{"id":1632,"date":"2014-06-29T11:05:22","date_gmt":"2014-06-29T10:05:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/new.metal-festivals.com\/?page_id=1632"},"modified":"2014-06-29T11:06:52","modified_gmt":"2014-06-29T10:06:52","slug":"wacken-2013-review","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/new.metal-festivals.com\/?page_id=1632","title":{"rendered":"Wacken 2013 Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

WACKEN OPEN AIR 2013<\/strong>
\nThe Mekka for metalheads is Wacken! This quote of a journalist still counts in 2013. You can travel all around the world, in each Metal-scene Wacken is an issue. And so every WOA-edition hosts fans coming from all over the world which might be the most impressive aspect of the Wacken-universe as a contra to all problems on this planet: Bringing people from different cultures together and let them party hard, but in peace.
\nAnd the organizers confirmed a very attractive billing for this party lead by Rammstein, Deep Purple, Alice Cooper, Nightwish, Doro and Mot\u00f6rhead. Last named ones had to stop their appearance due to health problems of Lemmy which might had been the lowlight to many fans suffering with their idol. Besides that there were lots of highlights getting celebrated suitable as for example the special shows of Amorphis (with an acoustic rearranged section) and Danzig (including a Misfits-section).
\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. The Bullhead City Tent inluding the W.E.T. Stage as the Headbanger Stage alternating with each other held its place from last year. We concentrated on the main festival area with all the bands of the three big stages.
\nThe weather was quite ambivalent: Especially the friday became the most extremely hot festival day for years. On saturday evening a strong rain caused some mud on as around the festival area. But the organization considered this and the fans didn’t stop the party. At this year\u2019s Wacken Open Air 85 bands appeared on the 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!). Finally we need to express our condolence for one man from Poland who died sleeping in his heated tent. Sad story which could have happened everywhere, but nevertheless tragic.<\/p>\n

Thursday<\/strong>
\nTrue Metal Stage<\/strong>
\nRammstein <\/strong>Because of preparing the stage for the headliner the True Metal Stage didn’t host any other band than the headliner on thurs what let us suppose how gigantic this show might become. While we walked in front of the stage finding the right place to watch suddenly some kind of intro tone sounded. Wow! That was the loudest as clearest sound we had ever heard till then. And that stood for the following show with a phenomenal sound: Loud and differentiated, so many spectators of the crowded festivalsite put away their ear-plugs. It became more and more obvious the long preparations on the stage would result in a phenomenal show, acoustically as visually. Vocalist Till Lindemann wafted down from the stage roof to begin with \u201cIch Tu Dir Weh\u201d and \u201cWollt Ihr Das Bett In Flammen Sehen?\u201d The show effects which of course included fire as its main element were amazing: Flames falling from the roof down onto the edge of the stage, a fire arrow shot by Till Lindemann to the sound tower which was coming back or Lindemann’s flamethrower against keyboarder Flake being captured in a fire-resistant jar, etc.. And musically the band convinced as well by a best-of-set containing \u201cFeuer Frei\u201d, \u201cOhne Dich\u201d, \u201cDu Riechst So Gut\u201d, \u201cDu Hast\u201d and \u201cIch Will\u201d that marked the end of the regular set after which they returned with \u201cSonne\u201d interpreted in a unique collaboration with the german beat-music star Heino and the final \u201cPussy\u201d. I just missed \u201cEngel\u201d. But anyway: Fascinating! The band kneeled down and Till Lindemann thanked for another time looking authentically impressed.<\/p>\n

Black Stage<\/strong>
\nSkyline <\/strong>Same procedure as every ear: The (former) band of WOA-organiser Thomas Jensen opened the festivalsite by several Rock- and Metal-classics like Saxon’s \u201cStrong Arm Of The Law\u201d, Black Sabbath’s \u201cParanoid\u201d and Led Zeppelin’s \u201cKashmir\u201d getting the fans in the right mood, and so they did.
