{"id":2298,"date":"2018-08-23T21:00:48","date_gmt":"2018-08-23T20:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/new.metal-festivals.com\/?page_id=2298"},"modified":"2019-06-23T21:08:34","modified_gmt":"2019-06-23T20:08:34","slug":"wacken-2018-review","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/new.metal-festivals.com\/?page_id=2298","title":{"rendered":"Wacken 2018 Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wacken Open Air<\/strong>
\nAfter the two moist and last year’s moderate editions the WOA 2019 should become a dry as hot long weekend. As always the fans reacted relaxed as well-prepared dealing with the weather conditions, and so did the organization. Especially the multiple options to get water helped a lot during these hot tempered days. Regarding the stage section the most obvious aspect was the enlarged Bulhead City Circus tent which got pretty packed while Wendnesday’s headliner Sepultura. To start with the Louder Stage on thursday like on the other two big open air stages was another good decision offering Metal on all stages then.
\nThe 30th Wacken Open Air attracted musically by the metal gods Judas Priest as \u201eNight To Remember\u201c – headliner, Nightwish, In Flames as rare shows of Danzig, Running Wild and Helloween by their \u201ePumpkins United\u201c show. The cancelations of Adler’s Appetite and Sons Of Apollo got by Thundermother and Dark Tranquillity more than well replaced.
\nAt this year\u2019s Wacken Open Air 125 bands appeared on the five regular stages (besides several shows on the Beer Garden Stage, the Wackinger Stage, Wasteland Stage, Metal Church, etc.) in four days for about 75000 visitors (Sold out!).<\/p>\n

Wednesday<\/strong>
\nW:E:T Stage<\/strong>
\nSepultura <\/strong>The Thrash Metal icon from Belo Horizonte welcomed a full tent. After opening by \u201eI Am The Enemy\u201c and \u201ePhantom Self\u201c from the current \u201eMachine Messiah\u201c album the crowd got in motion by the following \u201eKairos\u201c and \u201eTerritory\u201c. And after several tracks from the now 20 years with the agile Derrick Green on vocals the classics \u201eRefuse\/Resist\u201c, \u201eArise\u201c, \u201eRatamahatta\u201c and \u201eRoots Bloody Roots\u201c became the final punch of the show as the first of many following live highlights.<\/p>\n

Thursday<\/strong>
\nFaster Stage<\/strong>
\nDokken <\/strong>The quartet from Los Angeles brought with their classic Hardrock the right sound for the heat on the festival area. \u201eBreaking The Chains\u201c, \u201eMaddest Hatter\u201c and \u201eIt’s Not Love\u201c including snippets of Free’s \u201eAll Right Now\u201c and The Doors’ \u201eThe End\u201c turned out to the right entertainment by band leader Don Dokken and his band.
\nDirkschneider <\/strong>After Vince Neil covering songs of its ex-band M\u00f6tley Cr\u00fce on the neighbored stage it was time to do the same for Udo Dirkschneider with the Accept-classics. And the german tank inspired by undying classics like \u201ePrincess Of The Dawn\u201c, \u201eRestless And Wild\u201c as \u201eSon Of A Bitch\u201c. Assisted by returned guitarist as former Accept-drummer Stefan Kaufmann and thousands of metalheads this show could just turn out to a triumphant one finished by the encores \u201eMetal Heart\u201c, \u201eFast As A Shark\u201c, \u201eI’m A Rebel\u201c and \u201eBalls To The Wall\u201c.
\nDanzig <\/strong>Another prominent personality of the Hard ‘n’ Heavy scene became part of this year’s \u201eNight To Remember\u201c. After \u201eEyes Ripping Fire\u201c and \u201eDevil On Hwy9\u201c from the recent output \u201eBlack Laden Crown\u201c the classics program started by \u201eTwist Of Cain\u201c to let follow \u201eAm I Demon\u201c and \u201eOn Her Black Wings\u201c sung by many fans. Obvious became Glenn Danzig took deeper and deeper breaths between the songs. Generally he didn’t seem to be in his best condition, maybe the heat had its influence as well. Nevertheless it was a pleasure to celebrate \u201eHow The Gods Kill\u201c, \u201eDirty Black Summer\u201c and the regular set closing hit \u201eMother\u201c although the vibe didn’t seem to reach all spectators. The encores \u201eShe Rides\u201c and \u201eSnakes Of Christ\u201c marked the end of the show.<\/p>\n

Harder Stage<\/strong>
\nSkyline <\/strong>The traditional opener of each WOA-open-air-stages-program entertained by another cover setlist from Deep Purple’s \u201eBurn\u201c over Iron Maiden’s \u201e2 Minutes To Midnight\u201c to Rammstein’s \u201eAsche\u201c.
