The 31. Wacken Open Air is in the books. At the world’s biggest metal festival, 83.400 fans witnessed spectacular shows by Judas Priest, Slipknot and Powerwolf. In total, more than 200 bands rocked nine stages, Sweden’s Amon Amarth even played an unannounced secret concert right underneath the famous Wacken skull. 

     The joy of finally being able to experience live music and a multi-faceted open air event with like-minded people from all over the world could be felt everywhere. Festival promoters Holger Hübner and Thomas Jensen commented: "The Wacken Open Air is back – finally! We missed the festival as much as the fans did. Now we’re very much looking forward to next year’s edition, which will offer four full days of live concerts for the first time. Tickets go on sale this Sunday evening.“


     At a press conference held during the afternoon, police, fire department and emergency medical services as well as the local regulatory authority looked back on an exceptionally peaceful and trouble-free event. The number of occurrences in their respective fields all stayed below of those from 2019. For example, the number of times the fire brigade had to jump into action only was in the lower double digits, the number of cases for the police dropped by 60 percent.


Bands confirmed for 2023, four days of live music for the first time. A first glimpse of next year’s billing was announced on the main stages during the night. W:O:A 2023 will take place Aug 2-5, making it the first time the festival officially boasts four days of live music.

     Headlining the event will be the mighty Iron Maiden: There is not a single metalhead that doesn’t know them. And it’s hard to think of a band that has defined classic heavy metal as much as they have. So consequently, there might very well be no band that is a better fit for the "holy ground of metal“. So in 2023, Iron Maiden will return to headline at the Wacken Open Air for the fourth time! So get ready for impressive production, a passionate performance, amazing music and of course Eddie! It has been seven long years since those iconic words have been heard: "Scream for me, Wacken!“


     Also announced have been Megadeth from the USA, who are considered worldwide as originators of Thrash Metal and being part of the "Big 4“ of the genre. Also playing will be Irish-American folk-punks Dropkick Murphys and Jinjer from the Ukraine, one of the hottest bands in modern metal today. Two Steps From Hell, a duo from Los Angeles, have amassed millions of followers with their brand of „Epic Music“, used in thousands of movies, trailers, series, spots and games, turning them into the biggest in their field. At the W:O:A, their first festival ever and only festival in Europe in 2023, they will perform a special and unique Wacken set. Fans can look forward to doom pioneers Pentagram and their „50th Anniversary Show“, while death metallers  Deicide will celebrate their genre shaping sophomore album "Legion“ with a special show as well. More announcements are: Wardruna (atmospheric Nordic folk), Beartooth (hardcore), Ensiferum  (Viking metal), Nervosa (thrash), and Burning Witches (heavy metal). More bands to be follow.


     In 2023, there will be once again a theme running through the whole festival: vikings and their culture. This will manifest itself in the overall appearance of the W:O:A as well performances and additional content all over the festival site.


Pre-sale has begun,

Tickets for Wacken Open Air 2023 are now on sale at metaltix.com. Fast-Tickets are sold with an exclusive special shirt, but are limited to 10.000 units. As soon as they are gone, Hard-Tickets go on sale. Pre-sale details can be found at metaltix.com and, starting Sunday, at wacken.com.

     Metalheads that move fast could even get their hands on a real Harley Davidson motorcycle! Everybody purchasing a W:O:A ticket within the first 24 hours of the pre-sale starting is automatically entered eligible to win the this totally unique bike which has been customized with a high-class W:O:A paint job.


See you in Wacken. Rain or shine.
www.wacken.com

     Fans who missed symphonic extreme metal masters Chthonic’s triumphant return to the stage to headline Taiwan’s massive Megaport Festival in March will have the opportunity to experience the show with the release of the Chthonic Megaport 2021 live album and video on May 19.

     Chthonic Megaport 2021 will be available digitally and as a special limited “anti-epidemic bundle” including a physical CD, Chthonic medical-quality mask, a Chthonic mask lanyard, large and small Chthonic mask containers and a small Chthonic spray can for sanitizer will be available. Pre-orders are available at https://ciongzo.com/en/product_detail.php?id=602.

     After making history by successfully managing the COVID-19 pandemic, Taiwan was able to move forward with the Megaport Festival, the first large-scale rock festival since the unprecedented global lockdown. Taking place March 27-28 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, the festival featured more than 100 artists on 10 stages. Founded in 2006 by Chthonic’s Freddy Lim, who left the organizing team after being elected as a member of Taiwanese Parliament in 2016, Megaport Festival attracts tens of thousands of people every year, with this year’s festival selling out its 20,000 tickets within five minutes. For their performance, Chthonic was joined by Audrey Tang, a long-time Chthonic fan who currently holds the seat of Digital Minister in Taiwan's cabinet.


