Maryland Deathfest (often abbreviated to MDF) is an annual American extreme metal music festival founded in 2003 by Ryan Taylor and Evan Harting. The festival is held in Baltimore, Maryland during Memorial Day weekend, and it features many bands from around the world that vary from a wide range of heavy metal subgenres. It is the biggest event of its kind in North America, attracting attendees from more than 40 U.S. states and 25 countries every year. More than 800 bands from more than 40 countries have played at MDF since 2003.

Maryland Deathfest
GenreHeavy metal, death metal, doom metal, thrash metal, black metal, grindcore, experimental, hardcore punk, stoner metal, progressive metal[1]
Dates22–25 May 2025
Location(s)Baltimore, Maryland, United States
Years active2003–2019; 2022; 2024-present
Founded2003
FoundersRyan Taylor & Evan Harting[2]
Websitewww.deathfests.com

The concept of the event is "To bring to the world the best and most extreme bands the underground has to offer. Never conforming to trends, or being limited by genre restrictions, we want to showcase what extreme music, both new and old, is capable of."[3]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MDF was cancelled in 2020 and 2021, but returned on May 26–29, 2022.[4]

Shortly before the 2022 festival, the organizers of MDF stated that the event would not happen in 2023. On August 2, 2022, it was announced that MDF will return for its 19th edition on May 23–26, 2024.

History and line-ups

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Since 2003, MDF has featured over 750 bands from over 35 countries, many of which have made their US debut at the festival. The festival is promoted with the slogan: "America's biggest metal party of the year."

2003

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The first installment of Maryland Deathfest was held from Friday, May 23 to Sunday, May 25 at the Thunderdome.

Lineup
Friday Saturday Sunday

Devourment
Aborted
Internal Bleeding
Malignancy
Circle of Dead Children
Brodequin
Incinerate
Saprogenic
Nemo
Severed Head
Scumbitch

Suffocation
Dying Fetus
Pyrexia
Skinless
Leng Tch'e
Severed Savior
Mortal Decay
Foetopsy
Drogheda
Suture
Putrid Pile
Psychotogen
Lust of Decay
Rupture Christ
Spinefed

Sublime Cadaveric Decomposition
Necrophagist
Soils of Fate
Abuse
Commit Suicide
Malamor
Retch
Wasteform
Gored
Goratory
Artery Eruption

2004

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Maryland Death Fest 2004 was held on Saturday, May 29 and Sunday, May 30 at the Thunderdome.

Lineup
Saturday Sunday

Swarm of the Lotus
Fleshtized
Internal Suffering
Neuraxis
Brodequin
Bile
Malignancy
Ion Dissonance
Profanity
Pig Destroyer
Leng Tch'e
Phobia
Rotten Sound
Repulsion

Bodies in the Gears of the Apparatus
Biolich
Circle of Dead Children
Man Must Die
Arsis
Mortal Decay
Dehumanized
Misery Index
Rompeprop
Vomit Remnants
The Red Chord
Macabre
Inhume
Exhumed

2005

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Maryland Deathfest 2005 was held on Saturday, May 28 and Saturday, May 29 at the House of Rock.

Lineup
Saturday Sunday

Screaming Afterbirth
Prophecy
Guttural Secrete
Kill the Client
Warscars
Lord Gore
Misery Index
Pig Destroyer
Leng Tch'e
Wormed
Gronibard
Abscess
Regurgitate
Cryptopsy

Amoebic Dysentery
Magrudergrind
Despised Icon
XXX Maniak
Splatterhouse
Ion Dissonance
Bodies Lay Broken
Ghoul
Rotten Sound
Birdflesh
Aborted
Impaled
General Surgery
Immolation

2006

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Maryland Deathfest IV was held on Saturday, May 27 and Sunday, May 28. This was the first Maryland Deathfest to be held at Sonar, which hosted every iteration of the festival from 2006 to 2012.