\nVince Neil<\/strong> The former M\u00f6tley Cr\u00fce singer had become not just a bit wider, but his vocal performance didn’t seem to have a relation to his visual one. By \u201eDr. Feelgood\u201c, \u201eShout At The Devil\u201c and \u201eLooks That Kill\u201c he and his backing band from Slaughter (minus the singer of course) didn’t hesitate to play classics after which Vince dedicated the following ballad \u201eHome Sweet Home\u201c to his just passed mother. The whole set consisted of M\u00f6tley Cr\u00fce songs except for the Led Zeppelin cover \u201eWhole Lotta Love\u201c and the little \u201eHeaven And Hell\u201c interlude within \u201eKickstart My Heart\u201c. So \u201eGirls, Girls, Girls\u201c and \u201eWild Side\u201c closed an entertaining set.
\nBelphegor <\/strong>The fourpiece from Gdansk had always been a safe live option, and this time they performed well again, but the sound let miss any guitars. During \u201eOv Fire And The Void\u201c, \u201eDemigod\u201c and \u201eOra Pro Nubis Lucifer\u201c were just drums and Nergals vocals noticible. Bad luck, especially because they introduced by \u201eGod = Dog\u201c and \u201eWolves Ov Siberia\u201c from their forthcoming release. But most fans recognized the performance quality and celebrated \u201eAt The Left Hand Ov God\u201c, \u201eChant For Eschaton 2000\u201c and \u201eO Father O Satan O Sun!\u201c. Just the moderate corpsepaint didn’t seem to be the right choice while those temperatures.
\nJudas Priest<\/strong> The NWOBHM legend returned to Wacken, and thousands of fans were ready for their heroes. After beginning by the title track of the new record \u201eFirepower\u201c their motion raised while \u201eGrinder\u201c, \u201eThe Ripper\u201c and \u201eTurbo Lover\u201c. Vocalist Rob Halford presented his voice in its best condition and hit all notes. So \u201eYou’v Got Another Thing Comin\u201c, \u201eHell Bent For Leather\u201c and the band hymn \u201ePainkiller\u201c became a real pleasure. The new guitar duo Richie Faulkner and Andy Sneap convinced by playing tight and reproducing the classic Priest-guitar-sound. And for the encores they got support by original guitarist Glenn Tipton performing \u201eMetal Gods\u201c, \u201eBreaking The Law\u201c and \u201eLiving After Midnight\u201c together. What a show which shouldn’t have left any fans’ wishes open.<\/p>\n

Louder Stage<\/strong>
\nTremonti <\/strong>An interesting setlist concept got presented by the trio from Detroit: They performed a best of set of their known tracks to consider \u201eBringer Of War\u201c, \u201eThrow Them To The Lions\u201c and the title song of the brandnew album \u201eA Dying Machine\u201c in the end right before the finisher \u201eWish You Well\u201c. If old or new, the band convinced by their fresh Melodic Metal.
\nOomph!<\/strong> The German Goth Rock band returned to Metal Mekka Wacken and assembled for another time a huge audience in front of their stage. And they came to party to \u201eGott Ist Ein Popstar\u201c, \u201eTr\u00e4umst Du\u201c, \u201eLabyrinth\u201c and of course the final hit \u201eAugen Auf!\u201c.
