Mayhem Festival Delivers A Day Of Metal To Bristow, Virginia

The annual Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival has become the summer camp of metal in its short existence. 2012 marks the event’s five year anniversary and this year’s lineup promises a little bit for everyone. The nearly half-day long event brought a mix of veteran acts as well as quite a few rookies to the Mayhem stage. The blistering sun was beating down upon the sea of black t-shirts all around us. The added humidity was helping to create a sea of b.o. all around us and the day was still young.

The gates opened and the crowd was herded in like cattle. Every band had a merch booth set up as well as Revolver and a few others. There were plenty of options for anyone around to spend their hard earned money on. There were a few freebies for the fans such as a CD sampler from Sumerian Records. Rockstar Energy Drink also had a tent set-up giving away small cans of their drink. The temps were high that day and that tent stayed packed all day long. There’s no telling how many cans were consumed on that day.

A forgettable local band kicked off the day and the second band to hit the stage was I The Breather. Shawn Span and his boys got the crowd all fired up and a dust cloud soon erupted from the moshing in the pit. The band played several songs off of their newest album Truth and Purpose and converted quite a few people into fans with their powerful set.

The smaller Sumerian Records stage featured very intimate, in your face performances from Dirtfedd, Upon a Burning Body and Betraying the Martyrs. These three bands, with emphasis on the last two, definitely put their all into their short, yet power packed sets. Each performance saw the eruption of dust clouds again, which proved to be a great indicator for each band as to how well they were liked by the crowd. Obviously, the bigger cloud meant that more people were moshing.

The Jagermeister stage never slowed up a bit as the day progressed. Whitechapel  were next up to perform and were followed by The Devil Wears Prada and As I Lay Dying, who were alternating with Asking Alexandria as to who would open the main stage and being on the Jager stage before Anthrax. The godfathers of thrash and one fourth of the Big 4, Anthrax, chose to close the Jager stage everyday instead of playing the main stage. They were performing their bare bones, guerilla set which featured song after song, in your face, minimal talking, attack mode. Their set list ran the gauntlet and included songs that were recorded before a lot of the people up front in the pit were even born. “Anti-social”, “Caught in a Mosh” and “Fight ‘Em Til You Can’t” got great reactions from the massive crowd that formed to watch these icons of thrash.

The main stage began with Asking Alexandria, who had been alternating with As I Lay Dying for rights to open the big stage. Their set included “Closure”, “Morte et Diablo” and “A Lesson Never Learned” which seem to go over really well with the crowd. The main stage area slowly began to fill as they played as the smaller stages had finished their day and people began to filter over to the bigger stage.

The legendary Motorhead and their front man Lemmy soon took the stage. They were loud and kept the banter to a minimum as they blasted song after song from their extensive catalog. Lemmy did attempt to converse with the crowd between a few of the songs, but it was kept to a sentence or two and then on to another song. There wasn’t a lot to their stage presence, as their focal seemed to be purely on the music.

Another one fourth of the Big 4 was up next as Kerry King and Slayer took the stage to a huge roar of approval from the crowd.  As far as volume goes, I thought Motorhead was supposed to be loud! These guys took the volume knob that Motohead had turned up, cranked it up ALL the way and then ripped it off! They were dark, heavy, powerful and had a no BS approach to their show. There was almost no banter between songs as they unleashed on song after another. Kerry King is a menacing force to watch perform on the stage live. He aggressively slays that guitar as if there is a personal grudge between him and the instrument.

That left only one band to play and I can say with confidence that it was the band that almost the entire venue couldn’t wait to see perform. Slipknot was back and prepared to claim the stage that had made them somewhat legendary. This was, of course, the first US tour that band has taken on since the death of their bassist Paul Gray in 2010. The band took the stage and showed why their legions of fans are so dedicated to them. 

