#2 JULY 2025 Credit: Jeremy Saffer Guns N’ Roses celebrate their tour finale Doro & The Butcher Sisters shoot their video on the Holy Ground : Within Temptation Wolfgang Niedecken Sebastian Fitzek 85,000 fans are celebrating the 34th edition of the metal festival in the loudest village in the world * -COSMOSDIREKT.DE/ FESTIVALSOMMER CHECK OUT YOUR PERSONAL COVERAGE LINE-UP NOW:ix times we’ve had the pleasure of pub- lishing The Bullhead – this time, we’re making it lucky number seven. All of them are availa- ble online for free on our homepage (in English and German). The Bullhead features extraordinary con- versations with headliners like Machine Head, Go- jira, Papa Roach and Sal- tatio Mortis and delivers stories and insights from the Holy Ground you won’t find anywhere else. As a special treat, this edition’s digital version features even longer interviews, ad- ditional topics and more info surrounding your fa- vourite festival. The Bull- head is free for all of our fans. Just click, read – and enjoy! www.wacken.com et’s be honest: it’s about time, the Acker is call- ing louder and louder, and the wait is finally over. Because Wacken Open Air 34 is about to begin! 85,000 metalheads from more than 80 countries will flock to our little village in the north to celebrate what unites us all: our love of music, the metal commu- nity and the seven best days of the year! The anticipation is palpa- ble, not just here on the festival grounds, but all over the world. Metal queen Doro sums it up best: “You always look forward to being back in Wacken.” Machine Head’s Robb Flynn has been thinking about the Holy Ground for months: “The show in Wack- en means a lot to us,” he reveals. "We’re bringing brand new mate- rial for the screens – and a hell of a lot of fireworks. It’s going to be a larger-than-life spectacle!” It’s precisely this dedication from the scene’s big and bigger names, fans and crew that makes this fes- tival so special. Papa Roach frontman Jacoby Shaddix promises a show “that will simply explode!” – and cap- tures one thing perfectly: The energy on the Holy Ground is always indescribable, whether in bright sunshine or rain. Like every year, regional politics has nothing but warm words, as well. Schleswig-Hol- stein’s Prime Minister Daniel Günther says: “When the whole north shakes, it’s time for Wack- en! 85,000 metalheads celebrate peacefully and cheerfully, wheth- er they’re soaking in bright sun- shine or in mud. Wacken is just as famous for this as it is for its great line-ups each year. Schle- swig-Holstein is proud to have been home to one of the biggest heavy metal festivals in the world for 35 years.” We’re just as proud! For more than three decades, Wacken has not just been a festival, but a family reunion, a gathering of like-minded people and a state- ment for tolerance, solidarity and pure passion. If you haven’t experienced it yet, it’s high time you did. Joe Elliott from Def Leppard has set his sights on doing just that in the future: “We’ve always heard how mind-blowing Wack- en Open Air is – the spirit, the fans and the whole atmosphere. I hope that Def Leppard will get to play there soon!” Let’s write another chapter of heavy metal history to- gether. Here’s to a legendary W:O:A 2025! Yours Andrea Leim editor in chief, The Bullhead The Bullhead is a product of WOA Festival GmbH Schenefelder Straße 17, 25596 Wacken, Germany Management: Thomas Jensen, Holger Hübner, Andre Jürgens Editorial management: Andrea Leim Design: arne__creates Project coordination: Peter Klapproth Editorial team: Christof Leim, Timon Menge, Victoria Schaffrath, Celia Woitas Translations: Victoria Schaffrath Copy editors: Dr Sascha Gerhards (EN), Christof Leim IMPRINT #4 AUGUST 2024 bring Metallica to the Acker talk friendship at W:O:A 2025 Post-W:O:A is pre-W:O:A. Review and preview of the world’s best festival #5 DECEMBER 2024 Credit: imago ’ Holger Hübner opens up about this special announcement Mario Duplantier about the Olympics, discipline and childhood dreams Everything about the new festival in the Zillertal Alps „“ Why the frontman of Rage is truly metal to the bone Foto: XXX #1 MARCH 2025 Your last chance to get W:O:A-Tickets First time in Bahrain : Dimmu Borgir Floor Jansen Papa Roach Callejon Robb Flynn about his forever love for the pit, the new album and an unforgettable Wacken show The Head of a metal Machine Credit: Travis Shinn Credit: W:O:A, privat The bullhead shines between the two main stages Copy Deadline: 25 july, 8:30 pm CHECK OUT YOUR PERSONAL COVERAGE LINE-UP NOW:On 22nd of July, Ozzy Osbourne, the godfather of heavy metal, dies – just 17 days after his grand farewell concert in Birmingham by Andrea Leim „Times have changed and times are strange Here I come but I ain’t the same Mama, I’m coming home…“ t’s the 5th of July, 9:26 p.m. UK time, when Ozzy Osbourne sings these lines live for the very last time. In Birmingham’s Villa Park stadium, 45,000 people have gathered – not simply as an audience, but as witnesses to an unrepeat- able moment. They have come to bid farewell to Ozzy and Black Sabbath in a way that does justice to the weight of their legacy. And so, at that moment, a nearly