Wacken Metal Battle USA has announced the finalists for its 2025 national showdown, set for Saturday, June 21st at Dingbatz in Clifton, NJ. After months of regional competitions, six unsigned bands from across the country will compete for the chance to perform at the legendary, sold-out Wacken Open Air festival in Germany (July 30–August 2), which hosts over 80,000 metal fans annually.
The finalists include:
Prime Prophecy (New Jersey)
What’s Wrong (Pacific Northwest)
Pontifex (Florida)
FireHaze (East Coast)
Mourning High (West Coast)
Broken Time (Texas)
The winner will receive a slot at Wacken Open Air 2025, professional backline support, $1,000 USD toward flights, and VIP camping at the festival. WMBU national organizer Eric Dow praised this year’s competition, which included nearly 200 bands and 40 battles nationwide. The judging panel for the final includes industry figures such as Jeff Buttermark (FM Management), Shawn Quinn (Napalm Records), and others to be announced. For more information, visit here.
