The members of WARD XVI have never been a band to play it safe. From the underground venues of the North West to the sunlit stages of Bloodstock, they’ve built their reputation on intensity, spectacle, and a refusal to be pigeonholed into a single box. Their new album, Id3ntity, doesn’t just continue that trajectory – it ramps it up, doubles down and takes the theatrics to a whole new level.

This isn’t just another album. It’s the final chapter in a sprawling, ten-year tale built on horror, madness, and the surreal inner world of their twisted protagonist, Psychoberrie. And as finales go, Id3ntity hits like a derailed carnival ride – noisy, chaotic, and impossible to look away from.

A Theatrical Journey Into the Mind of Psychoberrie

To understand what Id3ntity is all about, you’ve got to trace it back to where it all started. WARD XVI don’t just write songs – they tell stories. Each record forms part of a bigger picture, tracing the journey of Psychoberrie, a character as complex as she is disturbed. Their gigs? Think less “gig” and more “nightmarish stage show.” There’s puppetry. There’s blood. There’s a feeling you’ve stepped into something halfway between a haunted house and a rock opera.

The previous album, Metamorphosis, dropped back in 2020, pulling fans further into Psychoberrie’s fractured psyche. It layered synths and snarling guitars with unhinged theatricality and was met with a flood of praise. We had the pleasure of hosting one of their most unforgettable moments at the Primordial General Mayhem in 2022 – a set that cemented their reputation amongst the Primordial community for turning a live show into a fever dream.

Now, with Id3ntity, the curtain finally falls on the trilogy. The band put it bluntly:

“ID3NTITY is the stunning conclusion of Psychoberrie’s story based on a sordid tale that’s ten blood-soaked years in the telling. Inspired by every experience, the album is BIGGER… BADDER… MADDER than ever before. If you want blood…you’ll get it.”

And it really does feel like a culmination. Everything – from the pacing to the track sequencing has a sense of finality. Vocalist Psychoberrie explains, “We wanted to go even darker,” and you can hear it. Tracks like ‘I Spit On Your Grave’ and ‘Amoeba Of Madness’ push further into dissonance and dread, stacking distorted vocals and frantic rhythms like layers in a violent dream.

Read More…

To check out more new bands on Primordial Radio, listen to Cat Wright every Sunday from 12:00 -14:00 (GMT) for our new music show Primordial Presents.

We may earn an affiliate commission when you buy through links on our site. This helps support the station. For our full list of affiliates, head here.