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photo & text by nacrowe
out of their entire catalogue, ...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL (ELEKTRA, 1988) is unique in that it showcases METALLICA, for better or worse, in a moment of transition. you can definitely see the first three records (KILL EM ALL, RIDE THE LIGHTNING and MASTER OF PUPPETS) as an early version of the band made up of a triumvirate of talented songwriters and composers in that of JAMES HETFIELD, LARS ULRICH and CLIFF BURTON. with BURTON out of the picture due to his tragic untimely passing, essentially the rest of their career has been heralded by HETFIELD and ULRICH, with ...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL their first foray.
and it shows. BURTON arguably was the most versatile musician within METALLICA and the most open to outside influences including CLASSICAL MUSIC. this is pretty much gone and what is left is a epically brutal album filled with complex time signatures that are constantly shifting, lyrics dealing with retribution, pain and suffering, as well as (famously) little to no bass guitar. this is an album that is pretty much all about HETFIELD and ULRICH and thus primarily guitars and drums. it is almost impossible to listen to this record and not think of how BURTON would have made these collections of riffs and song ideas more cohesive and impactful to the listener. taht is not to say that this record does not have standout tracks. "BLACKENED," "DYER'S EVE," "HARVESTER OF SORROW," "...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL" and of course "ONE" absolutely crush and are fan favorites to this day. me included. in fact i wouldnt even say that this record is a disappointment since it shows METALLICA at the their most uninhibited and least restrained peak. where it falls is only in comparison to their stellar previous two records, which arguably (in my opinion) are two of the best METAL albums ever bar none. it is a record only made more interesting given the follow-up a few years later that largely abandoned its complexity and ambition in favor of a more streamlined sound. i agree with those that add this record with the BURTON-era albums as the essential METALLICA records, and its been interesting see the risk-taking and artistic risks the band has made since. its just that the post ...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL output has been not as convincing for fans of their 1980s output. i couldn't recommend ...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL any more strongly. an essential THRASH METAL record that is absolutely required listening. 
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photo & text by nacrowe
internal band dynamics are always a tricky thing. there are tons of examples of bands that from the outside looking in seem like a consolidated front made of co-equal partners yet such is far from the case. probably no modern METAL musician is more defined by this in the popular consciousness than former METALLICA guitarist and MEGADETH frontman DAVE MUSTAINE.
his memoir MUSTAINE (IT BOOKS, 2010) written with veteran scribe JOE LAYDEN is very much defined the the shifting internal dynamics of not one, but two iconic THRASH METAL bands and provides a much-needed counterpoint to the popular narrative of this influential yet highly CONTROVERSIAL musician. i'll admit right at the beginning that i am not the biggest fan of MUSTAINE. in interviews he always comes across as a condescending BRAGGART and an unrepentant EGOIST, and that was before his conversion to CHRISTIANITY and conservative politics. his voice and his attitude towards his peers has always been GRATING, but i will say that the dude is supremely gifted as a guitarist and a songwriter. it was no doubt his sense of abandon on his instrument and his reckless behavior that initially lifted METALLICA from obscurity and helped establish the nascent THRASH METAL scene in the 1980s. MUSTAINE as a historical figure is absolutely instrumental in the evolution of METAL music. period. its interesting how much ink in this memoir is dedicated to the internal strifes of both bands. METALLICA was a band of alcoholics that discarded one of their members, MUSTAINE, in essence for being a mean drunk. that is popular story, but its interesting that MUSTAINE points to his substantial songwriting credits during his period with the band to suggest that it may have been more about artistic control. in essence METALLICA had three main songwriters in JAMES HETFIELD, LARS ULRICH and MUSTAINE. one theme that is carried throughout this memoir is MUSTAINE's sense of being an underdog, which is rooted in his growing up very POOR, without a father figure and with a mother whose identity got taken over by the JEHOVAH's WITNESS community. HETFIELD had similar circumstances with his deadbeat father and a mother that passed on after being taken advantage of by the beliefs of her CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST community. he is portrayed as being psychologically WEAK, UNASSERTIVE and essentially a patsy to ULRICH, who in turn is portrayed as privileged, wealthy son of a bohemian DANISH TENNIS professional. ULRICH is effectively presented as being a duplicitous MACHIAVELLIAN figure (which is probably pretty accurate). METALLICA