Karl Walter, Getty Images Here’s a look at the top stories of the day on Loudwire and around the Web: Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor unleashes new single ‘Keep it Together’ with his project How to Destroy Angels . Listen to the track here. [ Loudwire ] We racked our brains and lost sleep on many a night, but we finally came up with our list of the 10 best Metallica songs of all time. Check it out here and let us know what you think we missed. [ Loudwire ] Industrial metal veterans Static-X pull out of tour with Emmure + Ill Nino as Wayne Static undergoes medical procedures. Read about it here. [ Loudwire ] Mumford and Sons have just matched a 48-year-old chart record set by the Beatles. See which one it was here. [ Ultimate Classic Rock ] Screaming Females have been forced to cancel their upcoming fall tour due to singer’s illness. Read all about it here. [ Diffuser.fm ] What’s your favorite Metallica album? Vote for your No. 1 pick on this new Metallica fan site. [ Ultimate Metallica ] Musical mad scientist Devin Townsend to stream sold out ‘Retinal Circus Extravaganza’ live online. Don’t miss out! [ Rock Music Report ]
Spencer Kaufman, Loudwire In one of the more surprising moments of the year, Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong recently entered rehab for substance abuse problems, and now Green Day bassist Mike Dirnt has just addressed the issue in greater detail. After slinging curses at the iHeart Radio festival organizers, Armstrong smashed his guitar and left the stage . At the time, the singular reason for his outburst seemed to be frustration with having Green Day’s set time suddenly cut down by 20 minutes. The next day, though, it was revealed that there was more to Armstrong’s breakdown, as the band released a statement that the frontman would be entering rehab . In an interview with BBC Radio 1 [via NME ], Mike Dirnt revealed that the decision to send Armstrong to rehab wasn’t a difficult one, “We had to put the life of our friend in front of everything,” says Dirnt. There were also “signs of things hitting the fan” adding, “we hadn’t slept in forever.” Dirnt continues, “Hindsight is 20/20… it was a tremendous undertaking… It catches up with you a little bit. We definitely jumped off a moving train.” As for the future of Green Day’s musical career, Durst says, “We’re still getting ready for the next phase.” Stay tuned for more news on Billie Joe Armstrong’s recovery. In the meantime. the band recently released the album ‘¡Uno!,’ with the rest of the trilogy coming in the forms of ’¡Dos!’ next month and ‘¡Tre!’ in January. In addition, Armstrong’s previously taped appearances as a mentor on NBC’s ‘The Voice’ will begin airing tonight (Oct. 8) on NBC. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/green-day-frontman-rehab-stint-wont-affect-participation-the-voice/” title=”Next: Green Day Frontman to Continue on ‘The Voice’ Despite Rehab Stint” align=”center”]
Fin Costello/Redferns, Getty Images Picking the 10 best Metallica songs might just be the hardest thing we've ever tried to do. As one of the most successful and internationally recognized bands around, Metallica's discography includes nine studio albums and over 40 singles, all created and released over the course of more than three decades. This huge catalog is the foundation for Metallica's success that has now reached beyond the world of music, whether it be a critically acclaimed documentary or their own music festival or an in-the-works 3D movie that showcases their one-of-a-kind live concerts. As fans eagerly await the band's next studio album, we've racked our brains to a mushy pulp to come up with this list of the 10 Best Metallica Songs: ? 10 'Fuel' From: 'ReLoad' (1997) ? ? 'Fuel' is the most popular tune from 1997's 'ReLoad,' and it is hard to argue against it being one of Metallica's best songs. With the ferocious intro delivered a cappella by James Hetfield, the song never lets up for the four and a half minutes it runs. 'Fuel' definitely serves up the fastest-paced and most in-your-face song from 'ReLoad' – and arguably outshines any tune on the band's previous album, 'Load.' Listen to 'Fuel' ? ? 