BANG YOUR HEAD!!! Festival - Die ultimative Rock- und Metalparty!

Bands

Watch this space for all acts confirmed for our upcoming festival edition. Confirmed so far are:

ACCEPT
ALPHA TIGER
ANGEL WITCH
ARTILLERY
AT THE GATES
DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER
CRAZY LIXX
CREMATORY
DREAM EVIL
ENTOMBED
EXUMER
FLESHCRAWL
H.E.A.T
HELL
ICED EARTH
LAKE OF TEARS
LORDI
MORGANA LEFAY
ONSLAUGHT
PRETTY MAIDS
RAGE
RAVEN
SANCTUARY
SAXON
THUNDER
W.A.S.P.

Detailed information about ALL confirmed acts to follow soon...

ACCEPT

Along with the SCORPIONS, ACCEPT are, without a doubt, the most important German Heavy Metal act ever. Releases like 'Breaker', 'Restless And Wild', 'Balls To The Walls' or 'Metal Heart' had a huge impact on the Metal scene world wide and have been part of many a young musician's socialisation.

Since having teamed up with Mark Tornillo as original singer Udo Dirkschneider's successor, ACCEPT seemed to be in their second spring: two tremendous studio releases and many fantastic live appearances - amongst them the unforgettable headlining show at BANG YOUR HEAD!!! 2011 - have proven that this band is still one of the worldwide leading forces in Metal and steel.

Don't miss this legend's return to Balingen in 2013!

SAXON

Every metalhead and especially every frequent BYH!!! visitor will know the Anglo-Saxon group fronted by Biff Byford for sure, as SAXON have been guests at the BANG YOUR HEAD!!! several times now - last time headlining the festival's warm up show back in 2010.

In 2013, SAXON will return - much to the delight of all fans of traditional steel. And that should include each and everyone of you, shouldn't it? ;) Well, the band has always kept true to its roots, and that's definitely part of the secret of still being a top act in this business after more than three decades of existance now. Another part is the band's ability to provide a blistering live atmosphere - no matter where of how often you join their shows. Alltime fan faves like ‘Crusader’, ‘Denim And Leather’, ‘Wheels Of Steel’, ‘Strong Arm Of The Law’ or ‘Motorcycle Man' will always get you, while the band's newer compositions make a perfect match for the standard classics no SAXON show can't miss - and this ine at Balingen won't miss them either, that's for sure...

So watch out - the eagle is about to land again!

W.A.S.P.

After an impressive career overspanning three decades, Blackie Lawless and his companions are still a painful thorn in the flesh of America's society. There's more about W.A.S.P. than just pure provocation and bloodstained live shows, though: Steven Edward Duren, as Mr. Lawless is called in civic life, has always been an extraordinary songwriter, having pinned genre classics like ‘L.O.V.E. Machine’, ‘I Wanna Be Somebody’ or ‘Blind In Texas’ and outstainding conceptional albums like 'The Headless Children' and 'The Crimson Idol'. Be prepared for another winged attack at Balingen - at BANG YOUR HEAD!!! 2013, when W.A.S.P. are about to play their only open air show in Germany this year!

ICED EARTH

Formed in 1985 by Jon Schaffer – a street-tough kid with the drive to create a band to make his heroes JUDAS PRIEST, KISS and IRON MAIDEN proud – ICED EARTH released their riff-heavy self-titled debut album in 1990 – and never looked back. Nine studio albums – severalo them considered classics of Heavy Metal today – cemented the band’s reputation for crafting exceptionally well-made music, the centerpiece of which being Schaffer’s trademark rhythm guitar style and powerful, in-your-face lyrics.

Over the years, Schaffer has surrounded himself with some of the finest musicians in the world – including famed vocalists Matt Barlow, Tim Owens, and now Stu Block – to help bring his musical visions to life.

LORDI

This quite musical horde of monsters hailing from Finland has already proven to offer more than just an outstanding image and appearance.

