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 30 countries every year. More than 800 bands from more than 40 countries have played at MDF since 2003.
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."
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, MDF was cancelled in 2020 and 2021, but returned on May 26–29, 2022.
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 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 The first installment of Maryland Deathfest was held from Friday, May 23 to Sunday, May 25 at the Thunderdome. LineupFridaySaturdaySundayDevourment Aborted Internal Bleeding Malignancy Circle of Dead Children Brodequin Incinerate Saprogenic Nemo Severed Head ScumbitchSuffocation Dying Fetus Pyrexia Skinless Leng Tch'e Severed Savior Mortal Decay Foetopsy Drogheda Suture Putrid Pile Psychotogen Lust of Decay Rupture Christ SpinefedSublime Cadaveric Decomposition Necrophagist Soils of Fate Abuse Commit Suicide Malamor Retch Wasteform Gored Goratory Artery Eruption
2004 Maryland Death Fest 2004 was held on Saturday, May 29 and Sunday, May 30 at the Thunderdome. LineupSaturdaySundaySwarm of the Lotus Fleshtized Internal Suffering Neuraxis Brodequin Bile Malignancy Ion Dissonance Profanity Pig Destroyer Leng Tch'e Phobia Rotten Sound RepulsionBodies 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 Maryland Deathfest 2005 was held on Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29 at the House of Rock.
LineupSaturdaySundayScreaming Afterbirth Prophecy Guttural Secrete Kill the Client Warscars Lord Gore Misery Index Pig Destroyer Leng Tch'e Wormed Gronibard Abscess Regurgitate CryptopsyAmoebic Dysentery Magrudergrind Despised Icon XXX Maniak Splatterhouse Ion Dissonance Bodies Lay Broken Ghoul Rotten Sound Birdflesh Aborted Impaled General Surgery Immolation
2006 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. LineupSaturdaySundayEmbryonic Cryptopathia Electro Quarterstaff Cenotaph Catheter Yacøpsæ Cliteater Sanitys Dawn Gorgasm Skinless Alarum Butcher ABC Anata Machetazo Demilich Haemorrhage Vital RemainsQuills Magrudergrind Total Fucking Destruction Mucupurulent Municipal Waste Embalmer Sayyadina Rompeprop Disfear Severe Torture Unholy Grave Cattle Decapitation Necrophagist Pungent Stench Dismember
2007 Maryland Deathfest V was held on Saturday, May 26 and Sunday, May 27. LineupSaturdaySundaySaprogenic 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 TruthPutrescence Exhale Fuck the Facts Jigsore Terror Odious Mortem Retaliation Misery Index Ghoul Birdflesh Cripple Bastards GUT Dead Infection Malevolent Creation Zyklon
2008 Maryland Deathfest VI was held from Friday, May 23 to Sunday, May 25. LineupFridaySaturdaySundaySkarp Afgrund Torsofuck Ingrowing The Day Everything Became Nothing Phobia Squash Bowels Martyr GraveDecrypt Defeatist Trap Them Keitzer Kalibas Waco Jesus Behold...The Arctopus Defeated Sanity Flesh Parade Disfear Coffins Fuck...I'm Dead Ghoul Monstrosity Anaal NathrakhCopremesis Infected Malignity Japanische Kampfhörspiele Engorged Gruesome Stuff Relish Hellnation Circle Of Dead Children Gadget Dead Impaled Dying Fetus Macabre Blood Duster Nuclear Assault
2009 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 StageFridaySaturdaySundayHero Destroyed Triac Jig-Ai Sayyadina Gnostic Pigsty Withered Venomous Concept VictimsDrugs 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 RoomComplete 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 StageFridaySaturdaySundayCattle Decapitation Cephalic Carnage Mayhem AsphyxHail of Bullets Brutal Truth Immolation Atheist Napalm Death Bolt ThrowerThe Red Chord Absu Abscess Aura Noir Deströyer 666
2010 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 StageThursday (Pre-Fest)FridaySaturdaySundayEx-Dementia XBRAINIAX Swarm of the Lotus Nekromantheon PLF Iron Lung Birdflesh General SurgeryThe 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 PortalHonkey Kong Rottenness Surroundings Massgrave Rompeprop Crucifist Gridlink Black Breath Captain Cleanoff Magrudergrind Capitalist Casualties From Ashes Rise Converge
Outside StagesFridaySaturdaySundayNazxul Malignancy GorgutsFang Total Fucking Destruction The Chasm Sadistic Intent/Possessed Incantation Melechesh Asphyx Repulsion AutopsyKrallice Gorod Sinister Necrophobic Eyehategod Pestilence Nirvana 2002 Pentagram Entombed Obituary
