Ever since Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” was highlighted in season four of Stranger Things, the 1986 thrash gem has been all the rage. Metallica even saluted Stranger Things character Eddie Munson at Lollapalooza this year with an epic “Master of Puppets” performance that featured clips from the Netflix series. Now, a young kid in the UK is making waves with an impressive guitar rendition of the iconic metal tune that even earned props from Metallica themselves. TikTok user “fixer17d” recently shared a video of a youngster shredding “Master of Puppets” on a street in Cardiff, Wales. The kid appears to be a pre-teen or young teenager, and performs the thrash classic like an absolute champ. “Out in Cardiff and saw a kid plug in his #paulgilbert signature and thought I’d stick around,”...
Mike Patton has once again opened up about his mental health struggles, revealing that he coped with alcoholism during the pandemic. In a new interview with The Guardian, Patton discussed the upcoming sophomore album from his hardcore-thrash supergroup Dead Cross, stating that it was “forged through COVID, cancer, and alcoholism.” Patton alluded to guitarist Mike Crain’s battle with squamous cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer. Crain’s cancer eventually went into remission, with the guitarist crediting the making of the new Dead Cross album with helping save his life. Then the COVID pandemic happened, which sent Patton into a life of seclusion and solitude. Advertisement Related Video “My initial response to the pandemic was: ‘I love this shit!’,” Patton said. “It allowed me to be an ant...
GWAR have unveiled a gory music video for their song “The Cutter” featuring Halestorm frontwoman Lzzy Hale. The track hails from GWAR’s latest album The New Dark Ages. The scumdogs are currently supporting the LP with a fall North American tour, which continues tonight (October 19th) in Orlando and runs through November 3rd in Baltimore, Maryland. Pick up tickets via Ticketmaster. In typical GWAR fashion, the video for “The Cutter” is blood-letting good time — made even better by the appearance of Hale, aka Clitaurus Maximus. Little did we know, she has been apart of the GWAR universe all along. Advertisement “Lzzy Hale is wonderfully talented,” remarked Blothar the Berserker. “Few realize she is also an undercover Scumdog who came to Earth with the rest of GWAR eons ago under her true nam...
Decibel Magazine has unveiled the lineup for the 2023 Philadelphia edition of its Metal & Beer Fest set for April 14th and 15th. Suicidal Tendencies are among the headliners and will be performing their seminal 1983 self-titled debut album, among other songs. Also on the bill is The Black Dahlia Murder (who recently announced that they were continuing as a band following the death of frontman Trevor Strnad), Eyehategod (performing 1993’s Take as Needed for Pain in full), and veteran death-doom metallers Incantation (performing 1998’s Diabolical Conquest). The remainder of the lineup is rounded out by a slew of notable underground extreme metal acts: Mizmor, Frozen Soul, All Out War, Undeath, Drowningman, Worm, Fuming Mouth, Phobophilic, and ...
Metallica have announced a tribute show to honor late Megaforce Records founders Jonny and Marsha Zazula. The Zazulas launched the heavy metal label in 1982 and helped give Metallica their start when they signed the band and released 1983’s Kill ‘Em All and 1984’s Ride the Lightning. Sadly, Jonny and Marsha both passed away in the last two years. Metallica will only play songs from ’83 and ’84 at the tribute concert, which is set for November 6th at Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Florida. Fellow Megaforce alum Raven will provide support, reprising the 1983 tour package that featured the two bands. Advertisement Related Video “Jonny gave us our first break in New York, released our first albums on his Megaforce Records label, and put us out on the road for our first real tour,” Metallica said...
Metallica have announced their third-ever “Helping Hands” benefit concert and auction. Featuring performances by Metallica and “special guests,” the show and auction are set for December 16th at the Microsoft Theater in downtown Los Angeles. The third iteration of the “Helping Hands Concert and Auction” follows a remote livestream benefit show back in November 2020. All proceeds from the event — tickets, fees, and auction items — will “go directly to help those in need.” Previously, the 2020 livestream raised funds for partners at Feeding America and the American Association of Community Colleges, as well as various COVID and disaster relief efforts via Metallica’s All Within My Hands Foundation. Tickets will be on sale to the public from 10 a.m. local time Friday (September 23rd) wit...
