One band to conquer them all! WACKEN METAL BATTLE USA announces that band submissions for 2027 battles across the country to send one unsigned and independent American to play the world’s most prestigious and largest already sold-out metal festival, Wacken Open Air, from October 1st and run until December 1st, 2026.

WMBU organizer Eric Dow (Fatal Illness Management, Helsott, M-Theory Audio) comments on the upcoming 2027 battles:

“I am very excited and motivated for the 2027 Battle. I am always looking for ways to grow the team and improve in general. This year, the National Final will be held at the Tampa Metal Meeting fest hosted by me and Jerry from Piox Promotions. I have added several new city promoters, including Ty from Mad With Power Fest, who will be adding Madison for the first time in US Battle history. We have added Omar from The Metal Mixtape as the new social media manager and new Seattle promoter. Omar from Ghost Cult Magazine was behind the scenes last year but will now take over as the New York promoter. Same with Jersey from Andromeda Productions…he was helping last year with Atlanta and will now take over as the main promoter. Adding the new additions to our already amazing team, the future for the Wacken Metal Battle USA is brighter than ever!”

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

This year’s battles will be hosted across the United States in the following areas listed below:

The National Final will be held on June 19th, 2027, as part of the Tampa Metal Meeting 2027 Fest at The Brass Mug in Tampa, Florida.
​
​Southwest Region:​
Los Angeles, California
Orange County, California
Inland Empire, California
Bay Area, California
Sacramento, California
Las Vegas, Nevada
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​Pacific Northwest Region:​
Portland, Oregon
Seattle, Washington
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​Midwest Region:​
Madison, Wisconsin
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​Northeast Region:​
New York, New York
Wilmington, Delaware
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​Southeast Region:​
Atlanta, Georgia
Central Florida
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​Texas Region:
​Austin, Texas
Houston, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
Dallas, Texas

For the past eight years of battles (2017–2019, 2022–2026), Wacken Metal Battle USA has held nationwide rounds to crown one independent metal band and send them to perform at the world’s largest metal festival, Wacken Open Air in Wacken, Germany. The festival marked its 30th anniversary in 2019, with the 2020 and 2021 editions canceled due to COVID. As the global metal community continues to surge, Wacken Open Air 2027 will celebrate its 36th edition from July 28–31, and is already sold out. More than 50 bands have been announced, including Electric Callboy, Five Finger Death Punch, Helloween, Heaven Shall Burn, Halestorm, DragonForce, Napalm Death, Jinjer, Knocked Loose, Kanonenfieber, Belphegor, Dethklok, and Blue Medusa, among others. Full details here.

Live Video – 2026 WMBU Champion – Gannondorf at Wacken Open Air – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3Ez7OcFleQ​

Previous WMBU national winners: Gannondorf (2026 – San Diego), Mourning High (2025 – Southern California / Arizona), 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).

The 2027 WMBU champion will receive the following:
– A slot at the 2027 Wacken Open Air Festival.
– Full professional backline provided.
– $1,000 USD towards flights to Germany.
– VIP camping at the festival.

Wacken Metal Battle USA is part of an international competition in which bands from across the country battled for the chance to join more than 30 other national champions and represent the USA in a global clash of rising talent at the world’s largest outdoor metal festival, Wacken Open Air. For over a decade, these battles have been hosted at the festival, giving independent bands the opportunity to showcase their power on an international stage and compete for 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 advance to perform at Wacken Open Air 2027 and compete against the winners of international bands from around the globe in a major international battle. All bands will be judged during battle rounds by respected local music industry representatives.

About the 2026 National:

WMBU National 2026 – Gannondorf

Photo Credit – C.Huerta.Photos​

One band had conquered them all. Wacken Metal Battle USA proudly crowned San Diego’s GANNONDORF as the 2026 champions. The band seized a coveted performance slot at Wacken Open Air, one of the world’s most iconic and influential metal festivals, and advanced to the international Wacken Metal Battle, where rising bands from across the globe unleashed their headbanging, mosh‑ready power before a massive sea of metalheads gathered from every corner of the world.

The Wacken Metal Battle USA 2026 National Final brought together the top six bands from across the country after months of battles in cities nationwide. Representing the fiercest underground metal the United States has to offer, the final contenders were FATE DEFINED (Spokane, WA), NEMESIS (Houston, TX), GANNONDORF (San Diego, CA), RAMTHA (St. Petersburg, FL), THE VICTORIOUS DEAD (New York, NY), and THROUGH THE OCULUS (Apple Valley, CA).

After taking the stage on June 13th at Brick By Brick in San Diego, CA, before a crowd of metal‑hungry fans and a panel of industry judges including Rod Kukla (Silver Lining Music), Martin Koller (Prophecy Productions / SPKR Media), and Kelly McLauchlin (Pessimist), only one band could claim the title of WMBU 2026 Champion. GANNONDORF delivered with unrelenting fury, winning over both judges and fans to seize the crown.

Listen to all the USA national final bands on the WMBU 2026 Final Spotify Playlist:

​https://open.spotify.com/playlist/14751T41YocZkJCVUJWcjL​

More info:​
​Metal-Battle.com​
​MetalBattleUSA.com​
​Facebook.com/metalbattleusa​.official​
​X.com/MetalBattleUSA​
​Instagram.com/wmbusa.official​

One Band To Conquer Them All! Wacken Metal Battle USA proudly unveils the 2026 battlegrounds across the nation, where one rising independent metal band will earn the chance to perform at Wacken Open Air, one of the globe’s most iconic and influential metal festivals.