tangible sense of mel- ancholy fills the air. There is hardly a dry eye; everyone in the stadium knows: this is likely the last time they will see their “Mad Man”, their “Prince of Dark- ness”, on stage. The crowd joins in the song like one great col- lective choir, supporting him, carrying him, as his own voice wavers and breaks – whether from exhaustion or emotion. In those minutes, artist and fans become one – a final, heartfelt act of devotion. Seventeen days later, Ozzy Osbourne is dead. “It was an incredibly emo- tional moment,” recalls Wack- *.. - .. With this post, Ozzy's family officially confirmed his death. He passed away surrounded by his loved oneen boss Thomas Jensen, who was in the stadium with his family. “You have to kneel in awe of what Ozzy deliv- ered that night. It was clear he was giving his all for his fans one last time.” Ozzy Osbourne performs five songs in Birmingham with his solo band: “I Don’t Know”, followed by “Mr. Crow- ley”, “Suicide Solution”, then “Mama, I’m Coming Home”, and finally “Crazy Train”. Looking back, Thomas sums up what most fans must have been feeling that evening: “That day, that concert – fea- turing bands like Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Anthrax, and all the other fantastic artists, and ultimately Ozzy and Black Sabbath – was a milestone in heavy metal history and far exceeded my expectations. I’m simply grateful I was there.” When news of Osbourne’s death spreads around the world on the evening of July 22nd, Thomas Jensen and his business partner Holger Hübner are deep in the final preparations for the 34th Wacken Open Air. The festival founders both remember the year 2011, when they had the honour of welcoming the leg- endary musician on the “Holy Ground”. Back then, the right- hand main stage was still called the “True Metal Stage”, and the field in front of it was packed to the last spot that Thursday evening – surely a highlight in over 30 years of W:O:A history. “Ozzy Osbourne and of course all members of Black Sabbath are the founding fathers of heavy metal,” Thomas Jensen affirms. “They shaped the mu- sic that we all – the people who gather here at this festival year after year – love so much.” Hol- ger Hübner adds: “When Ozzy came to us 14years ago and played our stage, it was a true accolade. We had the only Ger- man festival show that Ozzy agreed to in 2011, and the con- cert was absolutely top-class.” By the way, the reason Holger couldn’t attend the farewell show in Birmingham wasn’t a lack of will, but rath- er the close ties both festival bosses have to another major and genre-defining band: the Scorpions! On the same day, some 800 kilometres away, the band from Lower Saxo- ny was celebrating their 60th stage anniversary in their hometown of Hannover. “We agreed to split up,” says Thom- as. He went to see Ozzy; Hol- ger went to the Scorps. “It’s about respect towards artists, promoters, organisers, and managers – it matters to be present in person at such ma- jor events,” Holger believes. “The anniversary show was everything the occasion called for. A party you won’t forget.” That these two historic con- certs took place on the very same day, incidentally, is ru- moured to have caused a touch of wistfulness even among the main acts themselves. Roughly at the same time that the Scorpions begin their encore on July 5th, Ozzy Os- bourne makes one final ap- pearance after his solo set, singing four songs with Black Sabbath – the band with whom it all, truly all, began. As the 76-year-old frontman can no longer stand due to his severe Parkinson’s disease, he sits on a custom-built black throne and thanks his fans one last time. “I don’t know what to say. I’ve been laid up for six years, and you’ve got no idea how I feel. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” We thank you, Ozzy. For everything you’ve giv- en us! For metal, for your very special madness, and for songs like “Mama, I’m Coming Home”. Ozzy in 2011 during his performance at Wacken Open Air. Credits: W:O:A, Ulrike Jensen, Holger Hübner, instagram/ozzyosbourne Thomas Jensen at the „Back To The Beginning“- Show in Birmingham At the same time Holger Hübner was at the Scorpions-Show and met up with Doro, Bülent Ceylan and Hannover Concerts Boss Nico RögerOn 23 July, the huge steel parts of the Bullhead were assembled and installed between the main stages. Additionally, a slightly smaller version of the W:O:A mascot is now on display in Bullhead City. by Andrea Leim here is a magical moment just before Wacken Open Air really kicks off: the ritual hang- ing of the Bullhead on the Infield, right between the Faster and Harder stages. It is the unofficial starting signal for one of the world's biggest heavy metal festivals. Because once the Bullhead is perched between the main stages, things get serious on the Holy Ground – and the fes- tivities can finally begin! The stage builder had their work cut out for them: first, they hoisted the skull, then the left and right horn, before everything was secured with meticulous pre- cision – at 30 metres high. “Again and again, this is a spe- cial moment for us,” W:O:A founder Holger Hübner com- ments. “We’ve been preparing