Brisbane’s premier heavy music and dark arts event, the Dead of Winter Festival, is officially rising from the ashes. Dubbed The Resurrection, the festival is locked in for Saturday, 27 June 2026, marking its first return since 2019. Originally launched in 2009, the iconic gathering was forced into a multi-year hiatus following the pandemic.
For its grand comeback, the festival is shifting away from its former home at the Jubilee Hotel to a brand-new venue: the Mansfield Tavern in Brisbane’s southern suburbs. The highly anticipated 2026 edition promises a massive celebration of alternative culture, packing 34 live acts across multiple stages alongside performance art, horror cosplay, visual installations, and dark market stalls. Organisers have unleashed a diverse, genre-spanning lineup headlined by dance-punk and noise-rock heroes DZ Deathrays, alongside heavy hitters like Mammal, Toe To Toe, Beanflipper, and Slim Krusty. Tickets are available now via Oztix and the official Dead of Winter Festival Website.
With the festival fast approaching, HEAVY sent out some questions to all of the bands in order to get to know them better. Today, we chat with BULLETBELT.
Bulletbelt is a ferocious blackened thrash metal band hailing from Wellington, New Zealand. Formed in 2009, the group has cemented its status as one of NZ’s premier heavy music exports by masterfully combining the cold, sharp bite of second-wave black metal with the high-octane tempo of traditional thrash and driving punk hooks.
The band’s unrelenting live energy has earned them touring slots alongside global metal titans like Sepultura, Carcass, and Napalm Death. They are highly regarded for an acclaimed discography that includes albums like Rise of the Banshee and their chart-topping release Burn It Up. Known for constantly evolving their sound, Bulletbelt is currently preparing to unleash their sixth studio album, tracked in collaboration with heavy metal producer Damien Reynolds.
Q & A
HEAVY: DEAD OF WINTER FESTIVAL returns in 2026 after a seven-year hiatus. Why do you think DOW just HAD to return?
BULLETBELT: The heavy music scene in Australia (and NZ) is so killer at the moment that fans are screaming out for festivals like DOW!
H: What does it mean to your band to be playing DOW?
We are honoured to be playing the hallowed turf of DOW this year. Amazing diverse lineup, we’re representing Wellington, NZ with the boys in Dartz and UP THE WAHS!
H: Have you ever been to DOW as a punter or playing?
First time for Bulletbelt, but we did play Necrosonic Festival at the same venue in 2024.
H: If so, best memories of the day.
Necrosonic was a brilliant day, an amazing line-up of old school, newer bands and great vibes all around. The room was packed when we played, and our set was smoking!
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?
It’s a marathon, not a sprint right? Eat well, drink lots of water and make sure one or two of my much younger band mates don’t go too crazy on the beers until after the set!
H: Give me your Top 3 Festival survival tips.
As a punter –
- 1 beer/1 water.
- Avoid having to go number two’s at all costs
- If you wake up the next morning minus your phone and wallet – it’s all on you champ!
H: Which band – other than yourself – do you think will get up to the most mischief on the day?
Well, our fellow Wellington boys ‘Dartz‘ write piss drinking anthems, so let’s see if they also walk the walk!
H: Run us through your typical live show and what punters can expect.
Count it in, strap in tight, and hopefully we’re all together at the end of the song. All fuck ups are ALWAYS the bass player’s fault, and the drummer is never wrong! We’re debuting a few newbies off our upcoming album, and we’re fizzing to unleash those.
H: If you could get one band on the line-up to cover one of your songs, who would it be and what song would they cover?
I think all bands on the festival should join us on stage for a ‘We are the world” style sing-along to Deathgasm!
H: What’s your latest release?
New album (can’t unveil the title yet) is coming late 2026, and it is a fucking barnstormer!
H: Finally, what plans does your band have for the rest of 2026 into 2027?
After the Aussie shows (including DOW) we have some NZ shows with Aussie legends Mortal Sin, then it’s mapping out album 6 release and world domination!!!!