\nHatebreed <\/strong>Once the Hardcore fivepiece from Connecticut was an exotic participant in Wacken, but over the years they’ve got a well-established member of the biggest Metal festival. And the crowd left not doubt about that jumping, shouting and moving to \u201eIn Ashes They Shall Reap\u201c, \u201eDestroy Everything\u201c and \u201eI Will Be Heard\u201c.<\/p>\n

Friday<\/strong>
\nFaster Stage<\/strong>
\nThundermother <\/strong>The four ladies from Stockholm replaced the canceling Adler’s Appetite. They started by \u201eWhatever\u201c, \u201eRip Your Heart Out\u201c and \u201eRevival\u201c from their new self-titled release. Their fresh Hardrock was the right sound to wake up the visitors spending their first applauses of the day. So \u201eWe Fight For Rock ‘n’ Roll\u201c was the right final statement of this gig.
\nAmorphis <\/strong>\u201eWow, what a strong, clear and ass-kicking sound\u201c was my first thought when Amorophis started. Vocalist Tomi Joutsen had a little problem to remember the name of their new \u201eQueen Of Time\u201c masterpiece when he wanted to announce it. Anyway, he sang its considered compisitions \u201eThe Bee\u201c, \u201eThe Golden Elk\u201c, \u201eWrong Direction\u201c and \u201eDaughter Of Hate\u201c very well. The fans were numerous present although Dark Tranquillity might have attracted a couple of them to the neighbored stage. And so they celebrated \u201eSilver Bride\u201c, \u201eAgainst Widows\u201c and \u201eThe Castaway\u201c. \u201eHouse Of Sleep\u201c marked the end of a tight wonderful show, and the Amorphis-tribute \u201eVaivastalossa\u201c of El\u00e4kel\u00e4iset followed as the matching outro.
\nEpica <\/strong>The nowadays leading formation of the so-called Symphonic Metal scene opened, after WOA-organization-advice to take care about each other while these hot temperatures, by \u201eEdge Of The Blade\u201c and \u201eThe Essence Of Sorrow\u201c. Vocalist Simone Simons as the tight band presented themselves in a top-condition and achieved applauses as headbangers for \u201eCry For The Moon\u201c, \u201eTerra Sancta\u201c and \u201eConsign To Oblivion\u201c.
\nChildren Of Bodom<\/strong> The billing position of the Finns showed the quality of the line-up: At other festivals they headline, in Wacken they enthused in the early evening. And so they did by a greatest hits setlist containing the opener \u201eAre You Dead Yet?\u201c, \u201eAngels Don’t Kill\u201c, \u201eNeedled 24\/7\u201c, \u201eHate Me!\u201c as \u201eEverytime I Die\u201c. Mainman Alexi Laiho mentioned as many fucks in his announcements as possible. A usual COB show!
\nNightwish <\/strong>After Doro on the neighbored stage the time had come for the next female power voice. And the Dutch Floor Jansen (formerly known of After Forever) convinced during the whole set with her variable singing. Supported by pyros and several sequences on the video screen behind them they celebrated a best of set from the opener \u201eEnd Of All Hope\u201c over \u201eWish I Had An Angel\u201c, \u201eAmaranth\u201c, \u201eI Want My Tears Back and the hit \u201eNemo\u201c and excited their fans.
\nIn Flames<\/strong> Right after midnight the Gothenburg Melodic Death Metal icon didn’t hesitate and started furious by \u201eMy Sweet Shadow\u201c, \u201ePinball Map\u201c as \u201eDelight And Angers\u201c. Supported by several pyros and a light show illuminating both huge stages (the Harder and the Faster Stage) \u201eCloud Connected\u201c, \u201eThe Chosen Pessimist\u201c, \u201eThe Mirror’s Truth\u201c and their band anthem \u201eOnly For The Weak\u201c got the right visual support to astonish the thousands of fans freaking out. So the band finished as strong as they had started by \u201eTake This Life\u201c, \u201eDeliver Us\u201c and \u201eThe End\u201c.<\/p>\n

Harder Stage<\/strong>
\nCannibal Corpse<\/strong> The track-trio \u201eOne Will Die\u201c, the title track and \u201eCode Of The Slashers\u201c from their new output \u201eRed Before Black\u201c set the early brutality factor from the beginning of this appearance. The US-Grindcore fourpiece and especially their fronter Corpsegrinder inspired their supporters to headbang to \u201eThe Wretched Spawn\u201c, \u201eMake Them Suffer\u201c, \u201eStripped, Raped And Strangled\u201c and the finisher \u201eHammer Smashed Face\u201c.
