What a week it’s been! The metal news this had drama, heartbreak, and burgers, so lets dive into it…
System Of a Down’s “Chop Suey!” passes 2 billion streams on Spotify
It’s about goddamn time this happened! System Of a Down‘s 2001 “Chop Suey!” is one of their most revered and quintessential songs (and, for me, one of my fave’s in their discography to sing for karaoke besides “B.Y.O.B.”), and has finally reached new heights, streaming wise. It’s official surpassed 2 billion streams on Spotify, which I’m pretty sure gets them some sort of plaque or some shit. The band excited shared about it on socials, with their own lil chop suey to-go container. What a collectible, if it really exists.
The Mars Volta’s Cedric Bixler-Zavala blasts Spotify
Speaking of Spotify, Cedric Bixler-Zavala from The Mars Volta has issued a big ol’ “fuck you” to them, after taking issue with an event they did with the musician’s mental health support line Backline.
Spotify and Backline jointly hosted a mental health and songwriting summit that, when Bixler-Zavala caught wind of, pissed him all the way the fuck off. To be fair, it’s not like he doesn’t have a point, because how could Spotify care about artists’ mental health when they don’t even properly pay them?
“With Spotify? How are we supposed to take you fucking serious? Ain’t nobody at Spotify give a fuck about mental health,” Bixler-Zavala blasted in his Instagram stories. “Fuck outta here [sic] with this shitty propaganda. This is like forced religious arbitrations with your gremlin abusers. Wake. The. Fuck. Up. While they sit there listening to your humanity, Spotify contributes financially to death of children via military war applications they invest in.”
Dethklok’s Milwaukee show cancelled after fog set off venue’s alarms
This is cartoonishly funny, which is honestly perfect for the band considering their usual form. At Dethklok‘s show in Milwaukee, WI over this past weekend (but I found out about it on Monday and that’s why I’m including it this week, so shut up), the band’s onstage fog machine went out of control to the point that it set off the venue’s fire alarm system. Dethklok were only about eight songs in when the alarm went off, according to people there, causing the show to get cancelled midway through “Black Fire Upon Us.”
Afterwards, the band’s cofounder and frontman Brendon Small said this:
“Thanks for your cooperation at tonight’s show. Since the show ended early, we’re working with the venue to make this right for you. Ticket holders will receive an email with more information soon.”
Small also recently appeared on the latest episode of Rig Rundown, which you can see sans-fog by going here.
Live Without, of “What the fuck is up, Denny’s?!” fame, team up with Denny’s again for a new burger
You read that right. If you grew up going to random restaurants and churches and shit to see hardcore shows like I did, then this will resonate so, so deeply with you. The “What the fuck is up, Denny’s?!” kids, the Texas band Live Without, have returned to Denny’s some 13 years later to collab with them on a new burger that’s appropriately named “The Mozz Pit.” So perfect, isn’t it?
The burger itself is like a stoner’s dream if you eat me, since it comes with three mozzarella sticks on top. It’ll only be available until June 2 at select locations in Houston, TX, Los Angeles, CA and Miami, FL, so get it while you can, and tear up the pit just like I’m sure your butt will tear up the toilet after you eat it.
Ozzy Osbourne’s likeness licensed off to become A.I. avatar
The Osbourne family announced this week that they sold Ozzy‘s likeness to Hyperreal, an A.I. company that makes those big ass projection things that you see at concerts and events and stuff. Ozzy will now live on as an A.I. figure that his wife Sharon says plans to make an appearance in one way or another at the next Ozzfest, set to for 2027. His avatar will be interactive, so you’ll be able to talk to him and everything which is kinda creepy, not gonna lie.
As someone in the anti-A.I. camp, this sucks, but Sharon’s reasoning for it makes heartbreaking sense. “Elvis died 50 years ago, and everybody knows Elvis,” Sharon said when the announcement, via License Global. “I just want that for Ozzy.” Great, now I’m crying.
One of late Mastodon guitarist Brent Hinds’ last recorded guitar riffs gets digital release on Marcus King’s “Red Door”
In more sad news, one of the last guitar riffs Mastodon icon Brent Hinds recorded is now available on digital platforms. Specifically, it’s on southern rock artist Marcus King’s track “Red Door.” The track comes off King’s album No Room For Blue that originally came out last year for Record Store Day’s Black Friday event.
Banker Handcrafted Guitars said this about Hinds’ feature:
“For those who may not know, this song you are listening to has one of the last guitar solos Brent Hinds recorded. He slept on the living room couch for a week (or two, whose counting) with The Marcus King Band at the house they rented down in Macon, Georgia while they were writing and recording their latest record, Darlin’ Blue at the legendary Capricorn Studios.
The final song on the companion release titled ‘Red Door’ was one that Brent collaborated and performed on. Ever the stubborn perfectionist, he managed to do 278 takes before landing on the one he liked best. These are some photos I took while hanging out and watching it all unfold for a couple of days.”