THE METAL FOR CANCER DRAGON SLAYER ALL STAR PROJECT

Announcing the release of the new digital single ‘Lets Unite in Rock’ featuring an all star cast exclusively written and produced by Henrik Flyman to raise funds for cancer research.

Available exclusively now from www.metalforcancer.com

Cancer is a disease that touches every people from all walks of life and the heavy metal community is no exception with many Hard Rock and Heavy Metal legends having lost their battle to this devastating disease and affecting all those around them.

The song starts of with a riff which pays hommage to the late Ronnie James Dio and lyrically uses typical heavy metal imagery describing the heavy metal community uniting to defeat cancer which in the song is portrayed as the beast. Read more

Scott Ian of Anthrax

by Cameron Edney
Guest Staff Writer –

In the Pit with Anthrax’s Scott Ian

With thirty years of thrashing under his belt Anthrax’s Scott Ian knows how to deliver a mind-blowing album and it don’t get much better than the long-awaited Worship Music but it’s surely taken some time to get to this point! Having spent the best part of the last eight years on the road without releasing any new studio material Anthrax have had a roller coaster ride of ups and downs which seen the band change vocalist not once but twice before being rejoined by longtime vocalist Joey Belladonna. With Belladonna back fronting the band, New York’s favorite Thrashers hit the road as part of one of the most successful Thrash tours of all-time playing alongside Megadeth, Slayer and Metallica in what was dubbed ‘The Big 4’.

Anthrax also spent a lot of time working on the follow up to 2003’s masterpiece We’ve come for you All writing and re-writing tracks for more than four years before settling on an astonishing list of tracks which finally became Worship Music. Worship Music is now on the shelves and fans have praised the bands efforts with mostly positive reviews. Their latest album is a return to the bands Thrash sound from the eighties and features phenomenal tracks like ‘In the End,’ ‘Earth on Hell’ and ‘Revolution Screams’.

I had the pleasure of speaking with the coolest mosher of all-time Scott Ian about the band’s latest album, the possibility of touring Australia next year and getting advice from Iron Maiden. Here’s what Scott had to say!

Hardrock Haven: On finally releasing the long awaited Worship Music’…

Scott Ian: It’s obviously very satisfying to finally have the record out so we can stop talking about it and we can finally let the record speak for itself.

Hardrock Haven: What inspired the writing process this time around?

Scott Ian: Oh I don’t know… nothing changes in the way that we write, we just get in a room and start writing riffs, start arranging songs and they start coming together and then I start getting lyrical idea’s. That’s the same way that we’ve been doing it since ‘Spreading the Disease’ basically. I don’t know how it works, where the inspiration comes from, how we do it, other than we literally sit in a room and start playing, jamming and it just all comes together.

Hardrock Haven: Thoughts on the response ‘Worship Music’ has been getting from fans and media…

Scott Ian: It’s been amazing; people are hearing the record the same way that we hear it. It’s obviously really satisfying, we feel very strongly about the record and it’s really exciting to know that people are digging the record! I’m just happy that I hear from people that they love the record and that makes me feel good. I hope that people listen to it, because it deserves to be listened to and if people want to enjoy fifty minutes of really fuckin good [Heavy] Metal they should listen to it!

Hardrock Haven: When can we expect to see Anthrax back in Australia and what fond memories do you have from past visits?

Scott Ian: Hopefully the first half of next year sometime, that would be awesome. My favorite memory of touring Australia has nothing to do with Anthrax… when we were here for Soundwave last time, we got to go and see Ac/dc playing at Olympic Stadium in Sydney and that would be my favorite memory of touring Australia.

Hardroch Haven: What band do you feel you’ve learnt the most from whilst on the road?

Scott Ian: The first time that we toured with Iron Maiden back in 1988, I can definitely say that we learnt from them. They never told us anything, but just how well they treated us and the respect they afforded us as their opening band. We always felt like they treated us so well. Obviously we’re huge fans of Iron Maiden and we got to go on tour with them, they were unbelievably nice to us so we felt it was the way we should pattern ourselves as well.

Hardrock Haven: Scott any last words for our readers?

Scott Ian: We look forward to getting back down there and playing again. With the album out it obviously makes us really excited to get back down to play some shows!

