The five men of Upon a Burning Body are currently riding high. The San Antonio-based metalcore sensations not only just released their sophomore album, Red.White.Green, they also recently premiered a hot new video for "Once Upon a Time in Mexico" which was directed by Scott Hansen who has also worked with the likes of Unearth and The Ghost Inside.

But what really has Upon a Burning Body fired up, as Noisecreep learned after talking with singer Danny Leal, is a certain upcoming summer tour. And you can blame it on Slipknot.

Danny, what did you listen to growing up?

I was really into Coal Chamber, Korn, Spineshank, Pantera - but then Slipknot came out and just changed everything for me - everything about aggression in music just became more important for me. And I have been on that trip for a long time.

And now here you guys are - soon you'll be on the road with Slipknot for the big Mayhem Festival tour this summer.

That's actually what we have all been talking about. I have to say - that tour has not even sunk in for us. It's almost too mind blowing for us. Right now, everything we do is just about making it to that tour. Once we get there and play a few shows, I think we'll settle in, but the suspense is killing us. We've never been on a tour as big as Mayhem so for us it's unreal. We truly look up to Slipknot, so I'm hoping we get to at least talk to them a little bit or even have a little barbecue or something - maybe get a picture with the guys? We won't be fan boys, I promise, but just to say hello to those guys would be sick. We cannot wait.

Watch Upon a Burning Body's "Once Upon a Time" Video


Mayhem should allow you guys to reach some new fans, too, right?

That kind of tour is something you really want to do, because there are so many different kinds of audiences that will be attending. Some older, old school kind of cats that don't normally dig around for newer for bands. We want to connect with metal fans – fans of Slayer, Pantera, heavy bands - and we think we will.

What was the creative process like on the new album?

We were trying to write songs, almost forcefully – we'd write them, go in the studio, and it wasn't really working out so we had to re-evaluate and go back to the old school way of just writing a song, letting it come out naturally, while we were right there in the studio. The guys would write one song a day, give it to me, I'd knock out the words, and 75% of the record was done like that – basically a song a day. It worked out better that way - without the over thinking and over-analyzing - and we love the final results. We truly think this record kicks ass.

Upon a Burning Body's Red.White.Green is out now via Sumerian Records. Pick up the album, and other merch from the band, at this link.

Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival featuring Slipknot, Slayer, Motorhead, Anthrax, Asking Alexandria, The Devil Wears Prada, As I Lay Dying, Whitechapel, High on Fire, Upon A Burning Body, I The Breather, and Dirtfedd, tour dates:

Jun 30 San Manuel Amphitheater San Bernardino, CA

Jul 01 Shoreline Amphitheatre Mountain View, CA

Jul 03 White River Amphitheatre Auburn, WA

Jul 04 TBD Boise, ID

Jul 06 Ashley Furniture HomeStore Pavilion Phoenix, AZ

Jul 07 Hard Rock Pavilion Albuquerque, NM

Jul 08 Comfort Dental Amphitheatre Englewood, CO

Jul 10 Gexa Energy Pavilion Dallas, TX

Jul 11 The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion Spring, TX

Jul 13 1-800-ASK-GARY Amphitheatre At the Florida State Fairgrounds Tampa, FL

Jul 14 Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood Atlanta, GA

Jul 15 Klipsch Music Center Noblesville, IN

Jul 18 TBD Oklahoma City, OK

Jul 20 Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Maryland Heights, MO

Jul 21 First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre Tinley Park, IL

Jul 22 DTE Energy Music Theatre Clarkston, MI

Jul 24 Riverbend Music Center Cincinnati, OH

Jul 25 Blossom Music Center Cuyahoga Falls, OH

Jul 27 Susquehanna Bank Center Camden, NJ

Jul 28 First Niagara Pavilion Burgettstown, PA

Jul 29 Jiffy Lube Live Bristow, VA

Jul 31 Saratoga Performing Arts Center Saratoga Springs, NY

Aug 01 Darien Lake Performing Arts Center Darien Center, NY

Aug 03 Comcast Center Mansfield, MA

Aug 04 Toyota Pavilion At Montage Mountain Moosic, PA

Aug 05 Comcast Theatre Hartford, CT

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