Their first release 'Get Heavy' debuted with a brillant mix of influences like KISS, W.A.S.P. and Alice Cooper, that charted just right away at no. 3 of the Finnish record sales charts. Three years later, their surprising participation at at the Eurovision Song Contest and their even more surprising victory at that event marked their international breakthrough: the winner song 'Hard Rock Hallelujah' along with the album 'The Arockalypse' made friends and fans all over the world.

Fortunately, LORDI would not think about adapting to the mainstream market and continued to to what they do best: to deliver great songs with a hint of humor and, of course, great performances - just as they did at BANG YOUR HEAD!!! 2011 when the band topped the Saturday's indoor programme as final act of the festival. Many visitors hat to wait outside, though, as the hall's capacity was packed up to the maximum.

In 2013, noone will have to miss these spectacular guests from the North, as this time, LORDI will blow the big stage into pieces...

AT THE GATES

They are without a doubt one of the most important bands ever emerging from Sweden. Without AT THE GATES and their oeuvre, Melodic Death Metal wouldn't be the same as ist is today - it might not even exist. Having started as a rather traditional Death Metal act, their style evolved into something absolutely unique by blending these Death Metal basics with Thrash riffing and melodic accents. This grinding mixture made their fourth release 'Slaughter Of The Soul' a milestone in Metal and one of the most influential records ever. In 1996, AT THE GATES called it a quit, though, and it took a few years until 2008 to see these pioneers of extreme music back on stage for a few reunion shows. In 2012, some more live appearances would follow, while the band's musicians still would not think about a full time comeback. Fortunately for both you and us, they've decided to play at least one more festival show in 2013: At Balingen! :)

THUNDER

These Britih veterans have always been top notch for all friends of good old melodic Hardrock with a touch of Blues. Having proved their outstanding qualities as an entertaining live act at BANG YOUR HEAD!!! 2007, THUNDER decided to quit and played a farewell show at ROCK OF AGES 2009, putting a career of two decades to rest. The fever wasn't gone, though: from 2011 on, the band reunited here and there for some featival appearances - and in 2013, THUNDER will indeed be back to Balingen!

PRETTY MAIDS

After some rather mediocre years, Danish top act PRETTY MAIDS' 2010 release 'Pandemonium' marked an impressive statement: The "ladies" were back full strength! As a live act, though, the band had never lost their grip and has always been a a guaranteed winner on any festival line up. Releases like 'Future World', 'Red, Hot And Heavy' or 'Jump The Gun' are packed with melodic Hardrock classics and deliver the munition for many a Danish dynamite explosions on stage. Back in 2011, PRETTY MAIDS had to play indoor at Balingen, as singer Ronnie Atkins couldn't make it to Germany in time for the scheduled appearance at main stage due to a delayed flight. Actually, the hall was that packed, we had to close it and couldn't let all visitors in who wanted to see the maids in action. Well, now there's another chance in 2013, as PRETTY MAIDS will join us one miore timne at BANG YOUR HEAD!!! - this time outdoor, of course!

CREMATORY

They're not just one Germany's first Gothic Metal acts every founded, but presumably the most successful one. Adding atmospheric keyboards and catchy hooks to thier Death Metal roots, CREMATORY developped their very own and unique style. With ex-SHIT FOR BRAINS guitarist Mathias Hechler joining the line up, the band's sound got enriched even more with Hechler's clear vocal parts and new technical skills. Critically acclaimed releases like 'Act Seven' and 'Believe' were about to follow, while old classics like 'Tears Of Time' or 'Shadows Of Mine' remained to stay highlights of every CREMATORY live show, too. Today, one break, a successful comeback and several releases later, CREMATORY are still around to give the fans what they want and need: hits like 'Fly', 'The Fallen', 'Greed', 'Tick Tack' or 'Infinity' - to be heard and seen at this year's BANG YOUR HEAD!!!, where CREMATORY are about to play the closing show at Saturday's indoor programme!