Lineup
Saturday Sunday

Embryonic Cryptopathia
Electro Quarterstaff
Cenotaph
Catheter
Yacøpsæ
Cliteater
Sanitys Dawn
Gorgasm
Skinless
Alarum
Butcher ABC
Anata
Machetazo
Demilich
Haemorrhage
Vital Remains

Quills
Magrudergrind
Total Fucking Destruction
Mucupurulent
Municipal Waste
Embalmer
Sayyadina
Rompeprop
Disfear
Severe Torture
Unholy Grave
Cattle Decapitation
Necrophagist
Pungent Stench
Dismember

2007

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Maryland Deathfest V was held on Saturday, May 26 and Sunday, May 27.

Lineup
Saturday Sunday

Saprogenic
Foetopsy
Flagitious Idiosyncrasy in the Dilapidation
Nunwhore Commando 666
Gorod
Skitsystem
Cock and Ball Torture
Rotten Sound
Gorerotted
General Surgery
Regurgitate
Vomitory
Extreme Noise Terror
Brutal Truth

Putrescence
Exhale
Fuck the Facts
Jigsore Terror
Odious Mortem
Retaliation
Misery Index
Ghoul
Birdflesh
Cripple Bastards
GUT
Dead Infection
Malevolent Creation
Zyklon

2008

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Maryland Deathfest VI was held from Friday, May 23 to Sunday, May 25.

Lineup
Friday Saturday Sunday

Skarp
Afgrund
Torsofuck
Ingrowing
The Day Everything Became Nothing
Phobia
Squash Bowels
Martyr
Grave

Decrypt
Defeatist
Trap Them
Keitzer
Kalibas
Waco Jesus
Behold...The Arctopus
Defeated Sanity
Flesh Parade
Disfear
Coffins
Fuck...I'm Dead
Ghoul
Monstrosity
Anaal Nathrakh

Copremesis
Infected Malignity
Japanische Kampfhörspiele
Engorged
Gruesome Stuff Relish
Hellnation
Circle Of Dead Children
Gadget
Dead
Impaled
Dying Fetus
Macabre
Blood Duster
Nuclear Assault

2009

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Maryland Deathfest VII was held from Friday, May 22 to Sunday, May 24, and was the first incarnation of the festival to feature a second stage outside the venue.

Main Room Stage
Friday Saturday Sunday

Hero Destroyed
Triac
Jig-Ai
Sayyadina
Gnostic
Pigsty
Withered
Venomous Concept
Victims

Drugs of Faith
Maruta
Pretty Little Flower
Unearthly Trance
Crowpath
Flesh Parade
Weekend Nachos
Rotten Sound
Misery Index
Birdflesh
Pig Destroyer
Phobia
General Surgery
Wolves in the Throne Room

Complete Failure
Agenda of Swine
The Endless Blockade
Lair of the Minotaur
Magrudergrind
Kill the Client
Splitter
Despise You
Yakuza
Catheter
Krallice
Antigama
Trap Them
Bolt Thrower
Devourment
Sigh

Outside Stage
Friday Saturday Sunday

Cattle Decapitation
Cephalic Carnage
Mayhem
Asphyx

Hail of Bullets
Brutal Truth
Immolation
Atheist
Napalm Death
Bolt Thrower

The Red Chord
Absu
Abscess
Aura Noir
Deströyer 666

2010

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Maryland Deathfest VIII was held from Friday, May 28 to Sunday, May 30, with a pre-fest show taking place on Thursday, May 27.

Main Room Stage
Thursday (Pre-Fest) Friday Saturday Sunday

Ex-Dementia
XBRAINIAX
Swarm of the Lotus
Nekromantheon
PLF
Iron Lung
Birdflesh
General Surgery

The Communion
Putrescence
Defeatist
Tombs
Jesus Crost
Birds of Prey
Trap Them
Watain
Gride
Coffins
D.R.I.

