Bolt Thrower decides against playing next year's Wacken Open Air festival
British death metal veterans Bolt Thrower recently launched a fan poll via their official web site to determine whether they should accept an invitation to perform at next year's Wacken Open Air festival in Germany. The band has since issued the following update:"Thanks a lot to the 17,484 people who voted in the poll, it was very much appreciated! Poll results here.
"As you know, this time we decided not to decline the Wacken Open Air offer as usual, but to have a poll and hear your views on it first-hand, before making our decision. Obviously we realized that a lot of people who would be voting would not necessarily be into Bolt Thrower, but we were very interested in the comments you would send. In the end we received hundreds of comments, and the huge majority confirmed what we were already thinking, that Wacken Open Air 2008 is not the right festival for Bolt Thrower.
"We would like to thank the Wacken Open Air organizers for their very unique offer and wish them every success, and for those of you going to Wacken Open Air 2008, and who voted in favour of us playing there, we hope you have a great weekend.
"We will soon be deciding and confirming which festival Bolt Thrower will be playing next summer.
"Thanks again to all of you who participated in the poll."
Bolt Thrower in 2006 completed a European tour in support of its new CD, "Those Once Loyal", which entered the German Media Control chart at position No. 76 - the group's highest-charting release in Germany so far. The follow-up to 2001's "Honour, Valour, Pride" was recorded at Andy Faulkner's Sable Rose studios and is the band's first album since the return of original vocalist Karl Willetts as a full-time member.