SLAYER, MOTORHEAD, ANTHRAX ROCK MAYHEM

Yesterday, I went to Rockstar Energy Drink's Mayhem Festival at the Toyota Pavilion in Scranton (!), PA. It was my first time going to see this particular tour. Mayhem has been going on for five years and I've never really felt the need to check it out, but this year's lineup was too good to pass up: Slayer, Motorhead and Anthrax. It was headlined by Slipknot.

Slayer played right before Slipknot, and it reminded me a little of the first time I saw Slayer, especially since they have not changed much at all in the decades between then and now. The first time I saw them was in 1987 at the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey.  They were on a multi-band bill headlined by W.A.S.P.  Now, W.A.S.P. was cool and had all this theatrical stuff going on, but they couldn't compete with Slayer's intensity. In fact, a lot of people left before W.A.S.P., and many more who stayed just threw stuff at the band.

It's not an exact metaphor: Slipknot was the clear headliner last night, respected and loved by pretty much the entire crowd. But, like W.A.S.P., they had a lot of visual stuff going on, other than the obvious (their costumes and masks). Clown's percussion riser was going up and down, other members were jumping on it, there was lots of pyro, it was a real spectacle.  They look awesome and sound great.  But in my mind, it's really tough to follow up Slayer.  Last time I saw Slayer was with Metallica at the "Summer Sanitarium" tour -- Metallica are good enough to pull it off. I also saw them on the Ozzfest. The Deftones went on after them, and with all due respect, I felt they were out of their league.

I only stayed for the first few songs of Slipknot - Scranton is far away, and due to traffic it took us more than four hours to get there. But from what I saw, they were tight.  There aren't that many songs that stand out to me, but I was impressed.

Slayer knock me out every time.  Their intensity and focus is just amazing. Even with a fill-in guitarist -- Gary Holt from Exodus subbing for Jeff Hanneman while he recovers from a spider bite that almost killed him -- they are just unreal.  Holt and Kerry King are a tight guitar team, Dave Lombardo sets the gold standard for metal drummers and Tom Araya still bellows with the same fury he did two decades ago.  Before Slayer took the stage, an AC/DC mix played over the P.A. which I thought was fitting.  They sound nothing alike, but like AC/DC, Slayer ignore and outlast all trends, never compromise, and never let their fans down.  If I had one request for Slayer, it would be to do their cover of Black Sabbath's "Hand Of Doom." Other than that, there's no way to improve on what they do. And anyway, how can I complain when they did “Disciple,” “War Ensemble,” “Mandatory Suicide,” “Seasons In The Abyss,” “Dead Skin Mask,” “Angel Of Death” and for their encore, “South Of Heaven” and “Raining Blood.”

In my mind, Motorhead were the headliners.  Of course, when they tour on their own, they don't play venues nearly as big as the Toyota Pavilion, but that's a shame. Like the aforementioned almighty AC/DC, they are oblivious to the trends that they will outlive, and they have a formula that works for them. Like The Velvet Underground, they've influenced so many bands, a very disproportionate amount compared to their record sales.  But Lemmy accepts it.  He's like a metal Willie Nelson, always on the road. Sometimes playing big places, sometimes small holes in the wall, if people are going to pay to show up, he'll blow their minds.  I thought their set was a bit too short, I still heard a lot of classics including "Bomber," "Damage Case," "The Chase Is Better Than The Catch," "The One To Sing The Blues," "Killed By Death" and "Ace Of Spades."I would have dug "Orgasmatron," but as Lemmy himself noted, they had no say in their set time. Honestly, I was just glad to see them playing for such a huge crowd.  They could probably have filled the joint with metal and punk bands who wouldn't exist without them.

Anthrax is probably the band on the bill who I have spent the most time listening to. In high school, they were one of my metal favorites, and I listened to them more than Slayer or Motorhead. I haven't seen them in years: since they reunited with former singer Joey Belladonna.  I was skeptical about them allowing Joey back in the band, but as I wrote last year, their reunion album Worship Music is really good, and Joey sounds great, and also contemporary.  He still is an excellent singer, but isn't sounding like he wishes he was in Journey or Kansas. I used to feel like he didn't fit in, I don't feel that way anymore. Whatever crap has gone down between the members, I think they're over it.  I think they appreciate that they get to play metal year after year all over the world, even if it isn't quite on Slayer's level.  Instead of playing on the main stage, Anthrax headlined the second stage, which was a smart choice.  They might have played to some empty seats on the main stage, but on the second stage, mosh pits erupted everywhere the minute they hit the stage to "Caught In A Mosh." It was a great set, but just too short.  They left out "Bring The Noise," which is one of my favorite things they've ever done, but it was probably smart: I don't know that that crowd would have been into hearing a hip-hop classic. I also would have loved to hear something from the John Bush era, like "Only" or "Room For One More," but they didn't have enough time.  I was glad to hear "Fight 'Em 'Til You Can't." That song always feels like Scott Ian's credo: I don't think he's a very technical guitarist, but he makes some of my favorite noises from a guitar. He's like a metal Johnny Ramone. I'm glad they're still fighting.  It was a bummer that his co-founder/co-leader/drummer Charlie Benante wasn't there: he's recovering from a minor hand injury, apparently.  Jason Bittner from Shadows Fall did a great job in his place.

I didn't see any other bands (I caught a bit of Asking Alexandria, which was OK), but I do have to mention one amazing aspect of the festival that doesn't get much press, which is a shame: their "Metal Of Honor" initiative to support our veterans. "Metal Of Honor" goes beyond lip service. (Note: I covered the event for CBS Philly, and the next paragraph is pretty much the same thing I wrote there. All the previous stuff here is a totally different take than what I wrote for CBS).  Besides encouraging fans to text $5 donations to support the troops, a "Metal Of Honor" tent featured a Chamber of Commerce "Hiring Our Heroes" representative to provide attending veterans with information on upcoming Veteran Employment Fairs in the area.  Additionally, all military personnel were allowed early entry to the shows, and they all received a "Metal Of Honor" wristband, along with information on the various charities supporting veteran causes. Concertgoers were encouraged to thank vets wearing the wristbands.  There was also a raffle.  The winner -- Sean May from Operation: Iraqi Freedom -- was honored on the main stage between the Motorhead and Slayer performances. The audience cheered for May as strongly as their did for their favorite bands. He deserved it, too.  My only criticism?  Promote the "Metal Of Honor" more. Not just honoring a guy, but helping our troops when they get home and involving citizens in that effort. Also, they should put the photos of each "Metal Of Honor" recipient on their website, with info about where he or she served, rank, etc.

THE BIG 4: COMING TO THE US?

Last year "The Big 4" of thrash metal - Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax - played their first concert together in Europe.  Of course, metal fans have been hoping that the tour would come to the U.S. Based on this image that was posted on Metallica's website today, it's going to happen.

Coincidentally enough, I watched parts of the Big 4 DVD yesterday.  I wanted to see the documentary about how members of the different bands got together to play Diamondhead's "Am I Evil?" during Metallica's set. Just the idea of Metallica playing with Dave Mustaine is cool enough, but the other members of Megadeth and Anthrax being onstage was really cool (the Slayer dudes didn't jam, other than their drummer). Most of the doc was kind of dull, but there were great scenes, like watching Tom Araya and Kerry King interact with some really intense Slayer fans.  The Slayer and Metallica performances were typically intense and awesome.  I was actually most curious to watch Anthrax's, since I have never seen them with Joey Belladonna since he quit the band for the first time. I never really thought he fit in, even back in the day: I thought he was a bit more of a Journey type guy than a thrash metaller. The Anthrax set was pretty good - and when they went from "Indians" to Black Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell" (as a tribute to Ronnie James Dio) Joey did a great job. But seeing him sing alongside Hetfield and Mustaine on "Am I Evil?" he just seemed a bit out of place.

That said, I can't wait to see this tour this summer!

NATIVITY IN BLACK: CLASSIC TRIBUTES

In honor of tonight's Black Sabbath documentary airing on The Biography Channel, I wanted to do something Sabbath-centric, like a list of my favorite Sabbath songs. But I can't whittle it down to ten or twenty.  But it did get me thinking about how I first experienced the band.

