MAYHEM, MARDUK, CEPHALIC CARNAGE, CATTLE DECAPITATION

Lumber Jack Off · Post by **Lumber Jack Off** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:08 am

MAYHEM, MARDUK, CEPHALIC CARNAGE, CATTLE DECAPITATION To Team Up For 'Blackenedfest'

Norwegian black metallers MAYHEM will celebrate their 25th anniversary by teaming up with some of the strongest extreme metal acts for a tour of North America in May and June. Dubbed the Blackenedfest, the trek will feature MAYHEM alongside MARDUK, CEPHALIC CARNAGE, CATTLE DECAPITATION and WITHERED.

The dates are as follows:

May 21 - New York, NY - The Fillmore at Irving Plaza
May 22 - Baltimore, MD - Sonar (merlin's anus Deathfest)
May 23 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
May 24 - Orlando, FL - Club Firestone
May 26 - Houston, TX - Numbers
May 27 - San Antonio, TX - White Rabbit
May 29 - Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater
May 30 - Tempe, AZ - Clubhouse
May 31 - San Diego, CA - House Of Blues
Jun. 02 - Hollywood, CA - House Of Blues
Jun. 03 - San Francisco, CA - DNA
Jun. 04 - Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theatre
Jun. 05 - Seattle, WA - Studio Seven
Jun. 06 - Boise, ID - Knitting Factory Concert House
Jun. 07 - Denver, CO - Gothic Theater
Jun. 09 - St Paul, MN - Station 4
Jun. 11 - Chicago, IL - House Of Blues
Jun. 12 - Cleveland, OH - Peabody's
Jun. 13 - Detroit, MI - The Majestic Theater
Jun. 14 - Toronto, ON - The Opera House
Jun. 15 - Montreal, QC - Les Foufounes Electriques

Leviathan · Post by **Leviathan** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:55 am

Very glad to see that they'll be coming to Arizona. I'm gonna try to hit the Albuquerque show, too. This is gonna rule.

Leviathan · Post by **Leviathan** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:59 am

All you dickholes going to MDF better not miss them, either.

MetalStrikesDown · Post by **MetalStrikesDown** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 11:13 am

I sure hope I make it to Maryland Deathfest, but if I don't at least I know I can still see Mayhem

Villecore · Post by **Villecore** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 2:33 pm

Leviathan wrote:All you dickholes going to MDF better not miss them, either.

Do you mean all four of these bands or is it supposed to be implicit that you mean Mayhem specifically?

Leviathan · Post by **Leviathan** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 3:40 pm

Mayhem

MetalStrikesDown · Post by **MetalStrikesDown** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 7:44 pm

Cttle Decrapitation is playing May 11th in Dekalb, IL With fucking GWAR I is going to that shit even though Craphole Decrapitation is there

Bodom J · Post by **Bodom J** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 7:50 pm

i keep hearing how much fun GWAR are live but I've never seen them. They came to nashville a couple years ago but for whatever reasons I didn't go. I'll catch them soon I hope

Lumber Jack Off · Post by **Lumber Jack Off** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:05 pm

what's wrong with Cattle Decapitation? politics aside, they are a really tight band now. I enjoyed the fuck out of them when I saw them on Saturday. I could understand not like them a few years ago when they were just another stupid death metal band that put samples in their music, but I think they've really matured as musicians on the last couple of albums. I was actually going to buy their new one when I saw them but they were sold out. after Saturday's show I've seen them 6 times, 2 times as headliners. they can hold their own.

Lumber Jack Off · Post by **Lumber Jack Off** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:07 pm

Bodom J wrote:i keep hearing how much fun GWAR are live but I've never seen them. They came to nashville a couple years ago but for whatever reasons I didn't go. I'll catch them soon I hope

they tour all the damn time. and yes, their live shows own. they usually bring pretty good openers with them on tour as well. If you get the chance, I would go see them cause they are getting old now and I have a feeling they will probably retire after a few more tours.