Evile | Five Serpent’s Teeth

by John Kindred
Staff Writer –

The U.K. conjures up thrash metal in the guise of Evile, pronounced “eeh-vile,” by the band. Harboring influences from the great thrash metal bands that launched their careers during the ‘80s, such as Metallica; Sepultura; Exodus; Annihilator; and Slayer, Evile carry on in the tradition of the greats. Beginning their career as a Metallica cover band, known then as Metal Milita in Heddersfield, WestYorkshire, Evile released their first album of original music, Enter the Grave, under their new moniker in ’07. The band then followed up their debut album with the sophomore release of Infected Nations in ’09.

Their third release, Five Serpent’s Teeth, is amped up with 10 furious tracks of thrash metal mayhem. Highlighted by hard-hitting percussion, the slamming low end rumble of the bass, blistering leads, chunky rhythm guitars and gritty vocals, Evile finds the apple not falling far from the tree. The band is a tight, cohesive unit that flows flawlessly through Five Serpent’s Teeth.

Five Serpent’s Teeth 10 songs clock in at almost an hour of music. Quite refreshing as many of today’s studio releases don’t top the tank off, leaving listeners with much less music for their hard-earned dollars. Again, the band’s influences clearly are evident. The vocals by Drake, while mired in grittiness, are quite audible. It’s refreshing to be able to instantly understand the vocalist, making the music easier to sing along with if you so choose. Plenty of chugging guitar rhythms are blessed with some splendid guitar solos. The guitar solos run the gambit from melodic and fluid harmonized solos to all-out blistering leads.

From a rhythmic stand point, the music has an instant head-bobbing groove to it. The music is not insulting or overly aggressive, which might drive away the music fan who is not indoctrinated in the genre of thrash metal. Brothers Matt and Ol Drake provide the listener with spot-on, heavy-handed rhythmic crunch from the guitars. Drummer Ben Carter levels plenty of double bass at the listener. Graham bass pummels the auditory spectrum, holding down the groove with the drums while hammering while remaining united the with notes of the songs’ arrangements. Overall, Evile provides a spirited romp through the thrash metal world. The music is engaging and holds your attention with pulsating grooves that fuel the musical arrangements. You won’t be hard pressed to pick a favorite track as there are no filler tracks.

Die-hard thrash metal fans, who have lived and breathed the genre from its inception, only will fault Evile for not bringing anything new to the fold. But they won’t diss the band for lack of skills or not being able to play the their music. Evile provide head-banging music for mosh pits everywhere in the vein of the greats. In fact, these Brits do the genre justice by continuing to keep the music alive. New fans will love the band and clamor to hear the bands that influenced Evile. Die-hard thrash metal fans will give the band a nod of respect.

Genre: Thrash Metal

Band:
Matt Drake – Lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Ol Drake – Lead guitar
Joel Graham – Bass guitar
Ben Carter – Drums

Track Listing:
01. Five Serpent’s Teeth
02. In Dreams of Terror
03. Cult
04. Eternal Empire
05. Xaraya
06. Origin of Oblivion
07. Centurion
08. In Memoriam
09. Descent Into Madness
10. Long Live New Flesh

Find Evile on the web:
http://www.evile.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/evileuk
http://www.twitter.com/evileuk
http://www.atmoapparel.co.uk/bands/evile/

Label: Earache Records

Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10

Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer & Anthrax : The Big 4 or The Big Fail?

by Cynthia Gomez
Staff Writer

Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer & Anthrax : The Big 4 or The Big Fail?

Metalhead’s would do anything to see the biggest of thrash/metal bands play the same stage– pay $116 for the ticket, drive a total of 6 hours when gas prices average $4.15 a gallon, walk roughly 2 miles to the venues entrance, and even after all that spend half an hour searching for a parked car in a lot with other 500 cars with no lighting hoping it wasn’t stolen.

Yes, in order to see Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax make history– that’s what about 50,000 people had to go through Saturday in Indio, CA. For those highly devoted to the metal masses, going through all that seems pretty feasible, but for those who had to work that day or simply have a life, one question came to mind after the show, was it worth it?

