Tag Archives: Phil Demmel

Machine Head Holds Auditions For New Members

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Even though he gets mad at the press for reporting stuff like this, Machine Head’s Robb Flynn posted on social media today that the band was in the midst of holding auditions for new members. The auditions are being held at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland, California with engineer Zack Ohren, a frequent collaborator of the band. They are seeking to replace Phil Demmel and Dave McClain who quit the band last fall. The band is also continuing to work on recordings of at least two new songs the band has been tracking for a possible single or EP release. Flynn mentioned that bassist Jared MacEachern suggested they give the same list of songs to both the guitar players and drummers rather than different songs for each candidate. Flynn also said they could learn and bring in their own songs for “extra credit”. Among the songs people were asked to learn include ‘Locust’, ‘Old’, ‘Imperium’, ‘From This Day’, ‘Halo’, ‘Aesthetics Of Hate’, ‘Volatile’ and ‘This Is The End’. Flynn calls this a good mix from all of their eras. Machine’Head’s last album Catharsis came out in January 2018 via Nuclear Blast Records to mixed reactions. Continue reading →


Metal Allegiance To Celebrate Their Fifth Anniversary with Four Shows Next Month

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As we previously reported, Thrash Metal supergroup Metal Allegiance will celebrate five years as a band next month, and now will party up with fans at four west coast shows! Presented by Murder In The Front Row and Loudwire will feature the core four members – David Ellefson, Mark Menghi, Mike Portnoy, and Alex Skolnick – sharing the stage with Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT), John Bush (Armored Saint), and Phil Demmel (Machine Head) and returning to the MA live show ranks after a three year hiatus, Grammy Award-winning vocalist/bassist Troy Sanders (Mastodon). Each night will offer a unique experience as with any Metal Allegiance show, you never know who will drop by to join the festivities. For the April 17th show in Phoenix, the band will be joined by Max Cavalera (Soulfly), the April 20th show in San Francisco will include Steve “Zetro” Souza (Exodus) and Gary Holt (Slayer/Exodus). Opening the four nights are Superfix and Weapons Of Anew.

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Machine Head Shares Video From The Studio, Writing “Heavy” New Material

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Machine Head has shared video clips on Instagram of the band recording new music in the studio. Frontman and founder Robb Flynn called the tracks in a video “new heaviness” and the little bit that can be heard sounds like a return to the thrashy songs the band laid down on 2007’s The Blackening (Roadrunner). Flynn is joined by bassist/vocalist Jared MacEachern as the sole remaining members of the band after Phil Demmel and Dave McClain stepped down from the band following a final tour of 2018. The new music would be the first new songs from the band since last year’s divisive Catharsis album, released via their label Nuclear Blast. Check out the video, the screengrabs from Instagram Stories and check out a snippet of some new music.

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Watch The Full Video of Metal Allegiance in Anaheim Last Night, Covers of Sabbath, Dio, Slayer, Iron Maiden and More

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Metal supergroup Metal Allegiance performed their annual show during winter NAMM last night at the House of Blues Anaheim. The band live-streamed their entire performance on Facebook, which you can now watch below. The band covered Black Sabbath, Slayer, Anthrax, Dio, Sepultura, The Misfits, Iron Maiden, as well their own hits. Joining the core band (Portnoy, Skolnick, Ellefson, Menghi) they were joined by Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), Mark Osegueda (Death Angel), John Bush (Armored Saint), Chuck Billy (Testament), Bobby Blitz (Overkill), Trevor Strnad (The Black Dahlia Murder), Mark Tornillo (Accept), Phil Demmel (Machine Head), Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy) and Doyle W. Von Frankenstein (The Misfits). The night was presented by Nuclear Blast and sponsored by IK Multimedia, Murder in the Front Row, by Harald Oimoen & Brian Lew and Orange Amplifiers. We also included the entire setlist (thanks setlist.fm) and who performed with the band. Metal Allegiance II – Power Drunk Majesty is out now via Nuclear Blast Records.Continue reading →


Metal Allegiance To Live Stream Their Concert In Anaheim Tonight!

