Necrosonic Festival returns to Mansfield Tavern on Saturday, August 22 2026 and the full lineup has been revealed to the masses! With dual headliners Rivers of Nihil (USA) and our very own Psycroptic, alongside exclusive reunions, one-off performances and long-awaited resurrections ~ this year’s ritual is the most formidable yet.
With a massive deference to Australian talent, this years line-up is: Rivers of Nihil, Psycroptic, Gravemind, Lynchmada (Exclusive ‘One Last Time’), Segression (30 Year Reunion), Minus Life (Resurrected – Exclusive), Pestilential Shadows, Five Star Prison Cell (Resurrected), Wxrldfxcker, Witchskull, Dreamkillers (Special EP Set), Helm (Resurrected – One-Off Show), M.S.B.I. (Resurrected – One-Off Show), Barriers, Meth Leppard, Permafog, Destruktor, Gutless, F.U.C, RUN, John Lee Spider, The Matador, Body Prison, Growth, Grotesque Bliss, Vyrion, Neomantra, Nembutolik, Slaughtercult and Bruxa.
HEAVY has thrown down the challenge and sent a Q & A sheet out to all bands, with any that don’t return one completed having to buy us a beer at Necrosonic. So while we are quietly hoping we get minimal replies, a couple have gotten back to us already, and today we feature WITCHSKULL.
Tickets and more information: https://necrosonicfestival.com/
Witchskull is a powerhouse traditional doom and stoner metal trio hailing from Canberra, Australia. Formed in 2014, the band seamlessly fuses the thunderous, riff-heavy blueprint of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) with the dark, groove-driven urgency of Black Sabbath and Motörhead. Signed to the esteemed UK heavy music label Rise Above Records, they are celebrated for their massive guitar tones, primal rhythms, and authentic lyricism steeped in occult and esoteric themes.
A distinct blend of galloping rhythms, mammoth fuzz-drenched riffs, and soaring, melancholic vocals reminiscent of a doom-laden hybrid of Ozzy Osbourne, Ronnie James Dio, and Chris Cornell.
Q & A
HEAVY: NECROSONIC 2026 is almost upon us. How far out from August 22 will you allow yourself to get excited?
WITCHSKULL: We are pretty pumped for it already! We just played the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Nambour on our April tour, so stoked to be getting back to QLD so quickly.
H: What does it mean to your band to be playing NECROSONIC?
WITCHSKULL: It means a lot to us. Being invited to play one of the country’s premier metal fests is always an honour.
H: How important are festivals like NECROSONIC for the Australian music scene?
WITCHSKULL: They are more important than ever in my opinion. The cost of putting on gigs, and the cost for the punter is tougher than ever, so getting to see a heap of bands at once is awesome for everyone.
H: It’s a long day of music. What will you be doing to make sure you will still be standing come your set time?
WITCHSKULL: Go easy early, and harder later on!
H: Give me your Top 3 Festival survival tips.
WITCHSKULL: For me, it’s pacing myself and making sure I catch a few bands that I don’t know, as well as seeing the ones I wanna see.
H: Which band – other than yourself – do you think will get up to the most mischief on the day?
WITCHSKULL: I am sure the younger blokes will get up to way more than us? We are pretty fcking old! Luckily, there is some other blokes our age on the bill.
H: What one song would you tell festival goers to listen to of yours if they haven’t heard you play before?
WITCHSKULL: Maybe the video we did for Breathing Blue Light?
H: Will you be taking requests on the day?
WITCHSKULL: Maybe? We can still play every song off all 4 of our albums. Some better than others!
H: Run us through your typical live show and what punters can expect.
WITCHSKULL: We are pretty loose live, but we work our arses off, so we are definitely worth a look.
H: What’s your latest release?
WITCHSKULL: The Serpent Tide through Rise Above Records in the UK is our most current album, but we are working new songs into our set now.
H: Finally, what plans does your band have for the rest of 2026 into 2027?
WITCHSKULL: We just finished a 9 show East Coast Tour, but we still plan to play shows while writing our 5th album. 2027 we will record.