I started listening to music, like a lot of other kids, with classic rock radio (and like lots of people, got bored with it quick and soon stuck with my own tapes).  But I am pretty sure that's where I first heard songs like "Paranoid," "Iron Man" and "War Pigs." Or maybe it was MTV's "Closet Classics" or even "Headbanger's Ball." I really heard a lot of the songs for the first time on Ozzy Osbourne's live album, Speak Of The Devil, which features all Sabbath tunes. And also Black Sabbath's Live Evil, released at almost the same time, which featured Ronnie James Dio on vocals (that album featured Dio singing his songs, as well as a few Ozzy tunes). At the time I didn't get why Ozzy and Sabbath had the same songs on their albums.  There was no internet to look this stuff up on! To make things more confusing, soon there was another new Black Sabbath album, Born Again, with a different singer! But as I got more into metal, I learned about the band's different eras (and by then Glenn Hughes was the singer!). 

I picked up the greatest hits album, We Sold Our Souls For Rock And Roll, and loved it, then got Paranoid.  I caught up and realized what an awesome band they were. But the tribute album Nativity In Black, released in 1994, really re-ignited my interest in the band, and made me listen more closely to some of the songs. That may not be a hip thing to admit, but it's true.  The same was true for me when I listened to the live recording of the Bob Dylan 30th anniversary tribute concert. I don't remember if NIB got good reviews, and I've read some bad ones of the Dylan tribute concert. But the fact was, both of those tributes made me re-examine each artist.  

Anyway, Nativity In Black was pretty great, and had a lot of happening bands of that moment.  The first single was Biohazard's cover of "After Forever," which has gone on to become maybe my favorite Sabbath song. That song made the collection for me, although today the rap-metal does sound a bit dated.  But it also had White Zombie's re-imagining of "Children Of The Grave," Corrosion Of Conformity's "Lord Of This World," and my other highlight of the album, Sepultura's "Symptom Of The Universe." It also had previously released covers: Faith No More's live version of "War Pigs," which I liked, but I didn't feel like it belonged, because Mike Patton was clearly making fun of the song (I felt the same way about Type O Negative's "Black Sabbath"). It also had 1000 Homo DJs' version of "Supernaut" (the "DJs" were Al Jourgensen of Ministry and Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails). The whole album got me to go back and listen to the original versions of "After Forever," "Children Of The Grave," "Lord Of This World," "Symptom Of The Universe" and "Supernaut" and appreciate them even more.  I think that's the job of a tribute album! 

A couple of years later, they went back to the well for Nativity In Black II. It didn't have as big of an impact on me, but again, some cool versions of the songs made me listen more closely to the originals: Pantera's "Electric Funeral," Slayer's "Hand Of Doom," Soulfly's "Under The Sun" (another one of my favorite Sabbath songs) and Monster Magnet's "Into The Void." 

I hope that they do a third: it may not have any bands that I like, but I think that every generation of hard rock kids need to know where their music started.  Long live Black Sabbath! 

CLASH OF THE TITANS TOUR, PART DEUX

The American Carnage tour - featuring Slayer and Megadeth - just got a bit better: Anthrax signed on! The three bands toured together back in 1991 as Clash Of The Titans, and an up-and-coming band called Alice In Chains opened. Read the details of the tour here.

Of course, the ultimate would have been a U.S. leg of the Big Four tour that's hit Europe this summer: that tour features all three bands, plus Metallica.

Back to Anthrax: I was hoping that John Bush would be rejoining the band, as they did a brief Australian tour with him a few months back. But it turns out that the guy he replaced, Joey Belladonna is back as the band's singer. I know the band recorded an album with Dan Nelson, but fired him and ditched the vocals.  I wonder if Belladonna will just re-do those and that will be the next Anthrax album.

THE BIG FOUR: IT'S ON??? METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH, ANTHRAX

A press release I got tonight announced that, in fact, "The Big Four" - Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax - will be performing at a concert together. So far, only at some dates on the European traveling festival Sonisphere. So, if you're going to be in Poland or the Czech Republic, you're in luck! I doubt this tour will hit the U.S. I wonder who will be Anthrax's singer?  On theirwebsite, the band lineup doesn't include anyone. Well, if this doesn't get John Bush to rejoin the band, I don't know what will.