Because of the 3-hour drive one had to take to get to the venue that a week prior hosted a copious amount of indie hipsters for the Coachella Festival missing Anthrax who went on roughly at 4 in the afternoon was at first the biggest discontent of the evening. Why was Anthrax first missed? Read more

Kerry King of Slayer

by Cameron Edney
Guest Staff Writer

For thirty years one band has reigned supreme in the Thrash Metal genre, and that band is SLAYER! When other Thrash bands trekked into unknown waters musically Slayer stayed true to the musical genre they helped create! Few bands in the history of Metal have made such an impact or had as much controversy surrounding their album covers and lyrical content, but that hasn’t stopped Slayer from becoming one of the biggest and most influential bands in the world.

Despite the negative publicity that’s surrounded the band’s astonishing thirty year career, Slayer continues to play sold-out shows to one of the most loyal fan bases known in music history. The band made headlines last year when an announcement took the metal world by storm stating that Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax would all share one stage for the very first time in history. The sold-out “Big 4” festival shows across Europe resulted into a live DVD which has gone platinum twice over in Australia and peaked at number one on both the U.K. album and American Billboard charts, it’s also led to the announcement of more Big 4 shows scheduled in the U.K and United States later this year. Time will only tell if we will get these shows in Australia, but I certainly hope to hell that we do!

Before Slayer embark on the next leg of Big 4 shows they will be returning to Australia this month to take part in the Soundwave Festivals alongside metal giants Iron Maiden, Saxon, Rob Zombie and Slash. I had the pleasure of catching up with legendary guitarist Kerry King to discuss the bands return to Australia, his love for Australian wildlife, the Big 4 shows and Slayers future plans. Kick back as we head ‘South of Heaven’ with the one and only Kerry Fuckin King!

HRH: Hey Kerry, it’s fantastic to be speaking with you today, congratulations are certainly in order. You have once again been nominated for a Grammy Award, You must be pleased to be in the running once again?

Kerry King: It’s becoming old news [laughs]. When it’s all said and done, I might be, but I’m not a big believer in the “metal section” of what the Grammys are about. I think it’s an afterthought and it’s a little bit retarded.

HRH: Slayer has been together for thirty years now and has been nominated, and won many awards during that time. Do you get caught up in that side of the industry, the chart success, award ceremonies etc or would you much rather try and avoid that side of the industry and focus more on the music?

Kerry King: Yeah I’d say that, this is just a part of our business that happens to come around to thinking that we’re good enough to vote for as far as Grammys go; but that’s not why we make our records!

HRH: As a long-time Slayer fan it’s fantastic to see you returning to Australia this month for the Soundwave Festivals! You must be pleased to be returning so quick after your last tour?

Kerry King: I’m totally happy man. I wish with every album we could do Australia twice. It’s a place I truly enjoy going, the wildlife is so unique there, it’s awesome. I think we’re only doing the festivals, we already played Australia, I think we’re playing most of the cities that we played on our own tour.

HRH: As everyone knows you’re billed alongside Devildriver, Iron Maiden, Saxon and Rob Zombie to name a few! How did you become involved with the festival, was it just as easy as a phone call or was there more to it?

Kerry King: That’s a part that I really don’t deal with so I don’t really have an answer for ya! It goes through our manager and whoever is putting the festival together, then if we can logistically make it. There wasn’t so much politics this time but just getting everybody in line to where it could happen.

HRH: You’re certainly no stranger to touring Australia; having seen you a number of times I’ve always walked away blown away by your performances. The shows aside what do love about touring Australia?

Kerry King: I’m a snake breeder and I specialize in Australian pythons so that’s extra special for me. I think it’s a gorgeous country and I think the people there are cool, and I’m not just saying that because I’m talking to you, I truly believe that. I love going down there!

HRH: Let’s talk about the Aussie Slayer fans… you’ve played all over the world, how do our fans shape up when compared to the crowds in Europe and the States?

Kerry King: I think in any major city people are chaotic and crazy! I remember when we did Perth for the very first time; my wife was with us for that tour. I can’t see everything from the stage and she was telling me that one of the guys in the crowd had dreadlocks and lit his hair on fire and was hanging from the ceiling, that’s pretty crazy, I think Australia holds their own!

