Thrash Metal
Jason Newsted Unboxes Metallica’s Super Deluxe “Black Album” Box Set: Watch
Metallica have shared a video of former bassist Jason Newsted unboxing the upcoming super deluxe “Black Album” box set. The massive collection arrives September 10th. In the video, Newsted sets up shop on his front porch for the lengthy unboxing. This isn’t your ordinary expanded edition, either. The sheer amount of content is mind-boggling: discs galore (the full album, bonus tracks, live cuts, alternate versions, etc.), a photo book, flyers, and copious ephemera. The goods pour out across the table as the bassist charismatically offers fans a first glimpse at the box set. As if he’s unearthing a time capsule of the era, Newsted discusses each item and even offers nostalgic anecdotes as he goes. Advertisement Related Video The pictures send him back in time to the shoots with photographer...
Sepultura Announce Spring 2022 North American Tour
Sepultura will make the trip back to North America in spring of 2022. The Brazilian heavy metal band has announced an extensive tour in support of their latest album, 2020’s Quadra, which they’ve been unable to support with live shows yet due to the global pandemic. The outing will kick off March 4th in Sacramento, California, and keep the veteran metal act on the road for a little over a month before wrapping up April 8th in Berkeley, California. Sacred Reich, Crowbar and Art of Shock will serve as support on the tour, which features both rescheduled and newly added dates. “We are extremely excited to reconnect with everyone in North America for this upcoming tour,” vocalist Derrick Green said in a statement. “We look forward to seeing all the people who have been anxious to see shows for...
Exodus Drummer Tom Hunting Is Cancer Free After Undergoing Total Gastrectomy
Exodus drummer Tom Hunting recently underwent a total gastrectomy (removal of the stomach), and it appears the surgery was a success. The veteran thrash musician is now cancer free, according to a post on bandmate Gary Holt’s Instagram account. Earlier this month, Hunting announced that he would be undergoing the procedure in his effort to battle squamous cell carcinoma of the stomach. A total gastrectomy removes the entire stomach and parts of any neighboring organs affected by the cancer. The end of the esophagus is then attached to the small intestine to allow for digestion. While he must recover and adjust to his new digestive system, the message posted on Holt’s Instagram offers an encouraging outlook: “Tom has been home for around a week now, is doing very well despite the pain, is e...
R.I.P. Mike Howe, Metal Church Singer Dies at 55
Mike Howe, lead singer of the veteran band Metal Church, has died at the age of 55. No cause of death has been reported, but the band announced his passing via Facebook on Monday evening (July 26th). “It is with our deepest regrets that we must announce the passing of our brother, our friend and true legend of heavy metal music. Mike Howe passed away this morning at his home in Eureka, California,” reads the band’s statement. “We are devastated and at a loss for words. Please respect our privacy and the Howe family’s privacy during this most difficult time.” The band formed in 1980 in the Bay Area as Shrapnel, impacting the thrash metal scene that was about to explode a couple years later. They moved to Aberdeen, Washington, early in their career and changed their name to Metal Church in 1...
Anthrax Celebrate 40 Years of Thrash with Career-Spanning Livestream Concert: Review
Setting the Stage: It’s hard to believe, but this year marks the 40th anniversary of the formation of thrash metal pioneers Anthrax. Considered to be one of the “Big 4” of thrash (along with Metallica, Slayer, and Megadeth), the band — which since 2013 has featured a lineup comprised of singer Joey Belladonna, guitarists Scott Ian and Jon Donais, bassist Frank Bello, and drummer Charlie Benante — undoubtedly would have preferred to celebrate this impressive career accomplishment with a thorough world tour, but instead offered up a virtual worldwide concert event. Anthrax officially formed on July 18th, 1981, and the metal legends started the 40th anniversary celebration a couple months back with a video series documenting their illustrious career through testimonials from the band members ...
Sonic Frequencies from “The Black Album” Make Metallica’s Latest Blackened Whiskey the Perfect Sipper: Review
Metallica have unveiled The Black Album Whiskey Pack, the latest release in their Blackened American Whiskey line. The 12 songs from the classic 1991 album were used for the “Black Noise” sonic-enhancement process, literally pummeling the casks with sonic frequencies to extract flavors from the wood. The new pack includes a bottle of Batch 114 Blackened whiskey — finished to the low hertz frequencies of “The Black Album” — a collectible coin, and a Snakebite cocktail booklet. It’s a dream gift for Metallica fans and at a very modest SRP of $49.99, considering this is high-grade craft whiskey. I was fortunate enough to have been gifted a pack for this article. Knowing that I certainly couldn’t polish off the whole bottle alone — or shouldn’t, at least — I decided to bust out ...