\nAnnihilator <\/strong>Canada’s finest set the first highlight of the festival. After ten years they returned to Wacken and inspired the crowded as hot festivalsite. Lead by their vocalist\/guitarist duo consisting of mainman Jeff Waters and Dave Padden who had been new that mentioned last time in Wacken. Besides presenting by \u201cNo Way Out\u201d a promising song from the brandnew \u201cFeast\u201d album waiting for its release three weeks later the classics \u201cKing Of The Kill\u201d, \u201cSet The World On Fire\u201d, \u201cThe Fun Palace\u201d and the final debut-hit \u201cAlison Hell\u201d got celebrated nearly over the whole filled festival area.
\nThunder <\/strong>The Hardrock institution from London fascinated on less hard, but nice melodic levels. The most visitors could be the children of their voice Danny Bowes and probably didn’t know the opener \u201cDirty Love\u201d, the following \u201cRiver Of Pain\u201d, \u201cYou Can’t Keep A Good Man Down\u201d or the ballad hit \u201cLove Walked In\u201d, but they celebrated it making this a good Rock show in the early evening.
\nDeep Purple<\/strong> To me it became like a little sensation when I stood at the same place one year before and watched the announcements for the first confirmed bands for WOA 2013: The Hardrock legend from Birmingham in Wacken, what an idea! So Deep Purple, founded in 1968, are one of the oldest bands besides Alice Cooper ever have played in Wacken. Without any big effects the band let their music do the talking starting with \u201cInto The Fire\u201d, the hit \u201cHighway Star\u201d and \u201cHard Lovin’ Man\u201d. From then on Ian Gillan’s voice and each musician ruled Wacken. About the sense of the jams as solos you may discuss, but it had class anyway. Besides that Deep Purple were able to present by \u201cVincent Price\u201d as \u201cAbove And Beyond\u201d new songs from \u201cNow What?!\u201d, the first album after eight years. Of course classics like \u201cStrange Kind Of Woman\u201d, \u201cHell To Pay\u201d, \u201cPerfect Strangers\u201d and \u201cSpace Truckin’\u201d couldn’t miss. After one of the biggest Rock hits ever, \u201cSmoke On The Water\u201d, had been performed together with Uli Jon Roth they finished their regular set before returning with the encore part consisting of the two covers \u201cGreen Onions\u201d (Booker T & The MG’s) as \u201cHush\u201d (Billy Joe Royal) and the final \u201cBlack Night\u201d.<\/p>\n

Friday<\/strong>
\nTrue Metal Stage<\/strong>
\nTristania <\/strong>In my opinion this Gothic Metal act from Norway had its best times years ago. Although Mariangela ‘Mary’ Demurtas had a nice voice as presence that couldn’t save the lame show of the nearly motionless performance of her bandmates and the unspectacular setlist considering by the opener \u201cNumber\u201d, the title track, \u201cNight On Earth\u201d, \u201cHimmelfall\u201d and \u201cRequiem\u201d five songs from the very new release \u201cDarkest White\u201d. Just \u201cBeyond The Veil\u201d and \u201cYear Of The Rat\u201d became some kind of interesting.
\nPowerwolf <\/strong>You can’t stop the Powerwolf! The victorious march of the fivepiece from the Saarland seems irresistable. While extremely hot temperatures (about 37 degree Celsius) it was an exercise to every fan as to the corpsepaint of the band as well. The beginning of their show consisting of \u201cSanctified With Dynamite\u201d and \u201cWe Drink Your Blood\u201d left no questions open about sparing stamina for the rest of the show: No compromise! Songs from the brand new album \u201cPreachers Of The Night\u201d like \u201cAmen And Attack\u201d, \u201cIn The Name Of God (Deus Vult)\u201d, \u201cKreuzfeuer\u201d and \u201cColeus Sanctus\u201d were as much celebrated as the classics \u201cResurrection By Errection\u201d, \u201cWerewolves Of Armenia\u201d, \u201cAll We Need Is Blood\u201d and \u201cRaise Your Fist, Evangelist\u201d. Singer Attila Dorn entertained by several jokes, the band rocked and so \u201cLupus Dei\u201d closed a great show.