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Metal supergroup Metal Allegiance will live stream tonight’s all-star concert at House of Blues Anaheim. Click the link below for the stream at 9:30 PM PST. Metal Allegiance is doing another set of Black Sabbath songs, as they did n Brooklyn last fall, as well as their own hits and covers. Metall Allegiance II – Power Drunk Majesty is out now via Nuclear Blast. You can also check out the two interviews we did with the band discussing all things Metal Allegiance! Continue reading →


PODCAST: Episode 2- Metal Allegiance Part 2 with Mark Menghi and Trevor Strnad

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The Ghost Cult Podcast is back with Episode 2, which is part 2 of our interview with Metal Allegiance! We chatted with members Mark Menghi and Trevor Strnad (The Black Dahlia Murder) at Duff’s Alcohol Abuse Center in Brooklyn, New York. We talked about Metal Allegiance II – Power Drunk Majesty, out now via Nuclear Blast Records. writing and producing, working with an all-star cast of singers, the specialness of these shows, how the loss of Lemmy, David Bowie, Glenn Frey, and Prince shaped the group, how Trevor approaches cover songs, their new beer Lager of Sin, and much more. Catch Metal Allegiance at House of Blues Anaheim during The NAMM Show 2019. Continue reading →


PODCAST: Episode 1 – Metal Allegiance Part 1 with Alex Skolnick and David Ellefson

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Ghost Cult has at long last released our very own podcast. An interview podcast, you will hear from bands and artists from across all the genres we cover like Rock, Metal, Hardcore, Punk, Doom, Stoner Rock, Prog, Death Metal, Black Metal bands and more! Listen to it below or wherever you enjoy podcasts! Episode 1 and 2 features members of metal supergroup Metal Allegiance!Continue reading →


Machine Head Released “Through The Ashes Of Empires” Fifteen Years Ago

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Machine Head could get no lower by the end of 2002. Fourteen months after the release of Supercharger (Roadrunner) the band was at their wit’s end seemed to be on a slide. Having the misfortune of releasing that album just three weeks after 9/11, touring well, but at a tough time in the business for a touring band, and undergoing a transition, they were definitely standing on a ledge, looking over an abyss at their futures. After delivering their Hellalive album in early 2003, they were without a label for the first time since they were signed in the early 1990s. As detailed in the Elegies DVD from 2005, the band hunkered wrote as a three-piece, later on getting some contributions from Robb Flynn’s Vio-Lence shredder pal Phil Demmel. Finally getting a release ready for Roadrunner in Europe and still without a US label, the band released Through The Ashes Of Empires on December 16th 2003 with little fanfare outside the fanbase. Continue reading →


Metal Allegiance To Reprise “Black Sabbath” Tribute At Their January Show

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Metal supergroup Metal Allegiance has booked their 5th annual show at House Of Blues Anaheim on January 24th, and it promises to be a major rager. The band has now announced that they will reprise their tribute to Black Sabbath’s classic self-titled debut album, which performed in October at Brooklyn Bowl. You can watch the trailer below to get pumped up! Always surrounding the winter NAMM show the show will include several special guests as well as feature music from their debut album and recent release Volume II – Power Drunk Majesty (Nuclear Blast). Joining the band will be Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), Mark Osegueda (Death Angel), John Bush (Armored Saint), Chuck Billy (Testament), Bobby Blitz (Overkill), Trevor Strnad (The Black Dahlia Murder), Mark Tornillo (Accept), Phil Demmel (Machine Head), Alissa White-Gluz – Official Page (Arch Enemy) and Doyle W. Von Frankenstein (The Misfits). The night will be presented by Nuclear Blast & sponsored by IK Multimedia, Murder in the Front Row, by Harald Oimoen & Brian Lew & Orange Amplifiers. Continue reading →