Wacken Open Air 2022 – Wednesday Review

2019 was the last time this familiar festival welcomed all corners of the globe with open arms. 2020 was met with the COVID pandemic that delayed the metal celebration. It is now 2022 and Wacken Open Air had ascended back on the quaint Wacken town, shaking the foundations with its vast variety of metal music. You can safely say that a sold-out metal mass were all smiles while walking on holy ground for four days, ready for a taste that all were familiar with.

 

Kicking off the proceedings on the Louder Stage was the Latvian folk metal quintet Varang Nord. They were welcomed by a hungry crowd ready for a folk metal return from their first impression three years ago. Donned in traditional folklore attire, the troupe made sure that not only were they blasting out some great music, but showing their love for history. Their opening song ‘Stuojis’ from their latest 2021 album Parkiuna Uomurs setting the standard to their army, followed with the catchy ‘Beer & Vodka’ and ‘Beard’, ensuring that as the first band to play on the honorary platform, Varang Nord certainly made the first day of Wacken Open Air a splendour.

 

The second band to hit the Louder stage were the Swedish 8-piecce troupe Brothers of Metal. From looking beyond their mass, the Scandinavian octet proudly showed a taste of their stage presence. The dynamics of each band member had every punter singing along. Bringing the grounds songs such as ‘Death of the God of light’ with the thrilling ‘Brothers unite’ and their fun latest single ‘The Other Son of Odin’, witnessing the first rowing boat, sinalongs and moshpits marking a job well done.

 

Dutch symphonic masters Epica were ready to embrace their riffs on their long-anticipated Louder Stage set. Surrounded with metal cobra snakes and plenty of fire, a huge gathering pushed forward ready to headbang to the songs ‘The Skeleton Key’, ‘Cry for the Moon’ and from their latest opus Omega ‘Code of Life. Each song was greatly welcomed with fist bumping in the and the sixtet fed off from every reaction from their audience.

 

With utter patience, Tobias Sammet’s Avantasia took to the stage as the moon watched over the Louder Stage. As darkness descended, every punter welcome Germany’s heavy metal icons and experience the theatrics that the crowd badly needed show. Recognisable melodies ranging from the power metal tinged ‘Reach Out For The Light’ to the slow hard-hitting ‘Dying For An Angel’ and the delightful encores ‘Lost In Space’ and ‘Sign of the Cross’ brought all on stage in harmonious unison. The spectacle was such a breathtaking experience for TotalRock to witness on holy ground. Remembering the duets with Ralph Scheepers (Primal Fear), Jorn Lande, (former vocalist for Masterplan), Eric Martin (Mr Big), Ronnie Atkins (Pretty Maids), Bob Catley (Magnum), Adrienne Cowan (Seven Spires) brought such a creative show with brilliance and elegance.

With day one is complete, TotalRock were set for the gates to officially open for all to walk on. Stay tuned for Thursday’s coverage of more metal madness at Wacken Open Air!

 

Review: Phillip Krawiec

Photos: Sabrina Ramdoyal – TotalRock photo gallery