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As Metallica’s lead guitarist for decades, Kirk Hammett has been behind some of the genre’s greatest riffs and hits. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t classic metal tracks he also wishes he wrote.

Most of today’s metal guitarists can trace one of the tendrils of their inspiration tree back to Randy Rhoads, and Hammett is no different. In fact, he looks up to Ozzy Osbourne’s former sideman so much that he wishes he wrote one Ozzy classic, in particular.

In a VH1 interview recently resurfaced by Far Out Magazine, the Metallica guitarist said: “I know this might sound weird, but you know, I’m really into jazz.

• READ MORE: Sunn O))) and EarthQuaker Devices launch compact version of the acclaimed Life Pedal: “Half the size, just as heavy”

“I learnt Diary of a Madman sometime last year and was just amazed at all the great jazz voicings that that song has.

“And as I was scratching my head, I thought, ‘This is a brilliant piece of work.’ Randy Rhoads really, really showed a lot more depth, other than, you know, just rock licks and power chords.”

Despite its arguably inaccessible and pop-unfriendly jazz voicings and off-piste chord progressions, Diary of a Madman remains one of the quintessential tracks in Ozzy Osbourne’s catalogue. The title track from the singer’s 1981 effort, it continues to rack up millions of plays across streaming services.

Randy Rhoads remains one of the foremost inspirations for today’s metal players. Despite only playing with Ozzy Osbourne for just shy of three years – ending with his tragic death in a plane crash in 1982 – Rhoads’ impact on metal music was immeasurable, performing on Blizzard of Ozz (1980) and Diary of a Madman (1981). Rhoads was part of the songwriting team behind the riff of Crazy Train, Ozzy’s most iconic song.

Randy Rhoads was so influential that many suggested there was a rivalry between him and his contemporary at the time, Eddie Van Halen. But W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes recently went on record to dispel that there was ever any animosity.

“The rivalry was between the fans, more,” he said. “The fans of Quiet Riot versus Van Halen fans. That was where the rivalry really was. But between the bands…it wasn’t between Ed and Randy. Ed would never say he hated the guy or disliked him.”

The post “I was just amazed at all the great jazz voicings that song has”: The Ozzy Osbourne classic Kirk Hammett wishes he wrote appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.

Drone metal band Sunn O))) and EarthQuaker Devices have launched a compact version of their collaborative Life Pedal, an octave distortion and booster, aptly named HalfLife.

Like the Life Pedal, HalfLife is designed to represent the core front end chain used in the writing sessions for the band’s 2019 album, Life Metal, to drive the tubes of the Greg Anderson and Stephen O’Malley’s multiple vintage Sunn O))) Model T amplifiers “into overload ecstasy”. It will remain part of the EQD lineup for good, as opposed to the original three versions.

• READ MORE: “I’m driving home right now and it’s in the back seat!”: Inside John 5’s relationship with his number 1 guitar, Ghost

Offered as a pedalboard-friendly alternative to the Life Pedal, HalfLife again features a fuzz/distortion circuit with an analogue octave-up effect, as well as a MOSFET-driven clean boost in the “Magnitude” section. In addition, HalfLife features reworked circuitry, with switchable op-amp, asymmetric and symmetric clipping modes.

The first position uses no diodes for a “full, grinding Op Amp assault at maximum volume”. The second utilises two silicon diodes and one LED in an asymmetrical clipping configuration, while the latter is the standard double silicon diode configuration for a more classic tone.

“An octave fuzz inspired by the Shin-Ei FY2 & FY6 units leads the circuit into a brutal big-box rodent-inspired distortion recreated with the best components and including a three-way clipping switch,” says EarthQuaker. “The second stage is a purely clean boost to further overdrive the preamp tubes of your vintage system into scaped harmonics and feedback overtone bliss.”

And thanks to the fact the HalfLife is made using modern components – as opposed to the NOS (New Old Stock) components used in the original Life pedals – it’s now a permanent staple of the EQD lineup.

“I’m ecstatic for the continuation of this LIFE-affirming collaboration with EarthQuaker Devices,” says Sunn O)))’s Greg Anderson. “May the sounds you create from the HalfLife be as deep as the forests and massive as the mountains.”

Back in 2022, we tried out the Life Pedal V3, and gave it a stellar 9/10 in our review. And you best believe us when we say we’re excited to get our hands on the new HalfLife pedal…

The HalfLife is available now for £265/$259.

Learn more and hear audio samples at EarthQuaker Devices.

The post Sunn O))) and EarthQuaker Devices launch compact version of the acclaimed Life Pedal: “Half the size, just as heavy” appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.