\nKorpiklaani <\/strong>The El\u00e4kel\u00e4iset-outro on the neighbored stage was the right Polka-interlude for the Folk Metal sixpack from Lahti. After opening by \u201eWooden Pints\u201c they introduced by \u201eHenkseliopoika\u201c a new song from the forthcoming output. You can doubt about titles like \u201eHappy Little Boozer\u201c, \u201eTequila\u201c, \u201eBeer Beer\u201c or Vodka\u201c while such heat, but their supporters partied to these ones.
\nSchandmaul <\/strong>15 years after the sixpack had played for their very first time in Wacken on the much smaller Party Stage they assembled lots of fans in front of the much huger one. More than huge enough for a sign language interpreter for deaf people supporting the band during the whole set including \u201eLichtblick\u201c, \u201eVogelfrei\u201c, \u201eWalpurgisnacht\u201c and \u201eDein Anblick\u201c.
\nDoro <\/strong>The metal queen started impressing by the Warlock classics \u201eI Rule The Ruins\u201c and \u201eBurning The Witches\u201c. And it shouldn’t become less surprising. Doro welcomed several guests during her show: She interpreted with Andy Scott and Peter Lincoln their Sweet song \u201eBallroom Blitz\u201c, for the Warlock tracks \u201eEast Meets West\u201c and \u201eF\u00fcr Immer\u201c she and her backing band got support by original guitarist Tommy Bolan (who should return later for the soon to be on the following album released \u201eAll For Metal\u201c and the Wacken anthem \u201eWe Are The Metalheads\u201c). A special surprise turned out to be the guest-appearance of Johan Hegg of Amon Amarth to perform together \u201eIf I Can’t Have You – No One Will\u201c as to cover Amon Amarth itself by \u201eA Dream That Cannot Be\u201c. After several Doro participations in Wacken this one became a special one which got finished by the Judas Priest cover \u201eBreaking The Law\u201c for which Doro got support by guitar genius Jeff Waters from Annihilator.
\nRunning Wild<\/strong> Where’s the backdrop? Sorry, a band with their importance should have one, especially while playing on the biggest Metal festival as their home game being pretty close to their home town Hamburg. Anyway, besides newer tracks as by \u201eStargazer\u201c an unreleased one Rock ‘n’ Rolf & Co enthused their fans by \u201eBad To The Bone\u201c, \u201eUaschitschun\u201c, \u201eRiding The Storm\u201c, \u201ePort Royal\u201c, \u201eBlazon Stone\u201c, \u201eRaging Fire\u201c as the finishing band hymn \u201eUnder Jolly Roger\u201c and rewarded the headbangers by the encores \u201eSoulless\u201c and \u201eStick To Your Guns\u201c.
\nGhost <\/strong>The nowadays hottest band in Metal had to play the final night set. For this late hour they attracted a remarkable number of supporters on the open air stage area. Their show began by \u201eAshes\u201c and \u201eRats\u201c like their new release \u201ePrequelle\u201c does. To me their mask concept as their soft music felt a bit boring by the time, but numerous spectators celebtrated these 75 minutes until the encore \u201eMonstrance Clock\u201c.<\/p>\n

Louder Stage<\/strong>
\nAmaranthe <\/strong>11 a.m. is a hard time to perform on a festival, but the Swedes did their job well. Their modern version of Gothic Metal with a male and female voice was the right sound for a fresh start into the day. So \u201eMaximize\u201c, \u201eAmaranthine\u201c as the encores \u201eBoomerang\u201c, \u201eDrop Dead Cynical\u201c and \u201eThe Nexus\u201c caused the first applauses on friday.
\nDark Tranquillity<\/strong> The Melodic Death Metal institution from Gothenburg replaced the canceling Sons Of Apollo and had the little problem to play on their position against Amorphis on the neighbored stage they probably share a lot of fans with. Anyway, the band performed for another time an awesome set consisting of \u201eMonochromatic Stains\u201c, \u201eFinal Resistance\u201c, \u201eAtoma\u201c, \u201eTerminus (Where Death Is Most Alive)\u201c, \u201eThe Wonders At Your Feet\u201c as \u201eThereIn\u201c. Fronter Mikael Stanne probably ran another couple of miles and did very sympathic statements between the songs.
