Doro commands the whole first day of Wacken Open Air 02.08

The Chaoszine report team took a trip to cold northern Germany for an event that all metalheads have surely heard of at least once in their lifetime: Wacken Open Air. The premise, though, wasn’t exceptionally positive since there was in motion a travel stop (no pun intended!), and the weather was promising more and more rainfall. This is why until our feet didn’t touch the Holy Ground, we would not have believed to be part of the few people to witness this year’s edition of the notorious festival.

Skew Siskin

But, as luck wants it, we did reach the grounds, and we were going to give our best to make this experience unforgettable. The first band on our schedule was Nervosa, but apparently, due to the bad weather, all performances were being rescheduled or cancelled. So at about 13:30, when we arrived at the Louder stage, we were welcomed by a small talk with some very special guests like Joey Belladonna and Udo Dirkschneider paying homage to Lemmy Kilmister’s ashes being moved to the Wacken grounds. And it was a very touching moment because both artists expressed their most sincere feelings towards the late Motörhead bass player. When this was over, we expected to see Nervosa on stage (assuming that Skew Siskin already performed), but we were wrong. We waited for quite a long while, then at around 15:30, Skew Siskin came on stage, and the audience cheered so loud. We wanted music! And music is what we got. Skew Siskin’s performance was very solid; their charismatic stage presence and infectious energy engaged the audience from the first chord. Nina’s gravelly vocals and Jim’s blistering guitar solos transported the crowd back to the heyday of Motörhead, evoking the spirit of Lemmy Kilmister himself. They also performed many Motörhead‘s covers. All in all, a great start for Wacken!

Photo: Silvio Colombo.

Nervosa

With a short changeover, it was now finally time for Nervosa to rock the Louder stage. And as they announced on their social media, they were going to delight us with a new original song, with the video of the same track being released the same day. Everyone at the festival or watching the livestream was treated to “Seed of Death“, and it was an incredible way to start the set. Obviously, we also heard many classics like “Death!” and “Kill the Silence”, which are always present in their performances. Despite Mia Wallace’s absence, Hel Pyre filled in and matched the energy of the band in a good way. The bad weather, unfortunately, forced the band to cut their set short and with “Under Ruins“, the Brazilian group finished their Wacken adventure.

Photo: Silvio Colombo.

Battle Beast

It would be simply a terrible mistake if we didn’t report about Battle Beast, one of the best Finnish bands of our time. Silvio, our photographer, basically forced me to see their set because he’s been a long-time fan of this group. And thank God he dragged me to the Louder stage. I was absolutely blown away by their performance, their stage presence and their enthusiasm on stage. I literally could not stop moving and singing along (while I didn’t know any of their songs!): this shows how talented and passionate the group is. Noora Louhimo is a queen on stage; she moves and sings like a goddess and nailed some pretty challenging vocals while maintaining total control of the situation around her. From making the audience jump in “Eye of the Storm” and sing along to “Eden“, Noora knows how to engage the crowd, and she’s not afraid to show it. Her expressivity matches the mood of the band and adds layers to their already marvellous performance. They have gained at least a new fan in me yesterday. What a band!

Photo: Silvio Colombo.

Doro

1983. Hamburg wins the Champions League, and Doro begins her musical career with Warlock. Consequently, Wacken Open Air is the only fitting place to celebrate the 40th anniversary of such a legendary vocalist. And at 22:00, many heavy metal artists prepared short video clips to congratulate the German queen on this achievement. Then, the Faster stage turns to flame, and “I Rule the Ruins” opens this two-hour set. She delivered an unforgettable performance that left fans in awe. With her commanding stage presence and powerhouse vocals, she captivated the audience from the moment she stepped on stage. Doro flawlessly executed her solo hits like “Time for Justice” and many Warlock classics like “Metal Racer“, infusing each song with her own unique style and intensity. Her raw energy and unwavering passion for the music were palpable, creating an electrifying atmosphere reverberating throughout the open air. She had many surprises for the audience, including some notable guests like Sammy Amara, Joey Belladonna, Mikkey Dee, Phil Campbell, Michael Rhein, Uli Jon Roth, Udo Dirkschneider and Hansi Kürsch, as well as some covers like “Love Me Forever” and “Antisocial“. Doro’s connection with her fans was undeniable. She engaged with the crowd, encouraging them to sing along and become part of the performance. The audience eagerly embraced her invitation, belting out every word, their voices merging with Doro’s in a harmonious chorus. The symbiotic relationship between artist and audience created an immersive experience, with the entire festival pulsating with energy. This was especially true during “All We Are“, where literally everyone was singing along. The icing on the cake was when drones formed in the air with the words “Lemmy Wacken Forever” and the shape of Lemmy’s face in the middle. In the end, Doro‘s performance was a testament to the enduring power of heavy metal music. Long live the queen.

Photo: Silvio Colombo.

Beyond The Black

In a rush from Doro‘s performance, we were also able to get a glimpse of another German group that is now a pretty big name in the music industry, which is Beyond The Black. Their sets are full of energy, power and heavy tunes, so it’s easy to see why many people were present at the Louder stage while Doro was still on at Faster. New hits like “Dancing in the Dark” and “Reincarnation“, mixed with old classics like “In The Shadows” or “Hallelujah“, have contributed to creating an intense performance that has not gone unnoticed. Unfortunately, they had some audio problems because Chris’s vocals were almost impossible to hear; I knew the lyrics to some of their songs, so I could tell when he wasn’t hearable. That is too bad because otherwise, it was a very good performance.

Photo: Silvio Colombo.