Reportagens de Concertos
Wacken Open Air 2017
2017-08-03 - 2017-08-05 | Wacken Open Air
Ah, the first days of August arrived! That means summer, holydays... and WACKEN!!!
Once again, we journeyed from Portugal to Germany to attend the biggest metal festival in the world and bring you this 4-day report and tons of photos.
Wednesday marks Wacken's Day 0. A warm up day for all the people that are already there and ready to party! We arrived early in the morning so we could catch as many Wacken Metal Battle bands as possible, and passing through Wacken's main street, we noticed that things were already set in motion, with lots of metalheads strolling up and down the main street, lots of faces watching from the houses and saluting everyone. Everywhere, there was a feeling of excitement and utter joy in people's faces. Entering the gigantic camping area, things get wilder, with lots of people already having a lot of fun, cheering at everyone and playing weird games. There's beer everyone. Packs of small cans, big cans, small bottles, big bottles, kegs, horns, buckets, you name it. Some sofas and actual furniture were also to be seen, along with some ridiculously small inflatable pools here and there, just for the fun of it, since the weather looked like it might rain anytime soon, and for some time. So, we might as well forget about summer time, and prepared for some rain and mud! We continued onwards and entered the Bullhead City Circus. Brace yourselves...Wacken is here!
Once again, we journeyed from Portugal to Germany to attend the biggest metal festival in the world and bring you this 4-day report and tons of photos.
Wednesday marks Wacken's Day 0. A warm up day for all the people that are already there and ready to party! We arrived early in the morning so we could catch as many Wacken Metal Battle bands as possible, and passing through Wacken's main street, we noticed that things were already set in motion, with lots of metalheads strolling up and down the main street, lots of faces watching from the houses and saluting everyone. Everywhere, there was a feeling of excitement and utter joy in people's faces. Entering the gigantic camping area, things get wilder, with lots of people already having a lot of fun, cheering at everyone and playing weird games. There's beer everyone. Packs of small cans, big cans, small bottles, big bottles, kegs, horns, buckets, you name it. Some sofas and actual furniture were also to be seen, along with some ridiculously small inflatable pools here and there, just for the fun of it, since the weather looked like it might rain anytime soon, and for some time. So, we might as well forget about summer time, and prepared for some rain and mud! We continued onwards and entered the Bullhead City Circus. Brace yourselves...Wacken is here!
DIA 0
Megalodon
2017-08-02 13:00
We entered the Bullhead City Circus for the usual Wacken Metal Battles. South African winners Megalodon were about the enter the stage and their death metal was a nice welcome for this year's festival. Their singer soon was headbanging through the songs and so were we, along will so many people from around the globe that were already here ready for 4 days of fun, metal, mud, rain, craziness and all the amazing spirit we can only find here at Wacken.
From The Void
2017-08-02 14:20
The Finnish black metallers From The Void were next, and they had a nice stage set, with several animal skulls placed in front of their mic stands, and all members dressed in rags and sporting some sort of reindeer antlers. They played some great songs, depressive, violent and cold, and the crowd seemed pleased by their performance.
Jet Jaguar
2017-08-02 14:40
Things got a lot different with the next contenders, Jet Jaguar, from Mexico. They opened with great flair, with some Iron Maiden-like riffs and his frontman wearing a feathered band over his head, running over the stage. They played a very competent classic heavy metal sound, with dueling guitars, fast bass, fast drumming and high pitched singing. Not too original a sound, but it was very well played and they managed to capture the crowd's attention, receiving a lot of cheers right up to the end.
Une Misere
2017-08-02 15:05
Une Misère came from Iceland and put things into motion with their very dark and aggressive sound. The band's frontman approached the crowd several times, jumping over to the huge speaker cabinets placed in front of the stage, and when he wasn't screaming with rage, he was making circular gestures to the crowd, which always responded with some circle pits. They really had a lot of fun throughout the show.
Domination
2017-08-02 15:40
Last year Greece brought us a very interesting sounding band, so I was a little bit disappointed with this year's act, Domination. They played thrash, fast and pounding, but very generic sounding.
Analepsy
2017-08-02 16:00
Our fellow countrymen Analepsy were next. They had been receiving a lot of praise for their sound, and played a good, solid set. Their Slamming Brutal Death Metal started some circle pits among the crowd and they seemed to be enjoying themselves onstage, even if somewhat overwhelmed by the whole experience. There was also a lot of headbanging and it was great to also see some portuguese flags waving here and there.
Beside
2017-08-02 16:35
From Indonesia came Beside. Their death metal / metalcore mixture had a lukewarm reaction from the crowd, with some moshing and scattered applauses.