was very much a surrogate family for MUSTAINE and his dismissal echoed the rejection of his father towards his family. no doubt it was a traumatic effect and was a primal event in his career and personal relationship trajectory thereafter. but what i found more interesting was his reaction to this dismissal, fair or not. he created a new family in MEGADETH of which he was the sole leader, whose only other longtime member (absent two breaks of which we are now living in the second) is DAVID ELLEFSON whom he deems as dismissively as "junior." the rest of the band throughout is made of a revolving cast of opportunists, scabs, legends and METAL lifers. what struck me in particular is how MUSTAINE never questions his own motives, paving over bad decisions during his many drug-addled years as MISGUIDED or MISINFORMED but not ill-intentioned. he comes across as incredibly naive and largely absent-minded or uninterested in the financial and emotional needs of his bandmates. throughout the memoir he is his absentee father. he wants the leadership and the acclaim but none of the responsibility that comes with it. its interesting that he, more than any other METAL figure, should have been aware of the trauma that comes with bad leadership in a band setting. yet he just kept the cycle going. the biggest bummer is the whole born again CHRISTIAN nonsense at the conclusion of the book in which he considers whether it is ethical or not to play with "satanic" bands. that is just so beyond LAME. he is an artistic leader who can tour with whomever he wants, but it just feels antithetical to ROCK N ROLL in some basic core manner. it also presumes his own purity as a CHRISTIAN which is beyond DISAPPOINTING and, again, just LAME. thats my reaction to this memoir basically. MUSTAINE is a supremely gifted musician who deserves credit for his achievements and contributions to THRASH METAL, but as a person he just comes across as an ass. even in his own memoir in which he is trying to counteract the popular opinion of him being an ass. its beyond CONFOUNDING. go figure. 
photo & text by nacrowe
while their debut KILL EM ALL (MEGAFORCE, 1983) had a ferocious and immediate spit-in-your-eye aggression and the follow-up RIDE THE LIGHTNING (MEGAFORCE, 1984) a growing compositional and lyrical sophistication, to many fans MASTER OF PUPPETS (ELEKTRA, 1986) is the definitive METALLICA album. in many ways it marries the aggression and sophistication of their previous two releases into a cohesive yet brutal statement dealing with themes regarding ADDICTION, from DRUGS ("MASTER OF PUPPETS"), RELIGION ("LEPER MESSIAH") and SELF-IMAGE ("WELCOME HOME (SANITARIUM)") to our seeming cultural need for AGGRESSION and DOMINATION with regard to foreign conflicts ("DISPOSABLE HEROES"). in my interpretation, this record is about the price we pay at both a societal and individual level for our dependency on PROPAGANDA and SELF-DELUSION. and it still holds up.
i very much see this record in tandem with its aforementioned predecessor RIDE THE LIGHTNING in terms of its track-listing, subject matter and even its artwork. both albums have highly orchestrated opening tracks that devolved in to barn-burning torrents of absolute aggression ("FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE" vs "BATTERY") as well as CLIFF BURTON-penned instrumentals ("THE CALL OF KTULU" vs "ORION") that showcase his musical dexterity as well as compositional chops. my personal preference is towards RIDE THE LIGHTNING, but many consider the title track "MASTER OF PUPPETS" to be among the best tracks METALLICA ever produced, if not the definitive track bar none. this track is epic in its conception, as it has multiple sections that seem to mirror the stages related to ADDICTION and RECOVERY. the aggressive parts are sonically beyond brutal as if to aurally express the bowels of SHAME, GUILT and SELF-HATRED that come with the pursuit of one's addiction while the middle interlude section with its down tempo and soaring dual guitar leads presents a sense of HUMILITY and COMPASSION towards oneself and gives a sense of HOPE that RECOVERY is an option. again, this is just my interpretation since the song could be about ADDICTIVE BEHAVIOR writ large, but its musical and compositional complexity gives it that deeper MEDITATIVE quality that renders it anything but one-dimensional. sadly MASTER OF PUPPETS is the last METALLICA record recorded with the late great BURTON, who passed away while touring this record in NORWAY in a freak bus accident. in many ways the METALLICA that came after is a different band entirely since BURTON was such a key contributor to the band and was arguably responsible for their sophisticated compositional aesthetic that made them standout from both their THRASH METAL counterparts and the NEW WAVE OF BRITISH HEAVY METAL bands that predated them. their seminal yet problematic next offering ...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL (ELEKTRA, 1988) is a more compositionally complex yet less coherent statement, which really provides an apt metaphor for the band's state of mind post-BURTON. he is dearly missed to date, but in many ways MASTER OF PUPPETS is his lasting statement and legacy within the broader musical community, well beyond the confines of METAL. rest in power CLIFF BURTON. 
photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
one of the DEER GOD RADIO moments that really stands out to me as something particularly special was EPISODE 92 that i conducted with my friend VERONIKA about her all-time favorite band: METALLICA. i should start by thanking KRISTIN & TOM from MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC for making it technically possible behind-the-scenes, because VERONIKA was broadcasting remotely from ARGENTINA. which was so cool.
her and i met in VENEZUELA when we both worked at an international school in the petroleum-rich eastern part of the country. i moved there within six months of the demise of HUGO CHAVEZ, at what was the beginning of the disastrous regime of current "president" NICOLAS MADURO. i basically had a front row seat to the economic and political dismantling of a proud country (which in turn prepared me for the same stateside under TRUMP a few years down the road). the thing that blew me away about VERONIKA (as well as two other local musicians i met) was how they all effectively learned ENGLISH through METALLICA lyrics. the level of PERSISTENCE and RESOURCEFULNESS to pull such off to me is still quite an incredible achievement and showcases a summit of true FANDOM i cant begin to imagine. she even flew alone to BRASIL (first time abroad!) to see them play live in RIO DE JANEIRO. like a lot of admirers of THRASH METAL, post-CLIFF BURTON era METALLICA is a little suspect especially once they hit the 1990s, but meeting my friend VERONIKA kinda changed my view a bit on the global phenomena behind that celebrated by all-too-often derided band. at the very least i wanted her perspective when presenting their music on my show and im still happy we (and by we i mean KRISTIN & TOM at MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC) were able to pull it off. in case you were wondering, like many VENEZUELANS with qualifications, VERONIKA was able to leave VENEZUELA in order to find economic prosperity elsewhere on the continent. in the post-CHAVEZ years when VENEZUELA has truly nose-dived POLITICALLY and especially ECONOMICALLY, many have sought refuge in countries such as CHILE, PANAMA, COLOMBIA, ECUADOR and ARGENTINA. i have other friends from VENEZUELA that have even become long-term refugees in GERMANY. its an absolutely disgrace that the UNITED STATES has not done more in this regard. anyway, definitely check out this special past episode of DEER GOD RADIO co-hosted with my friend VERONIKA. thinking of which, i should probably follow-up and do another show with her... 
photo manipulation & text by nacrowe
i thought that i understood what it meant to be a passionate fan of something. like MUSIC, FILM, SPORTS or ART. and then i moved to SOUTH AMERICA and realized i didnt know even the half of it.
when i relocated to VENEZUELA in the summer of 2013 i was confronted with new peers and friends that shared my love of THRASH METAL and CLASSIC ROCK, except that for them the music was their gateway to learning ENGLISH and thus a valuable skill that led them to working at a school alongside me. their passion for music quite literally altered their lives. it was powerful then and still is in retrospect, given that they all now live and work outside of VENEZUELA (which is in a dire state at the moment) in other LATIN countries such as ARGENTINA and CHILE. which brings me to the YOUTUBE channel of current MEGADETH lead guitarist KIKO LOUREIRO. his channel, which began long before his current tenure with the THRASH METAL veterans, is part guitar tutorial and part behind the scenes look at the daily life of a WORKING MUSICIAN. what shines through is his PASSION for the instrument and sharing said passion with fans as well as the cast of characters that revolve around it (road crew, guitar techs, security, catering, other musicians). for some reason this instinct to lift that fourth wall and give his fans a look behind the curtain is pretty remarkable, even more so because it includes at times the reclusive and very private DAVE MUSTAINE. you get the sense that their is a high level of trust and mutual respect between the two. that instinct to share and connect also feels very much steeped in LATIN culture. it is almost as if he is telling his community in his native BRAZIL that this level of success is attainable through hard work, perseverance and a bit of luck. i always love the fact that BRAZILIAN musicians (MAX CAVALERA, JORGE BEN, CAETANO VELOSO, etc.) that make a mark stateside are outspoken and passionate about their native homeland, which has a distinct, multi-faceted musical tradition that rivals such of any other. its funny because when i think of MEGADETH, i think of unparalleled musicianship (notably past guitarists MARTY FRIEDMAN and CHRIS POLAND) as well as the regressive and recalcitrant politics of MUSTAINE. with LOUREIRO in the mix a new word comes to mind: JOY. check out his YOUTUBE channel. it provides an interesting perspective on the journey through the recording, rehearsing and touring life of a talented, modern WORKING MUSICIAN. 
