The Bulgarian metal scene marks a historic moment with the impressive performance of the Burgas-based band Hellbound in the prestigious international competition Wacken Metal Battle. The young musicians from the seaside city ranked third among 30 finalists, chosen from a record 12,633 bands that applied to participate in the 2025 edition. This was announced by Bulgarian Guide To Scandinavian Culture (BGTSC), the official partner of the competition for Bulgaria.
Experts from BGTSC emphasize the significance of the achievement, describing it as "exceptional - not only for Hellbound but for the entire Bulgarian metal scene". For the first time, a Bulgarian band has received such high recognition on a global scale, attracting the attention of international media and fans of the genre.
Wacken Metal Battle and Bulgarian participation
Wacken Metal Battle is a prestigious competition, established in 2004 with the aim of discovering and supporting new talents in metal music worldwide. Currently, the contest is held in over 100 countries, with winners from national qualifications getting a chance to perform at the world-famous Wacken Open Air festival in Germany.
BGTSC has been partnering with Wacken Open Air and the Wacken Metal Battle competition since 2014. Over seven editions in Bulgaria, more than 900 applications have been reviewed, and 18 festival days have been held, some featuring up to 12 bands per day. The jury for the Bulgarian editions has included numerous authoritative figures from the music industry, including Vasko Katincharov from the "Fractura" show, Martin Nikolov from "From the Other Side", as well as international experts like Eric Hutchens, Michael Thissen, and Sasha John.
Previous Bulgarian participants and evaluation
Before Hellbound, other Bulgarian bands also reached the finals of the competition, including Dash The Effort (2015), Lieveil (2016), Ophan (2017), Eufobia (2018), Badcast (2022), and Maltworm (2023). This demonstrates the consistent development and growing quality of the Bulgarian metal scene over the years.
An international jury with over 40 members evaluates the performances of participants in Wacken Metal Battle. The best-performing bands receive not only financial support but also musical instruments, professional equipment, and the opportunity to network with key figures from the global music industry.
Hellbound's success in this year's edition of the competition opens new horizons for Bulgarian metal music and solidifies our country's position on the international stage. This achievement is expected to inspire other young Bulgarian talents to pursue their musical ambitions and strive for worldwide recognition.