Against
2017-08-02 17:00
Against, from Argentina, also got some mixed reactions. Their groove metal with some metalcore influences received some applauses.
Soulless Faith
2017-08-02 17:20
Soulless Faith, from Uruguay, shook things up a bit with their melodic death metal. The crowd was pleased and there were a lot of hands in the air, headbanging and several circle pits. The band's frontman also had a lot of fun and came down from the stage and joined the first row of fans for some time.
Morna
2017-08-02 17:40
From Slovakia cam Morna. They played a more progressive sort of melodic death metal, so things were now a lot more calm and the crowd was now not furious but curious instead. Slowly, we'd start to see some heads swinging and some feet stomping on the ground, so some of the crowd was won.
Vorbid
2017-08-02 18:00
Vorbid, from Norway, played next at the Headbangers Stage. Their thrash had some interesting twists and managed to please the crowd, which responded with headbangs and some fists raised in the air.
E-an-na
2017-08-02 18:35
Sometimes we end up being utterly surprised at the Wacken Metal Battle. This was one of those times. Romanian's E-an-na sound like if Arkona and Gogol Bordello had a bastard child, but what's most impressive with these guys is how they manage to have 7 musicians on stage, playing and dancing and jumping around, with all sort of folk instruments such as violin, bagpipes and flutes perfectly integrated with everything else. They sound nice and tight, and they even look nice, all dressed accordingly, and captured the crowd's attention right from the start. Everyone was jumping and dancing to their music, and even singing along in the merrier parts. A brilliant performance!
Flotsam and Jetsam
2017-08-02 19:15
The time for today's Metal Battles was over, and we were treated with some Flotsam and Jetsam. They played a powerful set with singer Erik "AK" Knutson showing up in a green suit and mask and taking things over right from the start, as they opened with their classic Hammerhead, from Doomsday for the Deceiver. Desecrator, also from that album, was also played, and the set came to an end with the ever emotional epic No Place for Disgrace.
Ugly Kid Joe
2017-08-02 20:20
I'd just seen Ugly Kid Joe live for the first time a couple of weeks ago, at the city festivals in Águeda, a small town in Portugal. The location was an unexpected one but their show was wildly fun to watch, so I was quite eager to check them again and see how they'd fit in a festival as huge as Wacken.
The set opened with Neighbor, from their 1992's opus America's Least Wanted, and they moved onward with such well-known songs as Milkman's Son or Goddamn Evil. One of the highlights was, as expected, their cover of Harry Chapin's Cats in the Cradle, with thousands of voices singing along with Whitfield Crane. There was still time to remember Lemmy with a cover of Ace of Spades, and the set came to an end with their huge hit Everything About You. It was a really solid show, but not as fun as the one they played in Águeda.
The set opened with Neighbor, from their 1992's opus America's Least Wanted, and they moved onward with such well-known songs as Milkman's Son or Goddamn Evil. One of the highlights was, as expected, their cover of Harry Chapin's Cats in the Cradle, with thousands of voices singing along with Whitfield Crane. There was still time to remember Lemmy with a cover of Ace of Spades, and the set came to an end with their huge hit Everything About You. It was a really solid show, but not as fun as the one they played in Águeda.
Annihilator
2017-08-02 21:15
The Headbangers Stage would still receive Annihilator, who would play a short set to a very large crowd. Jeff Waters was energic, as always, and everyone went wild with classics such as King of the Kill, Set the World on Fire or Alison Hell. A nice way of closing Wacken's Day 0.
DIA 1
Mayhem
Nale
2017-08-03 11:50
We started Wacken's Day 1 once again at the Bullhead City Circus for some more Wacken Metal Battles. We arrived with Nale already on stage. People was still starting to gather in front of the stage (it was still morning, after all) but the swedish death'n'roll act still managed to put a great effort in their show, despite of the still smaller crowd.
Corpse Hoarder
2017-08-03 12:05
US brutal death metaller Corpse Hoarder were next on the W.E.T Stage. They were there to make some noise, and they sure did. Their set was brutal and the interaction between the guitar and the bass player was fun to watch. There now some louder cheers from the crowd, as the tent was now starting to get more packed.
Stengah
2017-08-03 12:40
Stengah, from France, brought us their unique fusion of styles, ranging from progressive death to a more jazzy math core. Weird unexpected rhythms invaded the Bullhead City Circus, as they showed off their impressive individual technical skills. The overall result was not as impressive as one would expect, given their impressive skills, but there were some great moments.
