Heavy Metal
David Ellefson: Megadeth “Kicked” Me to the “Side of the Road”
David Ellefson has continued to open more about his removal from Megadeth. In a new interview with “The Jeremy White Podcast,” the ousted bassist expressed some resent toward the Megadeth camp for the lack of empathy and support they provided in the aftermath of Ellefson’s compromising online sexual encounter. After explaining that he felt it best to address the scandal head-on, Ellefson explained that Megadeth took a different approach, instead issuing a statement that further incited backlash against the bassist. Particularly the statement’s wording: “There are clearly aspects of David’s private life that he has kept to himself.” Advertisement Related Video Ellefson said that the reactionary statement was “based on fear” on the part of Megadeth. “It wasn’t based on reality,” he continued...
Mastodon Apologize for Brent Hinds’ Use of Homophobic Slur, Insist Band Has “No Ill Will Towards Disturbed”
Yesterday, Mastodon singer-guitarist Brent Hinds made headlines when he expressed his disdain for touring with Disturbed on the Mayhem Festival outing in 2008. In the course of insulting his fellow metal band, he used a homophobic slur. Now, singer-drummer Brann Dailor has apologized on behalf of Mastodon for Hinds’ offensive language, while also insisting that his band has “no ill will towards Disturbed.” As we previously reported, HInds was asked on Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta’s podcast if there were any bucket-list bands he’d like to tour with. Instead, he chose to focus on bands with whom he regretted touring. “I did a lot of tours I didn’t want to do, though, like Disturbed and all that Mayhem stupid bullshit,” remarked Hinds, before using the offensive slur: “Gay ass shit.” He con...
Slipknot Unleash New Song “The Chapeltown Rag”: Stream
Slipknot have offered up a brand-new single ahead of their upcoming album. The new song is titled “The Chapeltown Rag” and can be streamed below. While five years went by between the band’s previous two albums, 2014’s .5: The Gray Chapter and 2019’s We Are Not Your Kind, time off the road due to the pandemic allowed Slipknot to quickly hit the studio after the release of the latter. Last album cycle, Slipknot first released the one-off single “All Out Life,” which ultimately was not included on the tracklist to We Are Not Your Kind, so there’s no guarantee that “The Chapeltown Rag” will appear on the forthcoming album. Advertisement In an interview with Knotfest.com, singer Corey Taylor describes the new song as a “punisher.” It was inspired by the real-life story of the UK town Chapeltown...
Brent Hinds Wishes Mastodon Never Toured with Disturbed: It Was “Stupid Bullshit”
Mastodon’s Brent Hinds didn’t pull any punches when bringing up a few past tours he “didn’t want to do.” The singer-guitarist particularly didn’t enjoy playing before Disturbed on the inaugural Mayhem Festival tour in 2008. During an appearance on Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta’s podcast, Hinds was asked if there were any bucket-list bands he’d like to tour with. Instead, he started naming bands with whom he regretted sharing a bill. “I did a lot of tours I didn’t want to do, though, like Disturbed and all that Mayhem stupid bullshit,” remarked Hinds, before using what could be deemed an offensive slur to describe the experience: “Gay ass shit.” He continued, “You gotta f**kin’ open up for Disturbed. You gotta play to people that like Disturbed.” Advertisement Asked about playing in front ...
Tool’s Adam Jones Unveils Gibson 1979V2 Les Paul Custom Signature Model Guitar
Tool’s Adam Jones has teamed with Gibson for the 1979V2 Les Paul Custom signature model guitar. The axe is a new take on Jones’ prized original Silverburst 1979 Gibson Les Paul. We previously reported on the guitarist’s previous collab with Gibson — also a replica of his original 1979 Les Paul — a number of which were stolen during initial shipping. The 1979V2 Les Paul Custom is an updated version, featuring Gibson Custom Shop Murphy Lab lightly-aged antiqued Silverburst finish along with custom artwork designed by artist Korin Faught on the rear of the headstock. Included in the guitar package is a removable headstock mirror like the one Jones uses in Tool. Advertisement Related Video The V2 features a reverse-mounted Custombucker neck pickup and a custom-wound Seymour...
Ned Flanders-Themed Metal Band Okilly Dokilly Announce 2022 US “Farewell” Tour
Ned Flanders-themed metal band Okilly Dokilly have announced a Spring 2022 US “farewell” tour, appropriately dubbed “Tourdilly Do ’22.” The world’s only “Nedal band” will be heading out on what could be its final tour. According to a press release, the group is planning to go on indefinite hiatus following the outing, and they may end being a permanent breakup. What started as a tongue-in-cheek novelty act among musician friends quickly turned into a viral sensation. When the metal scene caught wind of a band based on Homer Simpson’s loveably pious neighbor Ned Flanders, Okilly Dokilly became a hot commodity overnight. Tours were booked before they even played a show. Advertisement Related Video “When we started Okilly Dokilly, our goal was to play maybe two shows,” frontman Head Ned said....
