Atlanta Bands Compete for Wacken Open Air Spot

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The Wacken Metal Battle Final, a competition for Atlanta-based metal bands to earn a spot to perform at the prestigious Wacken Open Air festival in Germany, will be held on February 13th. The finalists were determined through two preliminary heats held on January 30th and 31st, with the winners of those heats advancing to the final round.

Why it matters

The Wacken Open Air festival is one of the largest and most renowned heavy metal music festivals in the world, so earning a spot to perform there would be a major career milestone for any up-and-coming metal band. The Wacken Metal Battle Final gives Atlanta's thriving metal scene a chance to showcase its talent on an international stage.

The details

The Wacken Metal Battle Final will take place on February 13th at 6pm, with doors opening at that time. The finalists were determined through two preliminary heats held on January 30th and 31st. The bands competing in the final round are the winners from those two heats: Esca, Vickie's Dream, Death Rift, Endera, Valkyrie's Fire, Disenthralled (from Heat 1) and Jaeger, Red Hot Empty, Sugar Virus, Beast Mode, Dead Alive, Widow Anchor (from Heat 2).

• The Wacken Metal Battle Final will be held on February 13, 2026 at 6pm.
• The preliminary heats were held on January 30, 2026 and January 31, 2026.

What’s next

The winners of the Wacken Metal Battle Final on February 13th will earn the opportunity to perform at the Wacken Open Air festival in Germany.