Artist

Islander recently released their debut full-length, 'Violence & Destruction,' and are currently rocking stages across this great nation as part of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. While they are out on that tour, the band's vocalist, Mikey Carvajal, will be providing us with updates and photos from the road.

This week in Mayhem history was fun and tiring. We had a good time in Chicago with the fans and even got to see the Victory family. Andrew and I gave tour of the van for a the YouTube channel, Digital Tour Bus. We also attended the AP Music Awards and met a good many of our influences including Billy Corgan, Coolio, Hayley Williams, and CM Punk just to name a few.

We also played our first show in another country—Canada. I didn't get to experience much of Canada (this was my first time out of the country, actually) other than Niagara Falls (beautiful) and a Flying J gas station. It had tons of candy and drinks that we don't have in America, so that was super rad.

One day this week, I was super tired and some dear friends found out I hadn't had much sleep and offered a place for me to sleep/rest for a few hours at The Ritz Carlton. Sometimes I forget to love people in return. It's really easy to do with all of the distractions of the day to day. So to Chicago, award show celebrities, Canada, The Ritz Carlton, and our dear friends, MUCH LOVE. Love will tear you apart!

–Mikey

Islander recently released their debut full-length, 'Violence & Destruction,' and are currently rocking stages across this great nation as part of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. While they are out on that tour, the band's vocalist, Mikey Carvajal, will be providing us with updates and photos from the road.

Another week has come and gone and we just woke up at another rest stop. Some of the highlights that happened this week were, our bassist, Doot's birthday at Red Rocks in Colorado, doughnuts and movie time with our brothers in Korn (Voodoo Doughnuts in Denver and The Planet of the Apes), gas station pizza, tattoos with my wife in Las Vegas, and learning about who makes the best type of socks from Fieldy.

For the record, Stance definitely makes the most comfortable and coolest looking socks. This week has been crazy for us. Our debut record, Violence & Destruction, came out just a week ago, we have a top 40 single on rock radio, and Mayhem has been beyond good to us. But the best thing yet is that we've had the pleasure of meeting so many of YOU.

We have really been blown away at all of the love we have received in such a short amount of time in such an over saturated industry. In the words of a former king, thank you... thank you very much.

Mark Hunter is the vocalist and founding member of Cleveland metal act Chimaira. For more than a decade, Chimaira has been imposing its gravity on the metal community by continually touring the globe and selling more than a million albums worldwide. Their brand of heavy music has evolved and transcended both itself and the trends while maintaining its persistent, bludgeoning force. The band released its newest album, Crown of Phantoms, last year. Watch the video for "Wrapped in Violence" at the bottom of this post.

Judgment |ˈjəjmənt|

"Who are you to judge the life I live?" – Bob Marley

I had it all planned out. Spend a week on jury duty, come home and blog about the legal system. I would figure out a way to bridge the knowledge I learned during court to help others.

Except I forgot to go.

I was in my kitchen washing dishes when the "Oh fuck" moment hit. A few weeks prior I had received a letter to attend jury duty, and to be honest, I was excited. I'd never been. Court drama's rule, and I could see myself arguing with other jurors in the name of justice.

After sending in the letter of confirmation that I'd be attending, I neglected to do the one thing I always do when new plans arise. Write it down in my calendar. I write everything in my calendar. Seriously, I've even scheduled sex.

I'm not sure what was going on in my mind that made me forget this simple little step, but such is life. Long story short, and flashback to the "Oh fuck" moment—I panicked. Not only did I forget to go, I was four days late of forgetting to go. I was supposed to be there for a week.

I went online and read the paperwork...this mistake could result in my arrest. I can see the headlines now: "Singer of Chimaira Busted for Skipping Jury Duty."

Needless to say, I jumped in my car and drove down to the courthouse. An officer greeted me for security purposes, and I explained to him what happened. I facetiously asked if I was under arrest and his reply of, "Talk to the bailiff," was less than reassuring.

Of course. The bailiff had left. Thank goodness, as upon looking down I realized I was wearing my signature flip flops and socks rig. Probably not Kosher.

My weekend plans shot because of a stupid oversight. I sat waiting for John Q. Law and the S.W.A.T team to come barreling in the wee hours of the morning. I spent time on the Internet looking at other situations similar to mine and started to calm down, but in reality, I had no life for 72 hours.

Long story even shorter—I spoke with the bailiff, explained what had happened and thankfully they rescheduled. It meant I'd have to postpone my monthly entry for Revolver, but this epic article about judgment and crime would be well worth the wait.

