Legendary Bay Area thrashers EXODUS have been forced to cancel their appearance at the Wacken Open Air festival, which is scheduled for August 4th - 6th in Wacken, Germany.

Guitarist Gary Holt has issued the following statement: “We are sorry to announce that due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict, Exodus will not be able to perform at this year's Wacken Open Air festival. We look forward to returning for one of the next Wacken Festivals, where we hope to make it up to all our amazing Exodus fans.”

Acts on the recently sold-out W:O:A 2011 bill now include: ACCUSER, ALBERLOUR'S, APOCALYPTICA, AS I LAY DYING, AVANTASIA, BATTLE BEAST, BLAAS OF GLORY, BLIND GUARDIAN, BLOWSIGHT, BÜLENT CEYLAN, BULLET, CHILDREN OF BODOM, CRADLE OF FILTH, CRASHDÏET, DEVILDRIVER, ELÄKELÄISET, ENSIFERUM, EXCREMENTORY GRINDFUCKERS, HAIL OF BULLETS, HÄMATOM, THE HAUNTED, HAYSEED DIXIE, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, HELLOWEEN, HELLSAW, HORCH, ICED EARTH, IN SOLITUDE, JUDAS PRIEST, KATAKLYSM, KHOLD, KNORKATOR, KREATOR, MAIDEN UNITED, MAYHEM, MORBID ANGEL, MORGOTH, MOTÖRHEAD, NEGATOR, ONSLAUGHT, OZZY OSBOURNE, PRIMAL FEAR, THE PROPHECY²³, PUSSY SISSTER, RHAPSODY OF FIRE, RUSSKAJA, SALTATIO MORTIS, SEPULTURA, SEVERENTH, SHINING, SHRAPHEAD, SIRENIA, SKÁLMÖLD, SKI KING, SMACK BALLZ, SODOM, STIER, STORMZONE, SUBWAY TO SALLY, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, SUIDAKRA, TAUTHR, TOKYO BLADE, TORTURE SQUAD, TRIOSPHERE, TRIVIUM, TSJUDER, VAN CANTO, VENOMIN JAMES, VICTIMS OF MADNESS, VISIONS OF ATLANTIS, VOLCANO, VREID, WARRANT.

For more info visit Wacken.com or the Wacken Open Air Myspace page.

The organizers of the recently sold-out festival have launched the official festival widget. Check out a festival trailer and the widget below: