Watch: Randy Blythe Nails Cover of a Metallica Classic with Machine Head & Forbidden Members

Nicholastbroussard, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
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Lamb of God‘s Randy Blythe ripped through a killer cover of Metallica’s classic “Fight Fire with Fire” (from Ride the Lightning) over the weekend.

It all went down at Dynamo Metalfest in Eindhoven, Netherlands as Randy ripped a set with members of Forbidden and Chris Kontos of Machine Head fame.

Randy isn’t just a Metallica ‘stan’, but someone who has a deep emotional connection with James Hetfield – he credits Hetfield with helping to quite literally save his life. Hetfield helped Randy get sober after a particularly brutal series of benders when Metallica and Lamb of God toured together years back. Per Randy:

“I got sober while we were on tour with Metallica almost 9 years ago. The first day of that run, one of my crew guys came to me and said “Hey, Hetfield’s looking for you”- we had been touring with them in the States & Europe for over a year and I was just RAGING, especially in Europe, but inside I was MISERABLE. He knew I had been trying to quit drinking, it wasn’t working for me anymore, & it all came to an end in Australia. A HUGE FACTOR in my willingness & ability to get sober while on fucking heavy metal tour was the fact that I had James & some of his crew who were also sober to talk to – I didn’t have to do it alone.

James & crew babied me through my first month of sobriety out there on the road – it was a heavy trip. I couldn’t have done it without them. When I saw the news about James today, I hurt so bad inside for him, because he was there for me when I was in such bad shape – I know how dark it can get. But it was also a very strong reminder for me of what I am, & what waits for me if I fuck up & forget I am alcoholic. If you’re an alcoholic, NO ONE IS IMMUNE, no matter how long you have been sober. James is in the right place right now, though, & as he has gone there of his own volition, it sounds like to me he wants sobriety back – and that is the key to it all, you have to want it. So my thoughts & prayers are with him – I love that dude. He literally helped SAVE MY LIFE.”

Check out the footage below:

If you’re hungry for more Randy live, you’re in luck. Lamb of God have a ton of upcoming tour dates kicking off in a few weeks time:

Sep 09 – Brooklyn, NY – Coney Island
Sep 10 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
Sep 11 – Alton, VA – Blue Ridge Music Festival
Sep 13 – Youngstown, OH – Youngstown Foundation Amphitheater
Sep 14 – Baltimore, MD – Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena
Sep 16 – Atlanta, GA – Coca Cola Roxy
Sep 17 – Jacksonville, FL – Daily’s Place
Sep 18 – Tampa, FL – MIDFLORIDA Credit Union Amphitheatre
Sep 21 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
Sep 23 – Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life Festival *No KSE, No Suicide Silence
Sep 24 – Chicago, IL – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island
Sep 25 – Sterling Heights, MI – Michigan Lottery Amp at Freedom Hill
Sep 26 – Indianapolis, IN – TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park
Sep 30 – Denver, CO – Fillmore Auditorium

Oct 01 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Great SaltAir
Oct 02 – Grand Junction, CO – Amphitheater at Las Colonias Park
Oct 04 – Fresno, CA – Exhibit Hall at Selland Arena
Oct 07 – Sacramento, CA – Aftershock Festival *No Fit For An Autopsy

Oct 09 – Vancouver, BC – Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre
Oct 10 – Kent (Seattle), WA – Accesso ShoWare Center
Oct 11 – Portland, OR – Theater of the Clouds

Oct 13 – Inglewood, CA – YouTube Theater
Oct 14 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Federal Theater
Oct 15 – Albuquerque, NM – Isleta Amphitheater
Oct 16 – El Paso, TX – UTEP Don Haskins Center
Oct 18 – San Antonio, TX – Freeman Coliseum
Oct 19 – Houston, TX – 713 Music Hall
Oct 20 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory

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