Dave Mustaine Reveals That David Ellefson’s Bass Parts Have Been Replaced on Upcoming Megadeth Album
Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine has confirmed that ousted member David Ellefson’s bass parts have been re-recorded for the legendary thrash band’s upcoming album. Somewhat ironically, Mustaine revealed the news to a fan via the celebrity video messaging app Cameo, after recently joining the platform. Mustaine had previously stated that Ellefson’s parts would be replaced after the bassist was fired from the band following the leak of private online sexual encounters. Addressing a fan named Tina, Mustaine said [as transcribed by Blabbermouth]: “I hear you’re a big pretty fan of [the Megadeth song] ‘Fatal Illusion’ right now. That’s cool. Actually, we’ve got one song on the new album — it’s called ‘The Dogs of Chernobyl’ — which is very similar to ‘Fatal Illusion’ in aggression. So I hope you...
New Zealand Mom Has Reportedly Named Her Three Children Metallica, Slayer, and Pantera
Talk about a headbanging entrance into this world: A New Zealand mom has reportedly named her three children Metallica, Slayer, and Pantera. The extraordinary tidbit was shared via a newsletter article from New Zealand documentary filmmaker and actor David Farrier (Netflix’s Dark Tourist), who also summarized the story on his Twitter account (as first reported widely by Metal Hammer). He divulged that a woman, whom he doesn’t identify in his article, has indeed named her kids after three of heavy metal’s biggest bands. “Proud to report that a New Zealand mother has named her children Metallica, Pantera and Slayer,” wrote Farrier. “She told me, ‘It’s not easy raising three of the heaviest bands.’” Related Video The filmmaker, who claims to have seen the birth certificates, admitted he...
Exodus Drummer Tom Hunting to Undergo Total Gastrectomy in Cancer Battle
Exodus drummer Tom Hunting will undergo a total gastrectomy amid his battle with stomach cancer. The band has launched an auction to help raise funds for his medical bills. Hunting began treatment for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the stomach less than five months ago. A total gastrectomy — the full removal of the stomach — is typically done if the cancer has spread widely in the stomach or toward the esophagus, according to Cancer.org. Hunting offered a touching update on his condition — stating his treatments are working — and the upcoming procedure in a post via bandmate Gary Holt’s Instagram page: “Hey Y’all, I wanted to check in and thank everyone SOOOOOO much for the love and support! I see all the awesome events and things people are putting together out there to help me in this ...
Metallica to Release Super Deluxe 30th Anniversary Box Set of The Black Album
Metallica are celebrating the 30th anniversary of “The Black Album” in a major way. The metal titans have announced a super deluxe box set edition of the mega-selling LP that is set to arrive on September 10th. As Metallica have done with their first four albums over the past few years, they’re giving their self-titled fifth LP, better known as “The Black Album”, the royal treatment. The 1991 effort helped Metallica make the leap from metal favorites to international rock stars thanks to classics like “Enter Sandman”, “Nothing Else Matters”, and “Sad but True”. It remains the best-selling album of all time in Nielsen Soundscan history. The limited-edition deluxe box set features the album remastered on 180-gram 2-LP vinyl, a picture disc, three live LPs, 14 CDs (containing rough mixes, dem...
GWAR Introduce Bud of Gods Dugout and Delta-8 Tincture
Looking for a convenient way to bring your Bud of Gods CBD flower with you or take some of that sweet Bud of Gods Delta-8 THC? Well, GWAR are showing pity on you Scumdogs with their two new products: the Bud of Gods dugout and Delta-8 tincture. Available now at the Consequence Shop, the aluminum Bud of Gods dugout brings all-in-one convenience to your CBD experience. Twist the rotating magnetic lid to release the cigarette-shaped pipe with sharp teeth for easy packing. Fill the dugout’s empty pocket with some freshly ground Bud of Gods CBD flower (ground up with the Bud of Gods card grinder, perhaps?), and simply tap the pipe down for ready-to-smoke convenience. There’s even a small slide-out rod so you can keep the storage compartment cleaner than your soul. To celebrate the launch o...
Alien Weaponry Announce New Album Tangaroa, Unveil Title Track: Stream
Alien Weaponry have announced their highly anticipated sophomore album, Tangaroa, out September 17th via Napalm Records. The New Zealand band also shared the music video for the title track. The thrash-metal trio take an environmentalist stance with the song and video, decrying the pollution of oceans and the savagery of illegal fishing practices. The poignant clip plays like a horror movie where the world’s oceans finally take revenge on humanity, drowning us in the copious plastic we’ve dumped into the water. “We decided to write this song about how the ocean is being suffocated by humans and their waste,” singer-guitarist Lewis de Jong said in a press release. “The ocean is an important part of my life, and it’s important to protect it.” Related Video Added drummer Henry de Jong: “‘Tang...