Until I called to confirm and found out that they didn't need me.

Then it dawned on me—I am probably the last person they want for jury duty. How I was called to begin with is baffling in itself. I think it's safe to say I'm the antithesis of what they want in a juror.

Not that I wouldn't be fair. But let's face it, the stereotypes that follow heavy metal dudes exist for a reason. My neighbors all thought I was a devil worshiper. It might have had something to do with the fact that I jokingly spray painted 666 on my garage wall. Even though it was a joke....

Anyway, I don't have much in the line of self-help which has been the focus of this blog, but maybe it can still be motivational. Keep your shit organized, don't forget to write things down and check yourself before you leave the house.

Being a responsible citizen is a priority for me even if I come from a world of anarchy.

Enjoy your summer. I'll see you on the road this August!

8/5 – Joliet, IL at Mojoe's
8/6 – Minneapolis, MN at POV
8/7 – Peoria, IL at Rail II
8/8 – Des Moines, IA at Wooly's
8/9 – Birch Run, MI at Dirt Fest
8/10 – Akron, OH at Rock Factory
8/11 – St. Louis, MO at FUBAR
8/12 – Kansas City, MO at Aftershock
8/13 – Denver, CO at Blue Bird
8/14 – Salt Lake City, UT at Urban Lounge
8/15 – Portland, OR at Hawthorne Theatre
8/16 – Seattle, WA at Hempfest
8/17 – Spokane, WA at The Hop
8/19 – Sacramento, CA at Assembly
8/20 – West Hollywood, CA at Whiskey A Go Go
8/21 – San Diego, CA at Soma Sidestage
8/22 – Phoenix, AZ at Joe's Grotto
8/23 – Tucson, AZ at The Rock
8/25 – Odessa, TX at Club Patron
8/26 – San Antonio, TX at Korova (Basement)
8/27 – Austin, TX at Dirty Dog Bar
8/28 – Houston, TX at Warehouse Live
8/29 – Dallas, TX at Trees
8/30 – Oklahoma City, OK at The Chameleon Room
8/31 – Tyler, TX at Clicks

www.markhunter.net
www.facebook.com/crom77
www.twitter.com/chimairamark

Islander recently released their debut full-length, 'Violence & Destruction,' and are currently rocking stages across this great nation as part of the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. While they are out on that tour, the band's vocalist, Mikey Carvajal, will be providing us with updates and photos from the road.

Today we are headed to Las Vegas to play an off-date from Mayhem Festival with our homies in Ill Niño and Mushroomhead. Mayhem Festival has been great so far. We've had the opportunity to play some of the biggest shows we've ever been a part of, and we've made a lot of new friends. My wife is out with us also running our merch table, so it's been great having that time with her. Everyone involved with the tour has been nothing but nice to us, and we really couldn't ask for a better crew to be on the road with. The catering has been great, as well. Our debut album, 'Violence & Destruction,' dropped this week so we've been excited about that. The response for it has been great and we've been totally blown away at all the love everyone has already shown us.

All the bands have been killing it every day. KoRn, Ill Niño, and Body Count have been great to us. Take yesterday for instance, Fieldy and I went to the gym to work out for a bit. The gym is something that I've always been intimidated by. It's easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the workout equipment, as well as all of the dudes walking around staring at themselves in the mirrors while grunting. I've been conflicted about that recently, though. I believe that if we are spiritually and mentally healthy, we will also want to be physically healthy and take care of the body that God has blessed us with. Fieldy is holding me accountable with that. It's a process and a struggle. I'm not trying to look like Hulk Hogan or Arnold Schwarzenegger, but I do want to be a more healthy and thankful person.

OK, we are jamming some Future Islands and riding through the most beautiful desert, so I'm going to end this here. We look forward to seeing everyone on the road and killing it every day. Until next week, y'all. Take care!

PS. We are doing signings at the Revolver tent—stop by and say what's up!

-Mikey

"I would definitely say I have a collector's mentality," Demon Hunter singer Ryan Clark says. "When I was younger, it was baseball cards. For two seconds, it was stamps. Then it was comic books, and after that, it became music. I can get pretty obsessive."

Currently, Clark's obsessive tendencies are equally balanced between the visual and audial. His dual interests are reflected in the pieces that make up his personal collection. - Richard Bienstock

1. Favorite Music Medium: Vinyl
"I worked at a record store for about three years, and I would spend my entire paycheck there. I probably have somewhere between 5,000 and 8,000 CDs, but I also have a lot of vinyl. In general, I'm pretty selective with my vinyl. I like the larger format. For the most part, I have to dig the artwork as well as the music. Any record that fit both of those bills I'm gonna have, like Dark Side of the Moon or the first Danzig album."