2011 Maryland Deathfest IX was held from Thursday, May 26 to Sunday, May 29, 2011. Main Room StageThursdayFridaySaturdaySundayCathedral Tragedy Buzzov•en Extortion Flesh Parade Lack of Interest Miasmal Noisear Shitstorm WitchavenMarduk Exhumed Kylesa Cripple Bastards Machetazo Pulling Teeth Nails The ImpalersInquisition Hooded Menace Acid Witch Defeated Sanity Doom Dropdead Blood Freak The Kill Cretin Mammoth Grinder Creative Waste Innumerable Forms MasakariGhost Last Days of Humanity Wormed Doubled Over Bastard Noise Skinless Repugnant Dead Congregation Bad Acid Trip Nightbringer Oak Visceral Disgorge
Outside StagesFridaySaturdaySundayNeurosis Corrosion of Conformity Aura Noir Funebrarum NocturnalVoivod Exhorder Impaled Nazarene Hail of Bullets In Solitude Nunslaughter Cianide AvulsedCoroner Nuclear Assault Citizens Arrest Orange Goblin Malignant Tumour Nokturnel Gravehill
2012 Maryland Deathfest X was held from Thursday, May 24 to Sunday, May 27, 2012. Main Room StageThursdayFridaySaturdaySundayAutopsy Agalloch Eyehategod Absu Dying Fetus Rorschach Needful Things Die Pigeon Die Extermination AngelNasum Setherial Unsane Negură Bunget Today Is the Day Ghoul Nashgul CastevetWinter Haemorrhage Tsjuder Noothgrush Horna Archgoat The Devil's Blood Black Witchery Dragged into Sunlight Looking For an Answer Bloody Phoenix Infernal StrongholdMortuary Drape Bethlehem Sargeist Nausea Yob Ulcerate Rwake Cough Agents of Abhorrence Coke Bust Backslider
Outside StagesFridaySaturdaySundayGodflesh Napalm Death Artillery Macabre DemigodMorbid Angel Brujeria Confessor Anvil Deviated Instinct Morbid Saint October 31 HellbastardElectric Wizard Saint Vitus Suffocation Pentagram (Chile) Church of Misery Morgoth Demonical Disma
2013 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.
Outdoor TentThursdayFridaySaturdaySundayBolt Thrower Cobalt Abigail Pallbearer Deiphago NoisemPelican Evoken Ingrowing Ahumado Granujo Ambassador GunAntaeus Vinterland Revenge Aosoth Loss Anhedonist Kommandant Asthma CastleSpeedwolf Ascension Integrity Gride Contrastic Cruciamentum Speedwolf
Outside StagesFridaySaturdaySundayCarcass Righteous Pigs Repulsion Pig Destroyer Benediction ConvulseDown Ihsahn The Melvins Broken Hope The Obsessed Weedeater IniquityVenom Pentagram Sleep Manilla Road Sacred Reich Pagan Altar Midnight Glorior Belli
Baltimore SoundstageFridaySaturdaySundayTragedy Rotten Sound Ringworm Hellshock Sete Star Sept Full of Hell Heartless Old LinesInfest Terveet Kädet Vitamin X Weekend Nachos Massgrav Eddie Brock Like Rats Wake Disciples of ChristConverge Citizen's Arrest Magrudergrind Iron Lung Kromosom Tinner Ilsa
2014 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.
Rams Head LiveThursdayFridaySaturdaySundayCoffins Crowbar Seven Sisters of Sleep Sourvein Torche WhitehorseAeternus Enthroned Incantation PutrisectAsphyx BolzerHooded Menace The Church Of Pungent Stench War MasterImmolation Diocletian Mutilation Rites Ulcerate
Edison LotFridaySaturdaySundayAt 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 UnleashedBongripper Candlemass Gorguts Graves at Sea Misery Index Inquisition My Dying Bride Pseudogod Soilent Green Uncle Acid and the Deadbeats Windhand Wrathprayer
Baltimore SoundstageFridaySaturdaySundayImpaled Capitalist Casualties Creative Waste Cripple Bastards Endorphins Lost Final Conflict Mesrine ACxDC Pneumatic Slaughter Kill the ClientArchagathus Birdflesh Black Breath Dropdead Excruciating Terror Extinction of Mankind Noothgrush Sick/Tired Stapled Shut Theories Victims БУТDeath Toll 80k Enabler Internal Rot Left for Dead Maruta Ratos de Porao Shitstorm Unholy Grave
2015 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 LiveThursdayFridaySaturdaySundayConan Iron Man Jex Thoth Mantar Primitive Man Ufomammut Usnea YOBAeternus Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult Drawn and Quartered Vattnet ViskarAdversarial Demoncy Gnaw Their Tongues TsjuderImpetuous Ritual Knelt Rote Portal Thantifaxath
Edison LotFridaySaturdaySundayBloodbath Funebrarum Lock Up Suffocation Vallenfyre Artificial Brain Aura Noir Cianide Master ObituaryBlood Red Throne Bulldozer Solstice Razor Serpentine Path Twilight of the Gods Arcturus