u201d.
\nTestament<\/strong> A bit more heavyness took place on the stage by the Bay Area Thrash Metal icon which appeared in its original line-up except for the drumming position filled by no one less than Mr Gene Hoglan. They considered by the opener \u201cRise Up\u201d, \u201cNative Blood\u201d, \u201cTrue American Hate\u201d and the title song even four tracks from the brandnew \u201cDark Roots Of Earth\u201d album just had been released a few days ago. The rest of the setlist contained pure classics: \u201cThe New Order\u201d, \u201cMore Than Meets The Eye\u201d, \u201cInto The Pit\u201d, \u201cPractise What You Preach\u201d or D.N.R. (Do Not Ressuscitate)\u201d convinced the fan filled festival area. The last named song got dedicated to the unguilty declared Lamb Of God vocalist Randy Blythe by Chuck Billy which got stressed by ‘Free Randy’ sidedrops.
\nAmon Amarth<\/strong> After the Swedish vikings had switched their billing position as stage with The Scorpions they played a bombastic show filled with pyros and special effects. Started by \u201cWar Of The Gods\u201d with a newer song Johann Hegg & Co let follow by \u201cRunes To My Memory\u201d the first classic. And more should follow: \u201cDeath In Fire\u201d, \u201cCry Of The Blackbirds\u201d and \u201cThe Pursuit Of Vikings\u201d got support by thousands of fans. And this support raised when \u201cVictorious March\u201d marked the end of the regular set before the band returned on stage to perform the encores \u201cTwilight Of The Thunder God\u201d and \u201cGuardians Of Asgaard\u201d.
\nMachine Head<\/strong> What a blast! What then followed was the show of the weekend. Meanwhile the mud on the festival ground was especially deep, and so seemed the motivation by the rain-frustrated audience. Even numerous of them had left Wacken. But Machine Head performed a monument of a live show starting with the new \u201cUnto The Locust\u201d opener \u201cI Am Hell (Sonata in C#)\u201d as the smashers \u201cOld\u201d and \u201cImperium\u201d and the classic \u201cA Thousand Lies\u201d which they hadn’t played for years. Before the semi-acoustic track \u201cDarkness Within\u201d fronter Robb Flynn explained why he listens to and plays himself Metal music in contrast to electric chart music imitating some dancefloor sound. Another highlight was the happening he discovered a friend of the band from Chicago in the first row and this guy caught a filled can thrown by Mr Flynn. He praised the fans for being such agile after such a weekend and the band finished by \u201cHalo\u201d and \u201cDavidian\u201d an astonishing show.
\nEdguy<\/strong> After the Wham – \u201dLast Christmas\u201d – intro the secret about the Surprise Act got disclosed. The Bavarian Melodic Metal combo appealed to the specatators by \u201cTears Of A Mandrake\u201d, \u201cLavatory Love Machine\u201d and \u201cVain Glory Opera\u201d. And although many fans had already left the festivalsite enough supporters celebrated until the encore \u201cKing Of Fools\u201d.<\/p>\n

Black Stage<\/strong>
\nDelain<\/strong> The Dutch Gothic Metal act considered by the opener \u201cMother Machine\u201d, \u201cMilk And Honey\u201d and \u201cGet The Devil Out Of Me\u201d the new release \u201cWe Are The Others\u201d. To me they sounded to much like their fellow countrymen from Epica.
\nNapalm Death<\/strong> The Grindcore fathers from Birmingham were much harder and less melodic than their predecessors. So the first moshpits were created. Shane Embury & Co took care of that by \u201cSuffer The Children\u201d or the mini track \u201cYou Suffer\u201d and grunter Barney Greenway held the communication with the fans by his comments dealing with issues he is interested in.
\nSix Feet Under<\/strong> Florida’s Death Metal attack began by covering Chris Barnes’ ex-formation Cannibal Corpse with \u201cStripped, Raped And Strangled\u201d. After \u201cRevenge Of The Zombie\u201d, \u201cVictim Of The Paranoid\u201d or the new \u201cUndead\u201d track \u201cReckless\u201d they played a Cannibal Corpse classic as well by \u201cHammer Smashed Face\u201d and the AC\/DC cover \u201cT.NT.\u201d in the end of the set.
\nCradle Of Filth<\/strong> The name was program in the mud. After many years the British Black Metal icon returned to Wacken to play a set with a clear accent on their older albums. \u201cHeaven Torn Assunder\u201d, \u201cNymphetamine\u201d, \u201cHer Ghost In The Fog\u201d, \u201cThe Forest Whispers My Name\u201d and the final \u201cFrom The Cradle To Enslave\u201d resulted in a well-balanced best of set.
\nThe Scorpions<\/strong> The last open air show of Germany’s most successful export in Hardrock was a very awaited one. Equipped with an impressing stage setting including a flexible as very high drumkit moving forward while James Kottak’s solo and assisted by XL-pyro-flames as a suitable light show this concert vecame a special event. After they had switched their billing position as stage with Amon Amarth Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs & Co played a set regarding many classics and being partly different to their first WOA appearance in 2006 as \u201cThe Zoo\u201d, \u201cRhythm Of Love\u201d, \u201cTease Me, Please Me\u201d, \u201cHit Between The Eyes\u201d and \u201cBlackout\u201d. Sad side effect was the rain started after 30 minutes and didn’t stop the left hour of the show. So they finished by the hit \u201cBig City Nights\u201d to return by the encores \u201cComing Home\u201d, \u201cStill Loving You\u201d and the Scorpions hymn \u201cRock You Like A Hurricane\u201d. After they had begun much too late The Scorpions ended even later which disturbed the Machine Head fans waiting for their faves at the neighbored stage.
\nMinistry<\/strong> The Industrial Metal icon is back! Al Jourgensen and his band let it blast deep in the night. Considering the new \u201cRelapse\u201d output by the opener \u201cGhouldiggers\u201d, \u201c99 Percenters\u201d and the title track especially the final containing \u201cN.W.O.\u201d, \u201cJust One Fix\u201d and \u201cThieves\u201d blasted the mud away acoustically.<\/p>\n

