Metallica thrilled fans at the Tons Of Rock festival in Oslo, Norway, on June 26 by performing a special cover of Diamond Head’s “Am I Evil?” alongside the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal band’s founding guitarist, Brian Tatler.
Longtime Diamond Head enthusiasts James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich of Metallica have frequently expressed their admiration for the band. Metallica first covered “Am I Evil?” as a b-side for their 1984 single “Creeping Death” and have since played the track live 791 times, according to setlist.fm.
Tatler has previously credited Metallica’s cover of “Am I Evil?” with helping sustain Diamond Head. In a 2022 interview with Metal Pilgrim, Tatler stated, “The royalties and notice from Metallica covering ‘Am I Evil?’ kept Diamond Head afloat. It introduced our music to millions, and for that, I am eternally grateful.”
Metallica’s rendition of “Am I Evil?” at Tons Of Rock is not their first notable collaboration. The band famously performed the song with thrash metal’s Big Four—Megadeth, Slayer, and Anthrax—in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 2010.
Metallica is currently on a European tour, with their next stop at Hellfest in Clisson, France, on June 29. Meanwhile, Diamond Head’s latest album, Lightning To The Nations 2020, re-records their 1980 debut, featuring “Am I Evil?” and includes a bonus track cover of Metallica’s “No Remorse.”
Metallica 2024 Live Dates:
Jun 29: Clisson Hellfest, France
Jul 05: Warsaw PGE Narodowy, Poland
Jul 07: Warsaw PGE Narodowy, Poland
Jul 12: Madrid Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano, Spain
Jul 14: Madrid Estadio Cívitas Metropolitano, Spain
Aug 02: Foxborough Gillette Stadium, MA, USA
Aug 04: Foxborough Gillette Stadium, MA, USA
Aug 09: Chicago Soldier Field, IL, USA
Aug 11: Chicago Soldier Field, IL, USA
Aug 16: Minneapolis US Bank Stadium, MN, USA
Aug 18: Minneapolis US Bank Stadium, MN, USA
Aug 23: Edmonton Commonwealth Stadium, Canada
Aug 25: Edmonton Commonwealth Stadium, Canada
Aug 30: Seattle Lumen Field, WA, USA
Sep 01: Seattle Lumen Field, WA, USA
Sep 20: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Sep 22: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Sep 27: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Sep 29: Mexico City Foro Sol, Mexico
Fans can look forward to more electrifying performances as Metallica continues their tour, bringing their legendary energy and iconic covers to stages across the globe.
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Photo Credit: Yulia Grigoryeva / Shutterstock.com