In the early '80s, heavy metal was in danger of becoming a spandex-sporting/hairspray-soaked/makeup-smeared parody, but bands like Metallica brought metal back to its original, straight-ahead approach. With most other metal singers posing for the camera and singing about sex, drugs, and rock & roll, Metallica singer/guitarist James Hetfield's... [+] Read More

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In the spring of 1983, Hammett received a phone call from the boys in Metallica -- which included singer/guitarist James Hetfield, drummer Lars Ulrich, and bassist Cliff Burton -- asking if he'd be interested in trying out for the band (their original guitarist, Dave Mustaine, was about to be booted due to erratic behavior). The group arranged... [+] Read More

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The Kalamazoo, MI-based industrial unit Naked Lunch was led by vocalist Mxyzptlk. After first garnering underground notice with a series of demos including El Terror de la Asfixia and The Illuminati, the group issued the full-length Everything Dies before signing to Mutiny Records to release Simulation B in 1999. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

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Known primarily as the over-the-top, drill instructor-like frontman for heavy metal titans Pantera, singer Phil Anselmo is also the leader of several other similarly styled side projects. Born on June 30, 1968, in New Orleans, LA, Anselmo developed an admiration for heavy metal as a teenager; leading to his fronting several local bands in the... [+] Read More

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Cultivating one of the scariest careers in the punk rock scene, Skrewdriver have become the proud poster boys for the racial-hate movement in the United Kingdom. They define the stereotypical image of skinheads, preaching the Aryan beliefs of the Nazis, while alternately making violent and visceral music for their fans to get angry about. Led by... [+] Read More

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Static-X's roots trace to the Midwest, where vocalist/guitarist Wayne Static grew up in Michigan and drummer Ken Jay in Illinois. They ended up in Chicago separately, but were introduced at the record store where Jay worked by Smashing Pumpkins vocalist Billy Corgan. Static and Jay decided to head west to California and start up a new band.... [+] Read More

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