Shattered Sun Interview with Marcos Mayhem Fest 2015

Mayhem Fest 2015 with Slayer and King Diamond

All photos by George DeMers
so don't fuckin steal 'em!

Mayhem Fest 2015 is currently hitting the east coast, in a final swing of what we know and have come to expect, from this annual touring metal festival. Though what we know, and have come to expect from Mayhem Fest, has been whittled down to a nub. 

The founder of said fest had this to say about the current state of Mayhem Fest, metal, and touring metal fests....http://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/2015/07/08/mayhem-festival-preview-metal/29838125/
(not exactly good PR for your own bread)

There used to be several labels, with 2 side stages, with a rotating list of bands sharing the afternoon. This year, it was one label, Victory, who used to be a hardcore label for years, lately, they're signing random metal bands, and being half of Mayhem Fest.

Rockstar Energy Drinks sponsors the tour, usually with two huge tents, offering several flavors of their long line of drinks for free. This tour, energy drinks are still free, just, only one tent, offering two flavors. The festival used to have several vendors, of food and merch, now, all together there is maybe 10 at the most.

I attended the stop on their shortened summer tour in Hartford, CT.  The parking lot was empty, so virtually everyone had the walking distance of VIP parking. It was sort of a blessing that it wasn't too packed with people, for it was a 90 degree day, with not much to do, but deal with the Victory Records roster, random metal merch, 16 dollar drinks or the 5 food options.

Though I have to say, the roster at Victory isn't all that bad, don't get me wrong. Code Orange, Shattered Sun, and Jungle Rot are good to see live and great dudes. Jungle Rot are old school death metallers, and afterwards, I got a radio ID spot from the guys, super cool dudes that fucking rock. I also interviewed Shattered Sun again, my homie Marcos and the boys are from my other home of south Texas, check them out! Some bands that played were, masked horror movie rappy ICP jumpy guys called Kissing Candice. There was a band called Thy Art is Murder, which I wanted to get a sharpie and write an F in front of "Art" every time I saw it. 

 The main stage had Devil Wears Prada, whom I thought were pretty terrible, I don't know how metal went this direction, but kids, it's not metal. 
Hellyeah, Vinnie Paul of Pantera's band went on afterwards, and, wow, they were terrible too. I don't know how old metallers go in this direction, but Vinnie did, and that shit is pretty unbearable. We strive to bring you good quality metal at the Full Metal Racket Show, and it would be steering you in the wrong direction if we were to condone such nu-metal behavior.
I love Vinnie, though, he is a really nice guy, we met when Pantera did Ozzfest, he too, a fellow Texan, closed the bar with myself and the Metal Pig, drinking Blacktooth grins with the rest of the crew and Soulfly's crew, 2001. He dropped us a Pantera station ID we still use everyday. Anyway, Hellyeah aint no Damageplan, or Pantera or even Superjoint, but here's some sweet shots I took of Hellyeah's Vinnie Paul.

 

Up next, was the main reason I went to Mayhem Fest this year. King Diamond. Kind Diamond just came back from a lengthy hiatus due to having triple bypass surgery. It was great to see and hear the King belting out his anthems once again. I used to not like the King, until I saw him live,

not my photo

then heard Mercyful Fate, he is bar none the best vocalist in metal, period.! I would have to say, some of the songs picked for his set, could have been better, July 7th 1777 was played, but not Abigail? I could go on....

He recently had to play a show on the Mayhem fest without his signature makeup, due to an eye infection, thus making "The Eye" a choice pick for the summer's setlist, yet, story aside, it's my least favorite album/song etc of his. Still, it was a great show, he played a few Mercyful Fate gems as well, it ruled. Andy Larocque is an excellent guitarist, and he still has all the chops.
Anyway, I got some amazing shots of King Diamond, check these out, he's so photogenic, that King....

GRANDMAAAAA!!!!!!

 Next up, the almighty SLAAAAAYYYYEEEEERRRR!!!!!! Ever since Undisputed Attitude, Tom Araya has this Ian Macaye yelling voice that kinda sucks. I miss Tom's old voice and style. Anyway, the first half of their set seemed to be all new songs, minus a WAAAAR Ensemble, then it was all old school jams, that made a good closing to the evening. It was a hot night, and you could feel the heat from the overabundant pyrotechnics, all the way back in the stands. Kerry King must have been dying of heat in those leather pants and huge chains, which, what's up with those things? Is it the 2015 spikey armband gauntlet? After the show, the usual yelling of "SSLLLLAAAAAYYYYYEERRRR" echoed throughout the parking lot, down the street, everywhere, we heard a guy in the parking lot of McDonalds that said "fuckin SLAYER" 3 times in a normal conversation, I thought he had fuckin SLAYER turrets.Check out these photos, all done by yours truly Full Metal Racket's George Burnz.