YOB Announce 2021-2022 Tour Dates, Unveil Deluxe Reissue of 2011’s Atma
YOB have announced 2021-2022 US and European tour dates. The acclaimed metal band has also unveiled a deluxe reissue of 2011’s Atma, available now digitally and arriving April 8th on vinyl. The upcoming shows will be YOB’s first since the pandemic began, with some being rescheduled dates from their postponed 2020 tour. They’ll start with three Pacific Northwest shows in December of this year before returning to the road on February 20th for a four-night residency at Saint Vitus Bar in Brooklyn, New York. After those concerts, the traveling US leg of the band’s 2022 tour kicks off March 17th in Sacramento, California, and runs through a show on March 25th in Salt Lake City. Fellow stoner-doom act True Widow will support a handful of those shows. Advertisement Related Video A month later, YO...
Gojira and Randy Blythe Perform Joint Song “Adoration for None” for First Time Ever: Watch
Gojira and Randy Blythe performed their collaborative song “Adoration for None” together for the first time ever during the former’s headlining concert last night (November 1st) in the Lamb of God singer’s hometown of Richmond, Virginia. Blythe appeared on the studio version of the track from Gojira’s 2008 album The Way of All Flesh, and it took over a decade before the French band and the Lamb of God frontman to perform it live on the same stage. At the time the song was recorded, Gojira were emphasizing elements of death and groove metal in their sonic onslaught — the perfect canvas for Blythe’s guttural vocals. The song sounds massive in the fan footage of the Richmond performance. Advertisement Related Video Blythe has been an outspoken Gojira fan ever since the band broke on...
R.I.P. Malcolm Dome, Veteran Music Journalist Who Coined the Term “Thrash Metal” Dies at 66
Malcolm Dome, a longtime music journalist who primarily covered metal and hard rock, has died at the age of 66. The veteran writer is credited with coining the term “thrash metal” in an article about Anthrax in 1984. The UK journalist got his start in the 1970s, writing for Record Mirror and Metal Fury magazines, before landing with Kerrang! upon its launch in 1981. His passing was reported by the website Louder, which encompasses the magazines Prog, Classic Rock, and Metal Hammer, all of which Dome contributed to during his lengthy journalism career. In 1981, Dome put out a book called Encyclopedia Metallica, which may have inspired the legendary metal band’s name. More directly, he referred to Anthrax’s music as “thrash metal” while writing about the band’s song “Metal Thrashing Mad” in ...
Mastodon Explore Every Facet of Their Musical Language on Hushed and Grim: Review
The Lowdown: The four-year wait for Mastodon’s eighth studio album, Hushed and Grim, felt like an eternity. As one of the definitive modern metal bands, the group has displayed a level of craftsmanship that’s elevated its discography to the top of the heap. There’s a reason Mastodon garnered so many Metallica comparisons early in their career; not that they sounded alike, but rather, people could sense that the Atlanta quartet were going places. After releasing four now-considered-classic LPs, the band took a similarly mainstream turn, and for good reason. Mastodon had amassed a global audience that yearned for their cracking brand of prog-tinged sludge metal. If the wait for Hushed and Grim felt long, it’s because Mastodon were prepping a double-album opus spanning 15 tracks — a huge unde...
Mastodon Release Hushed and Grim, First New Album in Four Years: Stream
Atlanta metal band Mastodon have released their much-anticipated eighth studio album, Hushed and Grim, via Reprise Records. As Troy Sanders explained to Heavy Consequence, the new double album is deeply personal for Mastodon. Late band manager Nick John served as the inspiration for the set, as the band chronicled his battle with pancreatic cancer. “He was monumental in our existence,” Sanders says. “Almost as important, or more important, than being our band’s manager, he was our dear friend. I always called him my friend before I called him, ‘Oh, He’s also our manager.’ That’s kind of how our relationship worked, not just with me and him but all four of us in the band. He scooped us up in 2004 and, without compromising anything at all, brought us to many bigger and better stages all over...
Don’t Worry, Metallica Are Here to Teach You How to Be a Band
Who better to teach a class on how to be a band than one that’s seen it all? Enter Metallica! The metal legends will be the first band to use the virtual MasterClass teaching platform and will “unpack 40 years of success and share principles of communication, collaboration, creativity, perseverance, and longevity.” The course is now available via MasterClass’ subscription service. According to the description, Metallica walk viewers through the interpersonal dynamics of being in a longstanding band, as well as analyze some of their greatest songs such as “Enter Sandman” and “Master of Puppets.” Advertisement Related Video In addition to learning techniques related to songwriting and arrangement, the masterclass features social topics, such as the audience-performer relationship and ad...
