Metallica to Perform at Award Ceremony Honoring Elton John and Bernie Taupin at the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize


Photo 24705234 | Metallica © Yakub88 | Dreamstime.com

Photo 24705234 | Metallica © Yakub88 | Dreamstime.com

Metallica will join Garth Brooks, Annie Lennox, Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, and others for the at the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize tribute concert and award presentation to Elton John And Bernie Taupin on March 20. PBS stations nationwide will premiere the concert on Monday, April 8, at 8 PM ET (check local listings), available via broadcast and streaming on PBS.org and the PBS App. In an interview with Howard Stern in 2023, Metallica’s James Hetfield called “Candle In The Wind” by John and Taupin was one of the “greatest songs ever.”Continue reading


James Hetfield of Metallica is Still Thrilled by The “Excitement And Danger” of Using Pyro at Shows, 30 Years After Being Accidentally Set on Fire


On the latest episode of The Metallica Report Podcast, episode 23, James Hetfield gave an interview in which he discussed still being thrilled by the “excitement and the danger” of using pyro during Metallica shows, 30 plus years after he nearly lost his life on August 8th 1992. The infamous pyro accident took place during the Metallica / Guns N Roses co-headline tour. James said in the interview that it takes a special kind of person to manage pyrotechnics for a band, that they might be pyromaniacs deep down, and he’s still very excited Metallica gets to use it for songs like “Fuel,” “One,” and “Fade To Black!” He also remarked that Kirk Hammet is frequently a near miss of pyro accidents because he runs around the stage so much during a show, and he’s unpredictable. But he also said that the staff and crew are excellent, the band employs spottters, and fire marshals every show to prevent them from making mistakes. Hetfield suffered third degree burns to his hand, arm, and face when he accidentally stood in front of the wrong pyro station during a performance of “Fate to Black.” Recently profiled in Guitar World for his Messengers guitar book that was released in 2023, James shared the books’ in-depth review of that double-neck ESP guitar he was holding in that night when he was burned, and the memories that it holds for him. James said “I don’t blame the guitar. I don’t blame the pyro guy. It happened for a reason.” Listen to the Metallica podcast below!Continue reading


James Hetfield Shares a Holiday Message to Metallica Fans


Metallica has had a banner year with the release of their album 72 Seasons (Blackened Recordings) their M72 World Tour, hosted a global concert livestream in movie theaters, released several new books about the band, continued to hit milestones and new frontiers as a band, and more. Feeling reflective at the close of the year, James Hetfield, who is not on social media on any personal accounts, has a message for fans via the Metallica accounts. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Paradise Lost – Icon 30


 

Named after the epic 17th-century biblical poem by John Milton, Paradise Lost are without a doubt one of the real success stories of British Heavy Metal. Continue reading


Metallica is Forced to Postpone Night Two in Phoenix Due to James Hetfield Testing Positive for COVID-19


Metallica has announced their previously scheduled show for September 3rd in Glendale Arizona will now take place on September 9th after James Hetfield has contracted COVID-19. According to published reports, Metallica played an abbreviated set for night one on September the 1st, due to vocal problems from Hetfield. That resulted in a truncated set and some songs omitted entirely. The band is on their North American M72 world tour supporting their 72 Seasons (Blackened Recordings) album, out now!

Read our review of the kickoff night of the tour here. Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Metallica – 72 Seasons


 

And so the Metallica riff machine rolls on! forty years after their debut album Kill Em All (1983) laid the blueprint for the Thrash Metal genre, they return with record number … well that’s kind of up for debate depending on how you view their discography, and whether you count live albums, covers album and erm collaborations. But 72 Seasons (Blackened Recordings Inc) is here, their latest artistic statement four decades into a career that has seen them rise from the US West Coast underground, to become the most successful Heavy Metal band of all time. Continue reading


Watch James Hetfield and Kirk Hammet of Metallica Perform a Metal Version of The US National Anthem Before a San Francisco Giants Game


The San Francisco Giants baseball team held their 8th Annual “Metallica” Night” in which the band participates in the game with a performance and themed merch. Metallica has been a Bay Area band since the addition of Cliff Burton, and the band’s relocation to Northern California in 1982. They later added Kirk Hammett. Watch James Hetfield and Hammet perform a metal version of the US National Anthem last night (May 24th, 2022) here:

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Bastardane – Featuring Metallica Frontman James Hetfield’s Son Castor Releases Their Debut Album


Bastardane the Metal and Rock band featuring drummer Castor Hetfield, the son of Metallica’s frontman James Hetfield, has just released its debut album, Is This Rage? The band was formed in 2019 and has played several high-profile gigs, including opening for Kirk Hammett’s The Wedding Band during Metallica’s 40th Anniversary Week San Francisco Takeover. They will play on the same bill at Metallica this May at BottleRock Napa! In addition to the 21-year-old Castor, the Savannah, Georgia-based hard rock trio includes Jake Dallas on vocals/bass and Ethan Sirotzki on guitar. Purchase and stream the full album now.

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Metallica’s First Show Ever Took Place Forty Years Ago Today!


Forty years ago today on March 14th, 1982, Metallica performed their first concert ever at Radio City club in Anaheim, California. The Los Angeles band (at the time) performed a set of mostly NWOBHM covers and a few originals. The band consisted of co-founders James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, with Dave Mustaine and Ron McGovney. Metallica called out this anniversary on social media with some messages for the occasion, including the band’s first-ever concert by sharing an early flyer from the gig and their first-ever setlist. It cost $15 to get in and according to the post (from Lars’ diary entry of the show) 75 people attended.

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