Rising Dream
2017-08-03 13:05
From the ex-Yugoslavia Republic came Rising Dream. Their heavy/power metal with melodic death influences was a breath of fresh air, lifting the spirits up a bit with their lighter sound.
Eternal Struggle
2017-08-03 13:30
Israeli Metal Battle winners Eternal Struggle played hardcore, as anyone seeing them in their basket shirts could easily guess. Their singer was always moving around and with a huge smile on his face. The people on the front row were headbanging while everyone else were also enjoying their time, throwing around some inflatable Wacken beach balls.
Verge Of Umbra
2017-08-03 13:55
Verge of Umbra were also a great surprise at the Wacken Metal Battle. The band from Belize plays a fusion of hip hop and reggae with metal, to a great result. Even if you're not a fan of those genres, it results better than one would imagine, and their performance on stage was top notch. The crowd had lots of fun, jumping and applauding loudly throughout the set.
Inferum
2017-08-03 14:20
The rain was pouring heavily by now, so the Dutch death metal band Inferum got lucky and played for a fully packed tent, as lots of people ran into the Bullhead City Circus for protection. Some circle pits emerged during the faster parts of their songs, along with some furious headbanging.
Mambo Kurt
2017-08-03 14:50
Mambo Kurt's show started with the crowd singing Happy Birthday to Mambo Kurt, celebrating his 20 years of stage presence, and then the usual fun began. This guy has been playing in Wacken since 2004 and his shows are always a weird party. This time, the songs covered included Rammstein's Engel, Van Halen's Jump, Europe's The Final Countdown, Rage Against The Machine's Killing in the Name Of and lots of others, including some awkward ones I couldn't name, that sounded completely out of place. Everyone sang those too, though!
The Wild Lies
2017-08-03 15:10
Wacken's main stages were up and running by now, but the continuous rain made our present location much more inviting, so we continued under the protection of the Bullhead City Circus and enjoyed some hard rock, by the british act The Wild Lies. It was nice to hear some clean singing again, for a change.
UK Subs
2017-08-03 16:05
I'd already passed by that old guy in sweater a couple of times during the day, but I wouldn't guess that he was Charlie Harper, UK Subs's singer since the band's very beginning in 1976.
Punk Rock is really not my thing, but I must admit that theirs was a really good show, so I must praise the man for being able to keep rocking after such a long time.
Punk Rock is really not my thing, but I must admit that theirs was a really good show, so I must praise the man for being able to keep rocking after such a long time.
Europe
2017-08-03 17:00
After last year's show at the completely crowded Bullhead City Circus tent, Europe were back on a more deservingly stage - the Faster Stage. This swedish legends know how to play a good show and quickly won the crowd. They opened with their recent songs War of Kings and Hole in My Pocket, but soon everyone was singing with classics that included Rock The Night, Scream of Anger or Sign of the Times. The highlight of the show would be the amazing double show-closed Superstitious followed by The Final Countdown.
Wolfchant
2017-08-03 18:35
The Wackinger Stage usually shows us some wonderful bands we'd never seen or heard before. Such was the case with the German folk metal band Wolfchant. As usual, they sing in their native language, so I had no clue as to what they were singing about - it looks like they sing about nordic mythology and even have a member named Lokhi. I really enjoyed their show, great songs and a great performance, particularly the interaction they had with their two main singers.
Accept
2017-08-03 20:00
Heavy Metal legends Accept pre-released their 15th album The Rise of Chaos at Wacken Open Air, right before their official release date on August, 4th, and decided to celebrate that in style, in a huge show which included the Czech National Symphony Orchestra.
This would be, of course, the usual Wacken special show aptly named A Night To Remember.
The band entered the Faster Stage alone and opened their set with the new song Die By the Sword. The sun was setting and the crowd has enormous, as nobody wanted to lose this amazing show. They debuted live another new song, Koolaid, and passed by some older songs like Restless and Wild, but that was only the warm up for the great surprises that were about to happen, when their guitar player and only original member Wolf Hoffmann started to play classical songs from his album Headbangers Symphony, with the orchestra now right in the back of the stage and flames being fired up in the air. Songs included some well known pieces such as Chopin's Scherzo, Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet, which I love, among others by Beethoven, Vivaldi and Mozart. The crowd was having a ball, singing along with the songs, but there was still one last part of the show missing. The rest of the band joined in and they played, still accompanied by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra some Accept classics. One of the highlights would be Metal Heart, of course, followed by Teutonic Terror and the great finale with Balls to the Wall. What a Night to Remember, indeed!!!
This would be, of course, the usual Wacken special show aptly named A Night To Remember.
