Festival of the Dead
Established
2006
Website
Venue (s)
Various - Australia-wide since 2007
History
Festival of the Dead is a touring all-metal event, first established in 2006. The primary promoter is Post Mortem Records.
The inaugural Festival of the Dead was announced in early 2006 for early November, with international guests Nevermore and Skinless appearing as the headlining acts. The event was staged on November 3 at the Manning Bar at Sydney Uni with an all-ages show the next day at the Gaelic Club. Nevermore appeared at both shows. The rest of the line-up comprised Skinless, Terrorust, Ruins and M.S.I. the first night with LORD, Black Majesty, Transcending Mortality, Switchblade and Ne Obliviscaris appearing the following day, however scheduling restrictions meant that Ne Obliviscaris had to be dropped. The all-ages event also clashed with the date for Metal for the Brain, at which LORD and Switchblade also appeared.
In 2007, the festival became a touring event, with The Berzerker, The Amenta, British black metal band Akercocke and Ukranian thrash act Fleshgore as the ensemble touring party and an array of local bands at each location. In Sydney and Melbourne, the event was held over two days with a local line-up of Daysend, Five Star Prison Cell, Lynchmada, Switchblade and Double Dragon playing the first day and the tour ensemble plus Blood Duster, Astriaal, Terrorust and Ruins playing the next day. In Melbourne, Fuck I'm Dead replaced Ruins. A third all-ages show in Melbourne featured the four touring headliners plus The Day Everything Became Nothing. The Brisbane date featured Astriaal and The Dead, Beyond Mortal Dreams appeared in Adelaide. Pathogen, Grotesque, The Alchemont and Nexus completed the bill in Perth. Festival of the Dead was also held at Wagga Wagga campus of Charles Sturt University, with Leicohtica, Mytile Vey Lorth, Sobrusion, Diamorah and Heathen Ritual as the local supports.