Lita Ford is rock history personified. As guitarist for the legendary Runaways, she broke all the rules in the 1970s and paved the way for women in heavy rock. Her solo career produced true classics such as ‘Kiss Me Deadly’ and the duet ‘Close My Eyes Forever’. For decades, she has been known for her uncompromising riffs, rebellious attitude and a voice that sounds like red-hot steel. Despite personal ups and downs, Lita has remained true to rock music and lives the lifestyle she sings about. When she takes the stage at Wacken, the hallowed ground will get its dose of pure rock power from a pioneer who still knows how to get an audience fired up.

Apocalyptica started out in 1993 as four students who played Metallica songs on their cellos for fun, creating a completely new sound that irrevocably fused classical music and metal. Their debut made them pioneers, and their courage to write their own pieces and engage in spectacular collaborations made them kings of a new art form. Millions of fans later, they stand as legends on the world’s biggest stages. When they return to Wacken in 2025, their mix of elegance and brute energy will electrify the crowd: four cellos that rumble like thunder and songs that strike the head and heart at the same time.

Prong have been an integral part of the New York metal scene since the mid-1980s and were one of the first bands to fuse thrash, hardcore, industrial and groove. Led by guitarist and singer Tommy Victor, the band shaped a sound with albums such as ‘Beg to Differ’ and ‘Cleansing’ that later influenced greats such as Nine Inch Nails and Korn. Prong songs are like steel beams: edgy, heavy and full of energy, with riffs that drill into your brain. Their latest work, State of Emergency, shows that they have lost none of their punch. In Wacken, they will make hell groove – powerful, precise and with the attitude of a band that has never known anything but charging forward.

Grave Digger have been a rock in the surf of German heavy metal for 45 years. Founded in 1980 by Chris Boltendahl, the Teutonic metalheads have made history with albums such as ‘Heavy Metal Breakdown’ and ‘Tunes of War’ and are still tirelessly on the road today. Their songs sound like battle cries full of pathos, power and unmistakable riff violence. For their 45th anniversary, they are bringing the full force of the Grave Digger myth to Wacken: a journey through almost half a century of metal with all the anthems that have shaped generations. On the hallowed ground, they celebrate themselves – loud, proud, uncompromising – and show that true heavy metal is timeless and hasn’t gotten any quieter.