Tag Archives: thrash metal legends

Features, Interviews

PiercingMetal Talks To Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine (12/7/2015)

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Logo - Megadeth

Megadeth are one of the forefathers of the Thrash Metal movement and on the eve of their announcing their latest touring adventures in support of the forthcoming “Dystopia” album, I had the pleasure of speaking to the bands founder, the great Dave Mustaine. Together we discussed the state of Heavy Metal in this day and age, the selection of new Megadeth members and what fans should expect from the new album and tour. As we didn’t have a whole lot of time to chat, I kept the line of inquiry very quick and to the general point. Here’s our entire discussion.

PiercingMetal: Let me start by saying congratulations on Megadeth surpassing the thirty-year mark. How does it feel to be in command of such a band for that long a time?

Dave Mustaine: I think that anything that you do successfully for a long period of time you have to look at it and ask yourself why is this successful and I think part of that is because we’ve always had one common goal with this band and that was to be true to ourselves and I think that this translates to the fan base. If you believe in what you do, then that starts to lay the foundation for the relationship with your fans that has integrity.

PiercingMetal: Would you think that Metal is in a better place or a worse place today?

Dave Mustaine: It depends because there are so many different genres of Heavy Metal. If you’re saying do I think that Thrash or Speed Metal or Heavy Metal in general is in a better place then it depends because there is a lot of new types of Metal out there. You have Grindcore and all kinds of Black Metal, White Metal, Death Metal just so many other different types but its opened up a lot of doors for different people that are more genre specific that play one very limited type of music and do it really well. I’ve always liked to be able to push the boundaries of what I could do and Megadeth has a lot of influences that are unique to what most Metal bands would do. We have Jazz and Classical influences which I think really helps give us that advantage over a lot of bands that don’t have those influences.
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Features, Milestones

Metallica’s “Kill ‘Em All” Turns Thirty (1983-2013)

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This has been a pretty good year for Metal Music Milestone’s that are hitting the thirty year mark and hopefully you remember that I only recently used this blog category to toast the debut by Ronnie James Dio with his “Holy Diver” (if not you can click that title and be brought right to it). Now it’s time to let loose the kudos, the applause, the raising of the horns and a resounding battle cry of “Metal Up Your Ass!” as we toast the fact that Metallica’s debut release “Kill ‘Em All” has reached its third decade. Yep. The Thrash Metal classic was released on this day thirty years ago and what a wild ride it has been for the band since that eventually historic day.
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Features, Milestones

Slayer’s “South Of Heaven” Reaches One Quarter Of A Century

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The younger fans might be shocked at this but us older more entrenched Metal folk are proud to raise a glass of whatever your drinking this evening to the fact that Slayer’s 1988 opus “South Of Heaven” has reached its quarter century mark. Okay, I will admit that it hits me with some awe as well because I am of the vintage where I remember this stuff being in the “new releases” section of the neighborhood record store. The album was slightly slower than its predecessor “Reign In Blood” and according to interview posts from the late great Jeff Hanneman, this had been done on purpose since the band knew that they could not compete with the previous albums ferocity or impact on the Metal scene of the time. Resultant of this slower pace, the album received widely mixed reviews with some long time fans embracing it and others putting it on the bottom of their Thrash Metal pile. Now I’ve often admitted to being a latecomer to the Slayer scene even though my friends would be blasting it whenever we all convened. I was more a Power Metal guy and supporting that growing scene than the now matured Thrash Metal one. Don’t worry, I have made up for lost time in some sense.
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Features, In Memoriam

Slayer’s Jeff Hanneman Has Passed Away (5/2/2013)

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The news hit the Metal Community late Thursday en masse it seemed with the sad report that Slayer’s Jeff Hanneman had passed away. I was sitting in Duke’s Bar having a little bit of supper when my phone started blowing up with texts and emails about the news and some others asking if I could confirm what people were hearing. Sadly, this was indeed true and the bands official statement read as follows

“Slayer is devastated to inform that their bandmate and brother, Jeff Hanneman, passed away at about 11AM this morning near his Southern California home. Hanneman was in an area hospital when he suffered liver failure. He is survived by his wife Kathy, his sister Kathy and his brothers Michael and Larry, and will be sorely missed.”