A Slipknot show is a sight to see as the nine members come together to form a nine headed masked beast of fury and pyro. They unleashed such classic s as “Duality” and “Psychosocial” with intensity and unbridled passion. It was truly a sight to see as lead singer Corey Taylor displayed the power that he has power that he has over the crowd at a Slipknot show. When he told the crowd to get down and jump when he counted to three, I looked around the crowded arena and could only see a scattered handful of people standing. That, my friend, is power and a pretty dynamic display for a front man of any band. Their set also included tons of pyro and even snow.

Of course, with each year’s announcement of the lineup for Mayhem, you hear the usual whining of people about how weak it is and that it’s not what it used to be. Yes, this year did see Sumerian Records having their own stage for the first time and they brought along several very hungry bands from their roster who all played great sets. There was also one half of the Big 4 with Anthrax and Slayer being there as well as the legendary Motorhead. Top it all off with the first US tour since 2010 by Slipknot as they set out to reclaim their elite status in the metal world. I think this year’s Mayhem had a great mix for everyone and 2013’s lineup will prove to be big shoes to fill in keeping up the great tradition of metal’s biggest touring summer package.

I The Breather Look Ahead To A Summer Of Metal

I The Breather came out of the gates with all guns a blazing back in 2010. Their debut album These Are My Sins blew away critics and audiences alike. The band sounded more like seasoned veterans than a band putting out its debut album. That can put a lot of pressure on a young band when it comes time to work on the follow-up album. That sophomore album came out recently and we caught up with drummer Morgan Wright to discuss the release as well as the zombie apocalypse and the fact that the band has no Wikipedia page.

Music Is My Drug Of Choice: Hey Morgan, how’s it going man? So, is this a day off for you?

I The Breather: Hey man, things are going great. We got home on March 3 after our tour with August Burns Red wrapped up. I’m just at home today trying to occupy my time. It’s great seeing family and friends and everybody, but it does get a little boring sometimes. I tend to do a lot of drum practicing when that happens!

Let’s dive right in and talk about your awesome new album Truth and Purpose. What’s the initial feedback that you are hearing from everyone about it?

I tell you what, it’s been really great. We just got the first weeks numbers and they were awesome. We debuted at number 179 on the Billboard Top 200 and at number 11on the Billboard New Artist Chart. The fans have been awesome and the feedback on our Face Book page has been overwhelming. We’re pumped about it all and so is our label. There was a lot of hype around the album going into release week and we weren’t sure what to expect. It’s just a really good feeling for everyone to be so receptive to what you’re doing.

You worked with two producers on this album in Paul Leavitt and Taylor Larson. What’s the story behind that?

Well, when we started talking about who we wanted to produce the album, we all knew that we wanted to work with Taylor, but he wasn’t sure if he would be free. There were some time conflicts to work around. So, we decided to book Paul instead. We would work with Paul in Baltimore, which means we could record closer to our own home and we liked that. Well, then we found out that Taylor was going to have some free time on his hands and we couldn’t turn him down. It was really awesome to work with both of them because I think they both influenced us structurally and in our sound. That’s a good sign for longevity and we definitely plan on being around a long time.

Can you tell us how the song “Mentalist” with Micah Kinard from Oh, Sleeper came about? By the way, I have to say that is one killer song!

Thanks man! You know, I actually filled in on drums for Oh, Sleeper when they were touring a while back and became really good friends with all of them. I wrote the song lyrically and I knew I wanted to add a guest vocal on it. We were on tour with After The Burial and we were going to be making a stop in Texas. I called Micah up and we lined up the time to do it and we layed it down. It’s definitely one of my favorite tracks on the album. I also think that their voices, Micah’s and Shawn’s really complement each other.

I would have to agree with you on that point. They are similar in style, but yet unique at the same time. Speaking of favorite tracks on the album, you may have just accidentally answered my next question. I wanted to ask if there was any one song on the album that you were exceptionally proud of?