HRH: The last Australian tour was alongside Megadeth and Sydney fans were treated to a very special one off ‘Reign in Blood’ show. What fond memories do you have from your last visit?

Kerry King: Actually, I have a bad one cause Tom’s voice went and we had to cancel a show. Hopefully we’ll be playing close enough to where people that wanted to see us last time will get the opportunity to see us. Cancelling shows… it sucks but he couldn’t have performed anyway, it would have been a lousy show. It’s one of those horrible things that happen once in a while.

HRH: Kerry, last year’s Big Four shows were amazing and it’s opened the gates for more shows this year, including headlining the U.K. Knebworth Festival. With all the success that’s surrounded the tour and now these new shows, do you see any plans for the Big Four to travel the world, playing shows in the States and of course here in Australia?

Kerry King: I think they’re just doing gigantic ones right now, the U.K. Knebworth Sonisphere show will have 100,000 people there I think that’s all they’re looking to do right now. I don’t want to say that it’s being tested, but they’re just doing a big one here and there. I’m hoping myself that it becomes a tour and gears up to tour the world for six months… that would be great!

HRH: Mate, over the years you’ve had the pleasure of sharing the stage with many amazing artists, whilst on the road who’s given you the best advice and what was it…

Kerry King: I don’t know… people are usually scared of me [laughs]. I really don’t think any of my idols really gave me advice cause when I met them I’d already been touring for ten years. The thing for me was getting over my fan hang-up for some of my heroes, like the [Judas] Priest guys and [Black] Sabbath. Tony Iommi was the last one I finally got over the hump; he’s the nicest dude ever but it’s fuckin Tony Iommi what am I going to say to him? I think advice was just hands on for me. Every year you find out something you didn’t know and you incorporate that into how you live on the road.

HRH: Thirty years on it’s obvious that when you hit the road you sometimes have to leave loved ones behind. That aside what do you love and hate most about touring these days?

Kerry King: Playing is the best… the worst by far is travel. It doesn’t matter if your first class or if you charter your own plane, we’ve done everything and sometimes you’re put into situations where if you didn’t have a charted plane you didn’t make it to the next show. It doesn’t matter how coached you are it just wears you out.

HRH: Kerry, I wanted to talk to you a little about recording and studio life… it’s been a little over a year now since ‘World Painted Blood’ was released and still fans are raving about the album, looking back over the process is there anything you would have changed?

Kerry King: No, I think that record came out great!

HRH: Since the album’s release there’s been a lot of speculation that this could be the last Slayer album we hear, from misquoted interviews we heard these could be Slayer’s last shows…Do you see the band returning to the studio anytime soon to make another album?

Kerry King: I’m in the middle of about four months off and I recently got a couple of new guitars, so that always inspires me to pick up and do something. We haven’t talked about it but everyone’s into doing another one… it seems like it! I want to make some use of my time off and make up something hopefully for a Slayer record. Slayer’s record contract is up so we either re-sign with American or look for someone else.

HRH: With so many years of writing and recording under your belt, as time goes on, does it become more difficult or easier to put yourself into that mind-set for writing for a new album?

Kerry King: I think the mindsets easy but I also think it’s difficult, cause since the last time you’ve had to make up songs, you’ve already made thirteen more. Every time you make up stuff its cool to sound like yourself but you can’t sound like things you’ve done in the past ideally, that’s the difficult part.

HRH: I would imagine having recorded so many albums now that trying to find that fine line could be one hell of a gruelling process!

Kerry King: Yeah, but I think that’s why people are liked. That’s why we like Ac/dc, that’s why people like us. There not the exact same albums, but it sounds like us, it sounds like Ac/dc, that’s why you get a fan base cause. People feel they know what you’re going to put out and know it’s not going to suck!

HRH: Mate Let’s go right back to the beginning for a moment. When every band starts out they hope to have the chart topping albums, the world tours and so on did you ever think that all these years later you would still be going, still selling out all over the world, looking back was that the goal for you?

Kerry King: Looking back… I think you have to be lucky to be in the right place at the right time and once you get that deal you have to continue to be good! When you start out it’s pretty much getting noticed and of course as a kid you’re fearless and you’re invincible and you think you’re gonna make it.

