The Mayhem Festival had such a powerhouse lineup. Korn, Rob Zombie, Lamb of God, and 5 Finger Death Punch headlined the main stage. There were two smaller stages which featured bands like Hatebreed, Atreyu, Norma Jean, Shadows Fall and many others. The bands on the smaller stages were playing in the afternoon during the heat of the day and they all made a point to vent to the crowd about the heat. The crowd, on the other hand, did not seem phased by the heat at all. Even in the intense heat, the interaction between the bands and the crowd was there and the energy was pretty addictive.

As for the smaller stages during the day, the highlight for me was seeing Hatebreed. Hatebreed is a hardcore legend and they played songs that they knew were high energy and perfect for the festival atmosphere, as they are no stranger to festivals. Hatebreed pulled out their hit songs “I Will Be Heard”and “Smash Your Enemies” and got into the crowd as much as possible.

After all the bands on the small stages had wrapped up and the sun started going down, everyone flocked to the covered main stage. 5 Finger Death Punch started the main stage, followed by Lamb of God. They played well but the highlights of the night for me were Rob Zombie and Korn. Rob Zombie is no stranger to theatrics and his stage presence is just like you would think, over the top. Giant robots, and shooting flames were only a small part of the hour long set.  They played the classic White Zombie song “Thunder Kiss ’65″ and hits like “Living Dead Girl” and “Superbeast”. They finished with  an encore of  “Dragula”.  

Korn was up next. Korn has always been awesome live and that Friday night was no exception. They couldn’t end the night without playing hits like “Blind”, “Freak On A Leash” and “Got The Life” because they knew what their fans wanted and they delivered exactly that. They delivered an intense hour long set packed full of hit songs that were played with the passion and emotion and Korn fans come to expect.

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ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL

FRIDAY, JULY 16

DOORS AT  1:30PM

TOUR SPOTLIGHTS LAMB OF GOD, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, HATEBREED, CHIMAIRA, SHADOWS FALL, WINDS OF PLAGUE, ATREYU, NORMA JEAN, IN THIS MOMENT and 3 INCHES OF BLOOD

The ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL featuring KORN and ROB ZOMBIE will kick off Saturday, July 10 in San Bernardino, CA and will roll through 25 cities in the U.S. and Canada between early July and late August.  Mayhem will make its stop in Phoenix at Cricket Wireless Pavilion on Friday, July 16^th.  Tickets go on sale NOW! Check www.mayhemfest.com and www.livenation.com for more info.

The ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL has become the summer’s hottest ticket by giving fans the opportunity to experience a thrilling mix of hard music’s most influential artists and exciting young voices. This summer’s lineup turns up the heat with a main stage lineup that sees KORN and ROB ZOMBIE joined by LAMB OF GOD and FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH. The JAGERMEISTER stage will feature HATEBREED, CHIMAIRA, SHADOWS FALL, WINDS OF PLAGUE and the JAGERMEISTER Battle of The Bands Winner. The second stage will spotlight ATREYU, NORMA JEAN, IN THIS MOMENT and 3 INCHES OF BLOOD.

Special Ticket Offer: 4 pack of lawn tickets are available for $98, plus applicable fees  - limited availability.

Reserved tickets priced at $59.85, $49.02 and $31, a limited amount of General Admission Pit tickets priced at $75 . Lawn Tickets will be priced at $31.

Tickets will be available at www.livenation.com, all Ticketmaster outlets and to charge by phone call 800-745-3000.  All dates, acts, and ticket prices are subject to change without notice. All tickets are subject to applicable taxes, and service and handling charges.  For more show information, check out www.livenation.com .

The World’s Greatest Freestyle Motocross team, METAL MULISHA, will return to rev up audiences with their unique style of death-defying motorcycle stunts. Also featured on this year’s tour will be the bombastic BEACHER’S MADHOUSE, a sexy costume party combined with outrageous variety acts, beautiful dancers, scantily-clad Beacher’s Babies, DJ’s and so much more. Comedian Jay Oakerson (seen on Comedy Central) will also be on hand to deliver an onslaught of unbridled awesomeness and raunchy rock n roll comedy.

The ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL will be the first major city tour for KORN in support of their 9^th studio album, tentatively titled Korn III – Remember Who You Are. The new album marks the return of producer Ross Robinson, who worked with Korn on their first two releases, Korn and Life is Peachy. Lead vocalist Jonathan Davis has said that the new material matches the pure raw emotion of Korn’s early releases while the current touring band has never been tighter. “It’s the perfect mix, says Davis, “and Mayhem is the perfect place to set it off. We can’t wait for the fans to hear it!”

ROB ZOMBIE recently released his Roadrunner / Loud & Proud debut Hellbilly Deluxe 2 on February 2^nd. Over the course of the past 18 years, Zombie has sold more than 15 million records as a solo artist and with his former band, White Zombie. Says Zombie, “It’s been over a decade since my last tour with Korn, so this pairing is long overdue. Mayhem will be one amazingly destructive way to spend the summer. “

The ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL is produced by Rockstar Taste of Chaos organizer John Reese, Vans Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman and Creative Artists Agency.  The trio has made Mayhem a standout on the summer concert circuit by following the proven model of utilizing sponsorship to deliver a lower ticket price and an enhanced concert experience. This year sees them joining forces once again with ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK as the title sponsor.

“When we started this tour three years ago, one of our primary goals was to develop new artists,” say Lyman and Reese. “So we’re extremely proud of Five Finger Death Punch, who were a side stage band during year one and are now a main stage act. Mayhem has quickly become a powerful brand by assembling a monster-sized lineup of heavy hitting artists and unparalleled excitement at an affordable price. It’s a tour of not-to-be-missed moments. The fans recognize this and have responded.”

Live Nation is co-producer of the tour and will promote the festival nationally.

“The Mayhem team has done it again.  The Mayhem Festival has become one of the premier traveling music festivals of the summer drawing more than 600,000 hard rock music fans to our amphitheaters in 2008 and 2009,” said Jason Garner, Chief Executive Officer of Global Music at Live Nation. “With Rob Zombie and Korn, Mayhem 2010 is sure to have another huge summer.”

LAMB OF GOD recently received a Grammy nomination for “Best Metal Performance” for “Set To Fail” from their most recent release, Wrath, which entered Billboard’s Top 200 at No. 2.

FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH’s current album, War Is the Answer, debuted at # 7 on the Billboard charts. They were on the first-ever Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival in 2007 and have since established themselves as one of America’s most popular hard rock/ metal bands.

In addition to catching their favorite bands, Mayhem-goers can enjoy a plethora of festival activities, including playing the newest video games, perusing vendors, attending autograph signing sessions and a slew of other interactive activities that enhance the concert experience.

ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK will be sampling their products and providing great surprises for attendees. Additional sponsors include Jagermeister, The DiNGSTORE.com (Device Personalization Company), Harley Davidson, Century Media and Metal Injection. Additional sponsor details will be announced shortly.

FUEL-TV and Revolver Magazine (who will produce the Official Tour Program) have signed on as official Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival media partners. Additional sponsors will be announced soon.

“In its third year the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival has become our marquee music presentation,” says Mike Kelso, Marketing Director Rockstar Energy Drink. “Huge crowds and great bands make for an amazing summer road show and Rockstar is proud to bring it to music fans throughout the country.”

Fans can go to www.mayhemfest.com and www.LiveNation.com to keep up with details as they are released.

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I was a bit apprehensive about meeting Bullet for My Valentine. It was, (as I found out and easily guessed) the hottest day of the Mayhem tour for not just them but every band on the bill.  And hailing from Wales, I knew that this was not anything close to what they would be used playing or even BREATHING in. Coupled with the media frenzy, radio station DJ’s, and fans buzzing around them backstage, I wondered how one man representing one website would be received by one of the biggest and most successful metal bands in the world.

