The seventh annual Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival sweeps into Auburn’s White River Amphitheatre on July 8, bringing with it 20 of the most extreme, heavy metal bands around.
This year’s festival offers four stages, with headliners Avenged Sevenfold leading the way on the main stage, butressed by KORN, Asking Alexandria and Trivium.
On the Coldcock American Herbal Whisky Stage – featuring headliner Cannibal Corpse – Troy, Ohio-based metalcore band Miss May I will play its first ever Mayhem Festival in support of its fourth album, “Rise of the Lion.”
“We got an email, I’d have to say it was about six months ago,” said vocalist Levi Benton. “We were pretty excited. We had played the Warped Tour before, both as support and on the main stage. But Mayhem is going to be pretty cool to play for an all-metal crowd.”
Benton said he welcomes the chance to return to the Northwest to showcase the band’s new album, produced by legend Terry Date (Pantera, Slipknot, Limp Bizkit) at Studio X in Seattle.
“The biggest thing for us (with Date) was he let us sound like the band — he was really hands off,” Benton said. “He wanted us to sound like us, and that was really nice. He also brought that old-school mentality.”
Benton continued.
“The best thing about playing is there are so many fans that don’t know the band who will be forced to walk by the stage when we’re playing. It’s awesome exposure.”
With several of the hottest metal bands around completing the bill,including Suicide Silence, Mushroomhead, Texas Hippie Coalition, King 810, Body Count featuring Ice-T, Upon a Burning Body, Veil of Maya, Darkest Hour, Emmure, Ill Niño, Wretched, Islander and Erimha, Benton is definitely looking forward to just being a fan.
“I’m excited for the main stage bands, Avenged Sevenfold and KORN,” he said. “And Body Count and Cannibal Corpse. It’s going to be a long day of watching bands.”
Gates for the Auburn stop of the 28-date Mayhem Festival open at 1 p.m. with the first band hitting the stage at 1:05 p.m.
Tickets for the show are $35 to $105 and available at www.livenation.com.
For set times and more information, visit www.rockstarmayhemfest.com.
