Heavy Metal
In Photos: Testament, Exodus and Death Angel Play Only “Bay Strikes Back” Show of 2021
Although the official “Bay Strikes Back Tour” has been postponed until 2022, Testament, Exodus, and Death Angel brought the joint bill to the Fox Theater in Oakland on Saturday (November 27th) for a sold-out one-night gig this past weekend — giving their hometown fans a chance to celebrate the legacy of not only the music, but also the rich history of all three bands. Together, the three legendary acts combined to write yet another chapter in the ongoing story of Bay Area thrash metal. Hitting the stage with the intro to “The Ultra-Violence,” Death Angel were in top form from the word “go,” and kicked off the evening with a blistering eight song set, wasting no time pumping up the already voracious crowd. Vocalist Mark Osegueda had every person in the already packed venue in the palm of hi...
Judas Priest Unveil Rescheduled 2022 North American Tour Dates
Judas Priest have rescheduled their 2022 “50 Heavy Metal Years” North American tour. Queensrÿche have replaced Sabaton as the support act for the new dates. Judas Priest were forced to postpone the remainder of their fall tour when guitarist Richie Faulkner nearly died after suffering a major heart emergency during the band’s set at the Louder Than Life fest in September. Faulkner’s aorta ruptured onstage during the band’s last song, and he was rushed to a nearby hospital where he underwent a 10-hour life-saving surgery. Faulkner is now headed toward recovery and Judas Priest appear ready to return to the road in 2022. The updated itinerary kicks off March 4th in Peoria, Illinois, and concludes on April 13th in Laval, Quebec, with tickets available via Ticketmaster. Advertisement Related V...
Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi Returns with New Song “Scent of Dark”: Stream
Toni Iommi has returned with a new signature cologne and song, “Scent of Dark”, his first new rock-oriented music in more than eight years. Iommi teamed with Italian perfumier Xerjoff for the boutique cologne, an unexpected branding endeavor for the legendary Black Sabbath guitarist. Iommi is well aware of what fans might think about his new endorsement. “They’ll think I’ve gone mad,” he told Rolling Stone with a laugh. “It’s something I would’ve never thought of involving myself in. But it’s been nice to be involved in it.” Advertisement Related Video Anything that means new music from Iommi is cool by us. He previously contributed a classical piece for the Birmingham Cathedral in 2017, but otherwise, “Scent of Dark” is Iommi’s first traditionally heavy rock song since Black Sabbath’s 201...
Master of Flushes: Toilet in the Likeness of Metallica’s Lars Ulrich Is Creepy as Hell
We shit you not — someone made a toilet bowl in the likeness of Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich, and it’s freaking us out. The man behind the creepy creation is none other than the same dude who may or may not have made a guitar out of his dead uncle’s bones. Prince Midnight, as he is known, made headlines at the beginning of this year when he seemingly created a guitar out of his dead uncle’s skeleton. He had claimed that the skeleton had been donated to a local college in Greece, where it was used for educational purposes, but was no longer needed by the institution. When a proper burial would have incurred some major expenses, he decided to turn the bones into a functional guitar. However, later reports suggested the whole thing may have been an elaborate hoax. This time there’s no denyin...
2021 Heavy Metal & Hard Rock Holiday Gift Guide
Another holiday season is upon us, and for metal and hard rock fans, that means merch. As fans of heavy music, we support our favorite artists by purchasing physical media, apparel, and memorabilia. It’s an integral part of the heavy metal way of life, and rare are the occasions when we can ask others to buy these precious artifacts for us. Likewise, if you have a fan of metal and hard rock in your life, then you are probably well aware of the genre’s collector culture and obsession with iconography. We would willingly give our hard-earned money for multiple vinyl variants of Slayer’s Hell Awaits. Even better if such a blasphemous record was sitting under the tree on X-mas morning: the ultimate soundtrack to the burning of the yule log. After a year of covering vinyl reissues, book announc...
In Photos: Mastodon, Opeth, and Zeal & Ardor Bring the Metal Thunder to New York City
Atlanta metal giants Mastodon and Swedish progressive metal favorites Opeth are in the midst of their co-headlining US tour, which features support from avant-metal act Zeal & Ardor. The 15-date run kicked off in Asheville, North Carolina, at the ExploreAsheville.com Arena on November 16th and is set to conclude in Denver, Colorado, at the Mission Ballroom on December 5th, with tickets available here. The trek made its way to New York City at the legendary Hammerstein Ballroom this past Saturday (November 20th) for a gigantic showing. Supporting their brand new album Hushed and Grim, Mastodon played a slew of new songs in NYC: “Pain With an Anchor,” “The Crux,” “Teardrinker,” “Skeleton of Splendor,” “Pushing the Tides,” “More than I Could Chew,” and “Gobblers of Dregs” (marking the tra...