photo & text by nacrowe
i should start by stating that BIRTH SCHOOL METALLICA DEATH (DA CAPO, 2014) by PAUL BRANNIGAN and IAN WINWOOD is far from a perfect book. its BRITISH authors have an unfortunate GEOGRAPHIC BIAS towards the supposed importance of their native island in the role of METALLICA's career trajectory and an even more misplaced PROXIMITY BIAS to the role of KERRANG! magazine, of which the both have written for in the past. the authors also tend to be a bit verbose to the point of obfuscation, almost as if this book was written with a word limit in mind. there are also numerous grammatical mistakes (which is hard for me, a former ENGLISH teacher, to forgive).
all that being said, BIRTH SCHOOL METALLICA DEATH does an alright job of relating the narrative of METALLICA and their massive cultural impact on the world of METAL and beyond. being familiar with their many documentaries (CLIFF 'EM ALL, A YEAR AND A HALF IN THE LIFE OF METALLICA I and II, SOME KIND OF MONSTER, etc.), most of this information i was already familiar with. i assume that fans much more... well, fanatic, than me would probably concede that much of this book is rather basic boilerplate knowledge of the band. i think where this book succeeds is in how the authors reveal the interpersonal relationships between band members and those close to the bands orbit including family, managers and, of course, fans. JAMES HETFIELD and KIRK HAMMETT in particular grew up in broken households where music was a respite from conflict and the unfair and undue hardship of being a child dealing with adult problems. in LARS ULRICH you have an only son with a unique upbringing in that he was raised in a progressive, loving family with a wealthy, sophisticated father figure whose profession as a DANISH tennis pro allowed his son access to world travel and an education in the arts that was second to none. original bassist CLIFF BURTON likewise came from a loving family, albeit one that was working-class with no inclination for musicianship. this triumvirate (of HETFIELD, ULRICH and BURTON) after the ouster of original lead guitarist DAVE MUSTAINE, was fairly stable and artistically cohesive. its only after BURTON's untimely passing while on tour in EUROPE that these the new power struggle between HETFIELD and ULRICH is on full display and the victim of such is JASON NEWSTED. its very interesting that the book makes clear that despite lyrics dealing with rebellion and standing up to the man, that when confronted with issues surrounding any semblance of EMPATHY, COMPASSION and basic DECENCY the leadership of the band failed miserably. HETFIELD, ULRICH and HAMMETT come across as victims of a deep trauma that is sublimated onto NEWSTED. they come off very much like small men indeed. and for all the flowery, sentimentalization carried throughout BIRTH SCHOOL METALLICA DEATH, i thought such was quite a statement of fact. no doubt in the wake of his eventual departure in the early 2000s, which is beyond the scope of this book (which ends after their fifth album at the beginning of the 1990s), there very much is an emotional awakening that traces its painful roots back to the chronology of events examined in this book. the book also makes clear that the band in all its lineup variations was in control of its destiny for better or worse. this goes with major decisions regarding personnel, management, booking agents, record labels, touring packages and so on. the notion that somehow the band was pushed to work with BOB ROCK and construct a more streamlined commercial record at the dawn of the 1990s is absolute garbage. the band (and by that i mean HETFIELD and ULRICH) were already there. despite their internal frailties and inherent weakness in acknowledging their own pain to each other in the face of a major trauma, in terms of creative decision-making, METALLICA was their own general. no doubt the METALLICA of today is a very different animal than this period. and kudos to them for having the courage to progress as humans by admitting and vulnerability, and doing so very publicly. its the less celebrated late-career METALLICA that i feel are truly COURAGEOUS and undeniably AUTHENTIC in a genre filled to the brim with pretenders and charlatans. this book only makes that trajectory come into sharp focus and for that i appreciate it despite its many flaws. 
photo & text by nacrowe
in my mind RIDE THE LIGHTNING (MEGAFORCE, 1984) by METALLICA is the best THRASH METAL record of all time (sorry SLAYER). it may even be the best METAL record as well. the jump in technical proficiency and song-craft from the KILL 'EM ALL album released just a year earlier is quite remarkable.