As I sat down with guitarist Michael “Padge” Paget, I was pleasantly surprised to find him humble and appreciative even as I so unprofessionally spoke my admiration for their work. He was, in short, a joy to speak with.

Sean: Having toured in North America a number of times, have you noticed any inherit differences between American Fans and the U.K. fans of heavy music?

Michael: I think everyone who loves heavy music just loves heavy music. The fans react differently depending on what venue we are playing in. For example in an amphitheater such as this (Cricket Pavilion) the fans seem more reserved because of the seats. But when we play smaller venues and clubs people seem to go crazy, there seems to be more energy.

Sean: Has the heat been a factor today? How is the band dealing with it?

Michael: To be totally honest none of us are looking forward to tonight’s show because of the weather. We will get through it I know, and we are very grateful for the fans to endure this heat with us, but we still have to be careful.

Sean: How do you have to be careful?

Michael: We just have to drink more water than beer tonight and hope nobody passes out on stage. (Laughs)

Sean: Scream, Aim, Fire is well very made record. Who did you work with as far as production is concerned?

Michael: We worked with Colin Richardson. He has worked with us before on our EP and on The Poison, so we tried to get him back to work with us on this record. He mixes very well with the band in both a personal and professional sense.

Sean: Why does Colin work so well with you?

Michael: He really helps craft the sound. When he came in he didn’t really mess with our overall ideas, he wanted to polish up what we have and make it sound the best it can. He always has good ideas, and will also suggest a riff here and there, but he keeps the integrity of what we want.

Sean: With this particular tour (the Mayhem Festival) who do you consider your peers?

Michael: We really enjoy everyone on the tour, but we have become very good friends with Killswitch Engage. As a band we remember sitting back with their first and second albums with Howard Jones and that’s all we listened to for weeks. They just crushed everything. They have always been really supportive of us. Them and of course Slayer!

Sean: There seems to be an unspoken comradely between people and bands that love heavy music. Being part of such a heavy tour is it more prevalent here?

Michael: I think so. This is such a package tour; you have a lot of bands that don’t sound just like Slayer. But everyone here loves heavy much of all kinds, so the response has been great. Nobody has been booed off stage yet. (laughs)

The band themselves might have just as easily been wearing tuxedos instead of the camo shorts and shirts with the sleeves cut off with the air of dignity and class they carried. They might do that someday, but certainly not at a show during summertime in Arizona. I am happy to report that the band’s performance went off without a hitch despite the weather, and that they are embarking on another tour after the Mayhem festival has ended.

For more info on Bullet For My Valentine visit their myspace page – www.myspace.com/bulletformyvalentine

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Sean: How many shows have you played so far on this tour?

Jeanne: I believe this is the fifth one.

Sean: And I assume this is instantly your favorite one so far. (Note: at this point in the day it was 116 degrees outside.)

Jeanne: (laughs) oh yes the weather is beautiful outside! I hope I don’t fall over during the first song. I have been drinking water all day and I don’t know if it’s really helping much.

Sean: So how has this new album been received by fans?

Jeanne: We have had a very positive response to it from all of the fans. It has been a lot of fun to play our new stuff. We have two songs being played on the radio right now which is kind of a new thing for us, this genre doesn’t seem to get much radio time.

Sean: The bands sound has changed quite a bit from the first record to the newest one. It started as something very raw and brutal to something more melodic and accessible. Was this a conscious effort?

Jeanne: It was just a natural progression for the band. We didn’t sit there and say, “Alright, this song we are writing with all clean vocals and these melodies”, it was whatever felt right for that song or that particular part. And that’s the way we have been going about things for the last two records, at least since I have been part of the band.

Sean: And with those last two records since you have joined the band have you felt like you have found “your sound”?

Jeanne: We are very happy with how this last record (Overcome) came out in that we reached the goal of the band; it sounded what we wanted it to sound like. So for any one to say this record is more “mainstream” or whatever word you want to use as a band we are really thrilled with the finished product. I think that’s what matters to us.

Sean: and as a band I guess staying true to what you want to do is what really matter at the end of the day is what is most important.