\nPretty Maids<\/strong> The Danish Dynamite is back, nearly back to back! Beginning by their new \u201cMotherland\u201d-songs \u201cMother Of All Lights\u201d and \u201cI See Ghosts\u201d their music was just the right sound to spread some good mood in the sunshine. Ronnie Atkins impressed by hist still strong voice and the instrumental fraction lead by mainman Ken Hammer acted tight. Their classics \u201cBack To Back\u201d, \u201cRodeo\u201d, \u201cYellow Rain\u201d, \u201cFuture World\u201d and the encore \u201cRed, Hot And Heavy\u201d rocked the jubilating crowd.
\nSabaton <\/strong>The rise of the Swedish Power Metal fivepiece is one of those Metal mysteries to me. But their in my opinion pretty average sound with the questional steady war issue caught the sympathy of many thousands metalheads singing and headbanging with the opener \u201cGhost Division\u201d, \u201cInto The Fire\u201d, \u201cCliffs Of Gallipoli\u201d, \u201cThe Art Of War\u201d and \u201cPrimo Victoria\u201d. Fronter Joakim Brod\u00e9n couldn’t hide his surprise about getting such a massive support. He entertained by some beer-related comments and the audience’s sympathy was won.
\nDoro <\/strong>The grand lady of Heavy Metal invited Wacken to celebrate her 30 years jubileum. And this should turn out to a memorable show. Supported by ex-Scorpion’s Uli Jon Roth, Mot\u00f6rhead’s Phil Campbell, Saxon’s Biff Byford, Grave Digger’s Chris Boltendahl as Subway To Sally’s Eric Fish & Frau Schmitt Doro appeared considering many classics of her former band Warlock (the opener \u201cI Rule The Ruins\u201d, \u201cBurning The Witches\u201d, \u201cHellbound\u201d, \u201cF\u00fcr Immer\u201d, \u201cMetal Tango\u201d and the final hymn \u201cAll We Are\u201d which got co-assisted by several well-known guests. After that one the Metal queen returned for the encore by another Warlock track known as \u201cEarthshaker Rock\u201d. The effect of lifting the drum riser nearly up to the roof of the stage was cool as well. This show mainly was one for the old fans who had been waiting for such a setlist for years.
\nGrave Digger<\/strong> After his Doro-support Chris Boltendahl returned with his own formation on stage in the deepest night focussing a bit too much on their newer material. The most celebrated tracks were classics like \u201cKnights Of The Cross\u201d, \u201cBallad Of A Hangman\u201d, \u201cExcalibur\u201d, \u201cRebellion (The Clans Are Marching)\u201d getting supported by Sabbaton’s vocalist Joakim Brod\u00e9n and the final \u201cHeavy Metal Breakdown\u201d.<\/p>\n

Black Stage<\/strong>
\nNeaera <\/strong>The right wake-up-call was given by the Deathcore quintet from M\u00fcnster. And although this noon felt hot like hell the mainly young fans celebrated this energetic show by stagediving and circle-pits in a way making shouter Benny Hilleke speachless. The band combined new \u201cOurs Is The Storm\u201d – material like its title song, \u201cThrough Treacherous Flames\u201d, \u201cBetween Us And Annihilation\u201d and \u201cMy Night Is Starless\u201d with the more familiar \u201cArmamentarium\u201d, \u201cLet The Tempest Come\u201d and the final \u201cSpearheading The Storm\u201d to a stirring show.
