After Thunder at least some more people found their way to the Black Stage because it was up to one of the hard rock legends to visit Wacken for the first time. No less a figure than Deep Purple entered the Black Stage. Founded more than 45 years ago the living legends could have recourse to a huge general equipment of musical works and also pieces of their latest album "Now What?!" found their way into the set.
After a lively start with Annihilator after a short modification break some more staid gentlemen entered the stage. Officially Thunder went apart in 2009 but for the Wacken 2013 an exception was made and so they again came together to present for one hour a cross section of their work.
Finally it was the time to head for the large stages. As Rammstein was having such a gigantic setting which could not be installed that quick all shows before would take place on the Black Metal Stage whereas Rammstein was playing on the True Metal Stage exclusively.
The last Metal Battle candidate of the day was for me the Caucasian winner from Georgia Industrial City. The five musicians came together in 2010 for the first time and made their way through the Georgian music landscape. With industrial metal they now wanted to conquer Wacken but in my point of view they did not fully reach this aim. In front of the stage it was quite well filled but the audience could not really be electrified by them. Although singer Jemal Mirzahsvili could impress with his decent voice I cannot say the same about their songs.
Now it was getting exotic because with Mysterious Priestess the Japanese Metal Battle winner entered the stage. Whereas first I was thinking that I was in the wrong movie: four lads, on wearing a pyjama the others with shirt and hornrimms and the girl nearly disappearing behind here synthesizer were looking quite strange. You could be of the opinion that a school band was making its day out.
The second day first started with the Metal Battles as the main stages were used earliest in the afternoon. In the not very crowded tent the Central American winner Rotten Souls from Costa Rica led off.
Like nearly each year, also this time a visit at the self-proclaimed "King Of Heimorgel" may not be missing. Wildly thrown together a colorful bouquet of great classics in a very unconventional interpretation was presented like Rammstein's "Engel" or Scooter's "Maria (I Like It Loud"). For this no large show on stage was mounted.
Last year the men from northern Germany were the biggest surprise of the festival. All shows were more then well attended and so it was only consequent to invite them also for this year especially as there is a successor with "Mit den Gezeiten" to the extremely successful debut "Bis ans Ende der Welt".
After starting with medieval sounds now the first visit to the large tent followed which is a little bit smaller than last year. Nevertheless there were two stages inside (W.E.T. and Headbanger Stage) on which the Metal Battle bands could show their skills during the first day.
The first day on Wacken always starts somehow more relaxed than the others. On the one hand the large stages on the main area are not yet in use on the other hand the arrival traffic is still ongoing. Nevertheless some already gathered in the afternoon in front of the Wackinger stage to listen to the sound of the band Fejd.
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