Lim shared his thoughts on the occasion:-


     “I felt very excited and grateful when I stood on the stage. I cherished the connection between the crowd and me, and I also wanted to cheer up the people around the world who watched the show through the live broadcast so much.”


Lim also used the Megaport appearance as an excuse to reclaim his once-fit body, which he shows off on the album’s cover and in the “Set Fire to the Island” video:-

     “I have always been fit in the past. But after entering politics and having a baby, I didn't have enough time to exercise, so I was a little out of shape. Last year I promised the fans that if the Megaport Festival was held as scheduled, I will get my fit body back and take off my shirt in this show. So, I take off my shirt later in the song! Good to have my fit body back!”

Abbath have added more dates to their already announced run of Australian and Asian shows in September this year. The tour kicks off on September 20 in Bangkok, and sees the band playing in Australia and Japan straight after. The full list of shows can be found below.

Abbath will be playing in support of the latest release, 'Outstrider'.

If you tuned into Planet Rock Radio this morning, you’ll have been amongst the first to hear Bloodstock’s hotly anticipated news, revealing the final two Ronnie James Dio main stage headliners for 2020’s event. Devin Townsend was announced as Friday night’s headliner last month. Without further ado… 

Metal legends Judas Priest will headline Sunday night. In a year when Bloodstock celebrates 20 years, we can think of no better place to also celebrate Judas Priest’s 50 Heavy Metal Years! The Grammy Award-winning British icons were recently nominated again for the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame and to date have sold over 50 million albums. Their latest release, 2018’s ‘Firepower’, saw the band return all guns blazing, earning the accolade Best British Album at the Planet Rock Awards. Judas Priest enthuse:-

     “Horns up Bloodstock - the Priest is back to headline the 20th year of Bloodstock with our 50 Heavy Metal Years anniversary show!! A double barrel, once in a lifetime, blast of metal mania 2020....!!” 

You can watch a special message from the inimitable Rob Halford at: https://youtu.be/2VJIsrJf_Mc. 

The mighty Behemoth are set to headline Saturday in a UK festival exclusive for 2020. Having wowed fans across the globe with their phenomenal set on both Slayer’s final US tour and Slipknot’s current Knotfest Roadshow, the Polish metal heavyweights will be upping the stakes by bringing their biggest and best production to date. Don’t miss the spectacle of them closing out the Ronnie James Dio main stage on Saturday night!

Charismatic frontman Nergal tells us:-

     “Bloodstock! The hallowed lands of Catton Park will once again host our Fiendish Festivities. This is Behemoth’s first UK festival headline and that will be celebrated in the only way we know how; Hell will be raised, blood will be shed, and magick will descend! We shall see you there Legions!” 

Hear it straight from Behemoth themselves at: https://youtu.be/oe_1eQyZpXY. 

BLOODSTOCK will be headlined on Friday by DEVIN TOWNSEND and also welcomes PHILIP H. ANSELMO & THE ILLEGALS, SKINDRED, PARADISE LOST, LIFE OF AGONY, BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, DIAMOND HEAD, JINJER, VIO-LENCE, SACRED REICH, GLORYHAMMER, DARK TRANQUILITY, and BUTCHER BABIES so far. Many more bands performing over the weekend will be announced in due course. 

Discounted Early Bird tickets, VIP tickets, child tickets and car parking tickets for 2020’s event are available now at the ticket store.  Campervan tickets for 2020 are already sold out. 

BLOODSTOCK 2020 takes place at Catton Park, Derbyshire from 6th-9th August 2020.  For more info, click to www.bloodstock.uk.com. 

Portuguese dark metal pioneers, Moonspell, will embark on an extensive European Tour with Rotting Christ this Fall. Starting on October 24th in Hamburg, Germany, this finest metal package will travel two months literally all over Europe, including dates in the UK, Spain, Turkey, Scandinavia and many more!
 
Just recently, Moonspell proudly announced to re-release their path-breaking Sin/Pecado and  2econd Skin records on December 13rd 2019 with Napalm Records. Especially Sin/Pecado, originally released back in 1998, became a great divider of the Moonspell wolfpack, showcasing the band's diverse talent, skills and signs of a rebellion in within vampire and wolves themes. A diversity the band will be also representing live on stage, when they will not only perform songs of their latest, Portuguese album 1755, but also timeless classics of their entire band history – from records such as Sin/Pecado, the unforgettable Irreligious, Wolfheart, Night Eternal or the critically acclaimed Extinct – no matter what's your favourite Moonspell era, on this run you will definitely come at your expense!

