Rabidfest 2023: Breaking Down The Bands #7: Ward XVI!

After seven days of highs and lows on Planet Metal it’s time to return to our Breaking Down The Bands series ahead of this year’s 5th Anniversary of Rabidfest. So far nine bands have been announced for the event, which will take place at The Bullingdon in Oxford over the weekend of the 4th and 5th November 2023 (ticket links below) and as it’s a charity event the profits will be going to The Sophie Lancaster Foundation. What more excuse do you need to grab a ticket? Here are the nine in the identity parade so far…

Blaze Bayley
Absolva
Ward XVI
Mortishead
Tribe Of Ghosts
Gutlocker
Imperium
From Her Ashes
Draconian Reign

If you do need a little more persuasion to part with your hard earned money and grab a ticket then let us tell you about Ward XVI. They were once imprisoned in Arkham Asylum in Gotham City before Scarecrow allowed them to escape their straight jackets and roam free. Led by the seductive and psychotic serial killer Psychoberrie, a woman known for leading many on a dance macabre with tales of depravity, they have been witnessed at Bloodstock, Hammerfest and Hard Rock Hell in recent years and yet still manage to evade arrest. In 2017 the dropped debut album “The Art Of Manipulation” and followed it in 2020 with “Metamorphosis” which sees Anabelle Iratni, known for her work in Veile, Cradle Of Filth and alongside Demonstealer, guest on a pair of cuts. The first anniversary of the release was celebrated with a deluxe edition which features no less that four tales reimagined acoustically. Eccletic, eccentric and probably even Avant-Garde the band combine crunchy Metal riffs with haunting meloncholic piano meanderings, programming, odd time signatured rhythms and even an accordion as they sail the seven seas of hell in search of their next prey…

We’re proud to be a Media Partner of Rabidfest again this year alongside Red Death Media, Moomin Merchandise, Metalplanetmusic, Moshville Times, GraphicsFix, Unearthed Music and main stage sponsor Devolution Magazine. The Festival is all for charity and this year the profits going to the The Sophie Lancaster Foundation!

Rabidfest will take place at The Bullingdon in Oxford over the weekend of the 4th and 5th November 2023:

Get your tickets here -> https://www.rabidfest.co.uk

Get your merch here -> https://shop.rabidfest.co.uk