Stratovarius, Clutch, Michael Monroe & more join the Wacken Open Air 2022 line up

With STRATOVARIUS, old acquaintances are returning to Wacken. The Finnish symphonic power metallers have already made our stages tremble six times, and we’re looking forward to epic masterpieces like “Hunting High And Low” or “Black Diamond” next year, too. Kippis!

There’s no doubt about it: CLUTCH are one of the best contemporary rock bands. All the more reason for us to welcome them to W:O:A for the second time, just in time for the band’s 20th birthday, and to bang our heads to hits like “Electric Worry” or “Earth Rocker”.

Under the name ME AND THAT MAN, Adam “Nergal” Darski shows another facet of his personality. Even if the sounds (moving somewhere between country and dark blues) could not be further away from his main band Behemoth at first glance, one immediately recognises his dark signature.

MICHAEL MONROE is a rock’n’roll legend. With the Hanoi Rocks he provided the blueprint for bands like Guns’n’Roses, for example, and as a solo artist he has meanwhile brought it to nine albums. And now, together with his first-class all-star band, he is doing the honours again after 2016. Let the party begin!

It wasn’t just metalheads with a penchant for progressive sounds who were thrilled after SOEN’S performance at the Wacken Open Air 2018. Because the international band not only relies on finger skills, but also creates atmospheric songs. All the nicer that we can now experience this once again.

The BUTCHER BABIES, on the other hand, are celebrating an Acker premiere! The US band is one of the pioneers of contemporary rock and metal and feels right at home somewhere between rough riffs and hard grooves. Another Wacken debut is coming from Dope. We’re finally in the mood for ecstatic jerks to hits like “Die MF Die”.

With their current album “Resilience”, BLACK INHALE have caused a stir not only among thrashers. For the Austrians combine speed with the great melodies of classic heavy metal, which they have already impressively proven during their 2018 visit.

Having already caused a stir as support acts for bands like Gojira or Machine Head, Irish metallers DEAD LABEL are now making their way to the loudest village in the world for the first time. Also joining us for the first time are Latin Americans THE RISE OF MICTLAN, who will present the dark side of their culture with unique black metal.