One Band To Conquer Them All! The final six bands from this year’s 2025 battles for Wacken Metal Battle USA gathered in Clifton, NJ, for the national final on June 21st at Dingbatz. Only one unsigned American band can walk away and be crowned champion to move on to 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).
Conquering the crown as this year’s 2025 national champion is Southern California and Arizona-based MOURNING HIGH (West Coast Winner), who, after their performance, a panel of industry judges that included Jeff Buttermark (FM Management), Shawn Quinn (Napalm Records/FM Management) and Rob Caggiano (ex-ANTHRAX/ex-VOLBEAT), voted as the USA’s top band to play at the International Wacken Battle at Wacken Open Air.
They performed alongside PRIME PROPHECY (New Jersey Winner), WHAT’S WRONG (Pacific Northwest Winner), PONTIFEX (Florida Winner), FIREHAZE (East Coast Winner), and BROKEN TIME (Texas Winner).
MOURNING HIGH comments on their win: “The band is so thankful that we met Eric and the Wacken Metal Battle team on the West Coast and in the USA. We were blown away at the professionalism and expertise of the judges at all of the battles, as well as the other talented bands we played with at each stage of the competition. We are proud of our hard work and so thankful that we have fans who have supported us on this journey. We have been manifesting playing in Europe for more than two years, and finally our hard work has paid off. This wouldn’t be possible without the support of the Wacken team, fans, and our crew. It’s time to get rowdy in Germany.”
The 2025 WMBU champion will receive the following:
– A slot at the 2025 Wacken Open Air Festival.
– Full professional backline provided.
– $1,000 USD towards flights to Germany.
– VIP camping at the festival.
MOURNING HIGH is a rising thrash metal band that hails from Southern California and Arizona. Formed in 2023, the band quickly gained traction through social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where their raw energy and nostalgic thrash sound struck a chord with fans of classic metal.
Their music is heavily influenced by legendary acts like MEGADETH, and they’ve been praised for bringing back the gritty, high-octane spirit of 1980s thrash. What sets MOURNING HIGH apart is not just their sound, but their chemistry—these guys have been friends since preschool, and that bond fuels their performances and touring life.
They’re currently unsigned and independent, but their momentum is undeniable. With over 50,000 followers on TikTok and a growing fanbase across streaming platforms, MOURNING HIGH is carving out a name for itself in the modern metal scene.
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.