After months of battles across the country, Wacken Metal Battle USA is proud to announce the top seven independent bands performing at the 2023 National Final in San Diego, CA, on May 13th at the Brick By Brick. Get your tickets here! One band will be crowned champion and represent the USA at the international battle that hosts 29 other participating countries at one of the world’s most prestigious stages and the largest metal festival Wacken Open Air (Aug 4-6), which has an attendance of over 80,000 people, and held in Wacken, Germany for now over 30 years.
To date, the battle has sent four previous bands to perform on metal’s most prestigious stage. San Diego’s Mythraeum (2022), San Diego’s Monarch (2019), Anaheim’s Voices of Ruin (2018) and Philadelphia’s Corpse Hoarder (2017).
This year’s 2023 WMBU national finalists are the following:
DEATHBLOW – Salt Lake City, UT – https://www.facebook.com/deathblowofficial
FADRAIT – San Diego, CA – https://www.facebook.com/Fadrait
STEELLAKE – El Paso, TX – https://www.facebook.com/SteellakeEPTX
FINAL GIRLS – New Jersey – https://www.facebook.com/FINALGIRLSNJ
ANUBIS – Los Angeles, CA – https://www.facebook.com/AnubisBandOfficial
VILLIANS IN VAIN – Eugene, OR – https://www.facebook.com/villainsinvain
AUTUMN LIES BURIED – Clarksville, TN – https://www.facebook.com/autumnliesburied
For the national final, all seven bands will be judged by experienced industry professionals on various categories of professionalism and musicianship for only one to be selected to represent the USA on the world stage at Wacken Open Air.
Guest Judges:
Rod Kukla (Silver Lining Music/Wacken)
Mark Vieira (Parts Unknown Management)
Jon Halperin (Talent Buyer @ Glass House)
More TBA
Rules for participation: https://metalbattleusa.com/rules/
