Rabidfest 2026: Breaking Down The Bands #2: Maatkare!

As the countdown to Oxfords finest Metal Weekender Rabidfest continues we want to take a couple of minutes to remind you what it’s all about. Aside from being an annual festival in the heart of Oxford that finds twenty bands playing over two days (31st October and 1st November this year) on the Devolution Magazine sponsored main stage at The Bullingdon, all profits go to The Sophie Lancaster Foundation (find out more here). That’s the very same charity whose name is emblazoned upon the second stage at Bloodstock Open Air Festival each year… and the ties go deeper as it just so happens that some of the people who run Rabidfest also run Metal 2 The Masses in Oxford. Who knew? That means you can enjoy everything about the weekend while feeling good about yourself because simply by being there you’re doing something for charity!

A warm up show dubbed “28 Days Prior” will take place at The Jericho Tavern in Oxford on 3rd October and the line up for that looks like this:

Anti-Clone (headliner)
Chaplain
Blackmarket
Away With The Seas

Rabidfest itself will take place at The Bullingdon in Oxford over the weekend of the 31st October and 1st November 2026, here’s the line up in full:

Hacktivist (Saturday headliner)
n0trixx (Sunday headliner)
Thrashatouille
Maatkare
Swarm6ix
Black Candy
Devilhusk
The Dead XIII
The Crawling
Novacrow
Dacara
Rattlesnakes
Omegathrone
Spared An Endless Orbit
Necronomicunt
The Blade Itself
Twin Skeletons
Sabertooth
Lesbian Bed Death
Bldsugr

Having read the headline, in time honoured fashion we hear you ask “Who the f*** are Maatkare and why are they worth the admittance fee?”

In an age where the words “super-group” might be considered a cliche in some quarters, Maatkare are a quartet who are known for many prior convictions. The all female Death Metal bands who channel the spirits of ancient Egypt in their compositions comprise vocalist Janneke de Rooy (ex-Beyond the Pale), guitarist Georgia Bell (ex-Pretty Little Enemy and session guitarist for Harper), bassist Amie Chatterley (Dakesis, WomenOwar) and drummer Natalie Gaines (Voyd). Since forming in 2020 each musician has brought their own wide ranging influences to the table, from Nile to Arch Enemy and Fleshgod Apocalype and together they have carved out 2024 debut album “Rise To Power” and are currently said to be work on a follow up. In the meantime they’ve been busy reducing venues to rubble across Europe, opening for the legendary De Profundis at their 20th Anniversary show, decimating the weak at The Hague Deathfest and thinning the herd at Uprising Festival. Fan favourites “Black Death” and “War Before Peace” will surely be a part of their set at Rabidfest but with a prevailing wind there is a good chance we’re going to get some new material too!

We’re proud to be a Media Partner of Rabidfest again this year alongside Red Death Media, Moomin Merchandise, Chaos Under No Ties, Moshville Radio, 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 31st October and 1st November 2026:

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

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