Party Stage<\/strong>
\nSuffocated<\/strong> The Chinese Thrash Metal fourpiece surprisingly appeared on the main festival area regarding their two releases. In my opinion in the Bullhead City Tent played many bands which would have deserved it more to perform on the Party Stage than this underground act from Asia.
\nParadise Lost<\/strong> The former Gothic Metal original appeared for the first time in Wacken. Numerous fans waited for their faves who gave them a great show. From the opener \u201cThe Enemy\u201d over \u201cAs I Die\u201d, \u201cForever Failure\u201d, \u201cOne Second\u201d, the new as unreleased \u201cFear Of Impending Hell\u201d, \u201cFaith Divides Us, Death Unites Us\u201d to the final \u201cSay Just Words\u201d the band entertained very well. And so did vocalist Nick Holmes when he tried to drew the attention of Napalm Death performing on a neighbored stage by calling out \u201cBarney\u201d for several times, but he as his formation didn’t hear because of their own loud sound.
\nSick Of It All<\/strong> That Hardcore works in Wacken had been known since a few experiences in the latest few WOA editions. So the next Wacken debut of a band followed. And the NYC old school Hardcore rocked and the crowd took part in jumping and mudpitting to \u201cDeath Or Jail\u201d, \u201cScratch The Surface\u201d, \u201cDie Alone\u201d and \u201cMy Life\u201d.
\nDark Funeral<\/strong> Bad luck: It probably wasn’t the best position to appear as a Black Metal band while one of the leading bands of exactly this subgenre, Cradle Of Filth, played on the neighbored Black Stage. Besides that the sun was shining very bright. Worse conditions for a Black Metal show you usually can’t find. The first rows didn’t care and took part in \u201cThe Secrets Of The Black Arts\u201d, \u201cVobiscum Satanas\u201d and \u201cMy Funeral\u201d.
\nSchandmaul<\/strong> Their first two Wacken participations happened about ten years ago. So many curios fans waited for the Folk Rock sevenpiece from Munich which satisfied their fans and finished with the encores \u201cGeas Traum\u201d and \u201cDein Anblick\u201d.
\nWatain<\/strong> One of the most discussed Black Metal acts entered the Wacken Party Stage definitely not to celebrate a party. \u201cSworn To The Dark\u201d, \u201cTotal Funeral\u201d and \u201cStellarvore\u201d were some kind of a soundtrack to the left muddy battlefield. By the Dissection cover \u201cThe Somberlain their show found its end.<\/p>\n

W.E.T. Stage<\/strong>
\nMoonspell<\/strong> Portugal’s finest surprised by integrating a few cellists into their performance which resulted in bombastic classic versions of \u201cOpium\u201d, \u201cAwake\u201d, \u201cAlma Mater\u201d as \u201cFull Moon Madness\u201d and caused euphoric reactions by the fans. Mainman Fernando Ribeiro did nice comments between the songs. So it turned out into a well-entertaining showcase.<\/p>\n

Headbanger Stage<\/strong>
\nHenry Rollins (spoken word)<\/strong> In contrast to Danko Jones the ex-fronter of Black Flag, current vocalist of himself and sometimes actor Henry Rollins talked about life, the Rock scene and what Wacken and especially its visitors are all about. Cool speech!
\nSylosis<\/strong> After the rain had carried the water as mud into the Bullhead City tent even there the mud reigned the floor. The British Neo Thrash Metal quartet didn’t care and produced much acoustic pressure on stage by \u201cDystopia\u201d, \u201cReflections Through Fire\u201d, \u201cEmpyrial\u201d, \u201cBlackest Skyline\u201d and \u201cTerras\u201d. Especially fronter Josh Middleton showed his guitar abilities while the fans headbanged. Amazing!<\/p>\n

Conclusion:<\/strong>
\nIn my 16 Wacken visits there was just one year comparable to this one regarding the weather. But this is the only risk in Wacken. Everything the organization is able to handle worked for another time very well. And they even offered the visitors to let their cars get pulled out of the mud by tractors for free which was a great gesture. The night before the WOA team closed the ways for motorized vehicles to give its floors a break.
\nMusically there was no important cancellation, just The Scorpions and Amon Amarth changed their billing positions which had been communicated by the huge screens, so every interested fan knew that. The prices for food and beverages stayed the same as the years before (e.g. 3,50 \u20ac for a 0,4 l beer or softdrink). On Saturday night the Wacken organizers announced the first bands for 2013:
\nDeep Purple, Anthrax, Doro (30th live anniversary), Amorphis, Nightwish and Rage featuring Lingua Mortis Orchestra! We enjoyed our Wacken 2012! So see you in Wacken 2013 \u2013 rain or shine! Special thanks go out to Britta Kock and the WOA-team!!!!!
\nAt the Wacken Open Air rocked, drank and partied Tobi Wan Kenobi, Lotte, Dumbo and Snake!!!!!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WACKEN OPEN AIR 2012 Wacken is the place of pilgrimage for most of the Metal fans all over the world. Everybody getting in touch with Metal talks about it and plans someday to go to Wacken. So they come from all over the world to breathe the Wacken atmosphere beginning on the campgrounds where all … <\/p>\n

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