The Battle Begins: Wacken Metal Battle in Photos

Dumpster Mummy in action. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim. Dumpster Mummy in action. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Text and Photos Lawrence Sim

The Wacken Metal Battle Canada is part of an international competition where over a hundred bands from across the country battle each other for one to be selected and join over 20 other countries for an international battle of the bands at the world’s largest outdoor metal festival Wacken Open Air, which has been taking place in Wacken, Germany for the last 28 years.

In short, this is the “Olympics of Heavy Metal”, as one of the many bearded dudes in attendance last Friday night at Piranha Bar puts it. Canada apparently has a strong showing in the international battle in recent years, placing 1st in 2013 and 2015 and 2nd in 2016. Round one for the Quebec top spot proved to be a visceral and ear splitting affair. The four bands Distort Head, Ultyma, Dumpster Mummy, and Behind An Empire played, growled and screamed their hearts out. In the end, Dumpster Mummy, from Halifax took home the victory and moves onto the Quebec final which takes place on April 27 at the Piranha Bar in Montreal.

Distort Head started off the night all guns blazing. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Distort Head started off the night all guns blazing. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Lumberjacks by day metalheads by night. Distort Head. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Lumberjacks by day metalheads by night. Distort Head. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Ultyma. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Ultyma followed up with a tight set of their own. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Ultyma. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Kevin Chartre of Ultyma. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Dumpster Mummy's Guitar player working his pedal board to tease out some gnarly sounds . Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Dumpster Mummy’s Guitar player working his pedal board to tease out some gnarly sounds . Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Dumpster Mummy's Dynamic lead singer letting it all out on (and off) the stage. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Dumpster Mummy’s Dynamic lead singer letting it all out on (and off) the stage. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Dumpster Mummy in action. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Dumpster Mummy in action. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Ultyma. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Ultyma. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Dumpster Mummy Gets Positive Feedback from Judges. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Dumpster Mummy Gets Positive Feedback from Judges. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Behind an Empire. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Behind an Empire. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Behind an Empire. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Behind an Empire. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Behind an Empire. Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.

Wacken Metal Battle. Photo Lawrence Sim.