for me it is all about "FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE," "RIDE THE LIGHTNING" and "CREEPING DEATH" which are virtuosic exemplars of brutality, musicianship and song-craft without losing a sense of urgency and focus that happens when technically gifted musicians seek to show off their proficiency. it really hones in on the intention and drive of HARDCORE with the next level savage riffage and aggression of NWOBHM in a hybrid that has been copied but not matched (again, in my estimation) since. these three songs also tackle disparate subject matter regarding the likes of NUCLEAR WARFARE, CAPITAL PUNISHMENT and the BOOK OF EXODUS which showcases a progression in broader interests beyond that displayed on KILL 'EM ALL, which was a METAL record largely about, well, playing METAL. RIDE THE LIGHTNING is also the first METALLICA record where the band consciously sought to throw a curveball at its audience by including, gasp, a ballad. albeit it is a ballad about suicide. "FADE TO BLACK" is a now a long-running staple of their live shows that foreshadowed similar fare like "WELCOME HOME (SANITARUIUM)" off of MASTER OF PUPPETS and "ONE" off ....AND JUST FOR ALL which similarly utilize a sophisticated sense of extreme song dynamics to carry a narrative. fairly or unfairly, i identity this fearlessness to buck listener expectation with CLIFF BURTON, whose musical lexicon and appreciation far exceeded the METAL genre. the dynamism of "FADE TO BLACK" and the instrumental "THE CALL OF KTULU" are a testament to such. my middle school band in NIGERIA also covered the ERNEST HEMINGWAY-referencing "FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS" so that opening dual guitar-line will always have a special place in my heart. at the time the lyrics that dealt with complicated themes regarding organized violence and state motivations for war were beyond me, but those riffs were not. viscerally i cant still visualize playing this song publicly and getting a reaction from the crowd in the cramped gym. so yeah, im a bit biased. one other thing i want to mention is the classical influence on RIDE THE LIGHTNING. when i first heard this record in the mid 1990s that sense of sophistication in the arrangements and even orchestration of parts sonically differentiated this record. when "FIGHT FIRE WITH FIRE" kicks in it really punches because of how its unrepentant aggression contrasts with the opening orchestrated prelude. that trick will be repeated to similar effect with "BATTERY" and "DAMAGE INC" off of MASTER OF PUPPETS. that classical influence gave this record, as well as the aforementioned follow-up MASTER OF PUPPETS, a distinct feel and sophistication that resulted in the pronounced aggression and heightened lyrical themes hitting that much harder. i cannot recommend this record highly enough. easily one of my favorite METAL records of all-time. if only they left off "ESCAPE." 
photo & text by nacrowe
about that voice.
historically critics have been quick to judge GEDDY LEE (RUSH) and BILLY CORGAN (SMASHING PUMPKINS) of having an irritating or unique, depending on your perspective, singing voices. either way they own them and made such an integral part of their band's sound, of which id argue made them stand out. in a good way. unfortunately i dont share that opinion of DAVE MUSTAINE of MEGADETH. while LEE and CORGAN both have naturally nasally vocal ranges which isnt their fault, MUSTAINE has this batshit off-putting shtick he appropriated from somewhere of doing these awkward voices that make him sound constipated. it comes off forced and just weird. and it doesnt sound cool at all, not even in an acquired taste sort-of-way like with LEE and CORGAN. while i do hate his singing and politics, which are generally regressive and staunchly conservative, what i do respect about MUSTAINE is his guitar playing and RUST IN PEACE (CAPITOL, 1990) is arguably one of the most cohesive and technically adept THRASH METAL records ever made. id put riffs off this record against anything off of REIGN IN BLOOD or MASTER OF PUPPETS. standout tracks include multi-part epics like "TORNADO OF SOULS," "HANGER 18" and "HOLY WARS...THE PUNISHMENT DUE." at its best, these particular songs showcase a musician with a preternatural dexterity and truly mesmerizing dynamic range on his instrument. not to mention that this is record has the classic lineup of MARTY FRIEDMAN, NICK MENZA and DAVID ELLEFSON. MUSTAINE himself makes great use of his "spider chord" technique that acts as a shortcut to multiple power-chord variations by utilizing all four non-thumb fingers in quick precision, almost mechanical-like succession. i remember first hearing this record on a compound in NIGERIA i spent my middle school years living in. this was the mid 1990s and in those pre-internet days. the music you discovered is largely whatever CDs were brought back from stateside return visits or trips other families took to EUROPE. i remember other students brought back early CYPRESS HILL, SEPULTURA, PEARL JAM, METALLICA, THE OFFSPRING, PORNO FOR PYROS and GREEN DAY records. amongst that mix someone brought back MEGADETH as well, which was how i came across RUST IN PEACE. in my naive opinion at the time, i thought "HOLY WARS...THE PUNISHMENT DUE" was insane and matched or outdid anything i heard off RIDE THE LIGHTNING and MASTER OF PUPPETS in terms of guitar playing. i didnt know anything about MUSTAINE's history with METALLICA at that point which is interesting. when i left NIGERIA and moved back stateside to attend high school in MASSACHUSETTS, i soon discovered SLAYER and that was kind of it for MEGADETH or METALLICA. ultimately that singing voice was too annoying. years later when i saw SLAYER play with MEGADETH and ANTHRAX in LONG ISLAND i remember thinking that MUSTAINE's voice sounded even worse live, cementing my opinion of the band. but those riffs man. can't knock his guitar-playing. its impenetrable and beyond reproach. 
