WACKEN METAL BATTLE CANADA
annuncia le città e le band partecipanti all’edizione 2026! Una band per dominarle tutte! E suonare al Wacken Open Air!
Preparatevi a scatenarvi! Wacken Metal Battle Canada è orgogliosa di annunciare i luoghi in cui si svolgeranno le battaglie di quest’anno in tutto il Paese, dove una band metal indipendente avrà l’opportunità di suonare al Wacken Open Air, uno dei festival metal più prestigiosi e grandi al mondo.
Le battaglie si terranno a Vancouver, Vancouver Island, Okanagan, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal e Quebec City, e ogni città sarà testimone di un vero e proprio concentrato di talenti musicali indipendenti ed estremi.
Di seguito sono elencate le date, le città e le band partecipanti. La finale nazionale si terrà a Montreal, QC, il 9 maggio 2026.
“Questa serie di battaglie è il primo passo verso un mondo di opportunità che vi aspetta. Buona fortuna a tutte le band in gara e buona fortuna per la possibilità di suonare al Wacken Open Air,” aggiunge l’organizzatore del WMBC JJ Tartaglia.
Guarda – Wacken Metal Battle 2025 – Aftermovie | Hai sentito il futuro del metal? – https://youtu.be/nCulXiLlaSw
Il campione WMBC 2026 riceverà quanto segue:
– Un posto al Wacken Open Air Festival 2026.
– Backline professionale completa fornita.
– 1.000 CAD per i voli verso la Germania.
– Campeggio VIP al festival.
Elenco dei precedenti vincitori nazionali del WMBC: Killotine (Hamilton, ON – 2025), Beguiler (Toronto, ON – 2024), Strigampire (Trois-Rivières, QC – 2023), The Slyde (Toronto, ON – 2019), Centuries of Decay (Toronto, ON – 2018), Profaner (Hamilton, ON – 2016), Vesperia (Toronto, ON – 2015), Mutank (Montreal, QC – 2014), Crimson Shadows (Toronto, ON – 2013).
Battaglie elencate per città:
Vancouver
5 marzo – Vancouver, BC – Astoria – Band da definire (Round 1)
6 marzo – Vancouver, BC – Astoria – Band da definire (secondo turno)
28 marzo – Vancouver, BC – Astoria (finale BC)
Kelowna
15 marzo – Kelowna, BC – Jackknife – Band da definire (BC Interior Round)
Victoria
20 marzo – Victoria, BC – Lucky Bar – Band da definire – (BC Island Round)
Edmonton
Da definire
Toronto
17 gennaio – Toronto, Ontario – Hard Luck Bar – Dawn Vally, The Divine Project, Night Of The Snake, Ubruxum (Round 1)
30 gennaio – Toronto, Ontario – Bovine Sex Club – Gravearth, The Animal Warfare Act, Absent Theory, Lahore Wept (Round 2)
7 febbraio – Toronto, Ontario – Hard Luck Bar – Deafened, Abysmal Whore, Misothronos, Automatic Fire (Round 3)
18 aprile – Toronto, Ontario – The Garrison (Finale dell’Ontario)
Ottawa
Da definire
Montreal
24 gennaio – Montreal, QC – Piranha Bar – Band da confermare (Round 1)
6 febbraio – Montreal, QC – Piranha Bar – Band da definire (secondo turno)
13 marzo – Montreal, QC – Piranha Bar – Band da definire (Terzo turno)
3 aprile – Montreal, QC – Piranha Bar – Finale orientale
9 maggio – Montreal, QC – Piranha Bar – Finale nazionale
Città di Québec
Da definire
Last year’s 2025 Canadian Battle Final took place on May 31st at Vancouver’s Rickshaw Theatre, where Hamilton, Ontario’s KILLOTINE, the Ontario regional winner, delivered a standout performance that earned them the top national title. A panel of industry judges selected KILLOTINE to represent Canada at the prestigious International Wacken Battle, held during Wacken Open Air from July 30th to August 2nd in Wacken, Germany, where over 85,000 metal fans from around the globe gathered.
Joining KILLOTINE on stage at the Canadian final were fellow regional champions: SOULTHIEF (Eastern Canada Winner – Ottawa, ON), BEYOND SUFFERING (Alberta Winner – Calgary, AB), and YEGG (British Columbia Winner – Nanaimo, BC). The event also featured a special guest headliner: Vancouver’s Arrow In The Quiver, the 2024 BC Final winner.
The national judging panel included a lineup of respected figures from the Canadian metal and music industry: Brittney Slayes (Unleash The Archers), JJ Tartaglia (Canadian Organizer of Wacken Metal Battle Canada), JJ Caithcart (Founder of SCRAPE Records and Host of Different Stages Radio), Kris Schulz (Founder of Empower Through Music and Owner of Horizon School of Music), Abelardo Mayoral (Founder and Operator of The Invisible Orange and OrangeTickets), Stan Schinners (Owner of Broken Neck Radio), Justin Dobbin (Owner and President of Main Stage Rehearsal Studios).
For the last 9 years of battles (2013-2016, 2018-2019, 2023-2025), Wacken Metal Battle Canada 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 canceled. As the metal community regains its strength, Wacken Open Air 2026 will be the 35th edition of the festival and will be held from July 29th to August 1st. The 2026 event is nearly sold out with a line-up that includes Def Leppard, Lamb Of God, In Flames, Savatage, Powerwolf, Emperor, Sepultura, and Running Wild, among others. Details here.
Wacken Metal Battle Canada is part of an international competition that sees bands from across the country battle each other for the chance to win their spot among over 55 other countries’ champions, and represent Canada in an international battle of the bands at the world’s largest outdoor metal festival: Wacken Open Air. The battles have been hosted at the festival for over a decade and give independent bands the opportunity to showcase their talents to an international audience, along with the chance to win multiple prizes.
How it works:
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 Canadian national final (date and city to be determined). The winner of the national final will move on to perform at the Wacken Open Air 2026 and compete against the winners of other participating countries in a final global battle. All bands will be judged during battle rounds by respected local music industry representatives.
Rules for participation: https://www.metal-battle.com/rules/
Links:
Metal-Battle.com
Facebook.com/WMBCanada.official
X.com/MetalBattleCan
Instagram.com/wmbcanada.official
