Axl wore his most vile death metal shirt in an attempt to avoid being selected as a juror in this great City of New York, but lo and behold, his plan backfired and he was chosen anyway. So it’s been the Vince party over here since Wednesday with plenty of help from all of our most excellent contributors — special big ups to Anso DF for pitching in extra! Here’s what went down:

• We lost Riot guitarist Mark Reale. R.I.P.
• We premiered a new track by Pyscroptic, one by Exotic Animal Petting Zoo and all of Primal Fear’s new album Unbreakable.
• The Rockstar Mayhem Festival announced the first slate of bands on its 2012 lineup. Slipknot later spilled the beans that High on Fire are confirmed too.
• Ihsahn is guesting on the new Jeff Loomis solo joint and Jeff Loomis is guesting on the new Ihsahn solo joint. Will those two get a room already?
• The Dillinger Escape Plan’s Ben Weinman went all anti-drug on our asses.
• Tours and rumours of tours: The Mastodon / Opeth / Ghost tour is really gonna happen, Meshuggah, Decapitated and Baroness will hit the U.S. together (no dates yet), dates were announced for the Decibel Magazine Tour featuring Behemoth, Watain, The Devil’s Blood and In Solitude, while All Shall Perish, Fleshgod Apocalypse and other cool bands announced a tour too.
• Sammy O’Hagar reviewed Lamb of God‘s new album while Gary took a look at new hardcore 7-inches by Daylight, Unholy Majesty and Wrong Answer.
• We realized that Maynard James Keenan poops and pees and eats just like the rest of us.

We’ll be back next week for Axl’s triumphant return to the blogosphere. See you then.

-VN

Yep yep. In a most highly unusual move, the organizers of Mayhem Fest — the clear successor to Ozzfest — have announced the itinerary for the 2012 edition of the tour… despite the fact that the line-up won’t be revealed until January. I suppose they’re worried about you making plans for next July and August, although what kind of metalhead makes plans that far in advance? I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing five minutes from now, let alone next July.

ANYWAY, the dates are after the jump. We can dissect the line-up when it’s announced next year, but I will predict right now that Gloria Estefan will headline, with support coming from Josie and the Pussycats, Kraftwerk, and Coal Chamber. Sounds legit, right?

Click to read more…

I seriously doubt the festival’s founders or any of the bands on this year’s bill have any serious anti-gay sentiment (the rampant homophobia in the metal scene notwithstanding), but the question is worth asking about the annual Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival as a whole by association: Rockstar Energy Drink founder Russ Weiner and his father Michael Savage have an extensive track record of public anti-gay comments. From Change.org:

Russ Weiner (the beverage company’s CEO) also has a history of anti-LGBT comments.  At a Rockstar-sponsored concert last year, Weiner warmed up the crowd by chanting: “Who’s heterosexual and proud?!  If you aren’t, hopefully you will be soon!”

And since the apple often doesn’t fall far from the tree, here’s his father Michael Savage (who Change.org points out did not found the company with his son as originally reported, but may have other interests in it):

- “You want me to tell you what makes me sick? When I see two puffy white males kissing each other, I want to puke. When I see two women kissing each other, on the lips, as lovers, I want to vomit.”

- “…children’s minds are being raped by the homosexual mafia, that’s my position. They’re raping our children’s minds.”

I know it’s a big stretch to attach an anti-gay sentiment to a festival based on its sponsor, but I have a serious problem supporting a festival that takes its name and money from a product whose owners are blatant bigots. Thankfully this year’s headliners don’t exactly necessitate travel to New Jersey to look at giant Rockstar logos all day.

-VN

I’m not surprised that the people who put together the annual Rockstar Mayhem Festival have already started planning said festival, as I’m sure that quite a bit of work goes into putting the entire operation together.

I am, however, quite surprised that the fest has already announced tour dates and started selling tickets — despite the fact that not a single band has been announced yet.

Click to read more…

It may slow in the doldrums of summer, but it’s always hot here at the MetalSucks Mansion. This week in metal:

• You all argued about the merits of booze vs. drugs vs. soberness at shows.
• Ladder Up An Ass stole the show at Rockstar Mayhem Fest; best supergroup EVAR!
• At All Cost went on hiatus. We cried.
• You asked Anton OyVey, and the MetalSucks Mansion resident Reb responded.
• Math dorks After the Burial get super-dorky with math dorkfest.
• Axl uses the phrase “Snore de Force” to describe Norma Jean’s new album.

See you Monday. Have a good one.

Sorry for the lack of posting yesterday. Axl and I locked up the gates to the MetalSucks Mansion and hit the wilderness of Long Island for the Rockstar Mayhem Festival, witnessing the fury of 15,000 teens in Slipknot tees and the debut/final performance of the legendary band Ladder Up an Ass (seriously). The good news is we have a ton of interviews for ya’ll with just about every band on the bill… so hang tight as we get those typed up.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming…

-VN