Rabidfest 2025: Breaking Down The Bands #15: Break Them!

Is the pint glass three quarters empty or one quarter full? Either way, it means pretty soon we’re going to need to make a trip to the bar to get another round in, right?! This little introduction piece about a certain East of England Hardcore quartet means we’ve only got five weeks left before this years incarnation of Oxfords finest Metal Weekender Rabidfest. If you missed the memo that means on 1st and 2nd November, no less than 20 bands will descend upon The Bullingdon to perform on the Devolution Magazine sponsored main stage over two days of blood, sweat and beers. The question is, as Jonathan Davis likes to put it, are you ready?!

The Rabidfest team are so damn cool that they have announced a warm up show! Subtitled Sheri’s Birthday Black Mass, the event will see four bands on stage celebrating the birthday of Rabidfest Director and iconic scene queen Sheri Bicheno. As with the main event, all proceeds will be going to the Sophie Lancaster Foundation!

Saturday 20th September Sheri’s Birthday Black Mass at The Jericho Tavern:

Tribe Of Ghosts
Grove Warden
The Blade Itself
Kulan Gath

Here’s the line-up in full!:

Friday: The Fight Before Rabidfest on 31st October at The Jericho Tavern:

Confessions Of A Traitor
Ocean Planet
Imperial Avenue
Along The Pines

Saturday: 1st November at The Bullingdon:

Raging Speedhorn (headliner)
Kill II This
Raised By Owls
Arimea
Komatsu
Thrashatouille
Korrupto
Talassum
Break Them
R.P.C

Sunday: 2nd November at The Bullingdon:

Red Method (headliner)
Seething Akira
Redeemon
Froglord
Until 9
Collapser
Lethal Evil
Liquid Dogs
Æi-Fierlen
Mondegreen

If somehow we haven’t convinced you that you really need to get a ticket for your mother, your brother and your soon to be lover for the social event of the year then here’s reason number fifteen as to why your eardrums will thank you if you do. Break Them are a Hardcore quartet hailing from Peterborough who have been of growing concern since they dropped their first single “Would You Kindly?” in February 2021. Based on the classic first person shooter BioShock, it would be followed by no less than five stand alone singles in 2023 with members of Bitewound and Dispute making guest appearances on “Into The Grave” and “Fall Behind” respectively. By that time, a reputation for a no holds barred live show built on the foundations of a DIY or DIE attitude was growing from a spark to a towering inferno. To be fair to them, they’ve handled stage dives and high fives in every basement, out house and dive bar that would have them on the premises, destroying stages with everyone from Kryptess to Scarfold in the process.

Every passing year has seen them grow stronger with their self titled EP landing like a right hook from Carl Froch last summer but because too much is never enough and they’re not ones to rest on their laurels, they also dropped a cover of the Machine Head classic that is “Davidian“. As they rightly put it “it’s an absolute banger” so why the f*** not? New year, fresh momentum and performances in the Metal 2 The Masses competition in Leicester alongside eventual winners Baelfyr went down a storm by all accounts. The generals gathered in their masses, just like witches at black masses, responding well to some brand new cuts from their sophomore EP “Ultra-Violence“, a record which eventually dropped on 1st August. Guest appearances from members of Full Contact and Low Life help ensure that one has just as much substance as it does style, so prepare to two step or die in the mosh pit at Rabidfest!

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

Rabidfest will take place at The Bullingdon in Oxford over the weekend of the 1st and 2nd November 2025:

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

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