MetalStrikesDown · Post by **MetalStrikesDown** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:26 pm

Lumber Jack Off wrote:what's wrong with Cattle Decapitation? politics aside, they are a really tight band now. I enjoyed the fuck out of them when I saw them on Saturday. I could understand not like them a few years ago when they were just another stupid death metal band that put samples in their music, but I think they've really matured as musicians on the last couple of albums. I was actually going to buy their new one when I saw them but they were sold out. after Saturday's show I've seen them 6 times, 2 times as headliners. they can hold their own.

to be honest I haven't listened to the new one and had no desire to. I listened to the one before that for sure and I just couldn't listen to it. I don't know why, they have always been unlistenable to me. I will get to the new one eventually

Villecore · Post by **Villecore** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:02 pm

MetalStrikesDown wrote:Cttle Decrapitation is playing May 11th in Dekalb, IL With fucking GWAR I is going to that shit even though Craphole Decrapitation is there

there are worse live acts.

in fact, gwar have shared the stage with madball.

MetalStrikesDown · Post by **MetalStrikesDown** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 10:36 pm

Villecore wrote:
MetalStrikesDown wrote:Cttle Decrapitation is playing May 11th in Dekalb, IL With fucking GWAR I is going to that shit even though Craphole Decrapitation is there
there are worse live acts.

in fact, gwar have shared the stage with madball.

I don't really care who they are with, if they are coming near me and i have money and time to see them I will. This is only a 40 minute drive from my house. probably in a really some venue just thinking of what street it is on. So it will be fooking awesome.

Leviathan · Post by **Leviathan** » Fri May 22, 2009 1:04 am

One more week.

Leviathan · Post by **Leviathan** » Sun May 31, 2009 7:13 am

If you pass up an opportunity to see Mayhem on this tour, you are a homosexual and should probably be put to death.

END OF INITIAL REVIEW

Izzy · Post by **Izzy** » Sun May 31, 2009 10:49 am

Leviathan wrote:If you pass up an opportunity to see Mayhem on this tour, you are a homosexual and should probably be put to death.

END OF INITIAL REVIEW

I was sick when they played the MDF on Friday.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun May 31, 2009 6:36 pm

Mayhem was sick at MDF especially that dude in a chicken suit moshing and crowd surfing. It really helped set the kvlt atmosphere!

Leviathan · Post by **Leviathan** » Sun May 31, 2009 11:50 pm

Seriously, both of these shows were among the best I've ever seen. Especially the Tempe show, because the stage was so much smaller and closer to the floor. The atmosphere was unreal at both shows, though.

Attila is the best vocalist Mayhem has had, and he's one of the best frontmen in metal.

DON'T SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU PLAN ON SEEING THEM AND WANT TO KNOW AS LITTLE AS POSSIBLE ABOUT THEIR SET

Images from the Tempe show:

The light makes it hard to tell, but this logo was designed to look like it was made out of raw meat, apparently:

These props were designed by the same guy who did some of the weird masks Attila wore on tour last year.

From where I was standing, I could only really see Attila and Morfeus:

Banners next to the stage:

Tour shirt:

I talked with Morfeus for a little while after the show, and he's a cool guy. He seems pretty certain that he'll become a "permanent" member of the band. Apparently, this current lineup has good chemistry. I'm actually really glad that they added a second guitarist (Silmaeth, formerly of the French band Vorkreist). It should've happened a long time ago. The songs sound so much better with two guitarists.

Attila was also around after both shows, by the way, and he also was cool toward all the fans who stuck around. I heard him mention that he'd be coming back to the U.S. later this summer to do some shows with Sunn. And Tormentor's first album is being sold on this tour, for anyone who's interested.

Mayhem's setlist:

Pagan Fears
Ancient Skin
From the Dark Past
My Death
A Time to Die
View from Nihil
Illuminate/Eliminate
Anti
Freezing Moon
Crystalized Pain in Deconstruction
(Silvester Anfang recording)
Deathcrush
Buried By Time and Dust
Carnage
De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas
Pure Fucking Armageddon

I recorded a couple of short video clips that I think are worth watching:

1
2

Izzy · Post by **Izzy** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 10:24 am

Sick

I fucking hate that I missed them. Hopefully they tour again soon

Leviathan · Post by **Leviathan** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 12:37 pm

I read on another board that they are gonna try to come back this fall.