9 'Fade to Black' From: 'Ride the Lightning' (1984) ? ? Call it a ballad if you must, but 'Fade to Black' is one of Metallica's best songs if for no other reason than it shows just how talented the band really is. Being Metallica's first true slow song, it covers the theme of suicide and is the first track that guitarist Kirk Hammett received co-writing credit on. Despite being slow-paced, the tune still conveys brutality and intensity, whether it's through Hetfield's lyrics or Hammett's guitar solos. Listen to 'Fade to Black' ? ? 8 '…And Justice for All' From: '…And Justice for All' (1988) ? ? One of the most complex songs in Metallica's catalog, '…And Justice for All' stretches to nearly 10 minutes long. Due to its complexity and length, it has been a rarity for fans to enjoy the song live at Metallica concerts. However, the common absence of the song from setlists does not make it any less powerful. The band's fans had high expectations following 'Master of Puppets' and with the '…And Justice for All' title track, Metallica proved that they were still on top of the metal world. Listen to '…And Justice for All' ? ? 7 'Battery' From: 'Master of Puppets' (1986) ? ? Selecting the order of tracks for 'Master of Puppets' was no doubt a hard task, but picking 'Battery' to open the album was a stroke of genius. The song opens with an acoustic guitar riff – just like the opening track of 'Ride the Lightning' — that leads into the band joining in with full-on power and intensity. The song is one of current bassist Robert Trujillo's favorites as he requested to begin his audition with Metallica by jamming on the tune, further cementing late bassist Cliff Burton's legendary status. Listen to 'Battery' ? ? 6 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' From: 'Ride the Lightning' (1984) ? ? 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' is inspired from the Ernest Hemingway novel of the same name, and is one of the most-played songs at Metallica concerts. It has become a fan-favorite no doubt due to that unique opening that sounds like a guitar, but is actually the sound of Cliff Burton playing a bass fed through distortion. 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' was first released as a promotional single, which meant it never hit the charts. Listen to 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' ? ? 5 'Seek & Destroy' From: 'Kill 'Em All' (1983) ? ? 'Seek and Destroy' first made its debut on Metallica's demo tape, 'No Life 'til Leather.' Thirty years later, it still stands out as one of the band's premiere songs. Since around 2004, it has been the staple tune the band jams on to end their live shows. With obvious influences from bands like Diamond Head and Saxon, 'Seek and Destroy' has turned into an anthem for Metallica fans throughout the world. With the piercing opening guitar riff to the brutal lyrics of “ Running / On our way hiding / You will pay dying / One thousand deaths ,” everything builds up to the climactic and powerful chorus: “ Searching / Seek and destroy! “ Listen to 'Seek & Destroy' ? ? 4 'One' From: '…And Justice for All' (1988) ? ? The last single to be released from '…And Justice for All,' 'One' sets itself apart as one of the best songs recorded by Metallica because of its build-up from a slow, clean, haunting opening to a heavy, fast and absolutely shattering ending. That ending features an unforgettable solo from axeman Hammett as well as an earth-shattering display of Lars Ulrich's double-bass drum kit. To make the song even better, Metallica recorded their first music video around it, a dark video that splices together footage from the 1971 anti-war film, 'Johnny Got His Gun,' with shots of the band playing the song. Listen to 'One' ? ? 3 'Enter Sandman' From: 'Metallica' (1991) ? ? 'Enter Sandman' might have one of the most recognizable guitar riffs around, and as the first track, sets the stage for Metallica's self-titled 1991 disc (aka The Black Album). With a dark theme that follows a child and his nightmares, one of the most memorable moments in Metallica's career comes when producer Bob Rock's son recites the line 'Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep' alongside Hetfield. Nowadays, fans can hear the song in a number of places outside of the album, including football games, baseball games and a slew of other athletic events. Listen to 'Enter Sandman' ? ? 