\nGojira <\/strong>One of the last confirmed bands replacing As I Lay Dying on this billing position was this quartet from Bayonne. Their show turned out to the best one of this friday. The beginning of their show astonished a lot by interpreting the newer \u201cExplosia\u201d as the \u201cFrom Mars To Sirius\u201d classics \u201cFlying Whales\u201d and \u201cBackbone\u201d that tight as stirring. The performance of the Duplantier-brothers and their two comrades rocked in maximum size. \u201cL’Enfant Sauvage\u201d, \u201cThe Heaviest Matter Of The Universe\u201d and \u201cVacuity\u201d took care about much motion by headbanging, stagediving and pit-action by the fans. After \u201cOroborus\u201d they returned for the encore \u201cThe Gift Of Guilt\u201d. Awesome!
\nIhsan <\/strong>The great master of Black Metal returned with his self-named act for another time supported by the musicians from Leprous. Before starting with \u201cOn The Shores\u201d he announced it was time to bring some frost into the heat. That worked well musically, but because of the mentioned temperatures and perhaps the missing as suitable popularity of the Norwegians just a few hundred listened and applauded to their Progressive Black Metal. Compositions like \u201cThe Paranoid\u201d or \u201cThe Barren Lands\u201d deserve more feedback. This will happen for sure when Ihsan returns with hist former band and Black Metal legend Emperor to Wacken next year.
\nAgnostic Front<\/strong> The billing mixture had become that wide it was no surprise the NYC-Hardcore-legend rocked Wacken. The opener \u201cAddiction\u201d, \u201cMy Life My Way\u201d, \u201cFor My Family\u201d, \u201cFriend Or Foe\u201d convinced the WOA-audience pretty fast and animated to much pit-action. Of course Roger Miret, Vinnie Stigma & Co earned the most support for their anthem \u201cGotta Go\u201d sung by man thousand fans’ voices. So the Ramones-cover \u201cBlitzkrieg Bob\u201d marked the end of a purely successful show.
\nMot\u00f6rhead <\/strong>After the cancelation of the With Full Force headliner-slot as of some other dates there was some conversation about Lemmy’s health status. But they proclaimed to come. What followed became a little live tragedy. After six songs (\u201cI Know How To Die\u201d, \u201cDamage Case\u201d, \u201cStay Clean\u201d, \u201cMetropolis\u201d, \u201cOver The Top\u201d, \u201cThe Chase Is Better Than The Catch\u201d) including by a long solo of Phil Campbell to give Mr Kilmister a break he had to abort the gig. After this organizer Thomas Jensen went on stage to thank for Lemmy’s commitment in this heat which resulted in much applause. We hope he’s getting well very soon!
\nASP <\/strong>This is timing: On the day of the release of their newest output \u201cMaskenball\u201d the Gothic Metal group appeared in Wacken. Usually I like having in Wacken that many different styles on the stages, but this Gothic-mess didn’t convince me at all although the place was filled. And especially the final well-known \u201cIch Will Brennen\u201d inspired lots of fans to take part in. Anyway, this didn’t rock!<\/p>\n

Party Stage<\/strong>
\nRusskaja <\/strong>What sounds like Putin’s Kreml band is a Folk Rock\/Metal\/Crossover \u2013 sevenpiece from Vienna. After several years on the stages outside the festival area this year they had the honor to open the friday. But they didn’t really impress at al, so next time put them back on the Wackinger Stage, please.
\nEisbrecher <\/strong>In contrast to that the bavarian Industrial-formation around ex-Megaherz-vocalist Alexx Wesselsky attracted much more fans. Those were entertained by \u201cWillkommen Im Nichts\u201d, \u201cAntik\u00f6rper\u201d, \u201cMetall\u201d and \u201cThis Is Deutsch\u201d. Much celebrations and singalongs got the covered Megaherz-hit \u201cMistst\u00fcck\u201d played at last.