MetalStrikesDown · Post by **MetalStrikesDown** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 1:26 pm

Question for Leviathan...was Marduk there? I heard they were having visa problems while trying to get over hear and missed MDF.

Also Lair of the Minotaur is going to be at the Chicago date, not sure of any others though.

Leviathan · Post by **Leviathan** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 4:51 pm

MetalStrikesDown wrote:was Marduk there?

No, but I heard that the visa issue should be resolved any day now and they still plan on joining the tour. Who knows, though.

MetalStrikesDown · Post by **MetalStrikesDown** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 4:54 pm

Leviathan wrote:
MetalStrikesDown wrote:was Marduk there?
No, but I heard that the visa issue should be resolved any day now and they still plan on joining the tour. Who knows, though.

Well I hope they get it resolved by June 11th...

Leviathan · Post by **Leviathan** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 5:00 pm

I just remembered that they plan on making up the dates they missed.

Leviathan · Post by **Leviathan** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:51 pm

Withered, Cattle Decapitation and Cephalic Carnage are no longer on the tour. As far as I know, Mayhem will still be playing the remaining dates.

Lumber Jack Off · Post by **Lumber Jack Off** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:00 pm

why//.?

Leviathan · Post by **Leviathan** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:30 pm

No explanation given yet.

Lumber Jack Off · Post by **Lumber Jack Off** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:39 pm

all 3 of those bands were riding in separate tour buses so it seems a little odd that they would all drop off.

Lumber Jack Off · Post by **Lumber Jack Off** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 10:05 am

Exclusive: The Demise of Blackened Fest
Posted on June 10th, 2009
http://www.metalinjection.net/dispatche ... kened-fest

Note from Editor: Blackened Fest is no more. Cephalic Carnage, Cattle Decapitation and Withered have dropped off. Mayhem will now complete the rest of the dates alone. We sent roving reporter Justina Villanueva on the road with this summer's darkest tour, Blackenedfest. She was on the front-lines as the entire tour came to a halt and sent in this report describing what has gone down. See her previous updates and a ton of photos at the Blackened Fest hub

I had my only Almost Famous moment of this tour in Denver, Colorado. We were not exactly in a descending plane but it definitely felt like we were. I watched Blackened Fest collapse within a matter of several hours. It wasn't a short run of a tour but it's demise was very short notice to the people involved.

Just after Withered left the bus to start their set, Cartel (tour manager) came onto the Cephalic/Withered shared mobile home to announce, "Guys, tonight might be the last night of the tour." He started inquiring about who were the unnecessary people on the tour so he could free up bunk space. This included Sid, Leonard's (Cephalic vocalist) son, and Chuck, Nick's (Cephalic's bassist) brother. Because we were in Denver, Cephalic's home, the question at hand was easy to seal away: two free bunks. But, two free bunks doesn't solve the extra 6 people still on Marduk's money-swallowing bus. At that point in the night I knew one bus would be sent home and maybe some crew (most likely me too). But, I didn't expect the actual outcome: a Mayhem only tour.

Throughout the rest of the night, people's suspicions were high and many theories were developed. Cattle was ready to hit the road home since they have been out on the road for over two months now. Cephalic was willing to hop in their van since they were ten minutes from their practice space. Withered knew that renting a U-Haul would put them in the red, since that was their only option without a bus. But in the end, all the bands knew that the integrity of the tour would not work without all the support bands still on the bill

The Second Wave
Jonas, Mayhem's stage manager (and backstage "Mayhem Only" sign assigner), announced there would be a meeting at 1:30 am among all the bands. It was only about an hour later when Cattle's Travis bluntly asked what is going on. Cartel shot back, "I need to pay theâ€¦ No buses are leaving unless the drivers get paid." Why the drivers didn't get paid more than half way into the tour wasn't uncovered and completely clear to me until after the damage was done. The 1:30 am meeting, which only included one member of each support band, Atilla and Necrobutcher, was a knotted bunch of assumptions and possible ways the rest of the tour could work out.

