GAMMA RAY, AMON AMARTH, HAMMERFALL, SCORPIONS, and the reactivated MINISTRY have been confirmed for the Wacken Open Air 2012, set to take place August 2nd - 4th in Wacken, Germany. They join previously confirmed acts CRADLE OF FILTH and U.D.O. on the roster.

This year's Wacken Open Air festival took place this weekend, having wrapped up on August 6th. German newspaper, The Local, has posted a report from the festival, including a great photo gallery.

On Saturday, August 6th, in front of more than 80,000 fans, Tobias Sammet and his AVANTASIA project headlined the last night of Wacken Open Air. The show wasbroadcast live on German TV station ZDFkultur at 8 PM.

Avantasia, founded by EDGUY frontman Tobias Sammet, featured the following all-star line-up

- Michael Kiske (HELLOWEEN, UNISONIC) - vocals
- Jorn Lande (MASTERPLAN) - vocals
- Bob Catley (MAGNUM) - vocals
- Kai Hansen (GAMMA RAY, Helloween) - guitar, vocals
- Amanda Somerville (TRILLIUM, EPICA, KAMELOT) - vocals
- Sascha Paeth (Edguy, RHAPSODY OF FIRE) - guitar
- Oliver Hartmann (Edguy, Rhapsody Of Fire) - guitar
- Miro Rodenberg (Kamelot, Epica, After Forever) - keyboards
- Robert Hunecke (AINA) - bass
- Felix Bohnke (Edguy) - drums

Acts on the sold-out W:O:A 2011 bill included: ACCUSER, ALBERLOUR'S, APOCALYPTICA, AS I LAY DYING, AVANTASIA, BATTLE BEAST, BETONTOD, BLAAS OF GLORY, BLECHBLOSN, BLIND GUARDIAN, BLOWSIGHT, BÜLENT CEYLAN, BULLET, CHILDREN OF BODOM, CRASHDÏET, DANKO JONES, DEADLOCK, DIR EN GREY, ELÄKELÄISET, ENSIFERUM, EXCREMENTORY GRINDFUCKERS, FREI.WILD, GHOST, HAIL OF BULLETS, HÄMATOM, THE HAUNTED, HAYSEED DIXIE, HEAVEN SHALL BURN, HELLOWEEN, HELLSAW, HORCH, ICED EARTH, IGNIS FATUU, IN SOLITUDE, JUDAS PRIEST, KATAKLYSM, KHOLD, KNORKATOR, KREATOR, KVELERTAK, KYUSS LIVES!, LACRIMAS PROFUNDERE, MAIDEN UNITED, MAMBO KURT, MAYHEM, MOONSORROW, MORBID ANGEL, MORGOTH, MOTÖRHEAD, THE MURDER OF MY SWEET, NEGATOR, ONKEL TOM, ONSLAUGHT, OZZY OSBOURNE, PRIMAL FEAR, THE PROPHECY²³, PUSSY SISSTER, RABENSCHREY, RELIQUIAE, RHAPSODY OF FIRE, RUSSKAJA, SALTATIO MORTIS, SEPULTURA, SEVERENTH, SHINING, SHRAPHEAD, SIRENIA, SKÁLMÖLD, SKELETONWITCH, SKI KING, SKINDRED, SKYLINE, SLIME, SMACK BALLZ, SODOM, STIER, STORMZONE, SUBWAY TO SALLY, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES, SUIDAKRA, TAUTHR, TOKYO BLADE, TORTURE SQUAD, TRIOSPHERE, TRIPTYKON, TRIVIUM, TSJUDER, VAN CANTO, VENOMIN JAMES, VICTIMS OF MADNESS, VISIONS OF ATLANTIS, VOLCANO, VREID, WARRANT, W:O:A FIREFIGHTERS.

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