HRH: Kerry, you lead a wonderful lifestyle playing music and seeing the world. Are there days where it all seems surreal to you?

Kerry King: Not so much, but when you put in perspective that ‘Reign In Blood’ is twenty five years old this year you go holy shit, I’ve been doing this a long time!

HRH: One of the things I love about Slayer is that it’s a band that’s really stuck to the roots of the thrash genre. You never really strayed away where some bands have done so over the years. What’s the secret to the bands longevity, these days we’re lucky to see a band stay together for two to three years, why do you think Slayer have outlasted so many other artists?

Kerry King: Well the front three people never changed and I think that’s important. You’ve gotta have a nucleus of people where you never wonder who is going to be onstage as far as a band thing I think that’s important. I don’t mean that as a shot on Megadeth but at the end of the day Megadeth is Dave Mustaine and that’s it. It’s whoever Dave decides to play with on this record. Could you imagine watching Slayer without me, Jeff or Tom? It just couldn’t happen! That’s something to be said there, cause we’re all irreplaceable! The last few years I’ve noticed people in bands are almost interchangeable. I’ve seen some of my friends stay home because their wives were going to have a baby and they’d have somebody replace them when they play live, and I think… how can you fuckin do that?

HRH: Mate just before we wrap it up, Slayer are back in town this month for the Soundwave Festivals, you have more Big Four shows on the way what else is on the cards?

Kerry King: That’s the next thing we do actually, so I get to see all of American football run its way out. I know us and Megadeth are doing Europe before the big four shows, I would imagine we will be playing through til’ the summer.

HRH: Kerry, I want to thank you again for your time today, it’s been a true pleasure. Do you have any last words for our readers?

Kerry King: Not really, I’m fuckin stoked to be comin’ back two times on one record. Hopefully I’ll have some days off and will be able to kick back and enjoy some of that great outback hospitality.

Photos courtesy of Wicked Pix

4th Annual Int’l Day of Slayer 6/6/2010

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SLAYER CELEBRATES YEAR FOUR ON 06/06/2010

This Sunday, June 6, heavy metal fans from around the world will unite to celebrate the fourth International Day of Slayer (IDoS), and demand the official recognition of June 6 as a public holiday. Those who observe the holiday are encouraged to stage “Slay-outs:” “Listen to Slayer at full blast in your car, in your home, at your place of employment, and in any public place you prefer.” Headphones are considered an offense to the movement. Read more

SLAYER, MEGADETH, TESTAMENT ANNOUNCE NEW DATES FOR THE “AMERICAN CARNAGE” NORTH AMERICAN TOUR

Slayer and Megadeth are thrilled to announce the new, confirmed routing for the American Carnage North American Tour, which will commence with the rescheduled Canadian Carnage East dates in Quebec City on Friday, July 23. Slayer will then head to Europe for a run of festival dates, returning to kick off the American Carnage leg in Albany, NY on August 11. Read more

GET READY, UK, SLAYER IS COMING, AND HERE ARE THE DATES

With vocalist/bassist Tom Araya now on the right track to recovery, SLAYER announces the rescheduling of its UK concert trek. The dates will kick off May 26 at the 02 Academy in Leeds, with the band playing seven headline shows, ending with two in London. All tickets for the original shows are valid, and The Haunted will remain as main support on all dates. Read more

Mayhem Festival Live!

August 7, 2009 at the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, NJ

by Steve trager
Staff Writer

Fans of pure metal have found themselves with the newest edition of summer festivals simply called Mayhem Festival. It is similar to one the greatest tours ever to roam across America, which is “Ozzfest.” Mayhem Festival certainly has kept the doors opened to one of the best-known genres in music, which is Heavy Metal. Last year’s initial run with Mayhem was an indication that we can still rock out in the hardest way with some of the greatest bands on three stages for one decent priced ticket.

This year’s Mayhem Festival definitely cranked up the word “Heavy” with a brutal line-up that turned most pits into total chaos during such sets like Cannibal Corpse, Behemoth, Trivium and God Forbid.

The nice feature about Mayhem Festival is that you have three stages, loads of music, and rockstar bling for those who always want to make a fashion statement to the rest of the world. Last year’s festival had a great line-up that could have very well been just a one-time slot of Mayhem. But the response from last year brings us to the second annual Mayhem festival. It featured great sets from well-known artists like veteran thrashers Slayer and the rock shock anti-Christ himself, Marilyn Manson, who closed out the main stage.