2 'Creeping Death' From: 'Ride the Lightning' (1984) ? ? Taking their cue from the Bible, specifically the book of Exodus, Metallica deliver an instant thrash classic from their second studio album. Packed with Metallica's signature sound, the highlight of the song has also turned into a staple at Metallica's live show. After a blistering guitar solo and about four minutes into the song, the chanting of 'Die! Die! Die!' makes 'Creeping Death' a song Metallica fans will always bang their heads to. Listen to 'Creeping Death' ? ? 1 'Master of Puppets' From: 'Master of Puppets' (1986) ? ? One of heavy metal's best songs ever, 'Master of Puppets' opens with a crushing guitar riff that carries the tune for over eight and a half minutes. The dynamic opus that covers the theme of drugs and addiction has become a mainstay in Metallica's live set. It's been covered an innumerable amount of times by bands of several different genres, and was reportedly Cliff Burton's favorite Metallica track. While fans will argue over this for years to come, 'Master of Puppets' tops our list of the 10 best Metallica songs of all time. Listen to 'Master of Puppets' ? ? What's on Your List of the Best Metallica Songs? Now that you've seen our list of Metallica's best songs, what do you think we missed? With nine studio albums, it was nearly impossible to cover every epic song released by the legendary band. Should there have been a tune from 'Death Magnetic?' More from the 'Black' album? What about a cover song from 'Garage Inc.?' Sound off and let the debate begin in the comments section below! [button href=”http://ultimatemetallica.com” title=”Next: Click Here for All Things Metallica” align=”center”] ?
Liz Ramanand, Loudwire It’s no secret that this year’s ShipRocked lineup is one not to be missed, and In This Moment singer Maria Brink and P.O.D. frontman Sonny Sandoval both agree. During this summer’s Uproar Festival, Loudwire had the chance to talk to both vocalists about their upcoming appearance at ShipRocked 2012. It’s Brink’s second time setting sail and Sandoval’s first, and both expressed an equal level of enthusiasm for the upcoming trip. Along with In This Moment and P.O.D., the lineup also features Korn , Godsmack , Five Finger Death Punch , Sevendust and much more. The ship sets sail Nov. 27 from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and makes stops in Key West, Fla., and Nassau, Bahamas, before returning on Dec. 1. For information on reservations, the itinerary, the performances and much more, check out GetShipRocked.com . Watch Maria Brink and Sonny Sandoval Talk about Shiprocked 2012 Video shot for Loudwire by Derek Soto, Sinestra Studios . [button href=”http://loudwire.com/godsmack-shannon-larkin-talks-shiprocked-uproar-sully-erna-vocal-cords/” title=”Next: Godsmack Drummer Shannon Larkin on Shiprocked 2012″ align=”center”]
Facebook: How To Destroy Angels Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor ‘s project How to Destroy Angels have unleashed ‘Keep It Together’ as the first single from their upcoming release ‘An Omen EP.’ The band, or creative collective as they prefer to refer to themselves, will drop ‘An Omen EP’ on Nov. 13 via Columbia Records in digital format and 12’’ vinyl. It will include six songs, with a possible full-length release to follow in the spring of 2013. How to Destroy Angels’ lineup features Reznor and his wife, Mariqueen Maandig, in addition to Rob Sheridan and Atticus Ross, both longtime collaborators with Reznor in both music and creative endeavors. Fan reaction to the new song has been quite positive judging by the public comments left for the band. Some listeners have compared the sound to Massive Attack and Bjork while others have commented on the specific stand-out elements of the song from the “eerie piano” parts to the “brutal” bass, with many making it clear that they’re most looking forward to experiencing the very visual song live. In a previously released message by Reznor, he states that How to Destroy Angels has a lot of things in he works from videos to live performances. Fans can stay in the loop by checking out the band’s Facebook page for all the latest updates. Listen to How to Destroy Angel’s New Single ‘Keep It Together’ ?