Grammys 2022: AC/DC, Deftones, Chris Cornell, Foo Fighters Lead Rock + Metal Nominees
The nominees for the 2022 Grammy Awards have been unveiled, with AC/DC, Deftones, Foo Fighters, and the late Chris Cornell leading the way in the rock and metal categories. Wolfgang Van Halen, Gojira, Mastodon, Dream Theater, and Rob Zombie also received nods in various categories, rounding out an impressive stable of heavy artists being represented at the 2022 ceremony. Nominees for Best Metal Performance — the Grammys’ only metal-centric category — included Deftones for their track “Genesis,” Dream Theater (“The Alien”), Gojira (“Amazonia”), Mastodon (“Pushing the Tides”), and Rob Zombie (“The Triumph of King Freak [A Crypt of Preservation and Superstition]”). Advertisement Related Video In Best Rock Performance, Deftones were nominated for “Ohms” alongside AC/DC (“Shot in the Dark”...
System of a Down’s 10 Best Songs
System of a Down are one of the most eclectic metal bands to achieve massive success. From 1998 through 2005, the Armenian-American group out of California put out a series of acclaimed albums, but then went silent as a recording act for 15 years. Despite the lack of new music (save for a couple of surprise new songs in 2020), System of a Down’s discography rivals that of any heavy group of the past quarter century. Singer Serj Tankian’s unmistakeable voice ranges from frenetic to operatic, while guitarist-singer Daron Malakian’s riffs are catchy and chaotic at the same time. Meanwhile, the rhythm section of bassist Shavo Odadjian and drummer John Dolmayan is as mighty and technically skilled as just about any in heavy metal. Combine those musical sensibilities with lyrics that are both so...
Rage Against the Machine: Kyle Rittenhouse “Killed People Who Were Fighting for Racial Justice”
Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted of all charges on Friday (November 19th) after he fired an AR-15-style assault rifle that killed two protesters and seriously injured another at a 2020 rally in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Among those expressing outrage at the verdict are Rage Against the Machine, who issued a powerful statement via their social media channels. The protest rally came after a black man named Jacob Blake was paralyzed after being shot by Kenosha police. A then 17-year-old Rittenhouse, seemingly there to protect a used-car lot, fired shots that killed Joseph Rosenbaum and Anthony Huber, and severely damaged Gaige Grosskreutz’s right arm. Among the five felony charges that Rittenhouse faced was one of intentional murder that could have resulted in life in prison had he been found guilty....
New Video of Kids Covering Slipknot Has Higher Production Value Than Most Metal Videos: Watch
When you see the YouTube title “9 yr old sings Slipknot & Unleashes Chaos,” you expect a fun iPhone video of some youngster rocking out to his favorite metal band. But in the case of the O’Keefe Music Foundation’s latest upload, you get a slick music video that rivals or even exceeds the production value of most metal videos. The nonprofit O’Keefe Music Foundation has been producing videos for young rockers over the past several years, often showcasing teens and pre-teens with impressive musical skills. A video of youngsters performing Tool’s “Forty Six & 2” has racked up 25 million views for the channel, while other covers of songs by Ozzy Osbourne, Iron Maiden, Pantera, and more have also garnered millions of views. In the O’Keefe Music Foundation’s latest clip, a young girl name...
Animals as Leaders Announce New Album Parrhesia, Share “The Problem of Other Minds”: Stream
Animals as Leaders have announced their fifth studio album, Parrhesia, out March 25th. Ahead of the release, the instrumental prog-metal band has shared the video for the new song “The Problem of Other Minds.” Guided by the otherworldly talents of guitarist Tosin Abasi, Animals as Leaders have become a forerunner in the realm of progressive metal and djent. The band continues to push the boundaries of rhythmic syncopation and dissonance, as heard on “The Problem of Other Mind.” Parrhesia will be Animals as Leaders’ first studio effort since 2016’s The Madness of Many. In that span, the group dropped its first live album, Live 2017. Advertisement Related Video “It’s been a while since we’ve released a body of work,” Abasi said. “We’re really proud of this collection of songs as well as the ...
Metallica Announce San Francisco Takeover Coinciding with 40th Anniversary Shows
Metallica are turning their 40th anniversary into a complete takeover of San Francisco, unveiling a series of events coinciding with their previously announced December arena shows at the city’s Chase Center. A number of club gigs featuring bands related to Metallica (in some cases, literally related), as well as gallery shows, book signings, film screenings, and more will take place over the course of a few days next month. Of course, the main events are Metallica’s two shows at the Chase Center on December 17th and 19th. Ten years ago, the band commemorated their 30th anniversary with a series of shows at the Fillmore that featured past members of the group (including Dave Mustaine and Jason Newsted), as well as a number of metal luminaries. Hopefully, there will be lots of surprises in ...
