Rock Docs: Korn- 2014 Mayhem Fest Documentary

Nu Metal giants Korn have been having the time of their lives since the return of Brian “Head” Welch into their lineup which includes the brand new album they released called The Paradigm Shift which was the first in eight years with the guitarist. The band also went on the road with the 2014 Rockstar Energy Mayhem Fest and the band along with their videographer Sebastien Paquet recorded everything on the road documenting the bands experience on the festival. The documentary also features appearances from Ice T (Body Count), Upon A Burning Body, Avenged Sevenfold, Islander, Texas Hippie Coalition, Emmure, Trivium, as well as you’ll see various radio interviews the band does, and some intimate moments they share with other bands and vice versa.

The documentary is actually pretty amazing even though it just seems like a continuous video after another rather than a documentary. One of my only problems with the doc is they show footage in Boston (which is really Mansfield), but the live footage is from Dallas, Texas that follows. The doc features some really cool behind the scenes stuff that you don’t really get to see if you’re on the outside looking in. Of course, the doc features the band running through hits like Somebody Someone, Got The Life, Falling Away From Me, Shoots & Ladders, Blind, as well as some of the newer material like Spike In My Veins, Hater, and Never Never. The footage that was shot is absoultely amazing especially when the band is in Colorado, that was definitely one of my favorite spots that they shot in. One of the other things I liked is how supportive they are of other bands on the bill, it’s classy! If I was you and you were as big a fan of Korn as I am , I would definitely check this out. I wonder if it’s going to get a release somewhere in the future? I am going to give this video an A- for a final grade. Check it out below:

Album Of The Week: Hail To The King by Avenged Sevenfold

Avenged Sevenfold released their latest album last year with a lot of ridicule and allegations that they blatantly ripped off artists like Metallica, Guns N Roses, and Megadeth to name a few. It’s the band’s sixth studio album and the fourth via Warner Brothers. It also marks the debut of new drummer Arin Ilejay and the first studio album without any contributions from their late drummer Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan. For some reason, the band changed it’s original album cover design to the one you see above. When talking about the musical style for the album, here is what Synyster Gates had to say, “I think our songwriting has improved by leaps and bounds. Sonically, this record is our biggest record by fucking far. When you turn this fucking thing on, it blasts your fucking head off.” M. Shadows talked about the music itself, “On this record, we want a very bare bones, riff-oriented approach. Because it’s really easy for us to say ‘That melody would sound great here, throw this background vocal here, here’s this harmony.’ We had to restrain ourselves from doing that just to keep it more badass and just more straightforward rock.” Despite all of the allegations, this is definitely an album worth listening to in my opinion.

Shepard Of Fire is the first track on the record and it was specially released as the theme to Call of Duty: Black Ops II zombies map Origins. The song is absolutely epic reminding me a lot of The Black Album‘s overall balls to the wall sonic attack. I am very impressed so far by one track which says a lot. Hail To The King is the next track and the first single we were all treated to about a tyrannical king who strikes the wrath of vengeance against all who oppose him. Doing Time reminds me of something that would have been of GNR’s Use Your Illusion because it’s a balls out rock song. Synyster Gates does his best to show that he’s today’s modern era Slash with an amazing solo. I’m sorry, but This Means War sounds way too much like Sad But True by Metallica except with different lyrics. Requiem‘s beginning sounds like something Ghost B.C. does until the band finally kicks with their groove laden metal. The riffs are nice and beefy almost as if the riffs are taking illegal growth hormones.

Crimson Day starts off on the softer side like we have seen Avenged do many times in their career. For example, the style of the track reminds me of Afterlife or Seize The Day proving they can turn the harder than hell switch anytime they choose to. Heretic is such an amazing hard rock song that features some nasty grooves and chunky riffs that remind mes of Megadeth’s Symphony Of Destruction. The beginning of Coming Home looks like the band took influence from Iron Maiden with the epic guitar intro that eventually explodes in the metal madness and delivery that made people love Iron Maiden. Planets is a punishing metal track that the stars have delivered to us from Avenged Sevenfold. The riffs are meaty and you won’t be able to not bang your head to this. You will be in their trance listening to this track. Believe me, I couldn’t help, but play air guitar to this when it was on in certain parts and air drums to other parts. Acid Rain is the last track on the album and it feels like the end of the adventure with the epic piano behind the band’s playing with the neat sound effects that come in. The track is pretty bluesy showing off a side of the group that not too many people realize exist. These guys are deeply rooted in metal and hard rock and they aren’t afraid to show it off especially with the bluesy guitar solo that comes in at the four minute mark. I am giving the album four stars out of five because it is truly an amazing album again despite all of the allegations. It’ll be interesting to see how they address all of their detractors as the band has announced they are working on a new album as we speak.

