Kik Axe Music and Entertainment

ROCKSTAR ENERGY DRINK MAYHEM FESTIVAL, the world’s largest touring heavy music festival is back for its fifth year, and the lineup is arguably it's best yet. The mighty SLIPKNOT will headline, followed by SLAYER, and a ''major special guest'' TBA on March 5th.

The ''year-end list'' is always a weird thing for me because I'm not personally a huge fan of the rundown. To call something the ''Best Of (insert year here)'' is a stretch because what indicates ''best'' may not be indicative of a release that makes it into constant rotation, thus becoming a favorite. While a five-star review might be given to an album with exceptional songwriting and technical playing, a three-star record might be a lot more fun and have more staying power in the long-haul. That said, I'm doing a personal ''favorites'' list for 2011. This will compile releases by category that I've been digging throughout the year. If it was reviewed here on Kik Axe Music™ there will be a link to the review. If it didn't get a proper review, that will be noted as well. Bands, Fans, and Publicists seem to love these lists, so here we go... 

Those curious what would happen if Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT), Scott Ian (ANTHRAX), Jon Donais (SHADOWS FALL), Chris Wyse (THE CULT), and John Tempesta (ROB ZOMBIE, TESTAMENT) got together to collaborate on a Christmas song had their curiosity crushed back in 2008 when the aforementioned recorded a rendition of Silent Night. Originally released on WE WISH YOU A METAL XMAS AND A HEADBANGING NEW YEAR, the song comes in at Day 18 in our 2nd Annual 25 Days of AXEmas here at Kik Axe Music™.

Paul Bostaph, who reportedly was sitting out the recent TESTAMENT tour with ANTHRAX and DEATH ANGEL (read my report & see pics from the final show here) due to an ''injury'' has officially left the band - and has started a new project with short-time ANTHRAX vocalist Dan Nelson.

Kik Axe Music & Entertainment™ is bringing you the best shopping deals for Black Friday 2011. We've searched off the beaten path for gift ideas for the music and media lover in your life!

ANTHRAX, who just wrapped their WORSHIP MUSIC Tour this past Saturday in Milwaukee (photos & report here) are celebrating Thraxgiving and Black Friday by offering 10% off all purchases through their official webstore. Use Code BLACK10 at the checkout now through Sunday 11/27.

As they were already responsible for one of my favorite albums of 2011, I was excited to be asked to shoot some photos of ANTHRAX on the final night of their WORSHIP MUSIC Tour in Milwaukee. Now, I only shoot a handful of shows a year, and the reason for that is simple - I don't actually like doing concert photography as a habit. But... I love ANTHRAX, so it was an opportunity that I wasn't going to pass up. Having interviewed Charlie Benante and Scott Ian in the past, doing something on the visual side was an obvious next step.

There's a lot of great men and women that work security at venues around the world. They do an often thankless job while putting up with a ton of bullshit. On the flipside, there's also a bunch of 'roided-up, low-IQ morons (imagine pretty much anyone on the GODSMACK touring staff) that manage to get hired into the bunch. Then events like this happen.

Last Wednesday he was rocking the stage at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York as The Big 4 of ANTHRAX, SLAYER, MEGADETH, and METALLICA presented their East Coast bash. On Friday night, he was spotted in Libertyville, Illinois checking out Philip Anselmo's DOWN at Austin's Fuel Room (Kik Axe Music™ has spies, and a posse). And today, ANTHRAX drummer CHARLIE BENANTE was seen at Wrigley Field throwing out the first pitch as THE CHICAGO CUBS took on THE MILWAUKEE BREWERS game. The Cubs won 7 to 1, so you have to wonder if that Anthrax magic was at play...

Over the past few weeks we've reached an interesting milestone here at Kik Axe Music™ - we're big enough that on the busiest of days I find over 500 emails landing in my inbox, but we're not quite big enough yet to get some extra help in sorting all the mail [Note: CORPKA does more than just this site] and posting stories. Since I can't clone myself yet, but still want to spread the Sonic Gospel on as many artists as possible, it's time for another installment of The Random Rock. Here's short updates on 32 bands and artists, randomly snagged from my recent emails and coverage pitches for Monday, September 19th, 2011.

If Dimebag Darrell Abbott were still alive, would PANTERA have set aside differences and reunited? Is it possible that The Big 4 would actually be THE BIG 5? I say YES. Last night at the Metal Masters Clinic in New York, former PANTERA frontman Phil Anselmo joined SLAYER's Kerry King, MEGADETH's Dave Ellefson, former DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy, and Scott Ian, Frank Bello & Charlie Benante of ANTHRAX to rip it up on a couple PANTERA classics. Watch this Heavy Metal Justice League perform A New Level and Fucking Hostile below!