Murderdolls will reunite with vocalist Wednesday 13, guitarist Acey Slade and bassist Eric Griffin for a 2027 appearance at the U.K.’s Download festival in June. The band announced the comeback on Murderdolls’ official Instagram page.
The reunion teaser featured the song “Dead In Hollywood” and a message about the band’s return.
The reunion teaser reads, “25 years ago, evil arrived. Next year it returns.”
Murderdolls was formed in 2002 as a side project by Slipknot co-founder Joey Jordison and Wednesday 13. The band’s debut album, “Beyond the Valley of the Murderdolls,” became a cult classic of the 2000s horror punk and glam metal era. After touring extensively until 2004, the band went on an indefinite hiatus. They reunited in 2010 for a second album, “Women And Children Last,” before splitting again in 2011.
The band’s last performance before the 2027 reunion was in 2018, when Wednesday 13, Slade and Griffin reunited at Lucky Strike Live in Hollywood for a special show celebrating the life of drummer Ben “The Ghoul” Graves, who had died of cancer in May 2018 at 45. The trio performed several classic Murderdolls songs, marking their first time playing together in more than a decade.
The 2027 shows are billed as a memorial tribute to two late members. Co-founder Joey Jordison, who played guitar in Murderdolls while drumming for Slipknot, died in July 2021 at 46. Graves’ death in May 2018 also sparked the 2018 reunion show that brought the surviving members back together.
The reunion comes after Wednesday 13 and Acey Slade fought publicly over the Murderdolls trademark in 2022. In August 2022, Wednesday 13 accused Slade of “stealing” the Murderdolls trademark after Slade acquired it when it lapsed. Despite this tension, the three members are now moving forward with the 2027 festival appearance.