Howl
Sulaco
Fuck the Facts
Ingrowing
Obliteration
Jucifer
Impaled
Blood Duster
Verbal Abuse
Deceased
Wolfbrigade
Portal

Honkey Kong
Rottenness
Surroundings
Massgrave
Rompeprop
Crucifist
Gridlink
Black Breath
Captain Cleanoff
Magrudergrind
Capitalist Casualties
From Ashes Rise
Converge

Outside Stages
Friday Saturday Sunday

Nazxul
Malignancy
Gorguts

Fang
Total Fucking Destruction
The Chasm
Sadistic Intent/Possessed
Incantation
Melechesh
Asphyx
Repulsion
Autopsy

Krallice
Gorod
Sinister
Necrophobic
Eyehategod
Pestilence
Nirvana 2002
Pentagram
Entombed
Obituary

2011

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Maryland Deathfest IX was held from Thursday, May 26 to Sunday, May 29, 2011.

Main Room Stage
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Cathedral
Tragedy
Buzzov•en
Extortion
Flesh Parade
Lack of Interest
Miasmal
Noisear
Shitstorm
Witchaven

Marduk
Exhumed
Kylesa
Cripple Bastards
Machetazo
Pulling Teeth
Nails
The Impalers

Inquisition
Hooded Menace
Acid Witch
Defeated Sanity
Doom
Dropdead
Blood Freak
The Kill
Cretin
Mammoth Grinder
Creative Waste
Innumerable Forms
Masakari

Ghost
Last Days of Humanity
Wormed
Doubled Over
Bastard Noise
Skinless
Repugnant
Dead Congregation
Bad Acid Trip
Nightbringer
Oak
Visceral Disgorge

Outside Stages
Friday Saturday Sunday

Neurosis
Corrosion of Conformity
Aura Noir
Funebrarum
Nocturnal

Voivod
Exhorder
Impaled Nazarene
Hail of Bullets
In Solitude
Nunslaughter
Cianide
Avulsed

Coroner
Nuclear Assault
Citizens Arrest
Orange Goblin
Malignant Tumour
Nokturnel
Gravehill

2012

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Maryland Deathfest X was held from Thursday, May 24 to Sunday, May 27, 2012.

Main Room Stage
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Autopsy
Agalloch
Eyehategod
Absu
Dying Fetus
Rorschach
Needful Things
Die Pigeon Die
Extermination Angel

Nasum
Setherial
Unsane
Negură Bunget
Today Is the Day
Ghoul
Nashgul
Castevet

Winter
Haemorrhage
Tsjuder
Noothgrush
Horna
Archgoat
The Devil's Blood
Black Witchery
Dragged Into Sunlight
Looking For an Answer
Bloody Phoenix
Infernal Stronghold

Mortuary Drape
Bethlehem
Sargeist
Nausea
Yob
Ulcerate
Rwake
Cough
Agents of Abhorrence
Coke Bust
Backslider

Outside Stages
Friday Saturday Sunday

Godflesh
Napalm Death
Artillery
Macabre
Demigod

Morbid Angel
Brujeria
Confessor
Anvil
Deviated Instinct
Morbid Saint
October 31
Hellbastard

Electric Wizard
Saint Vitus
Suffocation
Pentagram (Chile)
Church of Misery
Morgoth
Demonical
Disma

2013

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Maryland Deathfest XI was held from Thursday, May 23 to Sunday, May 26, 2013. It was the first incarnation to feature the Baltimore Soundstage, a separate venue that catered primarily to grindcore, punk and hardcore acts. It was also the last incarnation of the festival to be hosted at the former Sonar Compound, following its sale and rebranding as the Paparazzi Nightclub.

 
Pig Destroyer performing at Maryland Deathfest 2013
 
Broken Hope performing.
 