\nUgly Kid Joe<\/strong> Finally they’re back! The little different Heavy Metal band from California, a bit older, a bit less hair, but still as cool 18 years (!) before when I had seen them for the latest time. Bassist Cordell Crockett still wore his special glasses, drummer Shannon Larkin appeared just in underpants due to the heat this time and fronter Withfield Crane still was the agile fronter who knows how to animate the audience. From the opener \u201cVIP\u201d the quintet rocked Wacken and at the latest while the following debut-hit \u201cNeighbor\u201d nobody cared about the hot temperatures. The cover ballad from Harry Chapin, \u201cCats In The Cradle\u201d was sung by lots of fans. After the second ballad \u201cMilkman’s Son\u201d and the self-describing \u201cGoddamn Devil\u201d the fivepiece left the stage to return for the Mot\u00f6rhead cover \u201cAce Of Spades\u201d in co-assistance of Phil Campbell and the band-hit \u201cEverything About You\u201d as the encores. What a strong comeback!
\nSoilwork <\/strong>The Swedish sixpack returned with the new double-cd-masterpiece \u201cThe Living Infinite\u201d of which they not only the two starting tracks \u201cThis Momentary Bliss\u201d and \u201cParasite Blues\u201d, but \u201cTongue\u201d, \u201cLong Live The Misanthrope\u201d and \u201cRise Above The Sentiment\u201d. What usually doesn’t work at time-limited festival shows did here because of the quality of the new compositions. On the other hand the fans of course waited for the familiar classics \u201cWeapon Of Vanity\u201d, \u201cFollow The Hollow\u201d, \u201cNerve\u201d and the encore \u201cStabbing The Drama\u201d, and so they celebrated those ones animated by fronter Bj\u00f6rn ‘Speed’ Strid and bass-weirdo Ola Flink even more.
\nCorvus Corax<\/strong> In the meantime I got bored by the Folk Rock\/Metal ensemble. Their disadvantage to play against Mot\u00f6rhead appearing on the Black Stage should become a big advantage after Lemmy had to abort the show after six songs, so many spectators change to the Party Stage. But this fact didn’t turn this performance to a good one.
\nAmorphis <\/strong>This showcase was a very exclusive one: Supported by saxophonist and a female singer the band interpreted rearranged acoustic versions of \u201cEnigma\u201d, \u201cI Of Crimson Blood\u201d, \u201cEmpty Opening\u201d, \u201cRusty Moon\u201d and \u201cSign From The North Side\u201d. A cool light show took care about the right visual atmosphere resulting in much applause from the audience. After this the still main part was the one for the plugged-version-fans who got satisfied by \u201cShades Of Gray\u201d, \u201cNarrow Path\u201d, \u201cHopeless Days\u201d \u201cNightbird’s Song\u201d from the new \u201cCircles\u201d-album as by the classics \u201cSilver Bride\u201d, \u201cThe Castaway\u201d, and \u201cHouse Of Sleep\u201d. So the band from Suomi bid farewell by \u201cMy Kantele\u201d ending an amazing as remindable show.<\/p>\n

Saturday<\/strong>
\nTrue Metal Stage<\/strong>
\nCallejon <\/strong>Why not going with my colleges to the first band when it’s hot everywhere? So I preferred sweating in front of the stage, and I shouldn’t regret my decision. To my own surprise the Metalcore-fivepiece from D\u00fcsseldorf had developped to a band for a big stage like this one. The festival area was pretty filled and the popular cover versions of Fettes Brot’s \u201cSchwule M\u00e4dchen\u201d as of Die \u00c4rzte’s \u201cSchrei Nach Liebe\u201d from their new pure cover album \u201cMan Spricht Deutsch\u201d were sung by lots of spectators. Besides that their own compositions like \u201cDieses Lied Macht Betroffen\u201d, \u201cZombified\u201d, \u201cSommer, Liebe, Kokain\u201d and the amazing ballad \u201cKind Im Nebel\u201d convinced as well.
\nDie Apokalyptischen Reiter<\/strong> For another time the Reiter attracted their fan army in front of the stage. And those celebrated their gig containing \u201cRevolution\u201d, \u201cEs Wird Schlimmer\u201d, \u201cMetal Will Never Die\u201d, \u201cSeemann\u201d and \u201cReitermania\u201d, but not me. Their fun factor combined with the fulfilled Metal clich\u00e9s were ridiculous to me.
