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 BARRIERS.
Tickets and more information: https://necrosonicfestival.com/
Barriers is a rising Australian heavy metal band split geographically between Melbourne and Adelaide. Formed by veteran musicians from established underground acts like Truth Corroded, Cry Murder, and Day of Contempt, the band delivers a crushing, modern sonic assault. They have quickly carved out a reputation in the domestic heavy music scene for their intense blend of sludgy, doom-tinged groove metal and unrelenting technicality.
A brutal, down-tuned sonic landscape built on mammoth rhythms and aggressive, hard-hitting drum work. Their music draws heavy comparison to tech-metal and groove titans like Gojira, Machine Head, and Meshuggah.
Q & A
HEAVY: NECROSONIC 2026 is almost upon us. How far out from August 22 will you allow yourself to get excited?
BARRIERS: We were excited the moment we were asked to play! It’s a hell of a lineup!
H: What does it mean to your band to be playing NECROSONIC?
BARRIERS: Necrosonic is an amazing opportunity for us to reach a larger and broader audience. Our music fits between the cracks of quite a few genres, so we are looking forward to sharing it with some new ears. Plus, being fans of all genres of metal, it’s going to be great to get off stage and enjoy the rest of the festival!
H: How important are festivals like NECROSONIC for the Australian music scene?
BARRIERS: It’s essential for Aus music. Festivals bring people together to share experiences and bring a sense of belonging within the music community, for fans and for bands alike.
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?
BARRIERS: No beers until the set is over!!! Maybe one once we get on stage, haha. We will be relatively early in the day, so once our set is over, we can enjoy all the festivities and sick bands from all over Aus… plus a few beverages to celebrate!
H: Give me your Top 3 Festival survival tips.
BARRIERS: KEEP HYDRATED! H2O is important.
Save a picture of the set times and make it the home screen on your phone.
Bang your head, scream along with the songs, get your fists in the air. Show your appreciation for all the bands. You can always have a sick day on Monday to heal.
H: Which band – other than yourself – do you think will get up to the most mischief on the day?
BARRIERS: Rumour has it that the drummer from Meth Leppard is half man/half animal. I’ve personally seen him transform into a beast after dark, consuming several frothy brews. It’s a sight to behold!
H: What one song would you tell festival-goers to listen to of yours if they haven’t heard you play before?
BARRIERS: Our new song “Bloodbound” gets released on May 1st and is a good introduction to where our sound is going and where it started.
H: Will you be taking requests on the day?
BARRIERS: Song requests? No. However, if you feed me enough beer after our set, you may be able to persuade me into hacking through some classics.
H: Run us through your typical live show and what punters can expect.
BARRIERS: Dark and heavy with a bit of melody and a bit of sludge. Easy to bang your head to!
H: What’s your latest release?
BARRIERS: On May 1st, we released a new track, BLOODBOUND. It maintains the same vibe as our EP but progresses into a much darker and heavier sound. Really looking forward to playing this one live!
H: Finally, what plans does your band have for the rest of 2026 and into 2027?
BARRIERS: Hopefully continuing to find some new fans and friends. Squeezing in a few more shows and continuing to work on our next release, which we are hoping to release in 2027.
