Rock Report 9-23-21

Mudvayne frontman Chad Gray has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, and thus the band has pulled out of an upcoming Louder Than Life festival they were set to perform at.  We look forward to getting everyone healthy and ready for our Aftershock and Welcome To Rockville performances later this year. We appreciate your love and support throughout these unprecedented times.”

The festival has followed up with the announcement, confirming that Breaking Benjamin have been added to the lineup in place of Mudvayne.

On Monday (Sept. 20), the first single from Vended, titled “Asylum,” emerged online. Vended are the burgeoning rock band that features the sons of Slipknot’s Corey Taylor and Shawn “Clown” Crahan — Griffin Taylor and Simon Crahan — on lead vocals and drums, respectively.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the track’s driven by booming rhythms and loud guitars, hallmarks of the masked metal outfit to which Vended are most closely connected. Even the brisk tempo and sing-scream vocals of “Asylum” create a musical mood that can’t help but resemble the elder Knots. But is it enough to make Vended stand out from the crowd?

Last week at the Blue Ridge Rock Festival, Jackass legend Steve-O performed one of his classic stunts onstage. Along with crowd surfing from the very back of the pit to the front, Steve slashed his tongue with a knife before introducing Ice Nine Kills.

The 2021 Blue Ridge Rock Festival was met with mixed reviews. Despite an incredible lineup of artists, the fest was plagued by infrastructure issues, causing fans to abandon their cars and walk miles each day to get to the festival grounds. Issues with camping facilities and ticketing also took root in the festival, but some fans have pledged to return next year despite the inconveniences.