Yeah, I’m proud of that one, but track 5 (“Meaning”) on the album also means a lot to me. I like it when I listen to a song and it makes me feel something, any kind of emotion whether it’s happy, sad or anger. It never fails, every time that I listen to this track, I can feel the anger in Shawn’s voice. When he screams ‘you call yourself a man of God, but can you defend it’, it just really hits home for me. It’s all about calling people out.

There’s such a big difference between this album and your debut album, even on the very first listen. Can you compare and contrast the two?

I’m very proud of These Are My Sins, but I think it’s one dimensional. I mean, we were together for about a year when we made that one and we were really young. On Truth and Purpose, we’re a lot more mature. It captures elements from Sins, but it also adds a lot more to it. I think this CD really has a lot more to offer and we’re all so very proud of it.

So, we just read the news release about the Sumerian Stage being added to this year’s Mayhem Festival and you guys were be performing. How awesome is that?

Dude, we were completely blown away when they told us. I mean, we were speechless and thought they were joking with us! This is going to be huge! We are on the entire tour and we couldn’t be more excited. I mean, you have all the heavy hitters in the metal genre, Slipknot and Motorhead and so many other amazing bands. This will definitely be the biggest tour we have done here in the states. The August Burns Red tour was big, this one is way bigger.

That’s an awesome opportunity for you guys this summer. What a great chance to expose so many people to your music who may not already know you. I think it’s awesome and much deserved for you guys. So, what are you guys up to until Mayhem starts?

We’re home for about a month and then we leave on April 4 for the Sumerian Records Tour. It’s a tour that will focus on some smaller markets and the underground scene. Sumerian has a great name in the metal core genre and we’re looking forward to doing this tour. We’re also hoping to add some revenue to our CD sales while out on the road.

Ok, now it’s time for the really tough questions. I hope you’re ready.

(Laughs) Ok, let’s go. What do you have?

First off, you guys are a bit of a mystery because there’s not a lot of info on the band on the internet. You guys are like ninja rockers.

(Laughs)You’re right, there’s not a lot out there. I mean, we don’t even have our own Wikipedia page yet! I mean, everyone has a Wikipedia page.

Maybe we can talk to George (Vallee) at your label and see what he can do about that for you guys. Ok, now back to the hard questions for the fans. Do you have any pre-show rituals that you do before going out on stage?

I actually do! I stretch for about ten minutes, then I take two aspirin and chug a bottle of water. Then, my blood is flowing and I am really pumped. I say a little prayer by myself and then we say one as a band. Then we crank some Set Your Goals, which is a punk band, to get everyone fired up.

Do you have any guilty pleasures that may surprise even your most hardcore fans?

(Laughs) I love cheesy pop songs and Disney soundtracks! I usually get stuck driving our van while we’re out on tour and I love cranking Katy Perry or Hanson. I also love The Lion King soundtrack because it helps me to escape from all the metal that we hear each and every night.

That’s awesome! There’s nothing like pulling up to a stop light with “Hakuna Matada” blasting from the speakers!

I know, right?

The Zombie Apocalypse is tonight. What three things are on your survival checklist?

This is great because my best friend and I are always talking about this. We decided that we would bunker down in Wal-Mart because they have everything that you could need! They have guns and ammo, food and anything else you could need. That would be our home base! If I had to pick three things, I would say my cell phone, a toothbrush and clean underwear.

Wal-Mart as command central; that’s awesome! You never see that in the movies, do you? Well Morgan, I guess it’s time to wrap this up. It’s been a blast talking with you and I am sure we will run into you at Mayhem this summer. Is there anything that you want to say to wrap this interview up?

Thanks man, it’s definitely been fun! I do want to tell all of our fans to come out next month and see us on the Sumerian Tour that runs from April 5th through the 25th. Come over to our merch table and say hi because we would love to meet all of you. After that, we hope to see all of you on the Mayhem tour this summer!

