Artist: Various Artists
Title: “Live At Wacken 2012”
Label: UDR
Release Date: 2/10/2013
Genre: Heavy Metal
Rating: 4/5

If you are a tried and true Metal head, and I mean one that is listening to more than just your old Priest, Maiden and Anthrax albums, then there is a very good chance that the very mention of the Wacken Open Air Festival makes you foam at the mouth. That said if there anything that helps the Metal head get his travel plans in order and head on that European vacation that they’ve always wanted it’s a DVD release like this. “Live At Wacken 2012” brings you into a healthy chunk of the mix as it happened in 2012 which was the 23rd Anniversary of the Festival. I’ve broken down the three DVD’s that this included to line out what I enjoyed most about each one. Here goes.

DVD1: We start the adventures with the always fantastic in the live sense Hammerfall. Of their three contributions to the film we find that the audience has no trouble singing along with them. Great power Metal from these guys and a band that hope returns to our region soon again. They are followed by the mighty Testament who I think a couple of you might have heard of over the last twenty five or so years. Having seen the band on many occasions I can only say that these three offerings by the group make you wish you were heading over the wall to face your own trial by fire. Some newness to my Metal mind was found in The Boss Hoss who while a German band, deliver a sound of an American Country Western act. There is of course a heavy edge and I was amused/surprised in watching the audience as they were surely into their presentation. Clearly there are some more open minded Metal head abroad than we find over here so let’s get with the program my friends. Three come from the never less than a party in your pants EdGuy and as I’ve not seen them in a few years it was great to find them included on the film as they are always a hoot. Of course with his being in their native Germany, Tobias is speaking German so unless you have a translator in the room with you I am afraid that understanding what he is saying will be difficult. The band still has it and this made me miss them a little more. Volbeat closed up the concert portion of this disc and wow does this band keep kicking ass again and again. For their first tune they are joined by Mille Petrozza and for the second Barney Greenway (of Kreator and Napalm Death fame respectively). It’s interesting to find neither of those bands on the span of offered tunes but I digress. It’s been fascinating to watch this band climb higher and higher. I like them of course but I do tend to listen to wider scopes than many of my music listening circle friend do so it was great to see something like this catching on. The first disc closes with a lot of fan footage as Metal heads make their way to the festival. Some funny stuff on that short film for sure. Now to disc 2 as the concert continues.
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