Kirk Hammett of Metallica recently praised Judas Priest for their pivotal role in shaping the genre of heavy metal. His remarks were made on May 25 at the Alte Kongresshalle in Munich, Germany during a book signing event for “Metallica: The Black Album in Black & White.” This event included a discussion about Metallica’s experiences and was accompanied by band member Robert Trujillo and photographer Ross Halfin.
During the conversation, Hammett described an image captured at last October’s Power Trip festival in Indio, California. It showcased himself with bandmate James Hetfield watching Judas Priest perform. He expressed his admiration, stating, “We were worshipping at the altar of Judas Priest. Their music means so much to us. And the way Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing played the guitars — I mean, they are architects of what we now know as heavy metal, to put it bluntly. And James and I, we love PRIEST.”
He further reminisced about Metallica’s past interactions with Judas Priest which underscored their long-standing mutual respect. Notably, during a 2013 Revolver Golden Gods award show in Los Angeles and Metallica’s 30th-anniversary celebration in 2011 at San Francisco’s Fillmore, Rob Halford had joined Metallica on stage to perform ‘Rapid Fire’.
Furthermore, the book “Metallica: The Black Album in Black & White” provides deeper insights into the band’s iconic era from 1991-1993 through photographs by Ross Halfin who has a notable history with Metallica since 1984. These images include behind-the-scenes shots from tours and recording sessions which capture significant moments of both celebration and intense musicianship.
The relationship between heavy metal legends such as Judas Priest and newer formations like Metallica showcase the generational passage of sonic influences that continue to shape music history. The acknowledgment from icons like Hammet catch attention not merely as testimonials but also as effective connective threads among artists transcending time periods within the music industry.
