The year’s biggest and most brutal metal music festival made its way into Camden, N.J., with headliners Disturbed, Godsmack and Megadeth, plus 10 equally hard rocking bands including Trivium, Machine Head, Unearth, Kingdom of Sorrow, Red Fang and more; nearly 12 hours of hard rock heaven on the Jagermeister and Revolver stages for the Phila./Camden-area metalheads. I rolled my earplugs in for the day knowing that some of these headliners that I have seen before can crank it up pretty loud. As the long afternoon of sweaty metal heads and mosh pits in the parking lot came to a close, I made my way into the main pavillion for the headliners. The only downfall of an epic bill like the Mayhem Fest is that each band doesn't get to play as long as the crowd would like but it’s a fair trade for a long day of metal that Mayhem delivers.
        It was time for the main acts and as the Megadeth banner rose up with their signature logo and the crowd was screaming and throwing up their fists, the band took the stage and opened their one-hour set with the incredible riff of "Trust", "Hanger 18", and "Wake Up Dead" before frontman Dave Mustaine made it clear that they had a little time onstage and focused on the music. Next was "Head Crusher" and "Sweating Bullets" before the crowd was treated to a new song, "Public Enemy No.1", from their soon-to-be released October album, "TH1RT3EN," and ending the set with "Symphony of Destruction", "Peace Sells" and "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due."
        With dedicated fans now packing the lawn and now a Godsmack banner hanging behind, they hit the stage starting with a vengeance that never let up, opening with "Cryin' Like a Bitch", "The Enemy" and "Forever Shamed". Godsmack gave the fans what they payed for and busted out their hits, "Straight Out of Line", "Awake", "Speak", "Love Hate Sex Pain", and "Voodoo" before the highlight of the set came when lead singer Sully Erna joined drummer Shannon Larkin for their traditional drum duel. With Sully's rotating kit and bongo set, they each took turns giving the audience some incredible solos and at one point they both did a medley of some hits including Metallica's "Creeping Death," AC/DC's "Back in Black" and Jethro Tull's "Aqualung". Needless to say the crowd ate this up and definitely a very cool match. Now with Sully returning to the mic and guitar, they finished their set with "Batalla de los Tambores", "Whatever" and "I Stand Alone."
        After a blistering day of heat and metal, headliners Disturbed were up next. They were the only band to utilize pyrotechnics, flames and a massively illuminated screen behind them. When the huge curtain that was draped across the entire stage fell and the band hit the stage, they opened with "Remnants", "Asylum", "The Game", "Prayer" and "Liberate". Despite rumors that the band is headed for a break-up, frontman David Draiman owned the stage with his charismatic stroll and spitting, the band was cohesive as ever on stage and their energy kept the crowd lively throughout their hour-long set. Wasting no time with their short set, the band sprinkled other hits like "The Animal", "Inside the Fire", "Warrior", ""Another Way to Die", and "Stupify" with some incredible visuals from the large screen behind them and flames that seemingly licked the ceiling. Fans ate up everything they served, pounding fists and shouting every song they knew---loudly!! Now with the crowd at its peak, they closed their set with "Ten Thousnad Fists", "Indestructible" and "Down with the Sickness".
        This tour has just finished but if you get the chance to see any of the headliners (or any of the other stage’s bands) go and check them out. I'm sure it will be a much longer  show with more of the production that the openers didn’t have the time to use.