The Story Behind The Clusterfuck
When a band drops a tour, it instantly voids the contract made between the booker and the promoter for each venue. In other words, what ever money that each band was originally supposed to get at the end of each show was changed when Marduk didn't show up. Because Mayhem was the headliner, they believed that they deserved their full guaranteed money still. They didn't realize that Cartel had to renegotiate contracts with the promoter every night. With an extra bus to pay for and Mayhem still requesting the majority of the earned cash to match their original guarantee, the tour manager was left with no money to work with. The drivers didn't get paid and they weren't driving until they did. The support bands weren't making much money some nights, but were willing to hold out a couple days for cash. Unlike Mayhem, who wanted their full cash up front, every night.

The End Result
The sun rose and the arguing continued. Robin, Mayhem's bus driver, was prepared to ditch Mayhem and their crew at a truck stop in Denver without any of their gear or belongings. He, within a couple hours, had already changed the trailer lock. I was waiting for that moment, when the Cephalic/Withered bus drove off and Attila and Hellhammer still in their 4 inch soled boots were flipping birds at us because they were stuck in the middle of nowhere with no tour. Instead, Mayhem and Robin came to an agreement. Mayhem gave some money to the other two buses, paid off Robin and agreed to paying bus expenses one day in advance for the remaining 6 shows.

For the rest of the day, the booker, and bus company owner tried to work out deals to get at least one other band on the tour. Cattle declined. Cephalic declined. So when the only band left was Withered, they tried to bargain deals with them. But, the damage was done. Even though one of the bus drivers were willing to dramatically cut their pay, there is no way one band could afford fuel and bus maintenance without going into the red.

It was a brutal (not in a good way) end to the tour. For the most part, no one got to say goodbye to anyone. It was abrupt and unexpected (that's what she said). Most of all, it painted the final picture of the kind of people Mayhem are. Yes, being in a band means you are running a business. But even in business there are ethics and responsibility. Neglecting to pay your way from show to show and abandoning your tourmates is not good business. And its not the kind of metal I support.

Note from Editor: Cephalic Carnage posted this update about dropping off the tour:

So, unfortunately, we were reluctantly forced to stay in Denver as the Blackenedfest Tour was unable to continue. We sincerely apologize to the friends and fans who've been waiting a while to see us and this tour. We want to thank Thunderdome for having us out, as we had an absolutely amazing time with Withered, Cattle Decapitation, all the crew and of course Mayham. We promise to make up the dates we didn't get to playâ€¦we ALMOST had the $70 dollar-a-shirt-cool-guy-tight-shirt company Affliction ready to pay for us to be helicoptered to the each of the rest of the tour dates, but they pulled the deal after they found out we stopped shaving our legs which was the part of the contract we decided we couldn't go through with, (except John). Anyways we've got some serious time off now, and we're going to commence with getting our long awaited reality-tv DVD completed, getting on with writing the next full length, and writing the 2nd installment of H.O.A., as well as finishing construction of our late night poutine stand, where we will serve country-fried giraffe eggs and your favorite French-Canadian specialty.
Cheers
CC

IFryKids · Post by **IFryKids** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 2:40 pm

haha holy shit.

Mad Muir · Post by **Mad Muir** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 4:09 pm

mayhem are faggots

MetalStrikesDown · Post by **MetalStrikesDown** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 7:28 pm

This fucking blows as I was going to go to this show tomorrow. Not going now. Fuck Mayhem. If they come back they better have some good bands with them.

buck satan · Post by **buck satan** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:15 pm

I didn't know Mayhem were jewish

Leviathan · Post by **Leviathan** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:50 pm

Marduk did a good job of fucking over everyone on this tour. How stupid is it to have a bus out there on the entire tour for a band that isn't gonna show up? Mayhem also did a nice job of hurting their reputation, even if they weren't obligated to take a paycut because of some bullshit that wasn't their fault. What a mess.

metaljess · Post by **metaljess** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 8:04 am

Yeah, that definitely sucks.

This part:

we ALMOST had the $70 dollar-a-shirt-cool-guy-tight-shirt company Affliction ready to pay for us to be helicoptered to the each of the rest of the tour dates, but they pulled the deal after they found out we stopped shaving our legs which was the part of the contract we decided we couldn't go through with, (except John).