2. Favorite Hog: Harley-Davidson
"I bought this '79 Ironhead Sportster about two years ago, and I'm pretty obsessed with it. I put on the sissy bar, changed the seat, and did a few other minor changes."

3. Favorite Random S**T: Oddities
"I like little oddity-type things, creepy stuff you'd find in an old shop—like doll heads, skulls, anatomical pieces. A lot of this stuff winds up being used in designs for album packaging and other things. I'll buy something for a cover then just keep it for my collection."

4. Favorite Clothing Item: T-shirts
"If I'm at a show and digging the band, I'll usually pick up a shirt or two. At this point I probably have between 150 and 200 band shirts. You can't really see it, but here I'm wearing an At the Gates shirt with the original logo."

5. Favorite Trophies: Grammy Medallions
"I have two. I got them for my nominations for design work on Norma Jean's O God, the Aftermath and Fair's The Best Worst-Case Scenario. Anyone who's nominated for a Grammy gets a medal. They're pretty rad."

6. Favorite Playthings: Invisible Creature toys
"I have tons of toys, but this is one of my favorites. It's called Leroy. We started doing these about a year-and-a-half ago as a collaboration with Super7. We're working on a few new toys together now, but this one's special because it's the first one we did."

Since rising to fame as the frontman of '80s chart toppers Skid Row, singer Sebastian Bach has built a diverse resume that includes starring in Broadway musicals (Jekyll & Hyde), acting on TV (Gilmore Girls), and, most recent, releasing his fourth solo album, Give 'Em Hell. Along the way Bach has also amassed quite a collection of pop-culture artifacts, including classic Kiss memorabilia and "Silver Age" Marvel Comics, which were housed on his New Jersey estate.

Sadly, when Hurricane Irene ripped up the East Coast in late August 2011, it caused such extensive flooding that Bach's home was destroyed and condemned. "Gone are irreplaceable items, such as my Kiss Gargoyles from the 1979 tour and Kiss pinball machine," Bach said after the storm, adding "Skid Row master tapes, video and audio, concerts…" Thankfully, all of Bach's prized possessions were not lost. Below, the rocker reveals six more of his favorite things.

FAVORITE SYNDICATED SUPER HERO - The Six Million Dollar Man
"The Six Million Dollar Man was my favorite show growing up. I collected all of the dolls, including his evil nemesis Maskatron. When they finally released the series on DVD, I knew I had to have it. It comes in this cool deluxe box, which plays that bionic theme sound when you open it."

FAVORITE ANTHROPOMORPHIZED FRUIT - Pear Head
"My dad was an artist, and he made this. Ever since I was born in Freeport, Bahamas, that silly pear has been in my house. It used to freak me out as a kid. But then it became one of my favorite things ever. I mean, it's a pear with a mouth!"

FAVORITE PORN REPOSITORY - iPhone
"You can use those devices for all sorts of things. It fits in my pocket and I can have all my music…and porn! [Laughs] I gotta get the new iPhone for the FaceRide thing. Or is it FaceTime? Actually, I think FaceRide is more my style."

FAVORITE SIZE ENHANCER - Cowboy Boots
"I'm already 6'4", and when I put on boots, I'm even fucking taller! I walk in the room and everyone's like, 'Fuck!' [Laughs] I think that's the Kiss fan in me, too. At an early age, they made me dig the power of the boots."

FAVORITE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE - Red Wine
"Some people say 'drunk,' some people say 'sommelier.' It's just semantics to me. You go on Vh1, and you have Dr. Drew saying, 'You can't drink wine. You're gonna die. You're a bad person.' For me, if I'm sitting down at a nice restaurant with a beautiful girl and eating a steak, I'm not gonna order 7UP. If having a few glasses of red wine makes me a bad person, then take me out in the backyard and shoot me."

FAVORITE PARTY ON WHEELS - Tour Bus
"Unless you've been on one, it's hard to explain. It's just a cocoon of fun. You're in there with your friends, drinking wine, watching movies, and cranking tunes. The biggest difference between tours in the '80s and now is the cocaine. [Laughs] We did a lot of crazy shit back then that we don't do now, which might be the reason we're still here today."

