Thrash Metal
Dave Mustaine Finally Reveals Who Played Bass on the Upcoming Megadeth Album
Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine has finally revealed who played bass on the band’s upcoming album, The Sick, The Dying and The Dead. In a new interview, the frontman disclosed that it was Steve Di Giorgio of fellow veteran thrash act Testament. Last year, longtime Megadeth bassist David Ellefson was ousted from the band after a compromising video surfaced of him engaging in an “embarrassing” online sexual encounter with a young woman. Mustaine promptly fired Ellefson from the group, stating at the time, “While we do not know every detail of what occurred, with an already strained relationship, what has already been revealed now is enough to make working together impossible moving forward.” Mustaine also announced that the band would hire a new musician to re-record all the bass parts on the new a...
Creepy Lars Ulrich Metallica Toilet Acquired by a Museum in Denmark
The creepy toilet in the likeness of Metallica’s Lars Ulrich is making its way to the drummer’s birth country of Denmark, where it has been acquired by the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum in Copenhagen. A cursed piece of art if there ever was one, the toilet finding its home at the Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum only makes sense. We previously reported on the functioning crapper when it made the viral rounds online last year. Even weirder, it was created by the same Florida-based metalhead who claimed to have forged a guitar out of his dead uncle’s skeleton. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the artist, who goes by Prince Midnight, donated the toilet to Ripley Entertainmentin Orlando, where it currently resides in the a warehouse before shipping off to Denmark. Before that, it enjoyed...
Max and Iggor Cavalera to Celebrate Classic Sepultura Albums with 2022 “Return Beneath Arise” US Tour
Max and Iggor Cavalera are celebrating the classic Sepultura albums Beneath the Remains and Arise with a 2022 US tour. Billed as the “Return Beneath Arise” tour, the outing will see the founding Sepultura members playing a hybrid setlist of tracks from their iconic 1989 and 1991 LPs. The tour kicks off May 22nd in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and runs through a June 25th show in Tempe, Arizona. Highlights include an appearance at Maryland Deathfest and a date at the Gramercy Theater in New York City. Get tickets via Ticketmaster. Advertisement Related Video “After Covid-19 us Metal Heads need to release our aggression with some Beneath the Remains and Arise!” stated Max Cavalera in a press release. Iggor Cavalera added: “Can’t wait to perform our “Return Beneath Arise” tour for our North Ameri...
Dave Lombardo Joins Testament as Band’s New Drummer
When Testament announced that they had parted ways with legendary drummer Gene Hoglan last month, it left a gaping hole in the band’s lineup. But the veterans of thrash metal just revealed that they’ve landed perhaps the genre’s greatest drummer, the iconic Dave Lombardo, as their newest member. That’s right, the Dave Lombardo, founding member of Slayer and undisputed champion of the double bass drums, is Testament’s new stickman. Frontman Chuck Billy exclaimed, “I’ll state the obvious: We are more than overwhelmed to welcome back Dave Lombardo to play drums with Testament. We are so excited to share the stage again with Lombardo. Dave added immense power when he joined the band for The Gathering (release), and we are ecstatic to see what new flavor he will bring back to Testament.” Advert...
Spirit Adrift Share Cover of Pantera’s “Hollow”: Stream
Spirit Adrift have covered Pantera‘s “Hollow” to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the latter’s iconic Vulgar Display of Power album. The cover sees the Austin-based Spirit Adrift faithfully paying homage to their Texas metal forebearers. As one of Pantera’s more mid-tempo, melodic songs, “Hollow” works well within Spirit Adrift’s traditional heavy metal framework. It’s no surprise that the song and Vulgar Display of Power were a major influence on singer-guitarist Nate Garrett. “Vulgar Display of Power was a massive influence on my understanding of powerful songwriting, memorable arrangements, riffing, drumming, singing, and heavy metal in general”, Garrett said in a press release. “I studied the entire album from an early age, and the standout track to me has always been ‘Hollow.’ I...
Foo Fighters Go Extreme Metal on New Song “March of the Insane”: Stream
Foo Fighters have unleashed their inner extreme-metal inner selves on the new song “March of the Insane.” Released under the band moniker Dream Widow, the song conjures up early thrash reminiscent of Venom, Slayer, Celtic Frost, and other likeminded acts. While Foo Fighters’ new horror movie, Studio 666, doesn’t arrive until February 25th, it’s probably safe to assume that Dream Widow are a fictional band referenced in the film. The movie is centered around the Foos’ attempt to record a new album in a haunted mansion. The tune, which according to the YouTube description, is from Dream Widow’s “never-released self-titled album.” It’s thrashy as hell, with some very metal vocals from Dave Grohl and spectacular lyrics like, “Sing in a villainous choir / Join in chorus of pain.” Advertisement ...
