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 WITCHGRINDER.
Witchgrinder is an Australian industrial thrash and groove metal band formed in Melbourne in 2009. Founded by vocalist and guitarist Travis Everett, the quartet has built a commanding reputation for their aggressive mechanical rhythms, towering riffs, and terror-infused lyricism.
The band expertly blends the fast, precision-based technicality of 1980s thrash metal with the dark, driving electronic textures of industrial rock. Their primary musical inspirations include pioneering heavyweights like Metallica, Pantera, Ministry, and Rammstein. This auditory landscape is further elevated by eerie vocal deliveries and horror-tinged cinematic samples, making the band a devastating live outfit.
HEAVY: DEAD OF WINTER FESTIVAL returns in 2026 after a seven-year hiatus. Why do you think DOW just HAD to return?
WITCHGRINDER: Because it’s the best alternative festival in Brisbane. It’s fun dressing up and watching bands, and people have missed it.
H: What does it mean to your band to be playing DOW?
W: It means a lot to us. It was our first introduction to the Brisbane scene when we played there back in 2010, and we’ve come back a few more times since. It’s always fun, and we’re always well looked after.
H: Have you ever been to DOW as a punter or playing, and if so, what are your best memories?
W: Yes! We’ve played the festival a few times. It’s pretty hard to pick just one memory, but I’ll never forget playing the upstairs stage late at night, climbing up the speaker, and crowd surfing with my guitar in hand.
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?
W: I’m pretty sure we’re on early this year, which will be great because once we’re done, I can get amongst the crowd and enjoy the other bands without the stress of having to get ready for our set.
H: Give me your Top 3 Festival survival tips.
W: Alcohol, food, and water!
H: Which band – other than yourself – do you think will get up to the most mischief on the day?
W: Probably Pizza Death! They’re always good fun.
H: Run us through your typical live show and what punters can expect.
W: High energy! Fun grooves! We love getting the crowd involved as much as we can.
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?
W: I think I’d like Mammal to cover one of our songs. I feel like they’d do a great version of Inject the Venom.
H: What’s your latest release?
W: Our 2024 album Nothing Stays Buried is our latest official release.
H: Finally, what plans does your band have for the rest of 2026 into 2027?
W: 2026 will be a little quiet on the touring side—we’ve been non-stop since September last year. We’ll most likely hit the studio for a new release in 2027, then get back on the road to tour it.
