Band Submissions Open for Wacken Metal Battle USA 2022!

Wacken Metal Battle USA is back! After a two-year absence, the revered competition returns to the U.S. in 2022. From 2017 to 2019, and according to a recent press release, “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 cancelled. As the metal community regains its strength, Wacken Open Air 2022 will be the 31st edition of the festival and will be held from August 4th to 6th. The 2022 event is already sold out with a line-up that includes Slipknot, Till Lindemann (Rammstein), Judas Priest, Limp Bizkit, As I Lay Dying, Lacuna Coil, Danko Jones, Gwar, Death Angel, Tarja, and many more.”

Applications for 2022 open on August 26th, 2021 at 6 am pst and remain open until November 14th. Interested acts can apply right here while concert promoters interested in hosting a Wacken battle in their city can apply right here.

More rules and info can be found here, but 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 2022 and compete against the winners of 29 other countries in a final global battle.

Current cities confirmed for 2022 battles are the following:

Los Angeles, CA
San Diego, CA
Orange County, CA
Sacramento, CA
Oakland, CA
San Francisco, CA
Portland, OR
Seattle, WA
Phoenix, AZ
Tucson, AZ
Tampa Bay, FL
Atlanta, GA
Las Vegas, NV
Austin, TX
Corpus Christi, TX
Dallas, TX
Houston, TX
Lubbock, TX
San Antonio, TX
El Paso, TX
Akron, OH