WACKEN METAL BATTLE USA Opens Band Submissions – One Band To Conquer Them All & Play WACKEN OPEN AIR 2026

One Band To Conquer Them All! After another successful year in 2025, to send one unsigned and independent American to play the world’s most prestigious and largest already sold-out metal festivals, Wacken Open Air, Wacken Metal Battle USA announces submissions for the 2026 battle are now open as of October 1st until December 1st.

“I am beyond stoked to bring back the Wacken Metal Battle to the US. Every year we get invited to participate is an opportunity to grow. This year will be no different. We will be bringing back some cities that haven’t participated in a few years, and we will be adding at least one new city/state to the competition. Do you have what it takes to represent the US at Wacken? Sign up now!” – Eric Dow – Artist & Promoter Relations.

American bands interested in participating can apply at https://www.metal-battle.com/countries/ (please select the United States as your country)

Watch – Wacken Metal Battle 2025 – Aftermovie | Have You Heard the Future of Metal?https://youtu.be/nCulXiLlaSw

Wacken Battle Trailer Video – https://youtu.be/fjMugRXEc5g

The 2026 WMBU champion will receive the following:
– A slot at the 2025 Wacken Open Air Festival.
– Full professional backline provided.
– $1,000 USD towards flights to Germany.
– VIP camping at the festival.

At the 2025 WMBU national finals held this past June at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ, Southern California and Arizona-based band ​MOURNING HIGH​ emerged as the seventh champion selected to represent the United States at the prestigious international showdown, Wacken Open Air, that took place from July 30th to August 2nd in Wacken, Germany, where over 185,000 attendees from around the world gathered.

Mourning High, crowned the West Coast Winner, competed alongside five other standout American bands:PRIME PROPHECY (New Jersey), WHAT’S WRONG (Pacific Northwest), PONTIFEX​ (Florida), FIREHAZE (East Coast), and BROKEN TIME (Texas). A panel of seasoned industry professionals, including Jeff Buttermark (FM Management), Shawn Quinn (Napalm Records/FM Management), and Rob Caggiano (formerly of Anthrax and Volbeat), ultimately selected Mourning High as the top U.S. act to perform at the International Wacken Battle.

Spotify – 2025 WMBU National Finalists Playlist – https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5q7Or6tHAsWsAGg8zQSVgZ

List of previous WMBU national winners: Cascade Effect (2024 – San Diego), Fadrait (2023 – San Diego), Mythraeum (2022 – San Diego), Monarch (2019 – San Diego), Voices of Ruin (2018 – Anaheim), and Corpse Hoarder (2017 – Philadelphia).

For the last 7 years of battles (2017-2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025), Wacken Metal Battle USA has hosted battles across the country to send one independent metal band to perform at the world’s largest metal festival, Wacken Open Air in Wacken, Germany. 2019 saw the festival celebrate its 30th anniversary, but due to COVID, the 2020 and 2021 editions were both canceled. As the metal community regains its strength, Wacken Open Air 2026 will be the 35th edition of the festival and will be held from July 29th to August 1st. The 2026 event is already sold out with a line-up that includes Def Leppard, Lamb Of God, In Flames, Powerwolf, Emperor, Sepultura, and Running Wild, among others. Details here.

Wacken Metal Battle USA is part of an international competition that sees bands from across the country battle each other for the chance to win their spot among over 55 other countries’ champions, and represent the USA in an international battle of the bands at the world’s largest outdoor metal festival: Wacken Open Air. The battles have been hosted at the festival for over a decade and give independent bands the opportunity to showcase their talents to an international audience, along with the chance to win multiple prizes.

How it works:
​Participating cities will host qualifying rounds plus a city final organized by a local city concert promoter, where one band will move forward to the American national final (date and city to be determined). The winner of the national final will move on to perform at the Wacken Open Air 2024 and compete against the winners of 30 other countries in a final global battle. All bands will be judged during battle rounds by respected local music industry representatives.

Links:
Metal-Battle.com
MetalBattleUSA.com
Facebook.com/metalbattleusa​.official
X.com/MetalBattleUSA
Instagram.com/metalbattleusa.official

WACKEN METAL BATTLE USA Open Band Submissions For 2025 Battles – One Band To Conquer Them All & Play Wacken Open Air

One Band To Conquer Them All! Wacken Metal Battle USA is proud to announce its return for 2025 battles nationwide for one independent band to be crowned champion and perform at one of the world’s most prestigious and largest already sold-out metal festivals Wacken Open Air (July 30th – August 2nd) (Attendance of over 80,000 people in Wacken, Germany for over 30 years).