for the festival for ages, and the crew has done a remark- able job and has once again built our home away from home. But once the Bullhead is hanged, the excitement truly kicks in.” , The massive bull skull made of welded steel is ten metres high, twelve metres wide and weighs a whopping 2.5 tonnes. While the bands are on stage, flames shoot into the night sky from The steel parts were lifted 30 metres into the air using a huge mobile cranenearly 40 ports – which is al- ways a spectacular sight. “The hanging of the skull feels a bit like setting up the tree on Christmas Eve,” smirks fellow founder Thom- as Jensen. “We can’t wait for our guests, the bands, the mu- sic, the community and all the other festival and open-air moments. I’m so ready!” And since the Bullhead is more than just a piece of de- cor, but rather a globally rec- ognised symbol for Wacken Open Air, a replica has been sent to Bullhead City to adorn the space between the W:E:T and Headbanger stages. While this counterpart is a bit small- er than the original, it’s still 6.5 metres wide, 4.8 metres high and weighs 1.2 tonnes. Its installation bodes well: anoth- er chapter of W:O:A history is about to be written – and it will be loud! Credits: W:O:A During the festival, flames shoot out of 40 openings distributed across the entire skull. The right horn is mounted last. The two festival founders, Holger Hübner (left) and Thomas Jensen, in front of the Bullhead, which was installed between the main stages. Thomas Jensen and Holger Hübner watch as the slightly smaller skull is installed between the W:E:T and Headbanger stagesThis year, Sharon den Adel will be performing with Within Temptation at W:O:A for the fourth time. But the singer is much more than just the successful symphonic metal band’s charismatic front woman. We chatted with her about her work in Ukraine, balancing family and tour life and why she experiences stage fright to this day. Within Temptation were founded more than 30 years agogoes on. And that’s exactly what I expected in Kyiv. Did that prove to be the case? Sharon den Adel: When I was there, I was shown an app that allowed me to see whether combat planes or drones were flying toward Kyiv. If they were, you were told to find shelter or a designated location within five to ten minutes. That seemed pretty safe to me, so I wasn’t too scared. What was the second stay in Ukraine like? Sharon den Adel: The second time I went for Atlas Festival. It was originally supposed to take place a week earlier, but then a children’s hospital was bombed. Were there many victims? Sharon den Adel: Yes, many people were affected. That’s when I realised that the app wasn’t working as well as before. The Russians had also found a way to attack without the defence system detecting them. To be honest, that scared me. During your visit, you met Ukrainian band BLIND8 and invited them to join you on your European tour. After that, two members went to fight in the front lines, right? Sharon den Adel: Yes, they had to return to the army to finish their training. And a few weeks ago, we learnt that they will have to head to the front lines soon. They have a great commander leading their team, but it’s very strange and really hard to imagine them fighting there. On stage, you talk about your experiences in Ukraine. How does the audience react to this? Sharon den Adel: That depends on where we’re performing. In countries that largely support Ukraine, it’s received very well. But I’ll soon be playing in regions closer to the Russian border – things could get tricky there. But I do it anyway, because no matter what happens: The issue must remain present, the dialogue must continue. This year, you’ll be playing Wacken Open Air for the fourth time. What’s your most memorable W:O:A performance so far? Sharon den Adel: Iremember not knowing what to expect the first time. I was afraid that the audience wouldn’t like us because Wacken was considered a very tough metal festival. Yes, we are a metal band, but not the heaviest. But the fans welcomed us with open arms! I was overwhelmed with by Andrea Leim hanks in part to her stage presence, Sha- ron den Adel and her band Within Temptation have been captivating fans for almost three decades. She has also long been a public ad- vocate for Ukraine and in June 2024 performed at Atlas Fes- tival in Kyiv, where donations were collected to support the armed forces. The documen- tary ’The Invisible Force’ re- counts the event. Sharon, were you scared of travelling to Ukraine? Sharon den Adel: I went to Ukraine twice last year, the first time in March. Putin had just been re-elected, and there was an atmosphere of unrest in Kyiv. Still, I felt relatively safe. As a child, I often lived in countries with unstable conditions with my parents – sometimes there was war, sometimes social unrest. So I knew from experience: On TV you always see the worst images, but on the ground, everyday life Charisma and a strong voice: Sharon den Adel led her band Within Temptation to success Sharon den Adel at Atlas Festival in Kyiv surrounded by colleagues from the music scene Despite the war going on, people were excited for the showNext >