Heavy Metal
Tom Morello: Slash and I Nearly Got Blown Up Onstage at an Ozzy Osbourne Show
Tom Morello (photo by Amy Harris), Ozzy Osbourne (David Brendan Hall), Slash (Antonio Marino Jr.) Tom Morello and Slash almost jointly experienced the most heavy metal death that one can possibly imagine: getting blown up onstage at an Ozzy Osbourne concert. The Rage Against the Machine guitarist told the story during an appearance Wednesday (February 24th) on The Howard Stern Show. Morello and Slash were performing with the Prince of Darkness as part of his “Ozzy and Friends” shows that took the place of Black Sabbath’s planned tour after Tony Iommi was diagnosed with lymphoma. At one of the shows, a headlining Halloween performance at the 2015 Voodoo Experience festival in New Orleans, the two guitar gods almost met their maker. As Morello tells it, after he and Slash had taken turns pla...
Tom Morello Tapped as Executive Music Producer for Upcoming Netflix Film Metal Lords
Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello is set to serve as the executive music producer for the upcoming Netflix film Metal Lords, due out later this year. The film is also the first feature-length project in a partnership between Netflix and Game of Thrones showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff. A brief press release described Metal Lords as a “coming-of-age comedy” with a plot synopsis many young metalheads can relate to: “Two kids want to start a heavy metal band in a high school where exactly two kids care about heavy metal.” Metal Lords is written and co-produced by Weiss and will be directed by Peter Sollett (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist). Benioff serves as an executive producer, keeping the Game of Thrones pairing intact. The film stars Jaeden Martell (Knives Out, It...
Cannibal Corpse Expose Human Organ Trafficking in Video for “Inhumane Harvest”: Watch
As Cannibal Corpse prepare to unleash their new album Violence Unimagined on April 16th, the death metal pioneers have now offered up an unsettling video for the recently released first single “Inhumane Harvest”. Cannibal Corpse have always penned gory lyrics, but in this case the song’s words actually detail a serious criminal issue. “Inhumane Harvest” and its accompanying music video offer a disturbing look at the appalling underground illegal human organ trade. “‘Inhumane Harvest’ takes a look inside one of organized crime’s more sinister activities: the human organ trade,” guitarist Rob Barrett said in a press release. “Desperate buyers will pay a high price for a much-needed organ transplant to either save themselves or a loved one from certain death, which makes for a lucrative busin...
Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine and Gibson Announce Partnership, New Line of Guitars
Megadeth legend Dave Mustaine is Gibson’s latest brand ambassador. The two announced the mutual partnership today along with a new line of Mustaine signature model electric and acoustic guitars across Gibson’s three brands: Gibson, Epiphone, and Kramer. It’s a major announcement for Mustaine and his fans, who’ve probably grown accustomed to seeing the iconic metal frontman shredding on a Dean guitar, his previous brand partner. Gibson’s new Dave Mustaine Collection will see the launch of signature model guitars at various price points, depending on the brand — much like KISS founder Gene Simmons’ recently unveiled line of Gibson brand basses and guitars. In fact, Mustaine vividly recalls a childhood memory of seeing Simmons and KISS wield Gibson guitars on the sleeve of their legendary Ali...
Dee Snider: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Committee Is Made Up of “Arrogant Elitist Assholes”
Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider has slammed the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame committee as “arrogant elitist assholes,” citing a lack of respect for hard rock and heavy metal acts. Snider went on a rant against the Rock Hall during a Q&A session with fans on Twitter over the weekend. The subject popped up when a fan asked about Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson’s declaration in 2018 that he would refuse induction if the legendary metal act was ever voted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. It just so happens that Iron Maiden are among the acts recently nominated for the 2021 class. Faced with the question, “Why would [Dickinson} or anyone for that matter refuse [induction]?”, Snider responded, “The RnR Hall committee members are arrogant elitist assholes who look down on metal &a...
Metallica’s BlizzCon Performance Audio Replaced With Goofy Instrumental Music on Twitch: Watch
Metallica headlined video-game maker Blizzard Entertainment’s virtual BlizzCon 2021 event on Friday (February 19th), but those watching on Twitch were treated to an evening of … elevator music. Due to copyright concerns, Twitch replaced Metallica’s thunderous brand of heavy metal with a generic instrumental that made the legendary band’s performance look downright silly. Things started out okay, with frontman James Hetfield introducing the performance by recalling how Metallica headlined the typically in-person Blizzcon event back in 2014, adding, “We would love to be there this year, but obviously can’t be … so here we are, and this is for you.” Beaming in from their Bay Area band headquarters, Metallica launched into their classic song “For Whom the Bell Tolls”, and everything soun...