\nAnthrax<\/strong> The US Thrash Metal icon started strong with \u201cAmong The Living\u201d, \u201cCaught In A Mosh\u201d and \u201cEfilnikufesin (N.F.L.)\u201d. After this they dedicated the following \u201cIn The End\u201d to Ronnie James Dio and Dimebag Darrel. Supported by Shadows Fall – guitarist Jonathan Donias and Jon Dette replacing Charlie Benante the fivepiece performed the cover versions \u201cT.N.T.\u201d (AC\/DC), \u201cGot The Time\u201d (Joe Jackson) and the final \u201cAntisocial\u201d (Trust) which got as much celebrated as the other classics \u201cIndians\u201d, \u201cI Am The Law\u201d and \u201cMadhouse\u201d. Lead by an agile singer Frank Belladonna who ran the stage up and down and the dedicated Scott Ian as Frank Bello it was no surprise the crowd moved themselves in a circle-pit.
\nTrivium <\/strong>After the Thrash Metal legend the time had come for one of the biggest Thrash acts nowadays. The quartet started furious by \u201cThroes Of Perdition\u201d, \u201cBecoming The Dragon\u201d and \u201cDown From The Sky\u201d. The following \u201cBrave This Storm\u201d was a very new song from an album getting released later this year. The powerful voice of Matt Heafy and the energetic as tight performance animated the numerous fans to celebrate \u201cBlack\u201d, \u201cDusk Dismantled\u201d, \u201cA Gunshot To The Head Of Trepidation\u201d as the encores \u201cIn Waves\u201d, \u201cPull Harder On The Strings Of Your Martyr\u201d.
\nNightwish <\/strong>After Nightwish had dropped out singer Anette Olzon and had decided to replace her by ex-After Forever-vocalist Floor Jansen. So the fans were pretty curious if she could fill the footsteps of Tarja Turunen what nobody had done in their eyes as ears. And from the beginning by \u201cDark Chest Of Wonders\u201d and \u201cWish I Had An Angel\u201d she did. Her voice as her performance convinced absolutely. So the show being recorded live for a video release turned out to a pure success getting jubilated for \u201cShe Is My Sin\u201d, \u201cStorytime\u201d, \u201cNemo\u201d, \u201cAmaranth\u201d and the final \u201cLast Ride Of The Day\u201d.
\nSubway To Sally<\/strong> For another time the sevenpiece from Potsdam had the pleasure to set the final musical point in Wacken which they used to play a special best-of program. Right after the opener \u201cSchwarzes Meer\u201d they performed a medley consisting of \u201cHenkersbraut\u201d, \u201cFalscher Heiland\u201d, \u201cKnochenschiff\u201d and \u201cDas R\u00e4tsel II\u201d. So they spared time for the end of the show because after the\u201dSieben\u201d \/ \u201cOhne Liebe\u201d \/ \u201cVeitstanz\u201d – medley the Folk Rock \/ Metal band left the stage to return with an exclusive encore-set by \u201cMaria\u201d, \u201cCarickfergus\u201d, \u201cSag Dem T\u00e4ufel\u201d and \u201cJulia Und Die R\u00e4uber\u201d. Special as well was the collaboration with Santiano playing \u201cAuf Kiel\u201d together. The fans got totally satisfied celebrating their faves.<\/p>\n

Black Stage<\/strong>
\nFear Factory<\/strong> In the noon with clouds, but still hot temperatures the Industrial-institution from Los Angeles returned seven years after they had played in Wacken for the first time. And they still could count on a huge audience. And this one was curious getting offered a best-of-set just beginning with the strong \u201cDemanufacture\u201d and \u201cSelf Bias Resistor\u201d. The newer era of the band got considered by \u201cThe Industrialist\u201d and \u201cPowershifter\u201d. Apart from that classics like \u201cShock\u201d, \u201cArchetype\u201d, \u201cCyberwaste\u201d and \u201cReplica\u201d ruled causing much headbanging as moshpits. The only thing to criticize was Burton C. Bell’s clean parts when he didn’t hit the right tones for several times.
