Maryland Deathfest and Their Related Metalfests to Go On Hiatus in 2023


Gorguts at MDF 2014, photo by Hillarie Jason Photography

In a statement posted on social media, Maryland Deathfest is going on hiatus after the next MDF event in May 2022. That means in 2023 all of their related festivals are going on hiatus, including MDF, Netherlands Deathfest, California Deathfest, and more. You can read a statement from the co-founders Ryan and Evan, below. MDF has operated for almost 20 years, put on 19 fests, and expanded to a global footprint, all while giving a greater voice to Death Metal, Avant-Garde Metal, Stoner Doom, and more genres, perhaps as much or more than any fest in the world.

 

STATEMENT FROM THE FOUNDERS OF MDF:

While we continue to work diligently on the long-awaited 18th edition of MDF that will finally take place next month, we’d like to share some thoughts with you about the future of MDF.

We’re sorry to inform you that we will not be organizing any festivals at all in 2023, including Maryland Deathfest. There’s a chance that 2022 could be the last edition of MDF, but we’re unable to determine that right now one way or another. What we can say now is that we’re going on hiatus and we’ll decide during this much needed break if the festival will return in 2024. There are many variables at play that will impact the decision to possibly bring it back in 2024, including the state of the world and if we have the ability to put other things in our personal lives on hold to give the event the kind of attention it has always needed and received.

When we set out to plan the first edition of MDF 20 years ago, we could have never imagined that we’d still be doing it all of these years later. We have committed so much time and energy into making MDF what it is, never once taking a break. Considering the grassroots nature of the event, it feels like a miracle that we’ve made it this far. On top of the typical stresses and challenges over the years, these last 2 years in particular have added so many additional elements of surprise and uncertainty that have added to the exhaustion of it all and led us to this decision of going on hiatus. Simply put, our minds and bodies need a break, and we hope that everyone can understand and respect this decision.

We understand how much this event means to so many of you and realize that this news can be pretty disappointing, but at the same time, we hope that we’ve provided you with countless positive memories and a chance to develop new friendships while attending MDF over the years. We appreciate every single person that has ever supported and attended the event, as without you, there’s no way we would have made it this far. We’re just a couple of guys that got into extreme music 25+ years ago in middle/high school that wanted to support the music we love, never imagining that MDF would turn into a cultural institution that has seen over 700 bands from nearly 40 countries hit the stage.

Based on this news, you should definitely soak in your experience at MDF this year more than you were already planning on. If you were on the fence about going, perhaps now is the time to fall on the side of attending, as the future is uncertain.

We look forward to finally meeting you all again next month and will be following up soon with more information about this year’s event.

Ryan & Evan

Founders of MDF

As of now the updated lineup for MDF 2022 is as follows

Thursday, May 26th @ Rams Head Live:
Asthma Castle
Acid Witch
Cough
Frizzi 2 Fulci (Fabio Frizzi in Concert. A Tribute to Lucio Fulci)
Primitive Man
Warmask
Yautja
Thursday, May 26th @ Soundstage:
Malformity
Mortiferum
Putrid Pile
Pyrexia
Scattered Remnants
Skeletal Remains
Thursday, May 26th @ Power Plant:
Mortician
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Friday, May 27th @ Edison Lot:
Atheist
Bloodbath
Carcass
Graveyard
Massacre
Monstrosity
Obituary
Suffocation
Scorched
Friday, May 27th @ Rams Head Live:
Akhlys
Panzerfaust
The Ruins of Beverast
Spite
Friday, May 27th @ Soundstage:
ACxDC
At War
Blood Feast
Cloud Rat
Fistula
Ghoul
No/Mas
Squash Bowels
Sulfuric Cautery
Friday, May 27th @ Power Plant:
Vio-lence
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Saturday, May 28th @ Edison Lot:
Cancer
Cardiac Arrest
Cavalera (Max and Iggor Return Beneath Arise)
Cerebral Rot
Coroner
Dismember
Drawn and Quartered
Enforced
Imprecation
Novembers Doom
Onslaught
Triptykon
Saturday, May 28th @ Rams Head Live:
Crossspitter
Necrophobic
Nifelheim
Suffering Hour
Saturday, May 28th @ Soundstage:
Backslider
Bile
Cadaveric Incubator
Holy Cost
Impaled
Infest
Malignant Altar
Miasmatic Necrosis
Napalm Raid
Throaat
Saturday, May 28th @ Power Plant:
Deeds of Flesh
Schirenc Plays Pungent Stench
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Sunday, May 29th @ Edison Lot:
Blood Incantation
Deicide (Performing ‘Legion’ in its entirety)
Demilich
Destruction
Divine Eve
Hypocrisy
Immolation
Necrofier
Nocturnus AD
Nunslaughter
Sacrilegia
Triumph of Death
Sunday, May 29th @ Rams Head Live:
Devil Master
Dark Fortress
Profanatica
Sacramentum (Performing ‘Far Away from the Sun’ in its entirety)
Sunday, May 29th @ Soundstage:
Antichrist Siege Machine
Birdflesh
Cephalic Carnage
Gravesend
Human Effluence
Shock Narcotic
Warfuck
Whoresnation
Zombie Assault
Sunday, May 29th @ Power Plant:
Exhorder