SLAYER AND MEGADETH CO-HEADLINING!

So, no surprise that "The Big Four" tour - supposedly with Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax - isn't happening. But it turns out that Slayer and Megadeth are touring together, with Testament opening. It's called the "American Carnage" tour! It's too bad that Anthrax can't be on this tour - that would be a reunion of the 1991 "Thrash Of The Titans" tour (minus opening group Alice In Chains) - but they still don't have a singer. Here's the "video press release":

TOM ARAYA: GET WELL SOON

Slayer just announced that they have to cancel their upcoming Canadian tour with Megadeth, because frontman Tom Araya needs immeadiate surgeryon his back. Here's hoping he gets well soon. For now, you can check Tom's advice based on what he's learned from his decades in the music industry, and watch this video to learn what to avoid if you don't want to end up under the knife. By the way, Slayer's album, World Painted Blood, is out today.

TOM ARAYA'S ADVICE ON SURVIVING THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

I always appreciate new takes on profiles of rock artists. All of these guys have done so many interviews, sometimes it seems like it's hard to find a new angle. So, credit to Clash Music. Instead of talking to Tom Araya about the new Slayer album, they asked his advice on surviving all these years in the industry -- no mean feat, Slayer have never gotten any radio or video play, never came close to the pop mainstream, and still have a huge following. Their new album, World Painted Blood, comes out on November 2. On that note, check out a funny Slayer inspired video here.

THE BIG FOUR TOUR: NOT HAPPENING

Metal Hammer had been kind of fuelling rumors that
Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax would be touring together. But now, it looks like it isn't going to happen, according to interviews with Kirk Hammett
and Lars Ulrich. It would be hard to imagine this tour

ever happening, as good as it sounds. I think if Metallica toured with Slayer, that would be awesome enough.

THRASH OF THE TITANS? METALLICA, SLAYER, MEGADETH AND ANTHRAX TO TOUR?

Slayer's Kerry King
says that he's heard rumors that Lars Ulrich is orchestrating the ultimate thrash metal tour - Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax. King spoke to Metal Hammer and said that he's only heard rumors - and also added that he didn't think Anthrax should be on the tour due to their recent lineup shakeups. That's a bummer: I'm a big Anthrax fan, but he has a point. They have no lead singer. Even if they hadn't fired their latest singer Dan Nelson, it would be weird to have Anthrax fronted by some guy they found on myspace on the bill with Metallica, Slayer and Megadeth. If they come up with a new unknown guy, same deal. If they hook up with a big name guy, like Corey Taylor of Slipknot (who, rumor had it, was thinking about it at some point) or Phil Anselmo of Pantera, it would come off a bit stunty. I can't see them pulling Joey Belladonna back into the band. I know they've been doing some shows with former singer John Bush again - maybe he returns and they tour with him? I know James Hetfield has said he wishes he wrote the Bush-era Anthrax tune "Only," maybe he'd join them onstage for that one and duet with Bush? That'd be pretty cool. Also, it's hard to imagine Megedeth touring with Metallica. But just a Metallica/Slayer tour, that would be pretty awesome.

SLAYER'S NEW ALBUM AND A HILARIOUS VIDEO

Slayer's new album, World Painted Blood, will come out late this summer. During the summer, they're going to be touring with Marilyn Manson and a bunch of younger bands on the Mayhem Festival. And speaking of Slayer, watch this hilarious video. So much user-generated content is goofy and a waste of time... but this one really made me laugh.

THE METAL TOUR OF THE SUMMER

I don't know who is playing Ozzfest, or if there will be

an Ozzfest, or what Metallica is doing this summer. But as of now, the Mayhem tour is the metal tour of the summer: it will feature Slayer, Marilyn Manson and Trivium.  Nuff said! 

SAY IT AIN'T SO: SLAYER MAY RETIRE?

In an interview with Thrash Hits, Slayer frontman Tom Araya says that the band may hang it up after their next album, which is the last one on their contract with Rick Rubin, who they signed with in 1986.

Tom said that he doesn't think being 50-something in a thrash band would be cool, which I can respect. On the other hand, watching Lemmy in Motorhead, I might contest that statement.