The band entered the Faster Stage alone and opened their set with the new song Die By the Sword. The sun was setting and the crowd has enormous, as nobody wanted to lose this amazing show. They debuted live another new song, Koolaid, and passed by some older songs like Restless and Wild, but that was only the warm up for the great surprises that were about to happen, when their guitar player and only original member Wolf Hoffmann started to play classical songs from his album Headbangers Symphony, with the orchestra now right in the back of the stage and flames being fired up in the air. Songs included some well known pieces such as Chopin's Scherzo, Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet, which I love, among others by Beethoven, Vivaldi and Mozart. The crowd was having a ball, singing along with the songs, but there was still one last part of the show missing. The rest of the band joined in and they played, still accompanied by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra some Accept classics. One of the highlights would be Metal Heart, of course, followed by Teutonic Terror and the great finale with Balls to the Wall. What a Night to Remember, indeed!!!
Batushka
2017-08-03 21:40
I was pretty anxious for Batushka's show. This polish secret band is one of the most interesting acts nowadays, so I had to see them play their album Litourgiya. The stage was full of candles and religious items and soon was crowded as lots of hooded figures appeared. They always stayed in character and the album was perfectly played, such an intense and immersive experience! It was a pity that they ended up passing their time limit, as they were still playing when the curtains dropped and the sound was cut to give place to the next act. Still, a great show that I will want to repeat when possible.
Napalm Death
2017-08-03 22:30
There was still time for some brutality on the Headbangers Stage with Napalm Death. Day was almost over but there was still a lot of people ready for some action and action was what they got with their ever-energic performance. Heads were banging, bodies were moving and "Barney" Greenway was yelling, jumping and kicking, and everyone seemed pleased in the end.
Corvus Corax
2017-08-03 23:15
We closed the day at the Wackinger Stage, relaxing and having fun with Corvus Corax, their beautiful folk songs setting the right mood for the end of a great Day 1 here at Wacken. It's a pity that this kind of bands don't ever get to reach the small western corner of Europe we like to call Portugal, so we only get to experience these amazing moments were at the Holy Metal Land.
DIA 2
Kadavar
Sanctuary
2017-08-04 13:15
Sanctuary was one of the first metal bands that I heard. I fondly remember listening to my cousin's Refuge Denied LP and I still know White Rabbit's lyrics as if I'd learned them yesterday.
So, to say that I was eagerly waiting for this show was quite an understatement, furthermore if I could still recall Nevermore's amazing show here in Wacken in 2009.
They opened the set with The Year the Sun Died, title-track of the album they released in 2014, followed by Frozen, and then a trip down to memory lane with Taste Revenge, from Into the Mirror Black. Warrel Dane asked the audience for some crowd surfing, to give the security guys something to do, but it was still early in the day and there were a lot less people than back in 2009. As the show advanced to its end, they played Soldiers of Steel, from the album Refuge Denied, with Dane stating that if you knew the album "You must be very old"! It was nice to remember some of those songs and his voice, even if it failed him several times during the show.
[Note: this would by Warrel Dane's last live performance before passing away in 2018.12.13]
So, to say that I was eagerly waiting for this show was quite an understatement, furthermore if I could still recall Nevermore's amazing show here in Wacken in 2009.
They opened the set with The Year the Sun Died, title-track of the album they released in 2014, followed by Frozen, and then a trip down to memory lane with Taste Revenge, from Into the Mirror Black. Warrel Dane asked the audience for some crowd surfing, to give the security guys something to do, but it was still early in the day and there were a lot less people than back in 2009. As the show advanced to its end, they played Soldiers of Steel, from the album Refuge Denied, with Dane stating that if you knew the album "You must be very old"! It was nice to remember some of those songs and his voice, even if it failed him several times during the show.
[Note: this would by Warrel Dane's last live performance before passing away in 2018.12.13]
Grave Digger
2017-08-04 14:30
Grave Digger have been around for a very long time, being among the ranks of the First Wave of German Heavy Metal.
Their show started, as expected, with the appearance of their "mascot" / keyboard player "The Reaper", and opened with Healed By Metal. Their charismatic singer Chris Boltendahl is their remaining original member and he addressed the crowd in english, which is always nice for us non-german speakers.
This show was dedicated to the Middle Age Trilogy so we had songs from the Tunes of War, Knights of the Cross and Excalibur albums, including The Dark of the Sun, Lionheart, The Ballad of Mary (Queen of Scotts) or The Round Table (Forever). After almost 40 years, Grave Digger are still a powerhouse and here they managed to show us that classic Heavy Metal is still loved by thousands, and thousands were the voices singing their closing classics Rebellion (The Clans Are Marching) and Heavy Metal Breakdown.