Sleep performing on the main outside stage.
Outdoor Tent
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Bolt Thrower
Cobalt
Abigail
Pallbearer
Deiphago
Noisem

Pelican
Evoken
Ingrowing
Ahumado Granujo
Ambassador Gun

Antaeus
Vinterland
Revenge
Aosoth
Loss
Anhedonist
Kommandant
Asthma Castle

Speedwolf
Ascension
Integrity
Gride
Contrastic
Cruciamentum
Speedwolf

Outside Stages
Friday Saturday Sunday

Carcass
Righteous Pigs
Repulsion
Pig Destroyer
Benediction
Convulse

Down
Ihsahn
The Melvins
Broken Hope
The Obsessed
Weedeater
Iniquity

Venom
Pentagram
Sleep
Manilla Road
Sacred Reich
Pagan Altar
Midnight
Glorior Belli

Baltimore Soundstage
Friday Saturday Sunday

Tragedy
Rotten Sound
Ringworm
Hellshock
Sete Star Sept
Full of Hell
Heartless
Old Lines

Infest
Terveet Kädet
Vitamin X
Weekend Nachos
Massgrav
Eddie Brock
Like Rats
Wake
Disciples of Christ

Converge
Citizen's Arrest
Magrudergrind
Iron Lung
Kromosom
Tinner
Ilsa

2014

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Maryland Deathfest XII was held from Thursday, May 22 to Sunday, May 25, 2014. The main stages were located at the Edison Lot in Baltimore, near the former Sonar location. It is the second incarnation to feature the Baltimore Soundstage, again catering primarily to punk, grindcore and hardcore. It is the first year to feature additional bands at Rams Head Live!, which featured mainly black, death and doom metal.

 
Sólstafir performing on Friday at Edison Lot
 
Sarke performing on Saturday at Edison Lot
 
Candlemass performing on Sunday at Edison Lot
Rams Head Live
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Coffins
Crowbar
Seven Sisters of Sleep
Sourvein
Torche
Whitehorse

Aeternus
Enthroned
Incantation
Putrisect

Asphyx
Bolzer
Hooded Menace
The Church Of Pungent Stench
War Master

Immolation
Diocletian
Mutilation Rites
Ulcerate

Edison Lot
Friday Saturday Sunday

At the Gates
Cancer
Castevet
Mgła
Necros Christos
Sólstafir
Taake
The Ruins of Beverast
Agalloch

Dark Angel
Diocletian
Entrails
Goat Torment
God Macabre
Machetazo
Nocturnus AD
Orator
Sacrifice
Sarke
Tankard
Unleashed

Bongripper
Candlemass
Gorguts
Graves at Sea
Misery Index
Inquisition
My Dying Bride
Pseudogod
Soilent Green
Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats
Windhand
Wrathprayer

Baltimore Soundstage
Friday Saturday Sunday

Impaled
Capitalist Casualties
Creative Waste
Cripple Bastards
Endorphins Lost
Final Conflict
Mesrine
ACxDC
Pneumatic Slaughter
Kill the Client

Archagathus
Birdflesh
Black Breath
Dropdead
Excruciating Terror
Extinction of Mankind
Noothgrush
Sick/Tired
Stapled Shut
Theories
Victims
БУТ

Death Toll 80k
Enabler
Internal Rot
Left for Dead
Maruta
Ratos de Porao
Shitstorm
Unholy Grave

2015

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Maryland Deathfest XIII was held from Thursday, May 21 to Sunday, May 24, 2015. For the second time, both main stages were located at the Edison Lot in Baltimore, near the former Sonar location. It is the third incarnation to feature the Baltimore Soundstage venue, again catering primarily to punk, grindcore and hardcore, and the second to feature additional bands at Rams Head Live!, again featuring mainly black, death and doom metal. Notably, both Triptykon and Ufomammut were scheduled to appear, after having dropped off of last year's bill. Mobb Deep's performance marked the first appearance of an act outside of heavy metal, hardcore or punk as part of the festival.

