Hong Kong joined 35 countries in one day for the global “One World One Stage” celebration — 35 years of Wacken Open Air. We were so excited to host this show at Wave Music Studio and join in the celebrations!
BIG shout-out to Joana who ran and MC-ed the event with Shaun by her side!
Thanks to Jordie for his amazing videos, pre and post-show.
Thank you to Gordon and Aaron for filming video clips for Wacken.
Thanks to Addy for his support of The Underground — he made all three bands sound fantastic. Shout-out to Aurelius, who worked the lights, and to Veronika, who assisted with sound!
Thank you to the three bands who embodied the “PARTY ON TILL WACKEN!” spirit and gave time pre-show as well as put on their mightiest performance at the event.
A HUGE thank you to everyone who turned up — you make the metal scene so special.
Thanks to El Jay for the reviews & Aaron for the photos. A big thanks as well to Raven, our wonderful doorperson.
Let’s all party on with new memories!
香港同全球35個國家一日內齊齊慶祝「One World One Stage」— Wacken Open Air 35週年。我哋好開心喺Wave Music Studio搞呢場騷，一齊參與慶祝活動！
超多謝Joana 主理成個活動同做MC。
多謝Jordie 拍咗咁正嘅pre-show同post-show片。多謝Gordon同Aaron 為Wacken影video clips。
多謝Addy 支持The Underground — 佢令到三隊band都好靚聲。多謝Aurelius 搞燈光，同埋Veronika 幫手搞音響！
多謝三隊樂隊將「PARTY ON TILL WACKEN!」嘅精神發揮到淋漓盡致，show前畀時間準備，又喺活動上面交出最強演出。
超級多謝每一位嚟咗現場嘅你哋 — 你哋令香港金屬音樂界咁特別。
多謝El Jay 寫review同埋Aaron 影相。仲要多謝Raven，我哋好正嘅doorperson。
一齊繼續party on，留低新回憶！
❤️ Chris B xx
Asurababy
1. Burnt Bouquets
2. 裂縫之內 （“Rift”)
3. 泯滅我 （“Annihilate Me”)
4. Sink With Me
5. White Sea
6. 挖 （Eng: FJL)
Asurababy open with Burnt Bouquets, vocalist Coma stepping straight in with clean‑to‑scream vocals. Three guitars, all seven strings, from Matt, Chris and CK stack tone into something dense – very “Tom Lee Wan Chai on a Saturday afternoon” but managing to stay concordant and hefty. Strong melodic hooks carry their post-hardcore sound, which evokes Deftones and Fightstar.
裂縫之內 (Rift) turns sharply heavier. The rhythm hits like a car crash, guitars screeching across each other while drummer Bobby pushes a hard, driving beat. Coma dredges up some truly terrifying, reptile‑like vocals, calling for a wall of death. The room splits after a brief hesitation, circle pit forming once it breaks. “They’re like employees!” an onlooker remarks.
泯滅我 (Annihilate Me) slinks in, locked onto a vicious backbone. The riffing has a Godzilla weight – a heavy, articulated stomp. Clean vocals cut through in short bursts, creating pockets of air, before the dirge slams back down. Lok’s bass work stands out here, his fast, spider‑fingered runs threading through the mix. A softer synth section pulls things back before a tight breakdown flies through.
Sink With Me brings in piano from a laptop, cinematic at the start before Coma switches to growled vocals. The fretwork gets more intricate – fast runs, pinch harmonics, then a clean harmonic solo. White Sea makes the most of her range: she moves between scream, growl and clean lines with ease. Lead guitar focuses on solo work again, with the rest holding a tight rhythmic base.
They close with 挖 (FJL). A dubstep backing drops in before Coma shifts into rap, then back into growl. The pace lifts across the band, Lok driving the low end while Bobby pushes a galloping rhythm. Someone on production finally remembers there’s a smoke machine at their disposal, issuing a symbolic puff as one last wall of death collides and the band’s final notes ring out.