Their show started, as expected, with the appearance of their "mascot" / keyboard player "The Reaper", and opened with Healed By Metal. Their charismatic singer Chris Boltendahl is their remaining original member and he addressed the crowd in english, which is always nice for us non-german speakers.
This show was dedicated to the Middle Age Trilogy so we had songs from the Tunes of War, Knights of the Cross and Excalibur albums, including The Dark of the Sun, Lionheart, The Ballad of Mary (Queen of Scotts) or The Round Table (Forever). After almost 40 years, Grave Digger are still a powerhouse and here they managed to show us that classic Heavy Metal is still loved by thousands, and thousands were the voices singing their closing classics Rebellion (The Clans Are Marching) and Heavy Metal Breakdown.
Kissin' Dynamite
2017-08-04 15:00
Meanwhile, at the Headbangers Stage, hard rockers Kissin' Dynamite were putting a great show. These guys sure know how to rock and the crowd was loving it.
Dog Eat Dog
2017-08-04 16:05
Dog Eat Dog are and american band that fuses punk, hardcore and rap. The final result is not to my liking, but they had some moments, particularly the presence of a sax player and some funny moments playing with a water gun.
Grand Magus
2017-08-04 16:50
From Sweden came the mighty Grand Magus. They opened the set with I, the Jury, with lots of fists in the air among the crowd. Singer JB struggled a bit with his voice, but the crowd was enjoying their set nevertheless, and On Hooves of Gold, Steel vs. Steel and Forged in Iron also got a great reaction from the crowd. Iron Will had a lot of voices singing along, but the highlight would be their final epic Hammer of the North, with everyone singing the melodic and waving their arms up high in the air. Pure magic!
Paradise Lost
2017-08-04 18:30
I remember a time when Paradise Lost's show used to be hit and miss. You could get lucky and catch Nick Holmes in a good mood and have a great time, or you could get him in a fowl mood and the show would be a hell of a burden. Lately, things have been working out for the best, though, and their shows have been a pleasure to attend, and this time was no exception. With a backdrop of their 2015 album The Plague Within, and Gregor Mackintosh stripped of his dreadlocks and showing instead a mohawk, they opened with No Hope in Sight, of that same album. They soon went back in time, though, with Pity the Sadness or Gothic, with Nick Holmes remembering everyone that "We are ancient". As their upcoming album Medusa would be released in about a month, everyone was treated to the live debut of a new song, Blood and Chaos. Some classics were also performed such as Embers Fire, Say Just Words or True Belief, this one from my personal favorite Draconian Times, which they revisited again for the closing song The Last Time.
Apocalyptica
2017-08-04 20:00
Ereb Altor
2017-08-04 21:00
Swedish pagans Ereb Altor were about to enter the Wackinger Stage, and although their show was a first, for me, they won me over with their amazing performance. For some reason I'd never given them any attention, despite being around since 2003, but their show was nothing short of epic. Their red and black paintings were highlighted by a great lightning work and their vibrating stance and mesmerizing, catchy sound, even if sang in an unintelligible language - swedish, i later knew - were one of the highlights of the day.
Fates Warning
2017-08-04 22:35
I made a quick run to the Bullhead City Circus to check some progressive metal by the legendary Fates Warning. There were a lot of fans upfront and they seemed happy with the band's show, but for me there was something a little odd with their performance. Their singer Ray Alder was ok, addressing the fans with gestures and moving around, but the other guys were mostly quiet on their places, as if playing for themselves, privately. I expected something more from a band that's been around since 1982.
Skálmöld
2017-08-04 23:00
Skálmöld have taken the viking/folk metal world by storm with their amazing releases, and as I've witnessed before, their entertaining live performances. These guys always deliver live, no matter if they're playing a small club or a big festival - and this time, they were playing a fully crowded Wackinger Stage! Songs like Gleipnir or Múspell are always a joy, and with so many people around, they were really special, with so many smiling faces and so many voices singing along.
Candlemass
2017-08-05 00:25
Candlemass were another debut for me. These guys have also been around for ages but I've never had the chance to see them live, in any of their previous incarnations. In this show, they played their second album Nightfall entirely, and to make things even more interesting, it was also Leif Edling's first show after his 3 year hiatus. After the intro Gothic Stone, The Well of Souls started, with Lars Johansson pretty impressive on the guitar and a hooded Mats Levén in the center of the stage, on the difficult role of interpreting these Messiah Marcolin-era songs. He did mostly ok, despite the obvious differences between both singers voices, and the show was a great Wacken moment and a due homage to a great album. The moment everyone expected was, of course, the album - and this show's - final song. Bewitched. Heads were banging, fists pumping in the air and the whole crowd singing "You Are Bewitched!!!". Awesome finale!