Rare Footage of Deftones Performing on Public-Access TV in 1992 Surfaces Online: Watch
Rare footage of Deftones performing the song “Answers” on TV in 1992 has surfaced on YouTube via a fan channel dedicated to live clips of the band. Sourced from a professionally filmed broadcast on the Sacto Active Rock community-access TV show, the clip captures Deftones during their formative years. The band even had a different lineup, with drummer John Taylor behind the drum kit in place of Abe Cunningham, who left the group in 1990 prior to rejoining in 1993. For Deftones fans, it’s an invaluable glimpse into the pre-Adrenaline era. Chino Moreno had yet to grow his goatee; the late Chi Cheng didn’t have his signature dreadlocks; and guitarist Stephen Carpenter went wild on the soloing — not a style he’s known for. The song performed on the broadcast, “Answers”, has a more dub/reggae s...
Serj Tankian on His Film Truth to Power, the Chaos Around Toxicity, and the Time He Feared for His Life
Serj Tankian’s life as an activist and musician is captured in the new documentary, Truth to Power. The just-released film offers a fascinating look at the singer’s journey inside and outside of his multiplatinum rock band System of a Down. Following Tankian’s path from his childhood to to his pre-SOAD band Forever Young to the present day, Truth to Power features testimonials by Serj and his bandmates, along with such associates as producer Rick Rubin and Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello. The film also uses archival video to tell Tankian’s story of activism, while also touching on the origins and highlights of System of a Down’s career. Interspersed are newly shot scenes that include the singer visiting his old high school in Hollywood and voyaging to Armenia during a revolutio...
Gojira Announce New Album Fortitude, Unleash “Born for One Thing”: Stream
Gojira have announced their highly anticipated new album, Fortitude, which arrives on April 30th via Roadrunner Records. The acclaimed French metal band has also unveiled the single “Born for One Thing” along with an accompanying music video. The song follows the melodic groove of Gojira’s 2020 surprise track “Another World” (which turned out to be the first taste of Fortitude, as it’s included on the tracklist). The band’s metallic precision is guided by passionate vocals that find the sweet spot between harsh and melodic. The sense that the musical cohesion could implode at any point creates a rising tension, driving home the philosophical lyrical content. “We have to practice detaching ourselves from everything, beginning with actual things,” frontman Joe Duplantier said of the song’s “...
New Motörhead Live Album and Concert Film Documents 2012 Show in Berlin
Motörhead, photo by Thaib A. Wahab A new Motörhead archival live album and concert film is on the way. Titled Louder Than Noise… Live in Berlin, the release documents the band’s 2012 performance at the Berlin Velodrom. The set arrives April 23rd on CD/DVD, vinyl, and digital formats. The 15-song set rips through the signature moments of Motörhead large song catalog, highlighted by hits like “Ace of Spades”, “Overkill”, and “The Chase Is Better Than the Catch”. To tide us over, a clip of “Over the Top” was released to coincide with the album’s announcement. On December 5th, 2012, Motörhead were in the midst of the “Kings of the Road” tour. At this point, the trio of late frontman Lemmy Kilmister, guitarist Phil Campbell, and drummer Mikkey Dee had been playing together live since 1995. You ...
Ronnie James Dio’s Autobiography to Be Posthumously Released in July
Ronnie James Dio had been working on his autobiography, Rainbow in the Dark, prior to his passing in 2010. Now, the book has been completed by music writer Mick Wall and is set for release on July 27th. Dio and Wall, a longtime friend, had been working on the autobiography before the iconic metal singer passed from stomach cancer on May 16th, 2010. According to a press release from publisher Permuted Press, the book is a frank and humorous telling of Dio’s legendary career and life as a rock singer. Readers can expect “coming-of-age tales, glorious stories of excess, and candid recollections of what really happened backstage, at the hotel, in the studio, and back home behind closed doors far away from the road.” His fallout with Deep Purple/Rainbow guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, the drugs th...
Ozzy Osbourne Gets COVID Vaccine After Asserting That Contracting the Virus Would Likely Kill Him
Ozzy Osbourne has received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The legendary metal singer got the shot this week after previously stating that if he didn’t, contracting the virus would likely kill him. The Black Sabbath frontman revealed the good news during an appearance on UK talk show Loose Women. Taking a page out of the John Lennon and Yoko Ono handbook, Ozzy laid in bed next to his wife, Sharon, and the family dogs. When asked if he’d received the vaccine, Ozzy replied in the affirmative: “Of course!” Sharon chimed in, “He says, ‘Of course’ — he only had it yesterday.” “It felt like I was being stabbed,” Ozzy said of the shot. “My arm was hurting yesterday, but I’m glad I got it, you know?” Ozzy said he feels “relieved” after getting the first dose, and for good reason. At 72 yea...