Battles will be hosted in the following cities listed below. Please note that the national final will be held in San Diego, CA, on June 13, 2026.

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.

List of previous WMBU national winners: Mourning High (2025 – Southern California / Arizona), 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).

Watch – Wacken Metal Battle 2025 – Aftermovie | Have You Heard the Future of Metal? – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCulXiLlaSw​

Wacken Battle Trailer Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjMugRXEc5g​

Battle Cities

Atlanta
​Jan 30 – Atlanta, GA – Star Bar (Round 1) – Esca, Vicki’s Dream, Death Rift, Endera, Valkyrie’s Fire, Disenthralled – https://www.freshtix.com/events/wackenmetalbattleatl
Jan 31 – Atlanta, GA – Star Bar (Round 2) – Jaeger, Red Hot Empty, Sugar Virus, Beast Mode, Dead Alive, Widow Anchor – https://www.freshtix.com/events/wackenmetalbattleatl
Feb 13 – Atlanta, GA – Star Bar (Atlanta Final)
​
​Austin
​Feb 1 – Austin, TX – Come And Take It Live (Round 1)
March 15 – Austin, TX – Come And Take It Live (Texas Final)
​
​Brooklyn – https://www.facebook.com/events/880819674913930​
​March 13 – Brooklyn, NY – The Monarch – Wood Shop (Round 1)
March 14 – Brooklyn, NY – The Monarch – Wood Shop (Round 2)
April 11 – Brooklyn, NY – The Monarch – Wood Shop (Brooklyn Final)
May 9 – Brooklyn, NY – The Monarch – Wood Shop (East Coast Final)
​
​Baltimore
​Feb 7 – Catonsville, MD – Morsbergers Tavern (Round 1) – Tugboat, Casual Cruelty, Gods End, Corpse God, Reign, Ametropsa – https://www.facebook.com/events/2105141780021444/
Feb 28 – Catonsville, MD – Morsbergers Tavern (Round 2) – Eden of Fire, Illusion of Solace, Babies for Brunch, Diegression, Deadkind, Blood Zero – https://www.facebook.com/events/1530819171310018/
March 21 – Catonsville, MD – Morsbergers Tavern (Round 3)
April 11 – Catonsville, MD – Morsbergers Tavern (Catonsville Final)
​
​Concord
​March 14 – Concord, CA – Vinnie’s (Round 1) – Embryonic Devourment, Sonus, Thares, Cardboard Ringo -https://www.facebook.com/events/2070524426817816/
March 28 – Concord, CA – Vinnie’s (Round 2)
April 18 – Concord, CA – Vinnie’s (NorCal Final)
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​Dallas
​Feb 7 – Dallas, TX – The Rail Club (Round 1)
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​Houston
​Feb 7 – Houston, TX – BFE Rock Club (Round 1)
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​Portland​
Feb 28 – Portland, OR – Dante’s (Round 1)
TBD – Portland, OR – Dante’s (Pacific Northwest Final)
​
​Sacramento
​March 6 – Sacramento, CA – Old Ironsides (Round 1)
March 20 – Sacramento, CA – Old Ironsides (Round 2)
April 3 – Sacramento, CA – Old Ironsides (Round 3)
​
​San Antonio
​Feb 6 – San Antonio, TX – Rock Box (Round 1) – Aeternal Requiem, Cheese Grater Masturbation, Voltreus, Thunder Horse, Surge
Corpse Pile, Life Undone, Ariah Falls, Forever Silent, Bloodmoon, Immortal Execution, Overlay, Egregious
Glorious https://www.facebook.com/events/3331767850332917
​
​San Diego
​March 13 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick (Round 1) – https://www.facebook.com/events/1274721898034186/
March 14 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick (Round 2) – https://www.facebook.com/events/4304692073075456/
April 25 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick (San Diego Final)
May 23 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick (California Final)
June 13 – San Diego, CA – Brick By Brick (National Final)
​
​Santa Ana
​Feb 28 – Santa Ana, CA – Stages (Round 1)
March 7 – Santa Ana, CA – Stages (Round 2)
April 4 – Santa Ana, CA – Stages (LA/OC Final)
​
​Seattle
​Jan 16 Seattle, WA – The Funhouse (Round 1) – Trip The Wire, Ocean Ghost, Fate Defined, AC3, Serene, Wayward Shot – https://www.facebook.com/events/1182381040748946
​
​Tampa Bay
​Feb 27 – Tampa, FL – The Brass Mug (Round 1) – Ramtha, Endurus, Roads End, Mind Virus, Parallel Motion, Coralines Collapse – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wacken-metal-battle-florida-round-1-tickets-1979192270359
Feb 28 – Tampa, FL – The Brass Mug (Round 2) – Announce The Apocalypse, Failure Protocol, Nocturnal Dawn, Precipice, Livekill, Nibiru – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wacken-metal-battle-florida-round-2-tickets-1979194475956
March 14 – Tampa, FL – The Brass Mug (Tampa Final)
April 18 – Tampa, FL – Tampa Metal Meeting (Southeast Final)
​
​Wimington
​March 7 – Wilmington, DE – Bar XIII (Round 1)
March 20 – Wilmington, DE – Bar XIII (Round 2)
April 18 – Wilmington, DE – Bar XIII (Wilmington Final)

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Last year’s 2025 WMBU national finals were held on June 21st at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ, where 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​

For the last seven 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 advance to perform at Wacken Open Air 2026 and compete against the winners of international bands from around the globe in a major international 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/wmbusa.official​