photo & text by nacrowe
KILL 'EM ALL (MEGAFORCE, 1983) is just fun. it is not the most polished, accomplished or sophisticated METALLICA record, but it is the most enjoyable. i think part of that is the fact that it was a recording that had everything to do with the lifestyle of the then burgeoning THRASH METAL scene, from the opener "HIT THE LIGHTS" to "WHIPLASH," "NO REMORSE," "MOTORBEATH" and "SEEK & DESTROY." those songs are all about the ethos of going out and unapologetically slaying the competition and your audiences with the power of METAL. alright, yes that lyrical conceit describes any number of JUDAS PRIEST songs of the same era but there is a certain hungry street-level desperation in these songs. they are immediate and precise, almost a RAMONES meets MOTORHEAD kind of vibe.
after KILL 'EM ALL the band understandably grew into and eventually expanded their sound on THRASH METAL classics like RIDE THE LIGHTNING (MEGAFORCE, 1984), MASTER OF PUPPETS (ELEKTRA, 1986) and ...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL (ELEKTRA, 1988), but this is the one record in their catalogue that has that spit-in-you-eye, devil-may-care, lay-it-all-on-the-line sense of abandon. it also has some gnarly riffs like "JUMP IN THE FIRE" and "THE FOUR HORSEMAN" courtesy of DAVE MUSTAINE, who was famously dismissed before the recording and replaced by KIRK HAMMETT of EXODUS. another standout track is "ANESTHESIA (PULLING TEETH)" by bassist CLIFF BURTON which displays his impressive compositional chops which would pay dividends on subsequent records. you really got the sense with BURTON that he was a student of his craft and took it very seriously, and this track is early evidence of such. ultimately this a great record of a band exploding its way out of the gate. most definitely required listening for fans of THRASH METAL or really any METAL genre in general since this is such a pivotal record and longtime fan favorite. 
photo manipulation by nacrowe
based on the excellent book of the same name, MURDER IN THE FRONT ROW (BONDED BY BLOOD, 2019) is a documentary that tackles what made the BAY AREA THRASH METAL scene of the early 1980s such a potent breeding ground for some of the most enduring bands in METAL including EXODUS, DEATH ANGEL, TESTAMENT, POSSESSED, VIOLENCE and FORBIDDEN and a scene of influence and import for those not from the region like ANTHRAX, SLAYER, MEGADETH and METALLICA.
its an interesting conceit to base a film on since most of the conversation historically regarding THRASH METAL is centered THE BIG FOUR, i.e. the aforementioned ANTHRAX, SLAYER, MEGADETH and METALLICA. by providing a community of promoters (WES ROBINSON), venues (RUTHIE'S INN and THE STONE), meeting places/record stores (THE RECORD VAULT) managers (DEBBIE ABONO) and rabid fans (SLAY TEAM), SAN FRANCISCO basically provided the supportive environment that allowed the scene to thrive and punch much beyond its weight culturally over time and serve as the focus of this documentary. the TAPE TRADING scene also served as a vehicle for the underground decimation of music both nationally and globally, which served the scene well as a cheap and efficient means of promotion to the most hardcore of audiences. gaining notoriety with this audience allowed foreign promoters the opportunity to gain familiarity with their sound far in advance of their arrival. this of course was in the days of snail mail and letter writing, decades before e-mail or internet searches were a thing. luckily these bands had a work ethic to engage with this community. i found the most interesting part of this documentary was the idea of the SLAY TEAM, who were scene enforcers at shows who confronted charlatans and "posers" that would show up at shows wearing shirts of HAIR METAL bands or wearing the wrong attire. on one hand they served as gatekeepers and a check on the intentions of the audience. on the other hand the idea of being accosted at a show by a team of vigilante fanatics sounds terrifying and an extreme form of bullying and thuggish behavior. its indicative of the extreme insularity of a scene that at once nurtured the artists but eventually stifled them creatively, as THRASH METAL became rather confined to a sound that few attempted to move beyond. and when one did (i.e. METALLICA), they paid for it dearly with their core audience. but that downside is never explored. this documentary mearly provides information and withholds judgement. one downside to this documentary is that it minimizes the influence of bands outside he scene like SLAYER (LOS ANGELES) and ANTHRAX (NEW YORK CITY). METALLICA and its cousin MEGADETH are both presented as hybrid LOS ANGELES / SAN FRANCISCO bands since they either moved to the bay area and/or poached musicians from the scene. i think minimizing SLAYER's influence on THRASH METAL is almost discrediting in hindsight, since the film only presents one side of this cultural dialogue by exploring the scene's influence on the band's look. i imagine the mark of SLAYER on the scene far surpasses the scene in SAN FRANCISCO's imprint on the band. but that is just my opinion. this is an interesting documentary about a place and time and the birth of modern stateside METAL. definitely required viewing for the uninitiated. worth checking out. 