ENTOMBED

With their outstainding debut 'Left Hand Path', ENTOMBED established themselves right away as one of the most important acts of the young and rising Swedish Deathg Metal scene. Along with its successor 'Clandestine', this release still ranks amongst the most influential releases of this genre. The follow up 'Wolverine Blues' marked a new era, though: ENTOMBED had discovered the rough edge of Rock'n'Roll, blending groovy riffs into their band sound and thus defining a new substyle: Death'n'Roll. Their latest releases 'When In Sodom' and 'Serpents Saints' have struck a bit tougher again, yet, and on stage, ENTOMBED have always been and still are a mighty force - a highlight to be for all friends of the harder side of Heavy Metal at BANG YOUR HGEAD!!! 2013!

SANCTUARY

With their first two records and especially their second release 'Into The Mirror Black' SANCTUARY have written a remarkable chapter of Metal history. The promising career would not last too long, though, and after the band split up due to internal problems, singer Warrel Dane, guitarist Jeff Loomis and bassist Jim Sheppard went on to found NEVERMORE - who definitely don't need an introduction.

However, by now, SANCTUARY are back! Starring almost all members of the original line up (except for Sean Blosl being replaced by former FORCED ENTRY guitarist Brad Hull), the band has already played several highly acclaimed shows and is about to release a new album. And: they'll be at Balingen to teach you a lession in sophisticated Metal at BANG YOUR HEAD!!! 2013!

RAGE

The history of RAGE reaches back for almost three decades now (including the first years under the monicker of AVENGER). Releases like 'Perfect Man', 'Secrets In A Weird World' or 'The Missing Link' established the band of bassist and singer Peter 'Peavy' Wagner as one of Germany's most popular Heavy Metal export goods with a very unique style.

Yes, indeed: In spite of any temporary tendencies to more extreme, more orchestral or progressive songwriting, they always impressed with their ability of writing catchy anthems with class, far beyond your average Metal chlichees. It's been five years since RAGE played at Balingen - about time to return!

DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER

They've been roaming the land since 1995 with their unique brand of melody and heaviness, intense lyrics and live performances second to none.

The APOS, as called by their loyal fans, don´t stick to any rules, they are innovative and courageous… and very successful with this approach. In 1997, they've released their debut 'Soft & Stronger') selling 8.000 copies immediately. 'Allegro Barbaro' follows up just one year later, and in 2000, 'All You Need Is Love' marks their big breakthrough: both national and international press is going crazy about this vast variety of styles including heavy riffs, moving moods, singalong hymns, epic parts and extreme Metal – and above all the brilliant voice of Fuchs proving he is one of Germany`s most variable singers.

Since then, DIE APOKALYPTISCHEN REITER have further refined and even broaded their unique style, blending tradtional steel with Death Metal and folk music from different cultures and countries into a fascinating, very vivid and spectacular piece of art...

HELL

HELL: a British legend! Cited as a huge indirect influence and as one of the true founding fathers of occult metal, the band formed in 1982 from the carcasses of UK metal bands RACE AGAINST TIME and PARALEX, whose ‘White Lightning’ EP was listed by METALLICA as a favourite and subsequently included on the Lars Ulrich, Geoff Barton ‘NWOBHM ’79 Revisited’ sampler album.

Despite over five years of constant touring, the band was cruelly overlooked by the ’80’s music press. HELL were too different, too extreme, too complex and far too thought-provoking for all but the most enlightened to understand them. The final crushing blow came when their long-awaited 1986 album deal with Mausoleum collapsed as the label went bankrupt, followed by the tragic suicide of singer/guitarist, Dave Halliday in 1987. The remaining members drew a line in the sand and stopped playing overnight.

Yet then there was Andy Sneap: As a teenager, he had been a permanent fixture on the front row of almost every show HELL played and was also taught to play guitar by Halliday. Upon meeting again years later, the remaining members of HELL - Kev Bower (guitar/keys), Tony Speakman (bass) and Tim Bowler (drums) talked with Andy about re-recording the old material to release in conjunction with the old demos. With Sneap replacing Halliday on guitar and David Bower on vocals, the band recorded 10 HELL classics from the 80’s.

With the release of ‘Human Remains’ in 2011, HELL’s legacy has become reborn – pure and untainted, cast forth screaming. And in 2013, it will shake the ground at Balingen...