-El Jay
Ink Inferno
1. 半途
2. 一息
3. 萬念俱灰殺掉我
4. 籠牢之內
5. Voices
6. 人生戰爭
Ink Inferno waste no time, blasting out of the gate with 半途 and immediately demanding a circle pit. Channelling a sound that’s seriously heavy, blunt and physical,一息 follows: a groovy, video‑game‑style intro rolls out, all bouncy beat and tinging cymbals before it locks into a thick riff. Barked vocals cut across mulleted Kwan’s punchy bass runs, which drive the track forward and keeps the floor bouncing.
On 籠牢之內, militaristic drum rolls kick through ringing feedback to create a chaotic circus of sound. 優 delivers unhinged screaming as all members turn inward, facing Henry at the kit and letting the drums steer.
Before “Voices”, the band pause to pay tribute to their original singer on his birthday, urging the crowd to watch their YouTube videos so they can get paid. The song itself drags things into heavier ground, with leaden rhythms that edge close to sluggish, while 優 switches smoothly between clean and screams. As guitars pick out a clunky melody, the bass sits squarely on rhythm. Ink Inferno lacks the technical sharpness of openers AsuraBaby yet bring a heaviness the room seems to need.
They close with 人生戰爭 (Life is like war) says as the lights prematurely come up. 優 drops into a squat for the soft section, then springs upright for the scream. Henry’s drums pound through a muddy bass mix, synths running underneath then everyone claps during the bridge. A chugging build leads to a final scream, synth and riff colliding. Kwan taps out a solo to adulation from the crowd. Cymbals and snares lash like whips. The vocal wavers at points, fighting an inclement mix, but the room moves together anyway, rolling with the drums to a finale.
-El Jay
Qiu Hong 秋紅
1.叢林法則 – Jungle
2.落葉 – Leaves
3.城內入夜 – Night
4.藤㨢瓜 – Vines
5.Flower
6.圍住我 – Break the Wall
7.為人民服務 – Serve the People
Scene legends Qiu Hong make an explosive return to the stage at the Wacken Warm-Up Party Hong Kong at Wave Music Studio, nearly a year after they broke their long hiatus at The Underground’s 21st Anniversary Festival at the Hong Kong Fringe Club.
They open with 叢林法則 (Jungle), a spooky intro built on bongo noises and a low, atmospheric rap track. Punters start bouncing without invitation.
落葉 (Leaves) responds to that energy. The dual‑vocalist setup of Jan and Chu stands out, unusual but clean in execution, and they help the set fly forward maniacally. On 城內入夜 (Night), their chemistry becomes clearer: lines weave in and out with more intent, while Nick moves into finger‑picked bass. There are three sound engineers in this band, and it’s easy to identify the creativity and craftsmanship in their music, which is atmospheric, beguiling and original.
On newly released 藤㨢瓜 (Vines) – the clear highlight of the set – guitarist-vocalist Felix takes the intro bars with a manic, guttural almost goblin‑esque tone. Jan and Chu face off for the verses, leading to a smashing rap‑metal section. Flower shifts the dynamic. Hands making a flower shape go up across the crowd, prompted by the band. The growls come rough, the rap holds steady, and Alvin’s drums snap and roll. By now the room absolutely stinks of BO – not that anyone really cares. Felix steps forward with a big, crisp solo that cuts cleanly through the mix.
圍住我 (Break the Wall) opens on a driving, ominous synth. The whole room descends into chaos; blood-flecked sputum shimmers stickily in the air as punters bash each other; someone stacks it and is pulled back up almost instantly. The rhythm springs, then dips into a softer section with clean-strummed chords. A rooster‑like crow sends the crowd into a totally rabid overdrive.
They close with 為人民服務 (Serve the People), which receives a rapturous response from their biggest fans. Unphased by the adoration, Nick stays workmanlike on bass, holding the line while his bandmates take things up to frenzied levels. It’s a proper closer and perfect send-off to one of the best metal performances of the year so far.
-El Jay
Photos by Aaron Michelson
由Aaron Michelson、攝影。
Poster by Salman @ Wacken。