Mark Hunter is the vocalist and founding member of Cleveland metal act Chimaira. For more than a decade, Chimaira has been imposing its gravity on the metal community by continually touring the globe and selling more than a million albums worldwide. Their brand of heavy music has evolved and transcended both itself and the trends while maintaining its persistent, bludgeoning force. The band released its newest album, Crown of Phantoms, last year. Watch the video for "Wrapped in Violence" at the bottom of this post.

Intention |inˈtenCHən|

"A gift consists not in what is done or given, but in the intention of the giver or doer."–Seneca

The year was 2000 and my band Chimaira squeezed into a Winnebago from the seventies to officially embark on our first tour.

We were paid $50 a night to play seedy corner bars and venues that had the charm and warmth you'd find deep in the heart of Mogadishu.

Aspirations were high. Attendances were low.

Luckily, we befriended the band we shared the stage with, Colepitz. Their presence alone helped make the tour that much more enjoyable.

A funny group of guys who also taught us the ropes. We had a blast together. Listening to Death and eating real deal Maine lobster were highlights.

Despite the tour being a financial disaster, a ton of positive things came from it. The biggest was that record labels, agents, and the rest of the music industry saw that we were a band that had good intentions.

Our intent was to become professional musicians and be taken seriously. We didn't want to be another local band who occasionally played regional gigs on the weekend. We wanted to do what the bands we listened to were doing. Tour and entertain the world.

By keeping our eyes on the prize, we eventually would do just that.

Fast forward fifteen wildly insane years, and I find myself on the phone with the singer of Colepitz, Rob Korhonen. Thankfully, we remained friends and still share similar ideologies. Our phone conversations get super cerebral and heartfelt which I rather enjoy.

Rob brought up the word "intent." In the context, we were discussing my coaching career and weight loss. He mentioned that a good question for many who struggle with food would be, "What do you intend to do with this meal?" Whoa.

Now, if you're the spiritual type, study esoteric philosophy, or dabble with psychedelics—that question may have hit you the way it hit me, like a ton of bricks. For those that don't revel in the epic vastness that is that question, I can only break it down by briefly explaining how it applied to my life for the following weeks to come.

It started with the original discussion and how intent related to food. I eat extremely fast, which sometimes results in an upset stomach. By taking a few seconds to think about my meal, how I wanted to enjoy it and savor every bite, my internal biology instantly started to change. The "food is fuel" way of life I had grown accustomed to would flip on its head overnight.

I started snacking less. If my intent is to grow a massive pair of hog tits, snacking on pretzels after a huge meal is the way to go. But if I want to stay in shape...you get the idea.

I then went on to apply the same principles to my thoughts and actions. I reminisced on the moments of my life where I perceived failure and thought about my intentions during those times. It was an eye opener.

There were many moments in my life where intentions weren't clear and often clouded with self-gain. Then there were the moments where I could see successes and noticed the intent behind them focused more into a universal love.

What was my intent when talking with friends or family? At the core, was I swinging an axe or communicating with compassion? By having this awareness, I was able to stop myself before saying something I'd usually regret and ruminate over.

Taking a few extra moments to think before I spoke or acted. What a brilliant concept. Amazing, I never thought of that before...

Joking aside, to feel the impact took a lot of thought and practice.

All this insight from one word. Pretty cool.

I intend to keep "intention" on the top of my long list of self-empowering life hacks. Try it for yourself. Next time you sit down to eat, ask yourself, "What do I intend to do with this meal?" and see if that doesn't open up Pandora's Box.

www.markhunter.net
www.facebook.com/crom77
www.twitter.com/chimairamark

Chris Krovatin is the author of three young adult novels, Heavy Metal & You, Venomous, and Gravediggers: Mountain of Bones. He is currently working on multiple new writing projects, as well as new material with his local New York metal band Flaming Tusk. He is a contributing writer for Revolver and generally comes off as a good-natured pain in everyone's collective ass. This piece below represents his opinions–and probably only his opinions.

