Search Results for: death metal

Of the many fans and musicians devastated by Layne Staley’s death, his former Alice in Chains bandmate Jerry Cantrell was perhaps most affected upon receiving the news. The pair formed the backbone of the seminal Seattle grunge band in 1987, and it was their dichotomy – the tension of Cantrell’s hardened riffs that plodded along as Staley’s sinister vocals crept behind at a skulking pace – that gave the band its appeal to metalheads and grunge punks alike. Cantrell and Staley remained the group’s creative force until their swan song, 1995’s Alice in Chains. In the wake of Staley’s death,… Read more »

Disturbed vocalist David Draiman has some pretty strong views about religion and art, but over the past year he’s found himself scrutinizing and re-evaluating both. He still values his Jewish heritage, but has felt the sting of its methodology. He remains dedicated to his musical career, yet has been frustrated by his inability to have a life outside of show business. These experiences, along with the overall shroud of insecurity triggered by 9/11, inform Disturbed’s upcoming record, Believe, which the band is currently working on in a Chicago studio. “All the songs revolve around the theme of belief,” Draiman said… Read more »

Bassist Jason Newsted toured, recorded and partied with Metallica 24-7 for some 13 years. After quitting the band in February, at least partly because of a ban on side projects, he suddenly found the flexibility to work on multiple projects with different artists. Newsted, 38, is producing an album by punk-metal behemoth Speedealer and anticipating the major-label debut of his trio EchoBrain. Toward the end of the year, he’ll begin producing New York noise-metal band Dragpipe before entering the studio with Voivod to play bass on the band’s allegedly final album. And if he has time, he’ll play drums with… Read more »

Metallica are keeping busy while they wait for guitarist James Hetfield to rejoin the fray following treatment for substance-abuse problems. When Hetfield entered rehab on July 19, the band announced it had “postponed all current activities, including recording sessions for our new album”. On Friday, however, guitarist Kirk Hammett and drummer Lars Ulrich invited Ja Rule into the studio to record a rap for a new track. “I spin two 12-bar verses with Metallica on their new big, huge record they got that’s crazy,” Ja Rule said. The mostly instrumental number may end up on a DreamWorks Records compilation, Ja… Read more »

The heavy metal community is uniting to help save one of its own. Death metal forefather Chuck Schuldiner, of the band Death, has been battling a malignant brain tumor for two years, and is currently undergoing expensive experimental treatments in an effort to save his life. So, various artists – including Korn, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kid Rock and Slipknot – are auctioning off memorabilia on Allbeat.com to help Schuldiner’s family pay his medical bills. Since the auction began on June 1, Allbeat.com has received total bids of over $1,000. Among the items for which bids have been placed… Read more »