ASP
2017-08-05 02:00
ASP are one of those bands that we discovered by accident here in Germany and that we always try to see whenever we are here, since bands like this rarely reach Portugal. It was already very late on this Wacken Day 2, but we really had to stay here for this show, and boy, it was worth it! The stage had some round strong lights that made a great combination with the stage's regular lights and a great use of smoke, but soon all the attentions were turned towards their singer Asp. His size and looks combine with his unique charisma and great stage presence, and soon we were all singing in German - or sounding as close to as possible, in my case. SAP's unique gothic sound can be very catchy and mesmerizing, so song like Schwarzes Blut or Werben were making everybody sing and jump all over the place, even if it was already past 2 am and this was the last show of a very long day. They also played a great medley of some of their songs, and had some flamethrowers during Ich bin ein wahrer Satan, but the real highlight came with Ich will brennen, again with some fire and lots of people partying and dancing like crazy, clapping their hands and singing loudly. The end came with Umrissmann, and then we could finally drag our tired corpses back to our tents, but we did it with huge smiles on our faces.
DIA 3
Ahab
2017-08-05 13:05
I had once again the pleasure of watch Ahab live. The last time that I saw them was back in Portugal, where they integrated perfectly a small doom festival called Under The Doom. This time around, they were playing a stage in the Bullhead City Circus before it was even lunch time! There wasn't a lot of people in the crowd - funeral doom is not among their most liked metal genres, I think, but also, this was the final day of the festival and a lot of people was tired or packing everything so they could leave immediately after the shows. Ahab's set was a short one, 4 songs only, but each one quite long. The highlight was The Hunt, from the album The Giant, a song that's usually part of their setlists and is always great to see and listen!
Twilight Force
2017-08-05 13:40
The funny pointy-eared swedish band Twilight Force entered the stage and opened with Battle of Arcane Might. Symphonic Power Metal is not my thing, but you can help it and end up being carried away by this band of merry men, with all the joy and flair they incorporate in their show. Also from the Heroes of Mighty Magic, To the Stars and Riders of the Dawn followed, with some dueling solos and a lot of fun going on up there. At at time, both half-elf-half-ninja guitarists places a foot on both sides of the still smiling bassist's neck, in a very funny pose.
The energy was immense and lots of voices were screaming the band's name loudly, forcing the band's singer to ask, with a huge smile "Can you please be quiet? Shoosh! We don't have much time!" There was still time for a split-crowd screaming contest between the singer's side and the wizard-like keyboard player's side, right before Gates of Glory, and the show came to its epic conclusion with The Power of the Ancient Force.
The energy was immense and lots of voices were screaming the band's name loudly, forcing the band's singer to ask, with a huge smile "Can you please be quiet? Shoosh! We don't have much time!" There was still time for a split-crowd screaming contest between the singer's side and the wizard-like keyboard player's side, right before Gates of Glory, and the show came to its epic conclusion with The Power of the Ancient Force.
Max and Igor Cavalera
2017-08-05 14:30
After their "Max & Iggor Cavalera Return to Roots" tour, here they were in Wacken to bring that show to the biggest metal festival in the world and play the whole Roots album to the huge crowd that gathered in front of the Faster Stage. Roots, Bloody, Roots opened, as expected, and followed from there. Max got to play a bit of "berimbau" and also some drums and they even made a short interruption between songs to play the riff of Black Sabbath's Iron Man and have everyone to sing it. After Dictatorshit, the last song of the album, there was still time for a medley of some older Sepultura and the Motörhead cover Ace of Spades.
Heaven Shall Burn
2017-08-05 16:00
Heaven Shall Burn at Wacken is one of those shows that you can't miss. Wherever do you get to see 2 or 2 huge circle pit running around simultaneously? Or a gigantic circle pit running around the soundboard tower? There's just so many people involved on this circle pits that at times it looks like a marathon is passing by through the crowd! Marcus Bischoff appeared with an immaculate shirt, as usual, and threw a pair of rain-boots to the audience, and then all Hell broke loose. The Loss of Fury, Bring the War Home and Voice of the Voiceless were the beginning of the soundtrack for a continuous wave of crowd surfers, an amazing show within an amazing show. At a time, even one of the guys that are selling Becks, Wacken's main beer, among the crowd were picked up and carried upfront, with Bischoff pointing that out and calling him Mr. Becks. Godiva and the usual Edge of Sanity cover Black Tears were the final songs of yet another massive show by these metalcore giants.