Carcass with The Black Dahlia Murder, Gorguts, and Noisem, at the Best Buy Theater, New York City, 4/11/2014

• Mission since this tour was announced: Carcass and Black Dahlia, together at last!
• Mission since work ended at 5 today: I am going to get fucking hammered.
• Cool sight of the evening: The word "Carcass" over Times Square, huge, in lights.
• That said: Man, the Best Buy Theater is the least death-metal venue ever.
• Coolest piece of merch available:  Coffee mugs featuring the cover to Carcass' Reek of Putrefaction. Man, wait'll the guys at the office get a load of this!
• Sobering realization of the night: …man, I can't rock this Carcass mug at the office. I'll make someone vomit and get fired.
• First up: Noisem from Baltimore.
• Sounds like: Infectious vicious grindcore with overtones of old-school thrash.
• Fun fact: The members of this band are all super-young, I believe. One of them's only, like, 16.
• And yet: These guys are as hard-hitting as any group of old-timers.
• Cheapest beer available at the venue: Five-buck Budweisers.
• Number of beers bought at a single time: Three.
• Number of those beers consumed by anyone else: Zero.
• Amount of my hangover from last night's Godflesh show that's hanging around: Approximately 35%.
• Startling realizations made about my personal habits: Fuck off, it's Carcass tonight.
• Next up: Gorguts.
• Sounds like: Brutal death metal with a progressive edge.
• Fact I keep hearing: There are people out there who really like this band, honest.
• And yet: I just can't get into these guys. Too experimental, too plunky.
• To be fair: The dude in the middle has some seriously lustrous hair.
• What time is it: Drink o'clock.
• Fun activity of the night: Watching Times Square theater tourists walk past the venue with startled and terrified looks on their faces.
• Random metal royalty spotted: Carcass' Jeff Walker, while I was out in the smoking area.
• Observation: He's shorter than I expected.
• Next up: The Black Dahlia Murder from Detroit.
• Sounds like: Muscled-up Hammer Horror via Swedish death metal.
• Just so you know: I may have written about this band's live show more than any other act I've covered. Check out the archives.
• Personnel observation: Man, guitarist Brian Eschbach still looks weird to me with the short hair.
• Notable tracks: "Everything Went Black," "On Stirring Seas of Salted Blood," "In Hell Is Where She Waits For Me."
• Track I wish they'd played: "Map of Scars" off of Everblack.
• Look at the time: Drink o'clock again already…ugh.
• Maybe you should stop drinking: Sorry, I could taste that Jack. We're keeping this going.
• Fuck it: Give me a Carcass mug! I can disgust myself at home!
• Speaking of which: What? They're onstage! Oh shit!
• Finally: Carcass from Liverpool.
• Sounds like: Anatomical diagrams flashing before your eyes in a maniac whirlwind.
• Sounds here: Absolutely fucking amazing.
• Favorite dude at the show: The guy who yanked me into the mosh pit screaming, "YOU ARE MEAT!"
• Least favorite dude at the show: The big bearded guy up front who threw elbows and mule kicks anytime someone collided with his back. It's a metal show, you fucking human zit.
• Classic old tracks played tonight: "Exhume to Consume," "Incarnated Solvent Abuse," "This Mortal Coil," "Corporeal Jigsore Quandry."
• Classic new tracks played tonight: "Unfit For Human Consumption," "The Granulating Dark Satanic Mills" off of Surgical Steel.
• You know it's Carcass: Because Jeff Walker's stage banter is scathing, snarky, and sweet all at once.
• Approximate time at the close of the show: 12:30.
• Amount of time it took me to consume a booze-soaking burger: Eleven minutes.
• Comforting thought: I am meat.

Mark Hunter is the vocalist and founding member of Cleveland metal act Chimaira. For more than a decade, Chimaira has been imposing its gravity on the metal community by continually touring the globe and selling more than a million albums worldwide. Their brand of heavy music has evolved and transcended both itself and the trends while maintaining its persistent, bludgeoning force. The band released its newest album, Crown of Phantoms, last year. Watch the video for "Wrapped in Violence" at the bottom of this post.

Health |helth|

"Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint."–Mark Twain

We live in a health conscious society, and it's an exciting time. Thousands of inventions are in development that will essentially help humans live forever. From 3D printed organ transplants to disease fighting nanobots, we are on the verge of immortality.

The flip side to the sci-fi world is the rising popularity of holistic methods. Simple techniques such as eating smarter, exercise, adequate rest and meditation, have had a transformative effect. We have the power to change our biology without medical intervention.

Despite all of this, I still sense a giant disconnect. It's hard to navigate the vast portal of information, and it's often contradictory to what we've learned. Every other week there's a food scare. Bananas are bad! They're high in sugar! Bananas are good! They're high in potassium! So, which is it?

Another common problem is, we often accept things as fact without doing any further research. We're also willing to blindly follow advice. My guess is there's an extremely high ratio of people that would rub goat semen on their nipples if their favorite celebrity told them it was the key to success.

Like so many, I too find it easy to make mistakes and fall victim to disinformation. While I have not gone the route of goat semen, I've certainly done some dumb things.

