Energizing and exhausting, the Bailey’s Wacken Africa heat did not allow for many moments of rest. With a selection of bands that gave it their all 100% of the time, this was one night not to be missed. In terms of the audience, this is a tight-knit community, with familiar faces popping up at almost every Wacken gig. So if you attend these often enough, you are bound to be recognized.
There were, however, certain issues that plagued the event.
Firstly, due to unforeseen circumstances, All This For Nothing had to pull out for the evening, so there were three bands battling instead of four. There were problems with the microphones, and during Walk These Skies‘ set, one of the amps started smoking, which led one member of the crowd to cheekily suggest that they were literally setting the stage on fire. Throughout all of this, each band just rolled with the punches and delivered a fully rounded performance:
Ozias
Debuting a brand-new set, this isn’t the same Ozias that we are used to. Going harder and faster than ever, there is a feeling that they have dug deeper than ever to uncover this new sound. With the same deep gutturals, which are now the star of the show, and some of the best guitars of the night, they have essentially one-upped themselves from the previous year’s battle.
Musically, they were very tight, polished, and controlled. It seemed like they had a very particular sound they were trying to achieve, and they succeeded. In the random draw, they pulled the first slot of the night. While kicking things off can be a challenge, it felt like they reintroduced themselves appropriately, unveiling a brand-spanking-new image of Ozias.
Human Nebula
From the moment they stepped onto the stage, Human Nebula had tight control of the crowd. They grabbed everyone’s attention by calling them forward to the front of the stage, and they did not let go of it for an instant. As a progressive deathcore band, they are known for having a particularly intense sound, which carried throughout the set, sealing their identity as Human Nebula in place.
They had amazing interactions among themselves, striving for an almost comedic quality, and their lead singer, Gareth, has one of the most dynamic stage presences. They engaged well with the audience and were even able to start a wall of death, and later got everyone to get down low and enthusiastically leap into the mosh. These elements set them apart early on and made it apparent that they were a serious contender. Ultimately, it was these factors that led to them being named the winners of the night.
The Burnouts
The Burnouts brought a punk energy that spiced up the entire night. With a very different vibe incorporated into their sound, and with only three people in the band – almost half the size of the others – these factors emphasized the punk vibe, contrasted against the more technical metal of the first two bands.
Singing anti-fascist and anti-capitalist shanties like “When Fascists Cry,” they brought a clear message across with every track. With a fast-paced energy that caused the crowd to two-step most of the time, the audience clearly responded to them positively, as there were some of the most dangerous-looking mosh pits of the night. This was made all the more intense by the staircase just in front of the stage, and it felt like at any moment any one of these moshers could be hurtled down the stairs.
Special Guest: Walk These Skies
Proving that they are one of the best metal bands in South Africa at the moment, Walk These Skies delivered a standout performance. Luckily, they weren’t participating in the heat, as they made it to the finals last year, or else the other bands might have had to worry about this contender.
It was an overpowering performance; everything about their sound and stage presence hit hard. These guys were an excellent choice to keep the crowd busy and awake, because they were hooked with every track. A rowboat was called for and answered, with a line of people sitting on the floor and rowing the length of the stage. They are one band that shouldn’t be missed if one can help it.
Winner Announcement
And just like that, the night was wrapping up. Sasha, one of the organizers of Emalyth Events and Wacken Africa, went onto the stage. After thanking everyone, she announced that it was Human Nebula that had made it to the finals. The guys walked up to the stage, embracing each other and posing for photos before walking away as the winners of the night.
Watch the full playlist on YouTube.