States Moonspell vocalist, Fernando Ribeiro:-

     “The question in the air for Moonspell and Rotting Christ is: how will you guys pull this one out? We concede that we have embraced a quite epic trek of more than fifty cities to take in just one breath from the 24th of October all the way to December 15th. There’s only one way to answer your question: to grab a ticket and show up in one of our shows. The tickets are running low in some dates, some are sold out, and yes besides 1755 we will represent the classics and a couple of Sin/Pecado songs live to celebrate its reissue via Napalm Records in December. Europa under the spell!!!“

Make sure to catch this unholy tour pack of MOONSPELL & ROTTING CHRIST, live at the following dates:
 
24.10.2019 DE - Hamburg / Markthalle
25.10.2019 DE - Bochum / Matrix
26.10.2019 NL - Hengelo / Metropool
27.10.2019 NL - Amsterdam / Melkweg
28.10.2019 FR - Nancy / L'Autre Canal
29.10.2019 UK - London / Islington Assembly Hall
30.10.2019 BE - Antwerp / Trix

31.10.2019 FR - Rennes / L'Etage
01.11.2019 FR - Paris / La Machine du Moulin Rouge
02.11.2019 FR - Toulouse / Metronum
03.11.2019 ES - Madrid / Mon
07.11.2019 ES - Murcia / Garaje
08.11.2019 ES - Barcelona / Salamandra
09.11.2019 FR - Bourg-en-Bresse / La Tannerie

10.11.2019 IT - Milano / Magazzini Generali
11.11.2019 IT - Bologna / Estragon
15.11.2019 TR - Istanbul / If Performance Hall
16.11.2019 RO - Bukarest / Quantic Club
17.11.2019 BG - Sofia / Mixtape 5
18.11.2019 HR - Zagreb / Mochvara
19.11.2019 AT - Graz / Dom im Berg

20.11.2019 SK - Bratislava / Majestic Club
21.11.2019 AT - Vienna / Simm City
22.11.2019 HU - Budapest / A 38
23.11.2019 CZ - Zlin / Winter MOR - Euronics Sports Hall
24.11.2019 PL - Krakow / Kwadrat
25.11.2019 PL - Warszaw / Progresja
26.11.2019 PL - Gdansk / B90

27.11.2019 LV - Riga / Melna Piektdiena
28.11.2019 EE - Tallinn / Tapper
29.11.2019 FI - Helsinki / Tavastia *SOLD OUT
30.11.2019 FI - Tampere / Klubi *SOLD OUT
01.12.2019 FI - Turku / Apollo
03.12.2019 SE - Stockholm / Slaktkyrkan
04.12.2019 NO - Oslo / Parkteatret

05.12.2019 DK - Kolding / Godset
06.12.2019 DK - Roskilde / Gimle
07.12.2019 DE - Berlin / Columbia Theater
08.12.2019 DE - Hanover / Musikzentrum
09.12.2019 DE - Mannheim / MS Connexion Complex
10.12.2019 LU - Esch Alzette / Kluturfabrik
11.12.2019 CH - Geneve / PTR

12.12.2019 CH - Pratteln / Z7
13.12.2019 DE - Leipzig / Hellraiser
14.12.2019 DE - Würzburg / Posthalle
15.12.2019 DE - Munich / Backstage

www.moonspell.com
www.facebook.com/moonspellband
www.instagram.com/moonspellofficial
www.napalmrecords.com

Icelandic blackened metallers Zhrine are about to embark on their European tour with Dutch label mates Ulsect. The tour starts in Utrecht (NL) on Friday, November 30th and ends at the De Mortem Et Diabolum festival in Berlin (DE) on December 14. The full list of tour dates can be found below.

Zhrine with Ulsect

30 Nov 18 Utrecht (NL) DB's
01 Dec 18 Leeuwarden (NL) Into Darkness Festival
02 Dec 18 Tilburg (NL) Little Devil
03 Dec 18 Brussel (BE) Magasin 4
04 Dec 18 Paris (FR) L'Olympic Café
06 Dec 18 Tübingen (DE) Epplehaus
08 Dec 18 Wels (AT) Celebrare Noctum Fest

09 Dec 18 Wien (AT) Escape
10 Dec 18 München (DE) Feierwerk
11 Dec 18 Praha (CZ) Underdogs
12 Dec 18 Chemiefabrik (DE) Dresden
13 Dec 18 Poznan (PL) U Bazyla
14 Dec 18 Berlin (DE) De Mortem Et Diabolum

Zhrine will be playing in support of their latest release 'Unoretha', which was released via Season of Mist in April 2016.

www.facebook.com/zhrineofficial

Sólstafir have added more dates to their already announced European tour in support of their latest release 'Berdreyminn' this December. Their massive road-trip will kick off at Poland's B90 in Gdansk on November 20, and run through 17 more countries before the final curtain falls at the Voodoo Lounge in Dublin, Ireland on the 22nd of December.