jeff hanneman, slayer

Jeff Hanneman was born Jeffrey John Hanneman in 1964 and as many know full well was a founding member of the legendary Thrash Metal band Slayer. As a guitarist Hanneman was very influenced by the speed and pace of the Punk scene and this helped formulate the style that he would bring to a larger than life sense in the mighty Slayer. The diehard fans might not need a reminder of this but to take a piece from his Wikipedia entry “Hanneman had contributed both lyrical and musical material to every Slayer album and wrote the songs “Raining Blood”, “War Ensemble”, “South of Heaven”, “Seasons in the Abyss” and “Angel of Death”, which are played at almost every live Slayer show”. Sadly Jeff Hanneman would withdrew from his active touring schedule sometime in early 2011 after he contracted necrotizing fasciitis, which is a debilitating skin disorder. It was widely reported that this was the result of a spider bite that had happened while on tour somewhere in South America. By 2012, there were interviews with Tom Araya who had spoke of Jeff’s recovery from the disease but later in February 2013, Kerry King revealed that he was still dealing with continuing health problems that were keeping him from being an on tour active part of Slayer. When Jeff passed away yesterday morning it was in a hospital near his home and of liver failure but so far there is no information as to whether or not this initial disease had contributed to what caused his death. Whatever the case may be it is still a shame and was news that crushed the larger Heavy Metal community whether they be musicians or worldwide fans.

jeff hanneman, slayer

Personally speaking I got into Slayer much later than my friends did. I leaned more toward the glittery stuff for awhile but had a heavy band and they all really enjoyed Slayer. Once I started listening to it a little more at their suggestion I got much more into it. I technically started my listening exposure to the band with what they had on “Hell Awaits” but it would not be until “Seasons In The Abyss” that I would actually go out and buy my own Slayer music. These two shots in the memorial were shot by me of Jeff in concert with Slayer. One from 2006 and another from 2007. I did not shoot the band a lot but was glad I had the chance to in the end. Jeff Hanneman is a figure in Thrash Metal legend and one that will never ever be forgotten. May he Rest In Peace.

Memorial thoughts are always welcome on our postings of this nature. What did Jeff Hanneman mean to you as a Metal fan or even a musician. I will leave the comments open for your submissions.

Official Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Hanneman

Events, Reviews

Metallica-Slayer-Megadeth-Anthrax: The Big Four @ Yankee Stadium (9/14/2011)

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logo-the-big-four

Artist: The Big Four: Metallica & Slayer
Venue: Yankee Stadium (New York, NY)
Opener: Megadeth, & Anthrax
Date: 9/14/2011
Label: Warner Music Group

Ladies and gentlemen of The Metal Republic we were witnessing a time of absolute chaos because it seemed that indeed Hell had frozen over. Okay, so maybe that is just a little dramatic but let’s be honest with each other here for a second. When did you ever think that you would see these four titans of the Thrash Metal movement doing any shows together? To me this was one of those kinds of events that you only postulated about happening when you talked to your Metal colleagues while hanging out and debating this stuff and yet here we were and it was truly happening. Actually, it had already happened over in Europe several months ago when you think about it. Despite that, it was amazing to know that Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax would be performing together under the title of “The Big Four” in the United States and after a successful event over in California, this evening it would be taking place at the home of the world’s greatest baseball franchise, the one and only Yankee Stadium. For me this would be the second time that I ever attended a show at this particular space – Oh wait, that was at the “Old” Yankee Stadium. Sorry friends. The running order of the show would be Anthrax first followed by Megadeth and then Slayer with Metallica closing up the entire event. That worked for me and I felt that all bands were in the proper order when it came down to the overall popularity of each of them. I was fortunate enough to be sitting in the Press Box for the show which meant that instead of being down in the swirling masses, that I was high above like the sportscasters usually are when there are baseball games. It was a different head for sure, but still I would be able to enjoy the event and bring you the scoop. Here is how it went down for those who for whatever reason on Earth would miss it.
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