For most of us who endure the heavier side of metal, there were bands like Job for A Cowboy, WhiteChapel and Behemoth that can grab your attention once the music kicks in. Everyone likes something different when it comes to music in general. While I might dislike some of the bands that played on the Hot Topic stage, it still was an incredible experience to see a long list of bands that certainly hold the record for mosh mayhem.

Perhaps each set could have been longer for bands like God Forbid, Trivium, All that Remains, and Bullet for My Valentine, which opened the main stage, the fans still get the packing punch we have always come to expect at a metal show.

I still have to give props to Killswitch Engage for their stage attire at a metal show. Even dressed slightly unusual for head bangers delight, front man Howard Jones still has that voice that can go through you like a lighting bolt. I especially enjoyed Dio’s “Holy Diver“ cover, which was filled with anger and great guitar work and the balls-to-the-wall vocals makes that ‘80s classic truly come alive as only Killswitch can do so well live.

Slayer also out did a great show, captivating their finest works as an old-school thrash band that they are. Slayer is a true metal band that has never changed its sound and never has sold out for radio success but has kept a cult following all these years in the true genre of pure metal. Even Manson played a great quick set; however, I am not much of a big fan. Music fans always like something different, and that makes them unique. This is an indication that Mayhem Festival will be around for a long time (we can all hope).

The Great: Bullet for My Valentine, All That Remains, Killswitch Engage, Trivium, God Forbid, and Slayer.

Hot Topic / Extreme Metal Stage:
WhiteChapel
Black Dahlia Murder
Job for A Cowboy
Behemoth
Cannibal Corpse

Jagermeister Music Stage:
Beyond The Star
God Forbid
All That Remains
Trivium

Rockstar Energy Drink Main Stage
Bullet For My Valentine
Killswitch Engage
Slayer
Marilyn Manson

Mayhem Festival 2009 Photo Gallery

Photos by Steve Trager.

Mayhem Festival Live!

August 4, 2009 at the Comcast Center in Mansfield, Mass.

by Deb Rao
Staff Writer

The 2009 Rockstar Energy Drink invaded the Comcast Center in Mansfield, Mass., on Aug. 4. As temperatures soared into the high 80s, fans gathered early in the parking lot to witness the most cutting edge event of the summer. 2009 Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival is a modern day festival designed for today’s music fan with many diverse booths that included merchandise booths and tattoo booths. 2009 Rockstar Energy Mayhem Festival showcased the top talent in the music industry today, and also featured one of the most iconic bands in metal history Slayer.

The Boston 2009 Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival featured three stages: Main Stage, Hot Topic and Jagermeister Stage. What was clearly exciting to witness was the wide age span of fans that gathered for the event. The bill featured a vast array of musical talent and styles, which included on the main stage Marilyn Manson, Slayer, Boston’s Killswitch Engage, and Bullet For My Valentine.

The Hot Topic and Jagermeister stages featured cutting-edge bands that are truly making an impact in music today. One of the first bands I checked out was Behemoth at 3 p.m. Behemoth hit the Hot Topic stage for an energetic 30-minute set and capped their performance with “I Got Erection.”

Behemoth Set List:
Slaves Shall Serve
At The Left Hand Of God
Conquer All
Demigod
Ov Fire And The Void
Chant For Exhaton 2000
I Got Erection

The Boston Mayhem Festival featured a special Boston homegrown ambiance appeal this year with the homecoming of two New England bands that are making an impact in the music industry today, All That Remains and Killswitch Engage. Also while checking out the All That Remains set, I ran into Shadows fall vocalist Brian Fair, who informed us that the new Shadows Fall release Retribution will be out on Sept. 15. ” Shadows Fall will be doing a special signing at the Mayhem Festival at 3 p.m. on Aug. 8 in Hartford, Conn., at the Comcast Theatre. I can’t wait for the release of Retribution. It is aggressive and awesome. After the album is released, we will be setting up some New England dates,” Fair said.