Adam Bettcher, Getty Images ? In a recent interview with Radio Metal , Slipknot / Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor recalls the time he was asked to contribute vocals to Anthrax’s critically acclaimed 2011 album ‘Worship Music’ prior to the thrash metal veterans’ reunion with singer Joey Belladonna. A few years back, Anthrax vocalist Dan Nelson departed the band after ‘Worship Music’ was recorded. It was then assumed that John Bush would re-record the vocals on the album, but he ended up parting ways with the band, as well. ‘Worship Music’ ended up being re-recorded with Belladonna handling vocals and reworking some of the lyrics from the scrapped version. However, prior to the Belladonna reunion, Taylor was asked to help out, but his record label wouldn’t let him. “I didn’t record anything with Anthrax, actually,” Taylor explains. “It’s one of those things that I would have loved to do, but never had the chance to do it. When they sent me some riffs and some music they had done, I thought it would be fun, not only as a friend but as a fan too, to see where the demos could go after my involvement.” Taylor continues, “But my label forced me out of this project so I wasn’t able to do it. Then, I went to do [ Slipknot ‘s] ‘All Hope Is Gone’ and Anthrax called Joey Belladonna back. After hearing ‘Worship Music’, I really think it’s their best record. Although I didn’t record anything with them, I told them that I would love to help them in writing stuff in the future. …At first, I was really mad about it, but I let it go after a while. But it would have been interesting to see what Anthrax and I could have done, for sure.” In the same interview, Taylor talks Stone Sour ‘s upcoming album, ‘ House of Gold & Bones Part 1 ? (due Oct. 22) and its follow-up ‘Part 2′ (due in 2013). “We had a lot of fun doing this,’ remarks Taylor. “Part Two is a wonderful difference from Part One: it wasn’t just getting together and re-recording some stuff on Part One. I’m really excited about it: the songs we’ve written are above the best stuff we’ve ever made and can’t wait for people to hear it all put together.” Stone Sour recently released a snippet of the track ‘The Travelers, Pt. 1.’ Listen below. Listen to a Clip of Stone Sour’s ‘The Travelers Pt. 1′ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/anthrax-bassist-frank-bello-reflects-on-one-year-anniversary-of-worship-music/” title=”Next: Frank Bello Talks One-Year Anniversary of ‘Worship Music'” align=”center”]
Photos: Facebook: Thousand Foot Krutch / HinderMusic.com Avenged Sevenfold gave bands a deathbat beat down to enter Loudwire’s Cage Match Hall of Fame with five straight victories. Now it’s time for two new bands and their brand new singles to go head to head. Canadian rock band Thousand Foot Krutch enter the matchup with their tune ‘War of Change’ off of their latest album ‘The End Is Where We Begin.’ The band has a show in Canada on Oct. 12 and a handful of European dates in December. For a full list of tour dates, go here . The Oklahoma rockers of Hinder take the Cage Match by storm with their new track ‘Save Me’ off of their forthcoming album ‘Welcome to the Freakshow’ (due Dec. 4). Hinder have a string of U.S. tour dates coming up — for a full list of cities and dates, go here . So, will Thousand Foot Krutch emerge victorious in this ‘War’ or will Hinder fans ‘Save’ the band from defeat? Get in on the action and vote for your favorite track below! (This Cage Match will run until Wednesday, Oct. 10, at 8AM ET. Fans can vote once per hour! So come back and vote often to make sure your favorite song wins!) Listen to Thousand Foot Krutch, ‘War of Change’ Listen to Hinder, ‘Save Me’ ? Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. ? Email Me When Cage Match Winners Are Announced Enter your email address below to receive the Loudwire newsletter, which will include notification of the daily winner of the Cage Match, as well as our top stories of the day. Email Rules of Cage Match: Fans can vote once per hour for their favorite song. If a song remains the reigning champ for five straight cage matches, it is retired to the Loudwire Cage Match Hall of Fame. With so many great songs out there, we have to give other bands a chance!