Lotrify battling it out at Wacken Openair, Germany, 2 – 4 August 2018

Attracting around 80’000 fans each year, the Wacken Openair near Hamburg is probably the biggest metalhead fest in the world. Starting small in 1990 with six German bands, this year’s edition boasts no fewer than 180 live acts spread across three days, including the likes of Red Hot Chili Pepper, Judas Priest and Helloween.

An integral part of the Wacken tradition is the Metal Battle, started in 2004. With an ever-growing number of participating nations, each nation in a series of smaller events selects one as yet un-signed winning outfit to play at the final at Wacken. This year’s Metal Battle has been entered by the representatives of 27 countries or regions ranging from Argentina to the USA, and from Bulgaria to Indonesia. Switzerland will be there, too, represented by Lotrify.

Founded in 2008 in Baden near Zurich, the quintet quote influences from a wide variety of metal genres, “ranging”, according to their homepage, “from Metalcore to Black Metal”. Their new concept album was self-released digitally in three parts, the last of which is promised to be out in time for their performance at Wacken. A CD version will follow.

Three more Swiss acts are part of the regular Wacken line-up. Zeal & Ardor need no more introduction here. The band formed around multi-instrumentalist Manuel Gagneux have developed into a formidable live outfit over the past two years. They will be playing songs from their enthusiastically received new album “Stranger Fruit”.

Also on the bill are Samael, the much-travelled symphony black metal crew from Sion in the canton of Valais. Celebrating thirty years in the business, Samael released their 12th album “Hegemony” in October 2017 via Napalm Records. In fact, Samael have snared themselves not just one but two slots at this year’s Wacken. They will also appear under the guise of W.A.R. (Worhsip And Ritual). W.A.R. was launched in 2016 as vehicle to play the first two Samael albums live whilst making it very clear that stylistically old-school Samael is very different from modern-day Samael.

Wacken Openair
Wacken Metal Battle
Lotrify
Samael
W.A.R.
Zeal & Ardor