Wacken Metal Battle Canada Announces BC and Ontario 2025 Battle Rounds - One Band To Rule Them All & Play Wacken Open Air

One Band To Rule Them All! After another record-breaking year of submissions from independent bands across the country, Wacken Metal Battle Canada is proud to announce this year's British Columbia and Ontario 2025 battles, which could see one unsigned band crowned champion and perform at one of the world's most prestigious and largest already sold-out metal festivals Wacken Open Air (July 30th – August 2nd) (Attendance of over 80,000 people in Wacken, Germany for over 30 years).

The 2025 British Columbia and Ontario battles will be held in the following cities and dates with more to be announced for Canada. The national final will be held in Vancouver, BC on May 31st, 2025 at The Rickshaw Theatre.

2025 Canadian Wacken Battles:

British Columbia Dates:

• March 1 - Vancouver Round 1 @ The Cobalt
• March 2 - BC Interior Round @ Jackknife Brewing
• March 22 - Vancouver Round 2 @ The Cobalt
• March TBC - Vancouver Island Round @ Lucky Bar
• May 3 - BC Final @ The Cobalt
• May 31 - National Final @ The Rickshaw, Vancouver

Ontario Dates:

January 10 - London Round @ Rum Runners

Atria (guest headliner), Death Club, Dead Days, 4HateU8

FB: https://www.facebook.com/events/1944970149316798/

Ticket link: https://www.ticketweb.ca/event/whacken-metal-battle-2025-rum-runners-tickets/14091163

January 24 - Hamilton Round @ Main Stage Rehearsal

The Good Depression, Killotine, Zero Tolerance, Devilz By Definition, Zero End

Ticket link: https://wackenmetalbattle.bigcartel.com/product/wacken-metal-battle-jan-24-hamilton

January 25 - Toronto Round 1 @ Hard Luck

Pillars of Autumn, Ischemic, Purveyor of Chaos, Unkle Skurvey

Ticket link: https://wackenmetalbattle.bigcartel.com/product/wacken-metal-battle-jan-25-toronto

February 1 - Toronto Round 2@ Hard Luck

Seagrave, Nepenthe, Panic Response, The Animal Warfare Act

Ticket link: https://wackenmetalbattle.bigcartel.com/product/wacken-metal-battle-feb-1-toronto

Edmonton, AB - TBA

Calgary, AB - TBA

Ottawa, ON - TBA

Montreal, QC - TBA

Quebec City, QC - TBA

The 2025 WMBC champion will receive the following:

- A slot at the 2025 Wacken Open Air Festival.

- Full professional backline provided.

- 1,000 CAD towards flights to Germany.

- VIP camping at the festival.

The 2024 WMBC national final was held in Edmonton, AB at The Starlite Room on May 25th and witnessed regional winners Arrow In The Quiver (Vancouver, BC), Infrastrvctvre (Calgary, AB), Age of Ashes (Edmonton, AB), Beguiler (Toronto, ON) and Red Raven Chaos (Montreal, QC) along with special guest headliners NECHT (Calgary, AB - 2023 National Finalist).

The night was MC'd by Gord Alexander (Tessitura, Tides of Kharon) and judged by an industry panel that included JJ Tartaglia (Wacken Metal Battle Canada, Boonsdale Records, Skull Fist, Thunderor - Toronto, ON), Luc Lainé (CFLX 95,5 FM - Alerte Metallique - Sherbrooke, QC), Dan Cleary (Striker), Kim Aebly (The Invisible Orange, Vancouver, BC), Dana Zuk (Dana Zuk Photography - Edmonton, AB), Jon Asher (Asher Media Relations - Montreal, QC), Nancy Barnes (Big Nate Productions - Calgary, AB), Celestia Scarlett (Owner/Artist Manager - The Celestial Agency- Calgary, AB) and Steve DC (Strigampire - 2023 National WMBC Winner - Trois-Rivières, QC).

After each band presented their furious rallying battle performance, the only one that stood out from the rest was crowned 2024 champion Toronto's Beguiler who moved on to perform as the only independent Canadian band at the International Battle at Wacken Open Air 2024 (July 31st – August 3rd).

Live Full Video of 2024 WMBC National Final in Edmonton, AB - https://www.youtube.com/live/dCYiImMkzq4

List of previous WMBC national winners Beguiler (Toronto, ON - 2024), Strigampire (Trois-Rivières, QC - 2023), The Slyde (Toronto, ON - 2019), Centuries of Decay (Toronto, ON - 2018), Profaner (Hamilton, ON - 2016), Vesperia (Toronto, ON - 2015), Mutank (Montreal, QC - 2014), Crimson Shadows (Toronto, ON - 2013).