\nMr. Big<\/strong> The Hardrock qartet celebrated its WOA-premier. And they astonished from the beginning letting guitar-weirdo Paul Gilbert and bass-veteran Billy Sheehan play their instruments by cordless electric screwdrivers while opening by \u201eDaddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy\u201c. Both high-skilled musicians had their solo moments without destroying the band vibe or killing any songs in the setlist. Singer Eric Martin showed his voice in best condition and pointed out on drummer Pat Torpey who had passed this february. \u201eAlive And Kickin’\u201c, \u201eGreen-Tinted Sixties Mind\u201c, the Cat Stevens cover \u201eWild World\u201c and of course the ballad-hit \u201eTo Be With You\u201c guaranteed a great show and jubilating fans.
\n2 Cellos<\/strong> The Croatian duo had been unknown to me before they entered the stage to perform several Rock and Metal classics by their cellos. From Avicii over The Prodigy, Michael Jackson, U2, Nirvana, Iron Maiden up to four AC\/DC compositions showed their variety. So Guns ‘n’ Roses \u201eWelcome To The Jungle\u201c finished this classic versions of those evergreens.
\nClawfinger <\/strong>After their Wacken premier last year the Swedes returned to celebrate the anniversary of their killer debut \u201eDeaf Dumb Blind\u201c. This offered the opportunity to experience besides \u201eNigger\u201c, \u201eThe Truth\u201c and \u201eRosegrove\u201c the rare live diamonds \u201eI Need You\u201c, the nowadays still current \u201eWarfare\u201c as \u201eSad To See You Sorrow\u201c. After this classic set the Crossover party continued by \u201eNothing Going On\u201c, \u201eRecipe For Hate\u201c, \u201eThe Best\u201c and \u201eDo What I Say\u201c. Fronter Zak Tell and his band were in constant motion (especially helicopter jump bass-banger Andre Skaug), and so did the audience.
\nOtto & Die Friesenjungs<\/strong> The North German comedian Otto Waalkes attracted a filled area in front of the stage like nobody had expected, especially deep in the night. The seventy-year-old local hero covered with his backing band songs of Foreigner, Billy Joel and AC\/DC in his lyrical interpretations besides own tracks and was the right act for the night party.<\/p>\n

Saturday<\/strong>
\nFaster Stage<\/strong>
\nBetontod <\/strong>While the hot noon the German Punk Rock institution did the wake-up-call for the last day of this year’s WOA. \u201eKinder Des Zorns\u201c, \u201eViva Punk!\u201c and \u201eH\u00f6mmasammawommanomma\u201c brought the (punk)rocking sound back on the festival area.
\nAlestorm <\/strong>The Folk Metal fivepiece from the UK continued the party-relevant program. They combined newer \u201eNo Grave But The Sea\u201c material (\u201eAlestorm\u201c, \u201eMexico\u201c, the title track, \u201eBar Und Imbiss\u201c, the final \u201eFucked With An Anchor\u201c) with older ones (\u201ethe opener \u201eKeelhauled\u201c, \u201eThe Sunk’n Norwegian\u201c, \u201eHangover\u201c, \u201eCaptain Morgan’s Revenge\u201c, \u201eShipwrecked\u201c) and motivated all to take part in when they turned \u201eRumpelkombo\u201c into \u201eThe Drunken Sailor\u201c. Not my personal sound, but a good mood generator for the crowd.
\nGojira <\/strong>The Tech Death quartet from Bayonne set complete different standards that day so far. These high-skilled musicians with their unique sound fascinated the whole festivals area. Even more than that: \u201eThe Heaviest Matter Of The Universe\u201c, \u201eStranded\u201c, \u201eFlying Whales\u201c, \u201eBackbone\u201c and \u201eL’enfant Sauvage\u201c caused countless headbangers, crowdsurfers and a couple of moshits. The encores \u201eSilvera\u201c and \u201eVacuity\u201c set the end of this best show of the whole weekend.