parodies by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO celebrating the MAX CAVALERA and all the brutal METAL he has given us over the years with projects like SEPULTURA, SOULFLY, NAILBOMB, KILLER BE KILLED and CAVALERA CONSPIRACY!
​ past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO are available here at the DEER GOD website as well as in the MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC archives. and if you haven't done so already, make sure and download the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
photo manipulation by nacrowe
ok, admittedly i am not a HATEBREED fan. full disclosure. i did however highlight them in a recent METALCORE episode of DEER GOD RADIO and i do respect them, but i always found them to be a bit corny because their music was essentially humorless. i mean, even SLAYER throws in some latin rhythms every once in a while just to break up the monotony. i found it to be all about brute force and this unrelenting intensity that is just pleading to be mocked. seen them a few times, however, including OZZFEST JAPAN a few years ago and HATEBREED is absolutely crushing live. brutal and intense, no levity.
even though HATEBREED frontman JAMEY JASTA is a bit of a meathead (maybe guns and hunting is cool in CONNECTICUT?), he does have a captivating podcast that interviews musicians and peers from all reaches of the METAL community as evidenced with the recent participants such as of RANDY BLYTHE (LAMB OF GOD), JIMMY BOWER (EYEHATEGOD, DOWN), SAMMY DUET (GOATWHORE), BRIAN "HEAD" WELCH (KORN), OLA ENGLUND (THE HAUNTED), KEITH BUCKLEY (EVERY TIME I DIE / THE DAMNED THINGS) and TREVOR STRNAD (THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER) among many many others. so i will give him that. recently they started releasing videos of these shows on YOUTUBE so definitely check them out if you are hungry for SLUDGE, DEATH, BLACK, THRASH and PROG METAL news during this never-ending quarantine. 
photo manipulation by nacrowe
for the past couple months the legendary, and recently troubled, guitar manufacturer GIBSON has been publishing a series of long-form interviews on its YOUTUBE page. in keeping with recent efforts by other leading manufacturers of musical products like ERNIE BALL and FENDER, GIBSON has used legacy artists to reconnect with their core, and often overlooked, HARD ROCK / METAL audience.
it is probably a smart move of having JERRY CANTRELL, KIRK HAMMETT and TONY IOMMI out front speaking about their careers then having GIBSON themselves selling themselves, especially given the company's recent heavy-handed and notoriously misguided PLAY AUTHENTIC debacle. i also find it interesting that they chose these four players as three of them are well-known endorsees of other manufacturers, CANTRELL with G&L and HAMMETT with ESP, and DAVE MUSTAINE with just about everyone (JACKSON, ESP, DEAN and now GIBSON). IOMMI of course is synonymous with the GIBSON SG model. apparently last year CANTRELL became a brand ambassador, whatever that is, but then again live and in the studio he has been known to use LES PAULS. HAMMETT likewise is famous for his use of LES PAULS as well as FLYING V's, especially in METALLICA's early years. whomever jumped on this trend at GIBSON of created thoughtful interviews and mini-documentaries on legendary players deserves kudos because these are great. they have only released a handful but they are well worth investigating. 
parody by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO dedicated to the early METALLICA albums and the memory and enduring creative legacy of CLIFF BURTON.
