Metallica

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James Hetfield and Chad Zaemisch with an ESP Snakebyte electric guitar

“We didn’t have another band to point to and say, well, Sabbath is using it or the Scorpions are using it. James had the foresight to say, ‘Let’s try it. Maybe we’re the people to embrace it’”: James Hetfield’s tech shows you his 72 Seasons live rig

By Jacob Paul Nielsen published

Chad Zaemisch has been the Metallica leader’s right-hand man for 20 years. He discusses the metal titans’ amp modeling sea change, why his boss “chickened out” with his new 72 Seasons ESP Vulture, and what happens when things go very, very wrong onstage…

James Hetfield performs live with his ESP Horizon Double Neck Montreal

“The Double-Neck Montreal makes me think of the smell of your own burning flesh”: James Hetfield opens up about the agony of his 1992 pyro accident, and how his scorched ESP left a lasting legacy on Metallica

By James Hetfield published

In this exclusive extract from his new book, the Metallica frontman describes the experience of getting torched by pyro while playing guitar, and offers a closer look at the damage done to his ESP double-neck during the band’s fateful 1992 performance in Montreal

Epiphone Kirk Hammett 1979 Flying V

“A meticulous recreation of Kirk’s prized original”: Epiphone has launched a Kirk Hammett signature 1979 Flying V – and it’s a lot more affordable than the Gibson Custom Shop version

By Matt Owen published

Made in partnership with the Gibson Custom Shop, the Metallica man’s accessible Epi pays homage to “one of the most important heavy metal guitars of all time”

Sophie Lloyd Metallica Enter Sandman shred cover

“Yes, that’s a real spider”: Sophie Lloyd’s Enter Sandman (Shred Version) adds extra fretboard flair to Metallica’s thrash classic – alongside some snakes and a tarantula named Rosie

By Matt Parker published

The British YouTuber and virtuoso guitarist has upped the shred quota on the iconic Metallica tune

Geddy Lee Paramount Plus Series

“I’m trying to show the world that a bass player can do many things”: Watch the first trailer for Geddy Lee’s new docuseries, featuring Les Claypool and Robert Trujillo

By Nick Wells published

Geddy Lee Asks: Are Bass Players Human Too? also stars Nirvana’s Krist Novoselic and former Hole bassist Melissa Auf der Maur

Kirk Hammett 1967 Fender Telecaster

“My go-to guitar in the studio”: This Fender Telecaster lived in Metallica’s HQ and became Kirk Hammett’s writing workhorse – now it’s going under the hammer

By Matt Owen published

The single-cut became an integral part of Metallica’s writing process, and helped craft St. Anger and Death Magnetic

Kirk Hammett playing Greeny

Kirk Hammett rarely plays guest solos, but he teamed up with folk-rockers Goodnight, Texas to deliver “an absolute vintage wah solo” on Greeny – hear it now

By Matt Owen published

Hear how the Metallica maestro helped the band usher in a heavy new sonic direction with the help of one of music's most famed Les Pauls in this Guitar World exclusive premiere

Dave Mustaine (left) and James Hetfield onstage in the early ’80s

“How can you possibly be satisfied being a singer when you play like that?”: Dave Mustaine recalls the first time he heard James Hetfield play guitar

By Matt Parker published

The Megadeth man has said Hetfield kept his talent hidden, and that witnessing him play for the first time was “kind of shocking”

James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett

“We can do things with a Fractal that we can’t do with a real amp”: Kirk Hammett’s guitar tech reveals why Metallica converted to Axe-Fx

By Jonathan Horsley published

The Bay Area metal behemoths’ 2013 Freeze ‘Em All gig in Antarctica opened their eyes – and ears – to the potential of digital amp modeling

James Hetfield of American heavy metal band Metallica, live on stage at Sonisphere Festival, August 2, 2009.

Metallica just launched the world’s first-ever guitar-shaped ice cream bar

By Michael Astley-Brown published

Based on James Hetfield’s ESP Truckster, the Enlightened x Metallica vanilla dark chocolate bars will raise money for the metal icons’ All Within My Hands foundation

James Hetfield and Jason Newsted of Metallica onstage at the 24th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Public Hall on April 4, 2009 in Cleveland, Ohio.

“Hetfield would say, ‘Dude, get that bass s**t happening!’ It was a breathin'-down-your-neck type of thing...” Jason Newsted on the making of Metallica’s Load album

By Nick Wells published

The ex-Metallica bassist recalls the making of Load and why James Hetfield had a lot to do with the bass

Kirk Hammett names his favorite wah

“It’s the greatest wah, for me, that’s ever been made”: Kirk Hammett owns 200 wah pedals, but this is his studio go-to – and it’s not his signature Cry Baby

By Matt Parker published

The Metallica guitarist says he uses someone else’s signature wah every time he’s in the studio

Kirk Hammett performs onstage

“I hate admitting this but I started bawling like a baby”: Kirk Hammett says his iconic ‘Greeny’ Les Paul recently had another gut-wrenching injury

By Matt Owen published

Another footnote has just been added to the iconic Les Paul's long medical history – but, as the Metallica maestro explains to Rick Beato, it could have been a whole lot worse

Metallica demo the Juanes signature Strat

“For 40 years, guitar manufacturers have been trying to get me to flaunt their product”: Lars Ulrich turns his hand to guitar demos for the first time – while Kirk Hammett shreds on a Strat

By Jonathan Horsley published

It’s only taken four decades, but Juanes’ signature Fender Strat is so cool that Lars finally feels comfortable sharing his guitar-playing capabilities as Metallica turn their hand to gear demos

Robert Trujillo of Metallica performs on stage at Ippodromo San Siro on May 8, 2019 in Milan, Italy.

“Ozzy Osbourne gets in my face and we're doing this dance. Sometimes Kirk and I do it during For Whom the Bell Tolls”: Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo explains the origin of his iconic crab walk

By Nick Wells published

Robert Trujillo thanks Ozzy Osbourne for helping turn on his stage performance with Metallica

Kirk Hammett

“I'm gonna do this intro all over for you”: Kirk Hammett fluffs the intro to Nothing Else Matters at first show of Metallica's US tour

By Matt Owen published

It's not the first time the Gibson and ESP signature artist has stumbled over the track's open-string heavy intro riff

Megadeth's early lineup featuring Greg Handevidt

“I'd hear Dave Mustaine aimlessly riffing on the couch, and it's the riffs that ended up on the first two Megadeth – and, frankly, Metallica – records”: Megadeth's first lead guitarist Greg Handevidt on the birth of a metal institution

By Andrew Daly published

The first guitar player to stand toe-to-toe with Dave Mustaine in Megadeth looks back on his intense initial meeting with the metal icon, and his memories of the band's mythical demo tape – their equivalent of Metallica's No Life 'Til Leather

Kirk Hammett performs onstage with Metallica in Gothenburg, Sweden on June 16, 2023

Kirk Hammett injures his knee onstage playing Master Of Puppets – but strides back in time for the solo

By Matt Parker published

Fan footage shows the Metallica guitarist clutching his leg between playing sections in the song’s opening minutes

Jason Newsted looking sweaty

"I'd sweat so much I had to test my basses by dunking them in water!" True story: Jason Newsted sweated so much with Metallica that his basses would short-circuit 

By Scott Malandrone published

“To test each one, I’d fill up a big tub with super hot water, dump in some salt, and submerge the bass”

Metallica

10 Metallica guitar techniques you need to know

By Charlie Griffiths published

How the rhythm and lead styles of James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett will power up your metal playing fast