\nArch Enemy<\/strong> You know what you get at an Arch Enemy show, it’s a constant with all advantages as disadvantages. It was a good effect Aliza White-Gluz showed female performance power right after Steel Panther. Assisted by the great riffs and a tight rhythm section \u201eRavenous\u201c, \u201eWar Eternal\u201c, \u201eMy Apocalypse\u201c and \u201eYou Will Know My Name\u201c caused lots of headbangers celebrating the Melodic Death Swedes with their Canadien voice. After \u201eWe Will Rise\u201c the quintet returned with the encores \u201eAvalanche\u201c, \u201eSnow Bound\u201c and \u201eNemesis\u201c.
\nDimmu Borgir<\/strong> 21 years ago I watched the Norwegians for the first time in Wacken under very hot conditions. This time it was about as hot, but the Black Metal institution had the night slot which worked much better, also relating the make-up as stage clothes. Besides that it created the right atmosphere for their bombastic Black Metal show starting with the two new \u201eEonian\u201c songs \u201eThe Unveiling\u201c and \u201eInterdimensional Summit\u201c. Unfortunately the sound didn’t work too well while this show which could count with \u201eThe Serpentine Offering\u201c, \u201ePuritania\u201c, the live debut of \u201eArchaic Correspondence\u201c, \u201eProgenies Of The Great Apocalypse\u201c and the final band hymn \u201eMourning Palace\u201c got celebrated by numerous heabangers.<\/p>\n

Harder Stage<\/strong>
\nWintersun <\/strong>After many years the fivepiece from Helsinki returned to Wacken and their paganized Melodic Death Metal still attracted enough fans. Those ones celebrated the opener \u201eAwaken From The Dark Slumber (Spring)\u201c and \u201eThe Forest That Weeps (Summer) from the recent \u201eThe Forest Seasons\u201c output as the older \u201eBattle Against Time\u201c or \u201eSons Of Winter And Stars\u201c.
\nSkindred <\/strong>Time for another kind of party: Not that Folk\/Pagan thing, \u201ethe party of life\u201c as fronter Benji announced. Their Crossover animated numerous supporters to jump and to follow Benji’s interaction advices. After \u201eThe Imperial March\u201c intro and the title track of the current \u201eBig Tings\u201c they played a best of and surprised with a \u201eBack In Black\u201c interlude within \u201ePressure\u201c. So they did with \u201eOut Of Space\u201c during \u201eKill The Power\u201c. After the Black Sabbath cover \u201eWar Pigs\u201c the Welsh quintet bid farewell by \u201eWarning\u201c.
\nSteel Panther<\/strong> In times of #metoo the following 90 minutes felt not just a bit like an anachronism to the modern, enlightened times. Anyway: Nobody was forced to do anything. When the band invited for \u201e17 Girls In A Row\u201c as much more or less clothed women minimum on stage while several other ones showed their breasts in the crowd I thought for another time about the question if those ones thought about the following weeks getting confronted with the video takes being made while this. So they danced and celebrated the appearance as all fans with clothes did. After The Kinks cover \u201eYou Really Got Me\u201c they finished by their hits \u201eDeath To All But Metal\u201c and \u201eParty All Day (Fuck All Night)\u201c.
\nHelloween Pumpkins United<\/strong> Finally: The \u201ePumpkins United\u201c headliner show which brought the nowadays Helloween line-up together with famous ex-members like the singers Kai Hansen or Michael Kiske had been long awaited. And they astonished starting with their classics \u201eHalloween\u201c and \u201eDr. Stein\u201c. Between the songs great cartoons with the pumpkins as protagonists took care about the entertainment factor. Letting the current drummer Dani Loebles play with the virtual overplayed passed ex-drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg a drum solo\/duo was the most emotional moment for most of the fans. Also emotional in a different way was the Kai Hansen – sung medley consisting of \u201eStarlight\u201c, \u201eRide The Sky\u201c and \u201eJudas\u201c. The numerous fans sang along and celebrated these unique 150 minutes which got fulfilled by the encores \u201eEagle Fly Free\u201c and \u201eKeeper Of The Seven Keys\u201c. And because this still wasn’t the end the musicians returned with a second encore section containing \u201eFuture World\u201c as \u201eI Want Out\u201c.