After this show, the first bands for net year's Wacken were announced on the huge stage screens, including names such as In Extremo, Arch Enemy, Doro, Amorphis, Watain, Belphegor, Nightwish or Running Wild
After this show, the first bands for net year's Wacken were announced on the huge stage screens, including names such as In Extremo, Arch Enemy, Doro, Amorphis, Watain, Belphegor, Nightwish or Running Wild
Powerwolf
2017-08-05 17:30
Powerwolf are also one of the best bands to watch here at Wacken. Just as their frontman Atilla Dorn entered the stage and Blessed & Possessed began, everybody started to jump and sing! Coleus Sanctus, Amen & Attack, and so many other songs were received with the same amount of enthusiasm and energy by the crowd, while up onstage thing were also very animated, with the Greywolf brothers switching sides constantly and Falk Maria Schlegel teasing the audience constantly. Armata Strigoi brought us the usual singing lessons by Dorn and the end came with We Drink Your Blood. I still think this would be even better if they had a chance to play a little later, with the sun coming down or even at night, but even in the middle of the afternoon, this is always an amazing show to witness!
Alice Cooper
2017-08-05 19:00
Let me start by telling that anyone who haven't had the chance to see an Alice Cooper show yet, should correct that lapse as soon as possible. This will be a show that will never, ever let you down.
The stage was set and covered by a huge front curtain showing Alice Cooper's eyes. The curtain dropped and they started with Brutal Planet followed by No More Mr. Nice Guy, the crowd singing and following all things going on onstage. All his theatrics made de delights of everyone - the monsters, the dolls and all the wonderful toys added an extra layer of interest to all the classic songs from our youth. Guitarist Nita Strauss was also catching a lot of attention, with her solos, including a great one after the song Woman of Mass Distraction and right before Poison. And when everybody thought that the show would be over with the usual I Love The Dead, I'm Eighteen, School's Out sequence, there was still time for a surprise, in the form of a cover of Ace of Spades.
The stage was set and covered by a huge front curtain showing Alice Cooper's eyes. The curtain dropped and they started with Brutal Planet followed by No More Mr. Nice Guy, the crowd singing and following all things going on onstage. All his theatrics made de delights of everyone - the monsters, the dolls and all the wonderful toys added an extra layer of interest to all the classic songs from our youth. Guitarist Nita Strauss was also catching a lot of attention, with her solos, including a great one after the song Woman of Mass Distraction and right before Poison. And when everybody thought that the show would be over with the usual I Love The Dead, I'm Eighteen, School's Out sequence, there was still time for a surprise, in the form of a cover of Ace of Spades.
Amon Amarth
2017-08-05 20:30
This third and last day at Wacken had an amazing band lineup at the main stages, and to prove that, swedish vikings Amon Amarth followed. Their shows here at Wacken have been legendary, and this time would be no different. Their stages are also pretty amazing, and this time we got a huge viking helmet that elevated the drumkit, with huge horns on each side. They opened with The Pursuit of Vikings, with Johan Hegg leading the first furious headbangings and a lot of fire thrown up in the air. The crowd surf returned in full force, fed by power songs such as First Kill, Cry of the Black Birds. A special moment happened when Doro Pesch entered the stage to sing A Dream the Cannot Be with Hegg. Guardians of Asgaard would follow, always an amazing song with everyone singing loudly, and then the end would come with Twilight of the Thunder God, with Hegg hitting the ground with a huge Mjolnir, with a loud bang.
Avantasia
2017-08-05 22:00
Avantasia were next, another one of those one-of-a-kind shows that you only get to watch here at Wacken. Tobias Sammet put on a fantastic 2-hour show and brought in several guest singers to play their parts in the fantastic Avantasia stories he creates.
The set opened with Mystery of a Blood Red Rose, followed by The Scarecrow, with Jørn Lande joining in to sing his part. He would replay his part later on in Promised Land and Let the Storm Descend Upon You, but before that we would also have Magnum's Bob Catley in for The Story Ain't Over, Mr. Big's Eric Martin for Dying for an Angel and Twisted Mind, tow brilliantly performed songs, Sinbreed's Herbie Langhans for Reach Out for the Light and the amazing Amanda Somerville for Farewell. As if that wasn't enough, one more guest would still join in - Geoff Tate, to sing in Seduction of Decay and Avantasia, what a wonderful performance on this one. From here on, some duets were formed for some of the songs, the show continuously building up with everyone having so much fun. Sammet was speaking both in german and english, to all us foreign metalheads could understand, although sometimes things got lost in translation, which made things even funnier. And then he walked right to the other (dark) stage to tease the Kreator fans, as they would play next on that stage, but immediately saying that he and Mille "are friends, please don't be mad at me!" Ahaha!
