The wait is almost over! The most fun tour outdoors for the best price this summer on US soil is without a doubt the annual Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. Ghost Cult will be on hand at the kickoff date, this Saturday in San Bernadino, CA. A total of 19 bands will play across 4 stages for the next six weeks, bringing some much needed metal to big cities as well as some places that sometimes don’t get very many shows at all the rest of the year. You may not always like all of the bands playing every year (2012, 2013, and 2009 standout as the best in our collective memory), but they definitely put on a big show that makes people fill the seats, with a little something for everyone year after year.
The main-stage this year is co-headlined by Avenged Sevenfold, who along with Metallica, Tool, Rob Zombie, and Slipknot are one of the the few commercially successful bands from the metal and rock world, who not only pack venues; but put on a tremendous live show. Even if you don’t count yourself as a fan of A7X (as their rabid army of fans refer to them) they always produce a spectacle live. The other main stage heavyweight is Korn. Twenty-plus years into their career Korn has returned to form with their last album The Paradigm Shift (Prospect Park/Universal). The album which features the return of co-founder Brian “Head” Welch to the band is about to see a deluxe release with bonus tracks and videos.
Metalcore pin updarlings Asking Alexandria is another band on the main stage that you could say are very polarizing to some. People either love them a ton or spend a lot of time making memes in tribute to their rage at them. The band will certain bring their own fans to the show and it will be interesting to see all the little tribes of metalheads vying for supremacy in the pit. Rounding out the main-stage lineup are neo-thrash favorites Trivium who have been on the big stage before at this festival, and are certainly worthy of their spot.
Heading up the Coldcock American Herbal Whiskey stage are the venerable death metal gods Cannibal Corpse. Of course they stick out like a sore thumb on this bill, but believe it, they will bring out the brutal, uncompromising musical wizardry as only they can. When they were in a similar slot in 2009, they crushed big time! Suicide Silence, armed with their new frontman Eddie Hermida (ex-All Shall Perish) are poised to be the breakout band from this tour. They are already riding high with their new album You Can’t Stop Me (Nuclear Blast) dropping the second week of the tour, so expect a deathcore party! Miss May I is also on a roll with their recent chart success and a lot of big tours under their belts. Mushroomhead makes an appearance too and should be more than a curiosity on the side stage with their costumes and effects that usually do well in darkened clubs at night. The rockers in Texas Hippie Coalition and Michigan bruisers in King 810 round out the second stage.
Headbang for the Highway/Sumerian tops the banner on the third stage with possibly the most anticipated band of the festival, Body Count featuring rapper/actor/celebrity Ice-T. On the strength of their new hit album Manslaughter (Sumerian), and a history of hits it should be a fun ride. Darkest Hour is another band that is a can’t fail proposition live. Other Sumerian acts such as Veil of Maya and the tasteless jokers in Upon A Burning Body round out that stage, with the local contest winners leading off in every city. Please come early for these bands, since without your locals, there are no new bands for tomorrow’s festival tours.
Bringing up the rear is the solid Victory Records stage, with Emmure missing the first few dates and then joining up in Auburn, Washington. This weekend, Ill Nino will carry the flag high. This should be a big comeback for these guys who have some solid albums; and their catchy, Latin-themed nu-metal, might inspire some mid-day sing-a-longs. Newer Victory bands like Wretched, Islander and Erimha round out that line-up.
Put on your sun block, stay hydrated and buy your tickets now!
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