\nIn Extremo<\/strong> For another time Folk Metal finished the open air program. After Subway To Sally last year it was up to In Extremo again celebrating the last party of this year’s edition. And so they did by \u201eSt\u00f6rtebeker\u201c, \u201eHerr Mannelig\u201c, \u201eSpielmannsfluch\u201c, \u201eLiam\u201c and the last title \u201ePikse Palve\u201c motivating the left crowd for one final dance.<\/p>\n

Louder Stage<\/strong>
\nRiot V<\/strong> Nostalgy reigned for the following hour. The US-quartet performed the first half of their show classics from \u201eThundersteel\u201c celebrating its 30th anniversary. Several mainly older fans with tears in their eyes could be seen. By \u201eVictory\u201c and \u201eAngel’s Thunder, Devil’s Reign\u201c they also recognized songs from their new album \u201eArmor Of Light\u201c. In the end Swords And Tequila\u201c as \u201eWarrior\u201c earned the most jubilation as interaction.
\nKnorkator <\/strong>The Comedy Metal band from Berlin filled up the area in front of the third biggest stage. Just after the opener \u201eAlter Mann\u201c vocalist Stumpen invited the photographers from the pit onto the stage to do some slapstick with them. Three songs later he introduced their bus driver Jule dedicated the following \u201eDu Bist Schuld\u201c to her. Just a few crazy ideas besides that one as animating the spectators to count up and throw the crowdsurfers and songs like \u201eBuchstabe\u201c, \u201eB\u00f6se\u201c, \u201eZ\u00e4hneputzen, Pullern Und Ab Ins Bett\u201c, \u201eWir Werden Alle Sterben\u201c and the encore \u201eEigentum\u201c they fulfilled another funny hour.
\nDie Apokalyptischen Reiter<\/strong> \u201eWir Sind Zur\u00fcck\u201c from their current output \u201eDer Rote Reiter\u201c was the right beginning. As always the fivepiece attracted numerous fans to their show celebrating together \u201eEs Wird Schlimmer\u201c, \u201eReitermania\u201c, \u201eFriede Sei Mit Dir\u201c as the encores \u201eThe Great Experience Of Ecstasy\u201c and \u201eWir Reiten\u201c. Especially the rubber boat race over the fans’ heads was entertaining. Rafting 2.0!
\nEnsiferum <\/strong>The Finns began by \u201eFor Those About To Fight For Metal\u201c and the title track of their current release \u201eTwo Paths\u201c. Their fans were ready for the Pagan Party and supported \u201eHeathen Horde\u201c, \u201eToken Of Time\u201c, \u201eFrom Afar\u201c, \u201eLai Lai Hei\u201c and \u201eIron\u201c. But where was their female accordeonist left?
\nEskimo Callboy<\/strong> To just sum up how the Emocore formation had evolved you just needed to watch the crowd celebrating them right after midnight for the following 75 minutes singing along with and getting in motion to \u201eThe Scene\u201c, \u201eCrystals\u201c and \u201eMC Thunder\u201c .<\/p>\n

Conclusion:<\/strong>
\nThe weather conditions were good, sometimes maybe too good, but organizers as visitors surely prefer these conditions instead of the strong rain and mud two as three years ago. So the organization ran well. Within more than hundred bands we just noticed the two mentioned cancelations which got replaced more than well. The prices for food and beverages stayed about the same like a 0,4 l can beer or softdrink still costed 4,- \u20ac. The pay system was held flexible to let the visitors choose between cash or a card system with loading stations.
\nOn saturday night the Wacken organizers announced the first bands for 2019: Airbourne, Avatar, Dark Funeral, Demons & Wizards, Krokus, Meshuggah, Parkway Drive, Powerwolf, Rose Tattoo, Sabaton & Within Temptation! More announcements about confirmed bands will follow soon. We enjoyed our Wacken 2018! So see you in Wacken 2019 \u2013 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, Mr Welldone, Ben and Jutzen!!!!!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Wacken Open Air After the two moist and last year’s moderate editions the WOA 2019 should become a dry as hot long weekend. As always the fans reacted relaxed as well-prepared dealing with the weather conditions, and so did the organization. Especially the multiple options to get water helped a lot during these hot tempered … <\/p>\n

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