• Sólstafir festivals

18 Aug 18 Dinkelsbühl (DE) Summer Breeze Open Air
11 May 19 Vienna (AT) Vienna Metal meeting

• Sólstafir Australian tour + Enslaved

29 Aug 18 Perth (AU) Rosemount Hotel
30 Aug 18 Sydney (AU) Factory Theatre
31 Aug 18 Brisbane (AU) The Zoo
01 Sep 18 Melbourne (AU) Max Watts

• Sólstafir European tour

20 Nov 18 Gdansk (PL) B90
21 Nov 18 Warsaw (PL) Progresja 
22 Nov 18 Vilnius (LT) Loftas
23 Nov 18 Riga (LV) Melna Vilnius
24 Nov 18 Tallinn (EE) Tapper
29 Nov 18 Gothenburg (SE) Sticky Fingers
30 Nov 18 Oslo (NO) Vulkan Arena

01 Dec 18 Copenhagen (DK) Lille Vega
02 Dec 18 Leipzig (DE) Taubchenthal
03 Dec 18 Stuttgart (DE) Im Wizeman
04 Dec 18 Winterthur (CH) Salzhaus
05 Dec 18 Marseille (FR) Jas Rod
06 Dec 18 Biarritz (FR) Atabal
07 Dec 18 Madrid (ES) Madrid Is The Dark Festival

08 Dec 18 Lisbon (PT) Under The Doom
09 Dec 18 Porto (PT) Hard Club
11 Dec 18 Cognac (FR) West Rock
12 Dec 18 Audincourt (FR) Le Moloco
13 Dec 18 Lille (FR) Aeronef
14 Dec 18 Eindhoven (NL) Eindhoven Metal Meeting
15 Dec 18 Istanbul (TR) Garajistanbul
16 Dec 18 Athens (GR) Fuzz Club

• SÓLSTAFIR UK/Ireland tour

17 Dec 18 Bristol (UK) The Fleece
18 Dec 18 Birmingham (UK) Hare & Hounds
19 Dec 18 Manchester (UK) Deaf Institute
20 Dec 18 Glasgow (UK) Classic Grand
21 Dec 18 Belfast (UK) Limelight 2
22 Dec 18 Dublin (IR) Voodoo Lounge


The band will be touring in support of the Icelander's latest album, 'Berdreyminn' which is streaming in full here.

www.solstafir.net
www.facebook.com/solstafirice

Australian metalheads! Prepare yourselves as Sinsaenum have set their eyes on Australia for the very first time. The supergroup featuring Joey Jordison (ex-Slipknot), Frederic Leclercq (Dragonforce), Sean Z (Chimaira), Heimoth (Seth) and Stephane Buriez (Loudblast), will tear the roof off this November on the backs of their latest, bone-crushing release ‘Repulsion For Humanity’ across two exclusive Australian shows.

Formed in 2016 by Leclercq, Buriez and Jordison, the trio quickly recruited Sean & Heimoth and released their debut album ‘Echoes Of The Tortured’ to world-wide critical acclaim. The supergroup are back with their sophomore release ‘Repulsion For Humanity’, out Augsut 10th via EarMusic, and are set on unleashing their very first live offerings to fans around the world.

A sonic assault on the senses and pure manifestation of death metal aggression - Sinsaenum will be bringing this to Australia this November. Australian Sins, be ready!

Limited VIP Meet and Greet upgrades available for those who want to meet the legendary musicians behind the band!

Overdrive Touring & Dragon Productions Presents:

Sinsaenum 'Repulsion For Humanity' Australian Tour 2018

Thursday 8th November - Sydney, Factory Theatre

Event: https://facebook.com/events/431776110650373/
Tickets: https://www.overdrivetouring.com/sinsaenum-november-2018


Saturday 10th November - Melbourne, Max Watt's

Event: https://facebook.com/events/1019216171589953/
Tickets: https://www.overdrivetouring.com/sinsaenum-november-2018

TICKETS AND VIP UPGRADES ON SALE NOW!

https://www.facebook.com/Sinsaenum/
http://www.sinsaenum.com/
 
https://www.facebook.com/overdrivetouring/
www.overdrivetouring.com

The mysterious Portuguese blackened death metal sect The Ominous Circle will embark on their maiden raid of America, with a run of Eastern US tour dates beginning tomorrow, July 24th. The tour sees them joined by 20 Buck Spin labelmates Scorched and includes their performance at Migration Fest this weekend.
 
