Metallica have released live covers of Soundgarden's All Your Lies and Head Injury on vinyl.
Recorded during the band's set at 2019's I Am The Highway: A Tribute to Chris Cornell benefit concert at The Forum in Los Angeles, the performances see Hetfield and co give the Ultramega OK classics the 'Tallica treatment, while staying faithful to the original's high-gain electric guitars and raucous arrangement.
Metallica were one of a huge list of names to perform at the event. Others included Taylor Momsen – who, with The Pretty Reckless, recently recruited Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil to play on their track, Only Love Can Save Me Now – as well as Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme, Melvins and loads more.
Drummer Lars Ulrich honors late Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell in a new statement: “Thank you for your music, thank you for the words, for your thoughts...
“Thank you for the shows, thank you for the good times, for putting yourself out there... And thank you, along with your fellow bandmates, for giving us something that inspired us, excited us, meant something, moved us, and not only gave us belief in the possibilities, but turned us the fuck on.
He continues: “What an honor to have known you, to have shared the stage with you and created next level memories, and ultimately to have been included in the LA celebration of your life, which allowed us the opportunity to share with the world just how much your music and your brilliance meant to us. Here are two of our favorite old-school Soundgarden tracks from that special night.”
In a new Instagram post by Vicky Cornell, Chris's widow, she gives gratitude to Metallica for “memorializing that love, admiration and support” from their performances.
“Joining the tribute concert meant so much to me and my children and to so many fans around the world... And I know how proud Chris would be, not only because you were there as his friends, but also because he was such a huge Metallica fan.
“Thank you so much and thank you Lars for your very kind words about Chris. It is true that ‘a man is not dead while his name is still spoken’. Thank you for continuing to honor him.”
The vinyl editions of Metallica's performances of All Your Lies and Head Injury are available now via the band's official website.
