NEWS RELEASE
Montreal, QC – April 28, 2026
One Band To Rule Them All! WACKEN METAL BATTLE CANADA Announces 2026 National Final!
w/ BORNBROKEN (QC), GRAVEARTH (ON), ASHES OF YGGDRASIL (AB), EMPALEMENT (BC)
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Let’s get ready to rumble! One band will rule them all as WACKEN METAL BATTLE CANADA announces this year’s 2026 national finalists.
After battles hosted across the country, the final four have emerged to represent the best of the best underground metal bands in Canada and compete at the national final on May 9th in Montreal, QC, at Piranha Bar (680 Ste-Catherine Ouest), where they will perform in front of metal-hungry fans and be judged by a panel of music industry veterans that includes Luc Laine (CFLX 95.5 FM – Alerte Metallique), Pierre Beaubien (CIBL 101.5 FM – Décibel Métal), Andrew Wieler (CJLO 1690 AM – Metal Director), Kaje Jenkinson (Promoter, Freelance Metal Writer, Asher Media), Dany Soucy (Nova Spei, Bam&Co-Heavy Label and Trois-Rivieres Metalfest), Patrick Loisel (Augury), and JJ Tartaglia (Wacken Metal Battle Canada, Thunderor, Skull Fist).
Only one will be crowned champion and move on to perform at this year’s 35th anniversary of Wacken Open Air and the international Wacken Metal Battle, which hosts bands from 30 countries. The final four meeting at the Wacken Metal Battle Canada National final are the following:
WMBC 2026 National Final Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Yizi851LwbShAduRaqHf3
Staples of Montreal, QC’s underground metal scene, BORNBROKEN, unleash an aggressive sound, socially conscious themes, and high‑energy performances that have won over legions. The band recently welcomed new drummer, Peter Tzaferis, who some may recognize from his days in Slaves On Dope. They released their third album, “Am I Invisible” in 2024, which Decibel Magazine commented as “a sonic soiree in waiting for those who like their metal in the neighbourhood of early Machine Head, post-Roots Sepultura, Lamb of God and Fear Factory, resplendent with big guitars, bigger grooves and the biggest choruses.”
Music Video – Am I Invisible – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3JXTHX0svI
https://linktr.ee/bornbroken
Oshawa, ON’s GRAVEARTH is a death/groove metal band known for blending brutal heaviness with melodic groove, emotional intensity, and complex arrangements. Their songwriting emphasizes heart, intensity, and memorable hooks, aiming to leave a lasting impression on listeners. Critics and reviewers highlight their unique blend of math, djent, groove, death, prog, and extreme tech metal, noting that the band manages to balance these complex elements into cohesive, powerful compositions. Their music often features layered guitars, dynamic rhythms, and intricate production choices that reward repeated listening.
Visualizer – Altered Reality – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0Id6miy7cs
ASHES OF YGGDRASIL is a 5-piece melodic death metal band from the barren prairies of Lloydminster, AB/SK. Formed in 2017, our sound has continually evolved across our three albums: The Path (2019), Bearing the Pelt of the Wolf King (2021), and our newest, Crossing of the Realms (2025). While we are melodic death metal, we have hints of thrash, black metal, and even the odd prog sprinkle to shake things up! If you like war drums, melodic guitars, thundering bass, and vicious war cries, we are your raiding party!
Music Video – Razed to the Ground – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzehFwdqY4I
https://ashesofyggdrasilba.wixsite.com/ashesofyggdrasil
EMPALEMENT is an extreme metal act from Victoria, BC, channeling a sound they describe as “Black Metal of Death,” shaped by the crashing coastal waves and dense forests of Vancouver Island. The band blends elements of melodic black metal and death metal, creating a style often referred to as deathened black metal. Their thematic focus spans nihilism, misanthropy, religious hypocrisy, blasphemy, love, heartbreak, depression, fury, war, and hedonistic freedom, giving their music a visceral emotional core. Empalement’s sound is marked by feral black‑metal atmosphere, death‑metal weight, and a strong emphasis on visual and conceptual storytelling. Their releases often pair music with cinematic or ritualistic imagery, reinforcing the band’s dark aesthetic.
Music Video – Blood Dance Of The Dionysian Covenstead – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Mp6H2vRqx8
https://www.facebook.com/Empalement
Event Details:
Date: May 9, 2026
Venue: Piranha Bar (680 Ste. Catherine Ouest)
Time: 8 pm
Cost: FREE ADMISSION
Bands: BornBroken, Gravearth, Ashes of Yggdrasil, Empalement
Event Link: https://www.facebook.com/events/889250847462376/
About Metal Battle:
The Wacken Metal Battle is an international metal music contest that culminates at the famous Wacken Open Air festival. It features the top bands from each nation, showcasing fresh and young metal music directly from the underground. The contest is open to unsigned metal bands and has become a significant platform for breaking through the local circuit. The 2026 edition of Wacken Metal Battle Canada is currently underway. The winner will have the opportunity to perform at Wacken Open Air, one of the world’s largest metal festivals, attracting tens of thousands of metal fans from around the globe. For more information and updates, you can visit the official Wacken Metal Battle website – https://www.metal-battle.com/
About Wacken Open Air:
Wacken Open Air is the largest heavy metal festival in the world. Starting with 800 visitors in 1990, nowadays 85,000 fans from all over the world travel to Wacken every year, turning the small village in Schleswig-Holstein into the center of the festival scene for several days. The organizing WOA Festival GmbH is connected to a broad network, including band management, the Wacken Foundation, tour booking, music publishing, Travel & Stay, merchandising distribution, and ticketing. In cooperation with partners, these results in creative solutions and ideas that revolutionize the festival experience, enable technical innovations, and produce extraordinary event concepts. Wacken Open Air 2026 will take place from July 29 to August 1, 2026.
More info:
https://www.facebook.com/WMBCanada.official
https://www.instagram.com/wmbcanada.official/
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Media Partners:
Bravewords.com
Metal-Rules.com
Absolute Underground Magazine
BrokenNeckRadio.com
V13.net
Rich Embury (internationally syndicated DJ)
GhostCultMag.com
Rocknroam.ca
Vox & Hops Podcast
The Metal Voice
Décibel Métal (CIBL 101.5 FM)
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ASHER MEDIA RELATIONS
Jon Asher – Music Publicist
#.514.581.5780
jon[@]ashermediarelations[.]com
Facebook – Asher Media Relations
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