Rams Head Live
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Conan
Iron Man
Jex Thoth
Mantar
Primitive Man
Ufomammut
Usnea
YOB

Aeternus
Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult
Drawn and Quartered
Vattnet Viskar

Adversarial
Demoncy
Gnaw Their Tongues
Tsjuder

Impetuous Ritual
Knelt Rote
Portal
Thantifaxath

Edison Lot
Friday Saturday Sunday

Bloodbath
Funebrarum
Lock Up
Suffocation
Vallenfyre
Artificial Brain
Aura Noir
Cianide
Master
Obituary

Blood Red Throne
Bulldozer
Solstice
Razor
Serpentine Path
Twilight of the Gods
Arcturus
Einherjer
Fulgora
Morpheus Descends
Triptykon
Vulcano

Neurosis
Skepticism
Tombs
Winter
Amorphis
Anaal Nathrakh
Demilich
Masacre
Primordial
Prosanctus Inferi

Baltimore Soundstage
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Devourment
Internal Bleeding
Mortal Decay
Origin
Skinless
Mobb Deep[5]

Flagitious Idiosyncrasy in the Dilapidation
Ghoul
Homewrecker
Napalm Death
Nekrofilth
Noisear
Noxa
Splatterhouse
Triac

Agoraphobic Nosebleed
Antigama
Backslider
Cephalic Carnage
Chainsaw to the Face
Engorged
Full of Hell
Inter Arma
Lycanthrophy
Martyrdöd
P.L.F
Wolfbrigade

Coke Bust
Corrupt Leaders
Dirty Rotten Imbeciles
Early Graves
Grin and Bear It
Melt Banana
Mother Brain
Pizzahifive
Spazztic Blurr
Water Torture

2016

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Rams Head Live
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

The Offering
Crypt Sermon
Buzzov*en
Bongripper
Weedeater
Claudio Simonetti's Goblin
Earth

Demonic Christ
Svarttjern
Secrets of the Moon
Angelcorpse

Auroch
Saturnalia Temple
Grave Miasma
Dragged into Sunlight
Craft

Phobocosm
Mitochondrion
Zhrine
Mystifier

Edison Lot
Friday Saturday Sunday

Centinex
Wormed
Gruesome
Paradise Lost
Mayhem
Horrendous
November's Doom
Khold
The Haunted
Samael

Demonical
Deranged
Hirax
Hail of Bullets
Exciter
Testament
Hellbringer
Gruesome
Tulus
Atrophy
Impaled Nazarene
Nuclear Assault

Denouncement Pyre
Nocturnal Graves
Desaster
Interment
Demolition Hammer
Venom
Shed the Skin
Wombbath
Bongzilla
Incantation
Satan

Baltimore Soundstage
Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Visceral Disgorge
Waco Jesus
Dehumanized
Putrid Pile
Jungle Rot
Disgorge
Severe Torture

Skullshitter
Ground
Sick of Stupidity
BruceXCampbell
The Afternoon Gentlemen
Hemdale
Yacopsae
Magrudergrind
Rotten Sound
Repulsion

Whoresnation
Priapus
Gets Worse
Malignant Tumour
Severed Head of State
Despise You
General Surgery
Haemorrhage
Infest
Negative Approach
Wormed

Dead Church
Sick Fix
Six Brew Bantha
Sanitys Dawn
Putrescence
Test
Ringworm
Tragedy
Excel
DOOM

References

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  1. ^ "About Deathfests". 23 August 2012.
  2. ^ "Here's what you need to know before Maryland Deathfest comes alive to shred pretty hard".
  3. ^ "About Deathfests". Deathfests. 2012-08-23. Retrieved 2021-11-18.
  4. ^ "MDF XVIII". Deathfests. 2019-06-13. Retrieved 2021-11-18.
  5. ^ Bartkewicz, Anthony (April 24, 2015). ""Fuck This Shit": A Metalhead's Guide To Mobb Deep". Noisey.
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