Thrashville returns to the lush bushland of Dashville in Lower Belford, Hunter Valley, on Saturday, 27 June 2026. Celebrated as the region’s heaviest music gathering, this inclusive, single-day outdoor festival delivers a high-energy feast of punk, hard rock, and heavy metal across four vibrant stages.
Following a medical cancellation by US punk band FEAR, homegrown legends Cosmic Psychos will headline the powerhouse lineup alongside premier acts like Disentomb, The Bennies, and Dregg. Beyond the music, attendees can enjoy pro-skateboarding displays, a walk-in tattoo parlour, live graffiti art, local food, and onsite camping.
HEAVY sent each band a short Q&A in order to get to know them a bit better. Today we get better acquainted with Hybrid Nightmares.
Hybrid Nightmares is a ferocious progressive extreme metal quintet hailing from Melbourne, Victoria. Formed in 2007, the band has established itself as a premier force in the Australian underground by weaving the unrelenting ferocity of black metal with intricate progressive movements and heavy melodic riffs.
They are highly renowned for their theatrical, chaotic, and cinematic live performances, which perfectly meld extreme sonics with sci-fi inspirations. Following their ambitious, four-EP conceptual masterpiece The Ages, the group achieved widespread acclaim with their debut full-length album, Almagest, and heavy-hitting subsequent releases like Obelisk and Woeful Inertia.
Q & A
HEAVY: THRASHVILLE 2026 is nearly upon us. Have you ever been to Thrashville before as a punter or performing?
HN: This will be our first descent into Thrashville. We’re anticipating a full day of relentless, punishing sound and chaos. The kind of environment where the barrier between band and crowd dissolves into pure intensity.
What does it mean to you to be playing Thrashville?
It means we finally get to bring our rituals into new territory. Thrashville will bear witness to what we do. We don’t just play shows, we summon something, and we’re eager to unleash that upon the festival.
How important are festivals like Thrashville for Australian bands?
Festivals like this are vital to keeping the underground alive. The Australian scene has always thrived on these gatherings, moments where bands and audiences collide in one place. With fewer people getting out to smaller shows, festivals become a gateway to expose new ears to something darker, heavier, and more extreme. In Victoria, we had Sonic Forge. A three-stage, twelve-hour endurance test of sound. Events like Thrashville carry that same torch.
Which bands are you most looking forward to and why?
Distentomb is always a force to witness. We recently shared the stage with them at Melbourne Dethfest, and they never disappoint.
It’s a long day of music. What will you be doing to make sure you will still be standing come your set time?
We’ll endure. The will of the Obelisk and the guiding hand of Satan will carry us through the hours. By the time we take the stage, we won’t just be standing. We’ll be ready to complete the ritual.
Give me your Top 3 Festival survival tips.
Drink water.
Mosh without restraint.
Collapse when it’s over.
Which band – other than yourself – do you think will get up to the most mischief on the day?
The Bennies seem like a chaotic force in their own right.
What song do you think the crowd would want you to play to finish your set, and what are you going to play?
We’ll close with Litany of the Astral Servant. A hymn devoted to the Obelisk, a final incantation. By that point, we expect the ground to tremble beneath the weight of the pit.
What one song would you tell festival goers to listen to of yours if they haven’t heard you play before?
Programmed Cell Death or Ex Mortis. Between those two, you’ll understand what we are. Spiritual annihilation.
What is your most recent release?
Our latest release is Woeful Inertia, unearthed in 2024. We will be playing three songs from it.
Finally, what plans does your band have for the rest of 2026?
A new record is currently in the mixing stage. Shaping into something dark and powerful. There’s no release date yet, but we will be playing three songs from this next release at Thrashville.
Thrashville tickets and more information HERE