In This Moment Are Home At Mayhem

In the movie "Almost Famous", Creem magazine Editor Lester Banks tells aspiring fifteen year old writer William Miller that whatever he does, do not become friends with the band. Writers and reviewers are seen as the enemy. That advice ran through my head the night before I was to interview In This Moment. You see, I became friends over the last few years because, well to be honest, I was totally captivated by them. I had never experienced anything like them live before. I have seen them numerous times since my first show with them on OZZFEST in 2007 and we have become friends.

I went to their show in Charlotte,NC on August 1 where they played with Norma Jean and Chimaira. It was an off date from their successful Rockstar Mayhem Festival this summer. In This Moment played first and proved why they are stealing shows on the secondary stage at Mayhem on a daily basis. Their set that night was a very tight eight song set focusing heavily on their new CD "A Star-Crossed Wasteland". The band opened with "Just Drive" and proceeded to rip through tracks like a buzz saw through fresh lumber. "Daddy's Falling Angel", from their first CD, closed the show with more intensity than most bands combine into their entire set.

After a meet and greet with the fans at the merchandise booth, I was escorted back to their bus for the interview. The band is sharing a bus with Norma Jean, so it was a bit crowded and chaotic. So, Chris (Howorth, lead guitarist) led me to the back of the bus to Maria's quarters where we were to conduct the interview sitting on her bed. Yes, you read that right! I conducted my interview while sitting on the bed with Chris, Maria and her dog Twinkles. Don't be hatin' people!!

JP: "Hey guys! Well, it's been a while since we last talked and alot has happened in your career. Can you tell me a little about being on this year's Mayhem tour and how it's been going?

Chris: "Mayhem has been amazing, right from the start! This is the kind of tour we belong on. We know all the bands and are friends with everyone, so it has been great. Last year's Warped Tour was fun, but we didn't get to meet as many bands and weren't friends with as many like we are at Mayhem. The crowds have been absolutely insane!

JP: "So tell me, what was your initial reaction when you heard the first week's sales of the new CD. According to Billboard Magazine, it sold 10,500 copies the first week and debuted at number forty!"

Maria: "We were really, really excited about it. He was more stressed about it than me."

Chris: "I had been thinking about it like 2 weeks before the news came out. We were getting reports from the label of how many copies different outlets had sold. Nowadays the trend is to sell half of what you did last time. We knew we were growing and we were really shooting for 10,000. So, we were really stoked when we heard."

JP: "You worked with producer Kevin Churko again. What type of working relationship do you have with him now? Does he challenge you to think outside the box?"

Maria: "We love him and we're like family with him, yet at the same time he will tell us if something is good, yet not quite good enough. So, I think we have a great relationship with him."

JP: "The Promise" has generated alot of buzz amongst the fans. I had heard that the song was originally suppose to be with Ivan from Five Finger Death Punch. Can you fill me in on it?"

Maria: "Yea, we have been wanting to do something with Ivan for a while now. He was originally our choice to sing this duet with me. Adrian Patrick was the fill-in for Ivan to show him how the track was suppose to go. So, we layed down a rough track for Ivan and sent it to him and he loved it."

Chris: "Literally, the day before we were suppose to record with Ivan, the record company stepped in and for whatever reason, it didn't happen."

Maria: "So, instead of going out and looking for a big name person to step in, we decided to go ahead with Adrian. He totally shocked all of us with his voice and it is so rich and alluring. It's also kind of cool that nobody really knows who he is either."

JP: "The marketing of the new CD, with the utilization of Facebook and all the different exclusives that the outlets had for it, who was involved with all of that?"

Chris: "The plan was that we wanted to make it different than the last time because of the timing of the CD and how we were growing. So, we wanted to do something special for the fans and give them alot of options. The exclusives and the preorders were the record company's decision. Some fans actually bought multiple copies because of what they wanted."

JP: "I'm guilty as charged! I have to admit that I bought copies for my kids as well as getting multiple copies for myself!"