The end was nigh, but we were in for a glorious ending, with everyone joining in for Sign of the Cross and then The Seven Angels. What a show! Really, I'm not even into this kind of epic rock/metal sound, but this was absolutely amazing, one of the best shows of this years Wacken!
The set opened with Mystery of a Blood Red Rose, followed by The Scarecrow, with Jørn Lande joining in to sing his part. He would replay his part later on in Promised Land and Let the Storm Descend Upon You, but before that we would also have Magnum's Bob Catley in for The Story Ain't Over, Mr. Big's Eric Martin for Dying for an Angel and Twisted Mind, tow brilliantly performed songs, Sinbreed's Herbie Langhans for Reach Out for the Light and the amazing Amanda Somerville for Farewell. As if that wasn't enough, one more guest would still join in - Geoff Tate, to sing in Seduction of Decay and Avantasia, what a wonderful performance on this one. From here on, some duets were formed for some of the songs, the show continuously building up with everyone having so much fun. Sammet was speaking both in german and english, to all us foreign metalheads could understand, although sometimes things got lost in translation, which made things even funnier. And then he walked right to the other (dark) stage to tease the Kreator fans, as they would play next on that stage, but immediately saying that he and Mille "are friends, please don't be mad at me!" Ahaha!
The end was nigh, but we were in for a glorious ending, with everyone joining in for Sign of the Cross and then The Seven Angels. What a show! Really, I'm not even into this kind of epic rock/metal sound, but this was absolutely amazing, one of the best shows of this years Wacken!
Kreator
2017-08-06 00:15
And now, it was time for... Kreator! They finally released a new album, 5 years after 2012's Phantom Antichrist, so I was quite curious to see how that would change their setlist. As I was admiring the stage, an amazing piece of work, with a lot of screens and a huge monster head in the back, Mille Petrozza entered the stage and Hordes of Chaos opened the set. Phobia followed, and then things got more even more interesting with the new songs Satan is Real and the title-track Gods Of Violence. In spite of all the rain, the crowd was pretty much alive and enjoying all the new songs along with the older classics - which included Total Death, off their debug album Endless Pain, back in 1985.
One of the highlights of the set was the heartfelt rendition of Fallen Brother, with the screens showing pictures of the many musicians that have left us in the last few years. Things got heavier with Enemy of God, From Flood Into Fire and Violent Revolution, and things came to an end with Pleasure to Kill.
One of the highlights of the set was the heartfelt rendition of Fallen Brother, with the screens showing pictures of the many musicians that have left us in the last few years. Things got heavier with Enemy of God, From Flood Into Fire and Violent Revolution, and things came to an end with Pleasure to Kill.
Subway To Sally
2017-08-06 01:45
It was up to Subway to Sally the always hard job of closing the festival. I always end up feeling that I can't enjoy their shows as I'd expect to, as they end up playing so late so very often. They opened with Grausame Schwester and, as usual, I found it hard to understand a word they'd say, as their songs are all in german, but I always like Eric Fish's presence on stage, along with the exquisite mixture of musical instruments and cool stage sets. The highlights included Maria and Ohne Liee, for a increasingly smaller crowd - the few resistants that were still staying to the very end, which eventually came in the form of Veiststanz. We were tired and sad, but it was once again one hell of a ride. See you next year, Wacken! Rain or Shine!
All the shows were finally over and we were making our way back home, tired and bruised and with a bag full of muddy clothes in the back of our rental car. What a magnificent Wacken! Rainy and muddy, just like the doctor ordered! We were able to see some pretty amazing shows that we will remember fondly forever, like Accept's A Night To Remember, ASP, Alice Cooper or Avantasia. The whole Day 3 line up at the Main Stages was unbelievable, we couldn't leave the place, even if sadly this year our photo pass wouldn't grant us full access to the Main Stages, which is why we didn't have photos for some of those shows. Still, there were a lot of surprises at the other stages - Ereb Altor played one of my favorite shows of the year, Wolfchant were a great surprise, and so were E-an-na, from the Wacken Metal Battles! The general conditions were the best, as in previous years. Wacken continues to improve with each new edition, and the 75.000 metalheads that make this pilgrimage every year continue to prove it - Wacken is the Holy Metal Land. This is it! There's no place on Earth where you'd rather be, other than here! No rain or mud will ever detter us, this is the land of Metal and you really can't find anywhere else this amazing spirit that you find here! WACCKKEEENNNNN!
See you next year, Wacken! Rain or Shine!
See you next year, Wacken! Rain or Shine!