All That Remains is a band that hails from the Springfield, Mass., area. ATR hit the Jagermeister Stage at 4:30 p.m. and performed an exhilarating 30-minute set to a huge crowd of Boston fans that featured three new songs off of their latest release, Overcome including “Chiron,” “Forever In Your Hands,” and “Two Weeks.” Lead singer Phillip Labonte cheered the crowd on, as he yelled,”We are from the area.”

Bassist Jeanne Sagan commented to me,”It is always bittersweet to play Boston and come home. I have been on the road most of the year. It is pretty amazing playing at the Mayhem Festival this year. We are from the Springfield area.

“Killswitch Engage and Shadows Fall are all around the same area also. We just put out a second single ‘Forever In Your Hands’ that is being added to radio now. We are going to shoot a video for it during this tour actually in a few days. On Overcome, we concentrated more on writing songs rather than parts. We kind of put stuff together and took a step back and looked at it and how does this make this song catchy for people so people can grasp onto to rather than a lot of just filler in the song. So that is pretty much how we went about it.”

All That Remains Set List:
This Calling
Chiron
Forever In Your Hands
Six
The Air That I Breathe
Undone
Two Weeks

Killswitch Engage hit the stage at 7:25 p.m. and managed to the get crowd pumped up for Slayer. Singer Adam Dutkiewicz, wearing a Red Sox cap, gave reference to the band’s heritage in Boston through out the entire set and joked as he commented, “Our drummer is a Yankees fan,” and inspired the Yankees chant to begin. Killswitch Engage took the stage amidst a blast of pyrotechnic opening with “My Last Serenade.” The highlight of the set was “Rose Of Sharyn.”

Killswitch Engage Set List:
My Last Serenade
Reckoning
Fixation On The Darkness
Rose Of Sharyn
Starting Over
A Bid Farewell
My Curse
The End Of Heartache

At 8:30 p.m., one of the first bands that put metal on the map, Slayer took the stage in true metallic thunder. Anticipation filled the air, as the crowd waited patiently all day to witness the legendary metal band.

Opening with “Darkness Of Christ” the Slayer set spanned their extensive career and also showcased some of their older classic songs. Slayer will be releasing a new album later this year entitled, World Painted Blood, and they performed a new song off of the upcoming album entitled, “Psychopathy Red,” which re-enforced the old-school metal roots of the band.

Singer Tom Araya belted out the songs with much passion. It was clear to see that Slayer was there to destroy and inflict their powerful fury onto the masses as guitarist Kerry King relentlessly unleashed skull-crushing riffs. Highlights of the Slayer set included “Ghosts Of War” and “South Of Heaven.”

When I asked Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo about the rehearsal preparation of the Mayhem Tour and his thoughts on the challenge of performing live versus recording in the studio and the upcoming release World Painted Blood, drummer Dave Lombardo said to me,” It is only challenging like the first maybe two or three days in rehearsal, where you are shedding all of the cobwebs that you have accumulated probably in six months of not touring. But then we were in the studio but that is not the same.

“So the hardest part is the first couple days of rehearsal. There really is no challenge. World Painted Blood is absolutely amazing. I have never been behind a record as much as I have been for this one. I am very proud of it and very happy. It’s all good. Hope everyone’s goes out and gets it,” Lombardo said.

Slayer Set List:
Darkness Of Christ
Disciple
War Ensemble
Jihad
Psychopathy Red
Born Of Fire
Mandatory Suicide
Chemical Warfare
Ghosts Of War
Dead Skin Mask
Hell Awaits
Angel Of Death
South Of Heaven
Raining Blood

Marilyn Manson capped the evening performance. It was great to see a lot of Marilyn’s fans show up early for the concert. It was a long day for them. I spoke to two young fans who braved the heat and traveled an hour and arrived when the gates opened to see the performer. Marilyn’s set included three new songs off his latest release The High End Of Low, as he opened the set with “We’re From America” and capped his performance with “The Beautiful Creatures.”

Marilyn Manson Set List:
We’re From America
Disposable Teens
Little Horn
Irresponsible Hate Anthem
Four Rusted Horses
Arma-Goddamn-Motherfuckin-Geddon
The Dope Show
Rock Is Dead
Tourniquet
Sweet Dreams
The Beautiful People