Wacken day four — Sabaton closes the book on the 35th anniversary

When you spend an entire year waiting for a festival like this to come back around, the last day always feels bittersweet. Probably ‘bittersweet’ isn’t even the right word for it, but it’s definitely hard to imagine going back to normal life after this — especially after an edition like this one. And you can see it on the people around me, as we all watch and take in the last bands on the bill for the day.

Not only was the sun a blessing, but Wacken itself is a kind of home — a comfort you know you can always come back to, no matter how much time has passed. A place where you can meet friends again and where the community keeps you grounded, away from whatever else life throws at you. This year hit differently, and everyone felt it.

Nevermore

With the sun burning our skin, Nevermore opened the day for me at 15:00 on the Faster Stage, and this one carries real weight: it’s a reunion, their first show since Istanbul back in April, and the first time this band has been onstage without founding vocalist Warrel Dane, who passed away in 2017. New vocalist Berzan Önen goes beyond my expectations — he’s intense, powerful, and knows how to keep the crowd entertained. His vocal range is unbelievable, and you can tell he’s working to win the crowd over by the third song. The pit opened with “Born”, and the crowd’s fury matched the song’s dynamics perfectly. From the rest of the catalogue, we heard tracks spanning “Dreaming Neon Black” (1999), the monumental “Dead Heart in a Dead World” (2000), and “The Obsidian Conspiracy” (2010). I’m looking forward to catching them again, as they will be supporting Judas Priest’s tour in the upcoming months.

Photo: Peterson Marti.

Lamb Of God

I thought I witnessed the biggest moshpit with Heaven Shall Burn at Wacken in 2017, but Lamb of God almost broke the record during “Redneck”. They are a statement, and they know how to prove it. The pure rage and audacity to be explicit land on anyone present like a bullet to the chest. Their sound is like a nonstop hammer, and the pure raw energy simply took everyone back to when this band was first discovered. That’s why, even today, older songs like “Laid to Rest” and “Memento Mori” fit perfectly alongside newer material, like “Into Oblivion”, which we also got to hear.

Photo: Peterson Marti.

Airborne

I’ll put it this way: have you ever seen anyone crazier than Airbourne? I couldn’t count how many times Joel O’Keeffe lost it during the show, stopping just to catch his breath again. And let’s talk about when he jumped on top of a bodyguard to walk around the crowd while playing guitar? Well, if you thought rock ‘n’ roll was dead, this is proof it isn’t. Does he ever stop? It’s almost impossible to follow him around the stage as he jumps and runs like it’s a tennis match. These guys are machines. Honestly, the sheer power of the show left me breathless — great vibes and pure rock ‘n’ roll sweat from everyone in the room.

Photo: Peterson Marti.

Municipal Waste

Municipal Waste was one of my personal highlights of the day. I was craving something different, something I hadn’t heard all festival. The Richmond crossover thrash band, formed in 2001, brings 1980s thrash/hardcore energy delivered with a genuine love of partying, beer and skateboarding. Their bandanas and Back to the Future-style looks only added to the fun. Not sure if this pit or Pig Destroyer was heavier, but I can say for sure the amount of dust either one kicked up was no joke.

Photo: Peterson Marti.

Arch Enemy

How can you not be pumped up after reading this? “PURE FUCKING METAL” reads the backdrop just before the first song begins. I’ve personally never been a huge fan of Arch Enemy, but I need to say it: call it a personal choice, but the energy Lauren Hart brings to the performance almost makes me want to become one. I can imagine for long-term fans it’s a hard bite to swallow, but she brings such fresh energy, and her powerful voice and charisma onstage are a perfect match for the rest of the band and every song. Like me, a lot of folks around me seemed genuinely excited by this new lineup, and to be fair, it made me reconsider catching their full show next time.

Photo: Peterson Marti.

Castle Rat

For anyone curious to see what a staged battle looks like, like I was, Castle Rat was not a band to miss. I’d never managed to see them live before, and unfortunately, the reality of a festival doesn’t quite allow for a full show when you’re stage-hopping. I didn’t want to spoil anything for myself beforehand, since people had already told me how phenomenal the show was going to be. The Rat Queen, Riley Pinkerton, turned the Wasteland stage into a fantasy book. The whole storytelling, accompanied by the acting and the music, was something I’d never witnessed before. Apparently I missed the final battle with the rats, only catching it on video afterward — but hey, an excuse to go catch them again next time.

Photo: Peterson Marti.

Powerwolf

Truth is, this is a band I look forward to every Wacken edition — they’ve stuck with me ever since they played one of my first editions and completely thrilled me back then. Just rewatching some of my recordings gives me goosebumps — this must have been the best show so far. Powerwolf isn’t a band I spend much time listening to, similar to Sabaton, but if I know they’re playing, I won’t miss their show. It’s not only about the fantastic props, the charismatic stage presence, or the genuinely impressive musicianship — it’s really about the sense of community those bands create when they play live. They also had a super important role this time, building up the momentum before the announcement for next year’s edition. But guys, the whole singalong towards the end of the show, with fireworks going off, was something else entirely — the crowd singing “Holy Wacken” during the last song, “Werewolves of Armenia”.

Photo: Peterson Marti.

Sabaton

And then, closing not just the day but the entire festival: Sabaton headlined the Harder stage at 23:00. They couldn’t have been a better choice to close out this edition — of course, it’s hard to surpass the Powerwolf show we just witnessed, but hey… who has the courage to set a drumkit on top of a military tank? Still touring their “Legendary Tour”, Joakim Brodén is an extraordinary communicator, turning the space between songs into part of the show and sharing a beer with all of us in between songs.

It was a fantastic edition. Every year feels like building new connections and discovering something new — a new band, a new friend, or perhaps a new drink. And once again, having to say goodbye is hard to swallow.

We breathed in every last drop of dust left in the infield, feeling a little emotional looking at the announcement for next year, hoping the next 365 days go by fast so we can all meet again. Rain or shine — see you next year, Wacken!

Photo: Peterson Marti.