Blood spilling out of every orifice of a man’s body would seem like a welcome invitation to hit the emergency room full speed ahead- not behavior deserving of a high-five and a beer. Of course being that we were at the Big 4 Fest apparently meant we’d sent out a mass invitation for pain and some left with blood on their hands- quite literally.

Rewind to several hours earlier and it’s hotter than Dante’s Inferno as I’m pulling up to check in, a dust storm that could rival anything the Savannah would throw at me circling the parking lot, and amidst all of this I’m getting ready to rock with the rest of the Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax fans.

The day started out normal enough- the usual mid-fest chaos, the normal mosh pit insanity, and a whole lot of people wearing a whole lot of black. Mid-Megadeth and somewhere someone has the brilliant idea to crowd surf. I faded into the crowd because to me this was more of a spectator sport and the next thing I know friends had been separated- and at amber-alert strength three guys went back into the masochistic abyss because they’d leave no man behind.

One missed call and twenty some odd texts later and I was surveying the damage and taking inventory of the honorable war wounds won in the scary cyclone that served as a celebration of dark music and auditory insanity. The entire event had me thinking of the mosh pit as an interpretive dance gone somewhat awry- and worthy of some signage saying enter at your own risk.

The funny thing was, just as someone was quick to get hurt someone was even quicker to pull you back on your feet and even quicker yet to give you an invitation to rejoin the violent circle’s ranks. If you thought the mass amount of blood, bruising, and music that had my ears ringing for the next forty-eight would serve as a deterrent from my various metal exploits you’d be wrong- I’m officially counting down to SONISPHERE in the U.K. (July 8-10!) and aside from the big four that wet my appetite for more we’ve got Biffy Clyro, The Mars Volta, In Flames, and Pulled Apart By Horses!

There were several mixed reviews about Metallica, the band that ended the night- but the general consensus of the day was that these rock veterans were still giving twenty-somethings a run for their money. With Anthrax, Slayer, and Megadeth providing the day’s kickstart the crowd was ready, willing, and able to ignore injuries and power through to the end. The onstage pyrotechnics may have made the deal a little sweeter, too- who doesn’t enjoy a little mid-desert fire show?

So clear your schedule and get to making arrangements because you’ll be enjoying the fest for three days straight and I’m assuming you’ll need at least forty-eight to recover from the musical masochism that’ll have you thinking blood is the new black. See you there and stay tuned as we keep you updated closer to the not so sweet summer fest! To keep updated on upcoming Sonisphere and see when it will be in your town, head HERE to pick out your country of choice! Please note: No music journalists were harmed in the writing of this review.