​past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
photo manipulation by nacrowe
this sucks.
usually i dont write about it when prominent cultural figures pass away, but the unexpected death of RILEY GALE of DALLAS THRASH METAL revival band POWER TRIP hit me pretty hard. maybe its because im about his age. maybe its because METAL is a genre that lacks originality and when you discover a group that is unique you really cling to them that much harder. as a music fan this really sucks. after hearing their second release NIGHTMARE LOGIC (SOUTHERN LORD, 2017) i immediately wrote about it in our ongoing CHECK OUT THIS BAND series of recording artists worth investigating (linked HERE). that record had the groove of PANTERA with the economical riffage and sheer ferocity of early SLAYER and METALLICA. they also had this "no bullshit" aesthetic about them that endeared them to everyone. i was looking forward to their next release. sadly i never saw them live. details surrounding his passing are still forthcoming. thoughts of course go out to his family and loved ones. they ask that gifts in his name be donations to the DALLAS HOPE CHARITIES. RIP brother. 
parodies by nacrowe
tonight's new episode of DEER GOD RADIO at 8PM EST on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC is dedicated to the early career of THRASH METAL icons METALLICA, especially their work with legendary bassist/songwriter CLIFF BURTON (RIP). guest hosting tonight will be my friend VERONICA (biggest METALLICA fanatic i've ever met) who will be broadcasting live from ARGENTINA! gonna be fun, make sure to tune in!
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience!
parody by nacrowe
check out HERE this recent streaming video episode of DEER GOD RADIO focused on the production, mixing and engineering work of CONVERGE guitarist KURT BALLOU.
​past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
photo & text by nacrowe
to access our review of SCOTT IAN's other 2017 memoir ACCESS ALL AREAS click HERE much like his other release ACCESS ALL AREAS: STORIES FROM A HARD ROCK LIFE (DA CAPO PRESS, 2017), which i covered in a previous review, legendary THRASH METAL guitarist SCOTT IAN of ANTHRAX is a more than capable narrator of his own life story in his debut book I'M THE MAN: THE STORY OF THAT GUY FROM ANTHRAX (DA CAPO PRESS, 2014), which sees him overcome a troubled childhood with a neurotic mother, two failed marriages and surviving the music industry over 30 years with his mind and band intact.
it may be due to his long-term sobriety (minus a few PANTERA and OZZY tours) that the detail of his recollections seem to be precise and noteworthy. i made the point before in the other review that his writing style is very utilitarian, much like his guitar playing and this is holds true with this book as well. he tends not to embellish and hold himself to account for past misjudgments and moral lapses, which only further gains his voice credence in the reader's mind. of interest to me with this book, which is very much a traditional chronological affair (unlike ACCESS ALL AREAS which is more a series of interesting stories), is the beginnings of THRASH METAL and MEGAFORCE RECORDS. specifically the stories IAN chooses to tell about his friend and legendary bassist/composer CLIFF BURTON (R.I.P.) and the formative years of METALLICA and ANTHRAX. sharing the same indie label and manager provided him a front row seat to their early development which is compelling in historical terms. you really get a sense of the brotherhood of that early scene that carried on throughout their entire career, most famously in the BIG 4 concerts that happened this past decade. i have to say that i also enjoyed his humor. too many times METAL bands take themselves and their image way too seriously (i'm looking right at you SLAYER) and even though ANTHRAX come off juvenile and goofy from time to time, in the end they come across as themselves: a bunch of METAL dudes from NYC. and i can't fault them for that. if you're interested in THRASH METAL, this book is worth your time and is a painless read, which is not always the case (cough, cough COREY TAYLOR). 
cover by nacrowe
watch this recent episode of DEER GOD RADIO on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC with a playlist dedicated to THRASH METAL. FUCK YEAH!
​past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! 
cover by nacrowe
today's episode of DEER GOD RADIO at 4PM on MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC is all about THRASH METAL, arguably the most influential permutation of the genre that bridges NWOBHM influences to modern day DEATH, GRIND and BLACK METAL among a myriad other sub-genres. gonna be awesome!
past episodes of DEER GOD RADIO as well as other MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC shows like MAKE HER SPACE, NOWHERE FAST, THE SYNTHESIZER SHOW and CLASSICAL-ISH WITH NUTMEG are available here at the DEER GOD website. and if you haven't done so already get the FREE PHONE APP for IOS/ANDROID and enjoy listening to MAKERPARKRADIO.NYC 24/7 at your convenience! |
August 2022
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