Welcome to Dissected, where we disassemble a band’s catalog, based on the exact science of personal opinion, late night debates, and the love of music. In this installment, we rank Megadeth’s discography thus far. The origin of Megadeth is a tale of redemption for its central figure, Dave Mustaine. After being fired from Metallica for his erratic behavior and substance abuse, Mustaine was left to his own devices. He formed Megadeth as his new songwriting outlet, filling out the lineup with choice musicians who could execute his songs and ideas. Throughout the band’s career, Mustaine has been the central force behind a revolving-door cast of guitarists, drummers, and bassists. He surrounds himself with those who can achieve his vision for the band. As Mustaine goes, Megadeth goes. Advertise...
Machine Head have announced a Fall 2022 US tour in support of their recently released new album, ØF KINGDØM AND CRØWN. The outing kicks off November 3rd in Fresno, California and runs through December 23rd in Sacramento, California. Ticket pre-sales go live at 10 a.m. local time on Wednesday, September 7th (use code VENUE), with general on-sale beginning at 10 a.m. local time on Friday, September 9th. Purchase tickets via Ticketmaster. Advertisement Related Video The tour will see Machine Head playing intimate concerts in smaller venues across the country. The trek will be an extension of the band’s “Electric Happy Hour” online shows, which streamed remotely throughout the pandemic. Machine Head frontman Robb Flynn had this to say in a press statement: “Were fucking STOKED to get out and d...
Megadeth have released their 16th studio album, The Sick, the Dying… And the Dead! The legendary thrash band’s new LP arrives after many trials and tribulations, starting with frontman Dave Mustaine being diagnosed with throat cancer back in 2019. Progress on the album was halted as he underwent treatment, and Mustaine would reveal that he was 100-percent cancer free in February 2020. Then the global pandemic happened, once again shelving the project. And then longtime bassist David Ellefson was ousted from the band after a compromising online sexual encounter went public. Mustaine would replace Ellefson’s bass parts on the album, with Testament’s Steve DiGiorgio re-recording the studio tracks. He then recruited former Megadeth bassist James LoMenzo to join Megadeth’s touring lineup, later...
The first Pantera reunion shows have been announced as part of Slipknot’s South American Knotfest dates. The reunited Pantera lineup, featuring original members Philip Anselmo and Rex Brown alongside Zakk Wylde and Charlie Benante, appear on all three bills: December 9th in Colombia; December 11th in Chile; and December 18th in Brasil. Pantera will headline the Colombia edition alongside Judas Priest, with the rest of the bill rounded out by Bring Me the Horizon, Trivium, Hypocrisy, Sepultura, Suicide Silence, Sol, and more to be announced. Advertisement Related Video Slipknot will then arrive to join Judas Priest and Pantera as headliners for the Chile and Brasil Knotfests. Those bills feature Bring Me the Horizon, Mr. Bungle, Trivium, Sepultura, Motionless in White, Vended, and Project 4...
Megadeth have shared “Soldier On!,” the latest single from their forthcoming album The Sick, The Dying…and the Dead! arriving September 2nd. The new song comes a week before Megadeth’s co-headlining tour with Five Finger Death Punch. The outing kicks off August 19th in Portland, Oregon, and runs through October 15th in Salt Lake City. You can buy tickets via Ticketmaster. “Solider On!” calls back to Countdown to Extinction with its groove metal riffs and prominent vocal melodies. It’s the most compact and accessible single we’ve heard from the new album thus far. And according to Dave Mustaine’s comments in the press release, it might have been inspired by the ousting of former bassist David Ellefson. Advertisement Related Video “Coming to the realization that you need to walk away from a ...
Drowning Pool are returning with the new album, Strike a Nerve, on September 30th. The band has also paid tribute to the late Pantera members Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul with the lead single “Mind Right.” Honoring their fellow Texans, the Dallas-based Drowning Pool wrote the song shortly after Vinnie Paul died in 2018. The tight groove-thrash riffing certainly has a Pantera lean, and the vocals of Jasen Moreno shift between harsh and melodic a la Phil Anselmo. “‘Mind Right’ started with the core Drowning Pool sound, then really dug into our southern metal roots,” remarked guitarist CJ Pierce. “This song was written not long after Vinnie Paul died, as a tribute of sorts to him and Dime and a way for us to to honor the impact Pantera had on our local Dallas scene.” Advertisement Related ...