The Ominous Circle is a burning black sphere of sinuous torment taking shape over their native land. Appalling Ascension, their initiation into this upper physical world, was released in early 2017 through 20 Buck Spin. While the reverent tropes of nowadays death metal will be recognizable to the band's adherents, the cauldron is mixed in myriad conjurations that stray from the retreating safety inferior forces are prone to linger in, with moments of oppressive death doom, grinding blasts of mania, rancid melodies and mid-tempo dynamic necromancy throughout. The late obsession of some to ignore songwriting in favour of cavernous ambient suffocating "evil" doesn't play on Appalling Ascension - here instead, and most welcome, are crushing and barbarous dark death metal songs for initiates to devote themselves to, and to enter the pantheon of most memorable debut recordings.
 
Poison Fumes Over North America MMXVIII will see the shrouded members of The Ominous Circl storming the East Coast from July 24th through July 31st. With support from Scorched, the tour will hit Brooklyn, Providence, Worcester, and Montclair on their way to perform at Migration Fest 2018 where they'll share the stage with Khemmis, Krallice, Pelican, Panopticon, Mournful Congregation, Bongripper, Zombi, The Cancer Conspiracy, Deadbird, Spirit Adrift, Thou, Yellow Eyes, and more. Following the fest, the tour will continue through Philadelphia and Washington, and end in Richmond.
 
See The Ominous Circle's "As The Worm Descends" RIGHT HERE and stream the entire Appalling Ascension album HERE.
 
THE OMINOUS CIRCLE - Poison Fumes Over North America MMXVIII w/ Scorched:

7/24/2018 Saint Vitus Bar - Brooklyn, NY
7/25/2018 Dusk - Providence, RI
7/26/2018 Ralph's Rock Diner - Worcester, MA
7/27/2018 The Meatlocker - Montclair, NJ
7/28/2018 Mr. Small's Theater - Millvale, PA @ Migration Fest [info]
7/29/2018 Millcreek Tavern - Philadelphia, PA
7/30/2018 Atlas Brew Works - Washington, DC
7/31/2018 Strange Matter - Richmond, VA
 
Featuring artwork by Timo Ketola (Dead Congregation, Sunn O))), Teitanblood), Appalling Ascension is available on CD, LP, and digital formats in North America through 20 Buck Spin; stream and purchase the album at Bandcamp HERE and find physical order options HERE. The album is out in Europe through Osmose Productions.
 
https://www.facebook.com/theominouscircle
http://www.osmoseproductions.com
http://www.20buckspin.com

Australian prog metal masters Ne Obliviscaris have announced a European tour with Ihsahn and Astrosaur. The tour kicks off on October 29 in Sweden and will end on November 11, in Hungary. A full list of tour dates can be found below. 

Ne Obliviscaris comment:

     "Ihsahn, from arguably the most well known black metal band in history, Emperor, has given us the opportunity to share his European tour in support his latest solo release, the brilliant, “Ámr”. We’ve all been fans of Ihsahn’s work for many years now and to support such an iconic artist we’ve looked up to is an honour and will certainly be a defining moment in not only our careers, but also our lives. Opening will be instrumental Norwegians, Astrosaur. If you want prog, melody, metal, and history, be there."

'Urn' is streaming in full at the link below.

https://youtu.be/_oTbsAHTXrc

NE OBLIVISCARIS
With IHSAHN and ASTROSAUR

29 Oct 18 Göteborg (SE) Sticky Fingers
30 Oct 18 Copenhagen (DK) Lille Vega
31 Oct 18 Hamburg (DE) Logo
01 Nov 18 Köln (DE) Luxor
03 Nov 18 Leeds (UK) Damnation
04 Nov 18 Eindhoven (NL) Effenaar
05 Nov 18 Paris (FR) La Machine
06 Nov 18 Esch (LU) Kulturfabrik
07 Nov 18 Milan (IT) Santeria Social Club
09 Nov 18 Vienna (AT) Szene
10 Nov 18 Prague (CZ) Palac Akropolis
11 Nov 18 Budapest (HU) A38

NE OBLIVISCARIS will be touring in support of their new release 'Urn'.

www.facebook.com/NeObliviscarisBand