Chris: "Well, you are a part of that 10,500 so thanks for supporting us."

JP: "OK, I have to ask about your mic stand. What is going on with that?"

Maria: "I wanted a unique stand and I collect antique dolls and such. So, it was literally the night before the first Mayhem show and I said to myself that I gotta do this. So, Chris and I sat in his bedroom and he helped me hack it all together and sew it all up. He kind of surprised me because he was really passionate about it and he's usually not an artsy fartsy type of person."

Chris: "She kept on badgering me about it and I knew that I wasn't going to get any peace until it was done."

JP: "Back to last year's Warped tour, looking back on it, what can you draw from doing that type of tour?"

Maria: "To me, the positive would be all of the teenage girls who come up to us and say that they saw us there last year. We do any tour with a positive attitude and take out of it anything positive if we can."

Chris: "Also, it helped us by introducing us to Kevin Lyman who does Mayhem as well."

JP: "So, what's ahead after Mayhem for you guys?"

Maria: "We are going to a few select dates headlining and then we will take about a month off and the go back on the road. The CD is still very new so we plan on touring our butts off here and internationally, but nothing is confirmed yet."

JP: "So, if you guys weren't in a band, what would you be doing right now?"

Maria: "I would be in a circus or an actress. I would need an artistic outlet."

Chris: "If I wasn't doing this, then I would be trying to do this."

JP: "Or possibly designing mic stands?"

Maria: "Yea, but we would still need to hear the roar of the crowd."

JP: "Your fan base continues to grow and grow. You have such an amazing one on one connection with so many fans. Are you worried that connection may be lost as you grow bigger?"

Maria: "I'm not really worried about losing it. We will just have to try harder. I mean look at Korn, as big as they are a t the top of their game and they manage to do signings."

Chris: "We will continue to but just as long as it's safe. Not as much for us guys as it is for Maria. You can't help it, there are alot of strange people out there and we don't want to put her at risk. I mean, we can't go to the soundboard after or before e show as easily anymore and just hangout. Even when Korn does it, it's very controlled and organized. Yet, no matter how big we do get there will always be those fans and friends who have been there since the beginning that we will have that special bond with....no matter what."

JP: "The next single is 'The Promise'. I know you have already shot the video. When will both be released and is there talk of a third single yet?"

Maria: "The single comes out in September and the video will follow. As far as a third one, it depends on how well 'The Promise' does. If it blows up, then we will look at what is possibly the next single."

Chris: "Yea, the record company will pick one and we will pick one and then we will fight it out."

At this point, I thought our interview was complete. I was in for quite a surprise!

Maria: "Do you want a special little treat?"

JP: "Now how can I say no to you?"

Maria: "Do you want to see the rough, rough version of the video for 'The Promise'?"

JP: "Are you serious?"

Chris: "Yea, nobody outside of the band has seen this. Not even our families, you will be the first."

At that point, they turned on the tv and DVD player and I watched the rough cut of the video. Now, Maria swore me to secrecy. She does this all the time! Last year on tour, she told us that they were on the Mayhem 2010 Tour and that I couldn't say a word yet because it wasn't public knowledge yet. I watched the video, probably not knowing that my jaw was hanging wide open. I remember that when the screen faded to black that I looked at Maria and said, "Wow, that was hot!" and she started giggling. Now, I cannot talk about the storyline at all, but I can tell all the fans that it is a very sexy and hot video that uses the art of sexuality in such subtle ways that it makes the video smolder. Oh yea, the ending, if left the same, is very hot too.

So, the interview was over and we left the bus and got pictures and autographs. My shirt smelt like Maria's perfume for a few days and I didn't want to wash it. It was a great night at Amos' and one that I will not forget. I will always have that memory of interviewing Revolver's Hottest Chick In Metal Maria Brink while sitting on her bed in the back of their tour bus. Oh yea, Chris was there too.