So how do we navigate this terrain, who has the best advice, and what can be done so we can take better charge of our health?

The way I try to detect nonsense is by checking out the real scientific studies. If someone tells you that monkey urine is the latest trend in weight loss, and there is peer reviewed scientifically tested data to support the claim, you can probably start adding monkey urine to your kale smoothie.

But, if the news comes from The Daily Soul Cleanse and "experts agree"…I'd think twice before following that tip.

Learning both sides of the story is always a good idea. Remember 2012 was filled with end of the world talk caused by the galactic alignment? Nobody thought to look if the same alignment happened every year. It does.

Finding a reputable source to follow can be a challenge. My general rule of thumb is to find someone with consistent longstanding results. If someone has a claim that sounds mystical and outlandish, it probably is. Applying the principles of bullshit detecting is key here.

The best thing I've done to take charge of my health is making the choice to. It starts with that. If you're not ready to dedicate your life to change, then it will never work.

While it might seem strange for a metal dude to talk about health, for me it's quite normal. My mother was a head nurse for over twenty years. I accompanied her to work often and was both fascinated and desensitized at a young age.

My family pushed for me to become a doctor, especially after the success of Doogie Howser, but I discovered Slayer and became a musician. I was stoked to learn that other metal heads knew about the medical world like Carcass.

Health is important because I want to be in the best shape I can be when I perform, and I wish for the audience to feel alive and vibrant—filled with energy.

It's a good idea to take better care of yourself and now is the time to take advantage of the gadgets that do most of the work for you: Apps, home exercise gear and pedometers. The technology is there. The only thing preventing us from feeling awesome is ourselves.

www.markhunter.net
www.facebook.com/crom77
www.twitter.com/chimairamark

Righteous Vendetta is a metalcore band out of Wyoming. The band released their latest album, The Fire Inside, last year. Currently the group is on the road with (hed) p.e. and Smile Empty Soul. Below, the band contributes the fourth in a series of guest blogs.

We stay out on the road for around 300 days a year. With that, there obviously comes 300 days worth of chances something will go terribly wrong for us. Vehicle trouble is usually the basis of all our problems on the road.  If we don't have a vehicle, we are rendered helpless. Our first major vehicle trouble of the year struck last week, stranding us in the middle of Ohio with some friends of the band. Our original plan was to stay here for our two days off to save on hotel rooms and then take off to the next show. Unfortunately, that would've been way too easy and convenient.

We stopped at a run-down gas station to fill up with diesel, and they were filling the pumps at the time. The attendant told us it was alright to start filling up, so we pulled up to the pump and went inside to prepay. Now, here is where this whole situation turned into a miracle. I (Justin) went to visit somebody the night before so I was going to refill the Sprinter with $30 worth of diesel to repay that and then use band cash for the rest of the fill-up. We typically always pay with cash, but I had to pay my part with a card. We take off, and 10 miles down the road, our Sprinter goes into "limp mode," meaning something that could possibly damage the vehicle was occurring. We limped it to a Mercedes dealer and had them start their diagnostics while we waited for our friends to come pick us up and take us back to their house. Once the diagnostics were completed, they relayed the message to us—bad fuel. If we would've paid with cash just as we always do, we would've had no evidence of ever filling up at this gas station and therefore leaving the gas station completely free of responsibility for causing thousands of dollars of damage to our vehicle.

On the bright side, we had a great time on our week off. We found a party bus on Craigslist that looked great in the pictures, so we journeyed the 3 hour trek to Cleveland to take a look. As we sat in a Wal-Mart parking lot waiting for this boss to come in, we see smoke emerging from over the hill. Around the corner comes a rolling garbage can that we had mistaken for a party bus online. We knew right away we weren't going to go for it, but we had to take a ride in it so we didn't seem rude to this guy. On the way back, we were feeling kind of down that we didn't end up finding a replacement vehicle for it, so to cheer us up we stopped at pet store. We left the pet store with a pet rat. I forgot about any disappointment we originally had.

Thankfully, we have amazing friends and family that were willing to bless us. Not only did we have this family let us raid their house and destroy their food supply for a week, but our friends from Montana let us use their 2010 Chevy Express for as long as we needed, and our drummer's mom made the 25 hour drive to deliver the van to us! We are finally back on the road and starting our headlining tour for April!

Unfortunately, this marks the end of our Revolver guest blog. Thanks to everyone for reading, and hopefully we'll see you on the road!