\nLamb Of God<\/strong> Last year was turbulent when fronter Randy Blythe got arrested in the Czech Republic spending time in jail before getting the judgement to be free again. The place in front of the stage was pretty packed. From the opener \u201cDesolation\u201d it was clear how overwhelming this performance should become. It seemed like they had spared all their energy of those mentioned days to give it back on stage. The following \u201cGhost Walking\u201d, \u201cWalk With Me In Hell\u201d and \u201cSet To Fail\u201d left no doubt about it. But while \u201cRuin\u201d suddenly it rained massively. More and more fans fled, but there was still an astonishing crowd left partying in the rain as its result mud to \u201cIn Your Words\u201d, \u201cLaid To Rest\u201d, the hit \u201cRedneck\u201d and the final \u201cBlack Label\u201d. The groove monster from Richmond is back!
\nDanzig <\/strong>It has been a long time I had seen Danzig live. In general his live activities in Europe had become pretty rare. So many spectators as me were curious about this appearance, but first I got disappointed. Glenn Danzig and his comrades first looked a bit uninspired, but that changed from the great \u201cHer Black Wings\u201d on. After the wonderful \u201cHow The Gods Kill\u201d a big surprise awaited the fans: The guitarist of Danzig’s former band as Punk-legend Misfits, Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein entered the stage to perform with Glenn and his band Misfits-classics from \u201cDeath Comes Ripping\u201d over \u201cVampira\u201d, \u201cAstro Zombies\u201d till \u201cLast Caress\u201d before they finished with the Danzig-hymn \u201cMother\u201d. The fans jubilated knowing they had seen a very unique collaboration, and the band returned with Doyle to play the Misfits-classic \u201cDie, Die My Darling\u201d as the encore.
\nAlice Cooper<\/strong> The grand father of Shock Rock was back in Wacken. As four years before he presented a show that’s worth its name. Parallel to the songs a plot was shown on stage with many gimmicks and effects in which Alice died for several times. Musically there was a choice over nearly 50 decades. \u201cHouse Of Fire\u201d, \u201cNo More Mr. Nice Guy\u201d, \u201cCaffeine\u201d, \u201cHey Stoopid\u201d, \u201cGo To Hell\u201d and \u201cFeed My Frankenstein\u201d still are pure entertainment in 2013. And so they animated the spectatorship to singalong and applaude a lot. After \u201cI Love The Dead\u201d a cover section followed considering the rock classics \u201cBreak On Through (To The Other Side)\u201d (The Doors), \u201cRevolution\u201d (The Beatles), \u201cFoxy Lady\u201d (The Jimi Hendrix Experience) and \u201cMy Generation\u201d (The Who). After this Alice Cooper finished by his own Rock classics \u201cI’m Eighteen\u201d and \u201cPoison\u201d. \u201cSchools Out\u201d as the encore included an \u201cAnother Brick In The Wall\u201d – interlude honoring Pink Floyd set the final point after an excellent performance.
\nLingua Mortis<\/strong> It’s good Rage decided to distinguish between Rage and Lingua Mortis Orchestra to avoid irritating their fans. This night they didn’t get that much support. The mainly unknown tracks might have been responsible for that. In the end ‘Peavy’ Wagner, Victor Smolski and their orchestra were able to reach more feedback by \u201cFrom The Cradle To The Grave\u201d and \u201cStraight To Hell\u201d.<\/p>\n

Party Stage<\/strong>
\nAlestorm <\/strong>The Folk Metal fivepiece from United Kingdom could count on numerous supporters when they entered the stage. Their pirate-based lyrics and their party-orientated sound animated the crowd to party into the last day. Highlight was when they interpreted \u201cWenches & Mead\u201d as \u201cWeiber & Wein\u201d in german for the second half of the set. The fans partied while I got bored.