Destruction Announce 2022 North American Tour
German thrash veterans Destruction have announced a Spring 2022 North American tour with Nervosa, Sunlord, and VX3. The dates will support the release of Destruction’s forthcoming album, Diabolical, arriving April 8th. The outing kicks off April 28th in Brooklyn, New York, and wraps up on May 28th in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Destruction will then appear at Maryland Deathfest the following day (May 29th) in Baltimore. You can buy tickets to the main tour dates via Ticketmaster. Advertisement Related Video “Yes — we are super thrilled: the first tour of the new record, Diabolical, will kick off in North America!” remarked Destruction’s Schmier in a press release. “We could not tour there on the last album because of the pandemic, so we made it a top priority to return as soon as the circ...
R.I.P. Jon Zazula, Megaforce Records Founder Who Helped Launch Metallica’s Career Dies at 69
Jon Zazula, the legendary founder of Megaforce Records, has died at age 69. Sadly, his passing comes just one year after the death of his wife, Marsha, who co-founded the iconic metal label with her husband. According to Variety, a rep for Megaforce confirmed that Jon Zazula passed away on Tuesday (February 1st) in Florida, where he was surrounded by his brother, daughters, and granddaughters, as well as a number of friends and associates. Known as “Jonny Z,” Zazula was a major force in the metal world, helping to launch the careers of Metallica, Anthrax, and many other bands. He and Marsha essentially founded Megaforce in order to sign Metallica to their first record deal, releasing the band’s groundbreaking 1983 debut album, Kill ‘Em All. The thrash titans stuck with Megaforce for their ...
Testament Part Ways with Drummer Gene Hoglan in Advance of “Bay Strikes Back” Tour
Testament have announced that they’ve parted ways with drummer Gene Hoglan as they prepare to headline the “Bay Strikes Back” tour this spring. The veteran thrash band cited scheduling conflicts involving Hoglan’s other projects as the primary reason for the split. Hoglan, one of heavy metal’s most skilled and respected drummers, has earned the nickname “The Atomic Clock” for his precision playing. He briefly played in Testament from 1996 to 1997, appearing on 1997’s Demonic. He then rejoined the band in 2011 and had been Testament’s drummer for the past 10-plus years, performing on their last three albums, including 2020’s Titans of Creation. A statement from Testament reads as follows: “First off, we are beyond grateful to have had Gene Hoglan behind our drum throne for ten years, severa...
Mind-Blowing Mashup Combines Slayer and Prince for “Crazy Black Magic”: Stream
YouTube mashup master Bill McClintock has struck gold once again, combining Slayer and Prince for the mind-blowing “Crazy Black Magic.” Slayer and Prince both rose to prominence in the 1980s, but one would think the musical similarities end there. Somehow, McClintock found a way to perfectly sync Slayer’s proto-blackened thrash anthem “Black Magic” to Prince’s legendary party-starter “Let’s Go Crazy.” Enter “Sprayer,” as McClintock has dubbed this thrash-pop Frankenstein. The Prince backing track plays as usual, but Slayer frontman Tom Araya becomes an exuberant hype man as his screams line up with the chord structure and tempo of “Let’s Go Crazy.” If that’s not enough, there’s even a little Led Zeppelin sprinkled in toward the end. It must be heard to be believed. Advertisement Related Vi...
Exodus’ Gary Holt Thinks “Shitty Metallica” Mention in New Cobra Kai Season Is “Rad”
Exodus got a big mention in the new season of Netflix’s popular series Cobra Kai, although it had one character referring to the veteran thrash band as “shitty Metallica.” Nonetheless, guitarist Gary Holt is celebrating the “massive Exodus reference.” In the scene (a minor spoiler), the character of Raymond (also known as “Stingray”) — played by Paul Walter Hauser — is confronted by a neighbor, who tells him, “Some freeloader was blaring shitty Metallica all night!” To which Stingray responds, “Yeah, that was actually Exodus’ Bonded by Blood, but it’s not your fault, you don’t know the genre.” Holt, a longtime member of Exodus who also played guitar in Slayer’s final lineup, posted the clip on his Instagram account, writing, “RAD!! One of my favorite shows just threw a massive Exodus refer...
Music Store Customer Anonymously Gifts Pantera-Loving Kid a Dimebag Darrell Guitar
Fallon, a youth impacted by Williams Syndrome, dreamed of owning a Dean Dimebag Darrell ML guitar — the late Pantera guitarist’s signature model. Thanks to one gracious anonymous music store customer, that dream came true. Music store J.B. Hart Music Co., Inc. in Grand Junction, Colorado, shared the touching story on Facebook, offering backstory about Fallon and the guitar, which became inseparable over the past couple years. Fallon would often come into the shop and specifically request to play the “Pantera” guitar, meaning the Dean Dimebag Darrell ML guitar, and proceed to lay down his favorite Pantera riffs. Advertisement Related Video “We were shocked he knew some Dimebag riffs,” the store wrote in its Facebook post. “Fallon is impacted by Williams Syndrome and has an excellent knowled...