Jeanne: Exactly. And even when doing that we made it onto rock radio without even having to do a cover song (laughs)

Sean: Is this tour just one big group of friends?

Jeanne: It’s a big awesome dysfunctional family. We have been friends a few bands like God Forbid and Killswitch Engage for a long time. This metal world becomes so small, we all seemed to have toured or worked with each other before. It was really cool the first day of the tour to see all of these familiar faces that have accepted you into this big group of friends.

Sean: How is it being surrounded by all of these, well, dudes? (Laughs)

Jeanne: Sometimes I think I’m a little out of the loop with all of the gay jokes that are tossed around. There is a lot of “bro-mance” as we call it, there is a lot of high fives and guys slapping each others butts. I’m not quite sure what that’s all about! (Laughs) But other than that it’s totally cool.

All that Remains bravely went on later that afternoon with the mid-day sun beating at there face’s and played on of the best sounding, most intense sets of the whole day. The crowd response was fantastic to the new songs as they also played some of their old favorites. Be sure to check them this summer on the Mayhem tour and later this fall as they embark on yet another long stretch on the road in support of their new album, Overcome.

For more info on All That Remains please visit their Myspace www.myspace.com/allthatremains

Click here to purchase the new album Overcome!

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The show started with Las Vegas’s Hemlock, and progressed throughout the day with stellar performances from bands like God Forbid, The Black Dahlia Murder, Behemoth, Trivium, and All that Remains just to name few. And unlike other summer festivals, the bands were staggered in such a way that, for the most part, you didn’t have to sacrifice seeing one band for another one. You definitely got your moneys worth.

The main stage kicked off a little after 6:30pm, with Bullet For My Valentine tearing into the teeming masses, followed by Killswitch Engage. At this point every man, women, and child that was attending the event switched from a showdown with the brutal summer heat to bracing themselves against a quite formidable summer dust storm. But everyone I talked to during this battery of nature claimed that it was brought on by the pure metal power of Slayers arrival and was not a coincidence. And despite this reviewer’s skepticism of all things supernatural, I agree.

Slayer stepped on stage opening with the big guns, hammering into “Disciple”, with legions of loyal metal heads joining them for the chorus of “God hates us all, God hates us all.” And with temperatures that day reaching 117 degrees, it’s not hard to imagine why even the most amateur metal fan believed in those words. Slayer marched on playing some of their biggest “hits” (seeing as they have never been anything mainstream it’s hard to call anything they have written a “hit” in the commercial sense) including “Dead Skin Mask” and “Angel of Death” and closed with the song that has made them a dysfunctional household name, “Reign in Blood”.

After a slight thinning in the crowd, the now iconic Marilyn Manson took to the stage, opening with “We’re From America”, and quickly proved that he is a rock force to reckon with despite having probably the most widely listened to music of anyone else on the tour.  And once he got your attention, you couldn’t take your eyes off of him. Looking complete with a line up including long time collaborator and band mate Jeordie White ( some of you may still know him as Twiggy Ramirez) and newcomer and AZ hometown hero Andy Gerold, the band flowed into song after song, playing favorites such as “Disposable Teens”, “Tourniquet”, and “Sweet Dreams (are made of these)”. Manson wrapped up his captivating performance with the thunderous “Beautiful People”, and then left the stage with flair.

The Mayhem Festival may be aptly named for the music, but not necessarily for the event itself. What I saw was a well oiled, organized event for heavy music that was created with the rowdiest fans in rock and roll today in mind. There was plenty to see, plenty of room, and plenty of good old fashioned American evil to be had. The usual arm and a leg was needed to enjoy the smallest necessities of food and water, but with a band like Cannibal Corpse in the background growling through songs such as “Hammer Smashed Face” self mutilation was not only plausible, it was almost welcomed. The overall atmosphere was surprisingly positive, and I didn’t seem much in the way of conflicts between fans and event staff. And despite the expected suffering that comes from the Arizona Summer sun, it was a very good time. And after all, suffering is, well METAL.

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