Unsigned bands ONLY can apply. Please fill out your information at the following link (please select USA and then the City that your band would like to perform in) – https://www.metal-battle.com

(Band Submissions open from October 11th – December 15th, 2024)

Wacken Battle Trailer Video – https://youtu.be/fjMugRXEc5g

The 2025 WMBU champion will receive the following:
– A slot at the 2025 Wacken Open Air Festival.
– Full professional backline provided.
– $1,000 USD towards flights to Germany.
– VIP camping at the festival.

2025 battles will be taking place in the following cities:

New York, NY
Clifton, NJ
Baltimore, MA
Tampa, FL
Portland, OR
Seattle, WA
Bay Area, CA
Los Angeles, CA
Orange County, CA
Sacramento, CA
San Diego, CA
Austin, TX
Dallas, TX
Corpus Christi, TX
Houston, TX
San Antonio, TX

The 2024 WMBU national final was held in San Diego at Brick By Brick with regional winners Cascade Effect (San Diego), WarTroll (NorCal), Versipul (PNW), Prime Prophecy (East Coast), and Father Wolf (Texas).

Judged by an industry panel that included Rod Kukla (Silver Lining Music), Craig Goldy (Dio), Derek Engemann (Scour, Phil Anselmo and the Illegals, ex-Cattle Decapitation), and Patrick Stone (Adler’s Appetite, Budderside), the band that reigned the stage and proved themselves worthy of gracing the holy land of metal at Wacken Open Air in Germany was crowned 2024 champion, San Diego’s Cascade Effect.

As the 2024 crowned USA champion, Cascade Effect went on to perform as the only independent American band at the International Battle at Wacken Open Air 2024 (July 31st – August 3rd).​

List of previous WMBU national winners, Cascade Effect (2024 – San Diego), Fadrait (2023 – San Diego) Mythraeum (2022 – San Diego), Monarch (2019 – San Diego), Voices of Ruin (2018 – Anaheim) and Corpse Hoarder (2017 – Philadelphia).

2024 battles were hosted in the following cities: New York, NY, Clifton, NJ, Philadelphia, PA, Portland, OR, Seattle, WA, Bay Area, CA, Los Angeles, CA, Orange County, CA, Sacramento, CA, San Diego, CA, Austin, TX, Dallas, TX, El Paso, TX, Houston, TX, San Antonio, TX.

For the last 6 years of battles (2017-2019, 2022, 2023, 2024), Wacken Metal Battle USA has hosted battles across the country to send one independent metal band to perform at the world’s largest metal festival Wacken Open Air in Wacken, Germany. 2019 saw the festival celebrate its 30th anniversary, but due to Covid, the 2020 and 2021 editions were both canceled. As the metal community regains its strength, Wacken Open Air 2025 will be the 34th edition of the festival and will be held from July 30th – August 2nd. The 2025 event is already sold out with a line-up that includes Machine Head, Saltatio Mortis, Papa Roach, Gojira, Apocalyptica, Saxon, Within Temptation, Dimmu Borgir, Ministry, and many more. Details here.

Wacken Metal Battle USA is part of an international competition that sees bands from across the country battle each other for the chance to win their spot among 30 other countries’ champions, and represent the USA in an international battle of the bands at the world’s largest outdoor metal festival: Wacken Open Air. The battles have been hosted at the festival for over a decade and give independent bands the opportunity to showcase their talents to an international audience along with the chance to win multiple prizes.

How it works:
​Participating cities will host qualifying rounds plus a city final organized by a local city concert promoter where one band will move forward to the American national final (date and city to be determined). The winner of the national final will move on to perform at the Wacken Open Air 2024 and compete against the winners of 30 other countries in a final global battle. All bands will be judged during battle rounds by respected local music industry representatives.

Links:
Metal-Battle.com
MetalBattleUSA.com
Facebook.com/metalbattleusa​.official
Twitter.com/MetalBattleUSA
Instagram.com/metalbattleusa.official