\nSonata Arctica<\/strong> The Melodic Metal act was supposed to show they still had a die-hard-fanbase. Those one just hat celebrated \u201cBlack Sheep\u201d, but while \u201cThe Last Amazing Grace\u201d the mentioned strong rain started. But as while the much harder Lamb Of God could count in front of the stage on an astonishing number of fans so could the Finns on the Party Stage. So they had celebrated \u201cReplica\u201d, Full Moon\u201d and the final \u201cDon’t Say A Word\u201d before the \u201cVodka\u201d-outro sent them to the tents change their wet clothes under the just returned sun.
\nDevilDriver <\/strong>Two years after they had to cancel their WOA-participation the fivepiece from Santa Barbara finally made it to Wacken. And they exclusively performed \u201cRuthless\u201d and \u201cAppetite\u201d from the forthcoming output \u201cWinter Kills\u201d being released about three weeks later. Of course familiar classics like \u201cDead To Rights\u201d, \u201cNot All Who Wander Are Lost\u201d, \u201cI Could Care Less\u201d and \u201cClouds Over California found more resonance. To me the show became more and more monotonous.
\nCandlemass <\/strong>Not less monotonous should become the Doom Metal icon from Stockholm. For those who enjoy their Doom \u201cBewitched\u201d, \u201cEmperor Of The Void\u201d, \u201cAt The Gallows End\u201d as the encores \u201cBlack As Time\u201d, \u201cCrystal Ball\u201d and \u201cSolitude\u201d were an apparentness, to me it wasn’t.
\nMeshuggah <\/strong>In total contrast to that the quintet from Umea presented a fascinating show. Supported by a brilliant light show in the middle of the night Fredrik Thordendahl & Co presented their high-skilled compositions which meanwhile founded by the Djent-subgenre a new interesting scene. Lead by the charismatic shouter Jens Kidman the opener \u201cSwarm\u201d, \u201cobZene\u201d, \u201cBleed\u201d, \u201cRational Gaze\u201d and \u201cNew Millenium Cyanide Christ\u201d activated all left headbanging stamina. And it became clear: This show rocked for sure! By \u201cIn Death \u2013 Is Life\u201d and \u201cIn Death \u2013 Is Death\u201d the band finished this year’s WOA finally with its very best show in the end. Phenomenal!<\/p>\n

Conclusion:<\/strong>
\nAfter last year’s rain flood this time we had the hottest temperatures since probably our first WOA-visit in 1997. The rain on saturday brought back a bit of the mud factor. The organisation worked well as every year. The fans were always informed about everything necessary to know. Musically there was no important short-term cancelation, just the mentioned Mot\u00f6rhead-gig-abortion.
\nThe prices for food and beverages changed that way that after wishes of several visitors the organizers downsized the cups as the prices (e.g. 3,00 \u20ac for a 0,3 l instead of 3,50 \u20ac for a 0,4 l beer or softdrink the years before).
\nOn saturday night the Wacken organizers announced the first bands for 2014:
\nAmon Amarth, Apocalyptica & Orchestra, Arch Enemy, Avantasia, Behemoth, Children Of Bodom, Emperor, Iced Earth, King Diamond, Kreator, Prong and Schandmaul!
\nWe enjoyed our Wacken 2013! So see you in Wacken 2014 \u2013 rain or shine! Special thanks go out to Anna Lorenz, Fine Wolff and the WOA-team!!!!! At the Wacken Open Air rocked, drank and partied Tobi Wan Kenobi, Lotte, Dumbo and Julia!!!!!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WACKEN OPEN AIR 2013 The Mekka for metalheads is Wacken! This quote of a journalist still counts in 2013. You can travel all around the world, in each Metal-scene Wacken is an issue. And so every WOA-edition hosts fans coming from all over the world which might be the most impressive aspect of the Wacken-universe … <\/p>\n

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