The 2014 Revolver Golden God Awards Review

Everyone was looking forward to performances from A Day To Remember, Guns N Roses, and even Zakk Wylde’s, but nobody saw this coming at the 2014 Revolver Golden God Awards which was Slayer opening the show as the surprise performer. One of the things people expect at this particular awards show is to see who the surprise guest performer will be, but Slayer didn’t need it as the bulldozed their way through classics South Of Heaven, War Ensemble, and the premiere of a brand new track Implode. It was especially cool to see Marilyn Manson intro the band in. Right after Slayer was done with their set, it was time to meet this year’s hosts of the show since Chris Jericho wasn’t doing it this year. Eddie Trunk, Don Jamieson, and Jim Florentine of VH1 Classics That Metal Show were the hosts and their intro was horrible. Then it was off to the first presenters of the show as Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington of Linkin Park came out to present The Best Vocalist Award (see below for complete list of winners), then that was followed by Dave Navarro and Jill Janus of Huntress presenting the Best Live Band Award.

Frankie Palmeri of Emmure came out next to present the next live band of the night which was A Day To Remember who brought something completely different than Slayer, but they pleased the crowd as the band performed hit songs such as Right Back At It Again, End Of Me, and their closer All I Want. They were the second band to perform and still no surprise guest on stage with which is unusual at this point in the show. Then there was some technical difficulties as we waited for the cameras to show us Tony Hawk and Carmen Electra who were presenting the best live band award which was won by Avenged Sevenfold. They weren’t at The Nokia Theater, but they were brought in via satellite from a gig in Minneapolis where they gave the award away to a fan from the crowd. Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach and a couple of members from Memphis May Fire came out next to present the best new band award.

Then the legendary Doyle Wolfgang von Frankenstein along with the sexy brand new lead singer of Arch Enemy Alissa White-Gluz to intro The Pretty Reckless who were the next band to perform that night. Taylor Momsen is beautiful and very sexual on stage as most of you may know, but she has an amazing band that backs her up as they had one heck of a performance. The band performed their tracks Fucked Up World, Heaven Knows, and Going To Hell. Zakk Wylde would eventually come out to do a special Piano performance of In This River to pay tribute to all that have fallen over the years, but who was working the special video screwed up saying that Jani Lane was the singer for Motorhead. Then more technical difficulties plagued the show as we waited for Suicide Silence to take the stage to perform for the first time with their brand new singer Eddie Hermida. The band would play the tracks You Only Live Once and No Pity For A Coward, but it was their last song that was amazing. The band brought out Max Cavalera of Soulfly/Sepultura fame and they performed Roots on stage together that had me saying thank God someone finally had a guest on stage.

Alice Cooper presented The Golden God Award to Joan Jett who mentioned The Runaways. After her speech, she wanted to perform, but they nixed it so that Alice could introduce the performance. She opened up her performance with a rocking version of Bad Reputation which was tearing up the house. The next track she performed was a track that she had written with Dave Grohl called Any Weather which captured the spirit of the Blackhearts. Then Joan Jett & The Blackhearts were on fire with the next song I Hate Myself For Loving You for which she was joined onstage by Taylor Momsen. What I didn’t understand is that after the performance was done they performed it again to which Billy Gibbons would join them on stage to be the cheerleader. It was one heck of a performance anyways, but I believe they may have been shooting a version for television.

Andrew Dice Clay came out to present the video montage for Axl Rose while Nicolas Cage presented Axl Rose of  Guns N Rose with the Ronnie James Dio Lifetime Achievement Award. Of course from that point on, we were wondering how long it was going to take for the band to actual perform. The crowd was definitely anxiously awaiting the band to hit the stage as we also knew that Duff McKagan would be performing with the band. The band eventually came out and started rocking right away with It’s So Easy. The band would blaze through one of my all time favorite tracks Welcome To The Jungle with a killer intro by DJ Ashba. One thing I will admit is that Axl’s vocals were a little off tonight when it came to his high notes. Then for the third track of the night they would dig into their latest album Chinese Democracy with the Better. The band would then perform This I Love from Chinese Democracy. Then the band kicked into the kickass Use Your Illusion II track You Could Be Mine. The band would continue with Sweet Child Of Mine and a Babe I’m Gonna Leave You/November Rain medley after Axl introduced the whole band to the crowd. My final thoughts on the show is that I thought it could have been executed a little bit better than it had been in the past. I certainly miss having Chris Jericho hosting the show, but after a while the boys from That Metal Show did fine.

Awards:

Best Vocalist- Josh Homme of Queens Of The Stone Age

Best Live Band- Rob Zombie

Most Dedicated Fans- Avenged Sevenfold

Best New Talent- Twelve Foot Ninja

Paul Gray Best Bassist- Chris Kael

Best Drummer- Arin Ilejay

Comeback Of The Year- Deep Purple

Best Film & Video- This Is A Wasteland by Pierce The Veil

Song Of The Year- Lift Me Up by Five Finger Death Punch

Most Metal Athlete- Josh Barnett

Golden God Award- Joan Jett

Dimebag Darrell Best Guitarist- Zacky Vengeance & Synyster Gates

Album Of The Year- 13 by Black Sabbath

Ronnie James Dio Lifetime Achievement Award- Axl Rose of Guns N Roses