During an interview with Mexico’s Alpha 91.3 FM radio station, Metallica’s Rob Trujillo was asked to select an artist from any genre to cover a song from the band’s latest album, ’72 Seasons.’ Trujillo’s choice came as a surprise, as he suggested the iconic powerhouse, Slayer.
He expressed his interest, saying, “I would love to hear [the] ’72 Seasons’ [title track]… This is going to sound crazy. What if ’72 Seasons’ was covered by Slayer? That would be pretty cool. No one would expect that. But I would love it.”
Trujillo’s selection of the title track from Metallica’s latest album may have raised eyebrows among fans due to the perceived rivalry between the two bands. He addressed this by stating, “I always feel like some people say there’s a competition [between Metallica and Slayer]… But what if the classic Slayer lineup covered a song like ’72 Seasons’? That would be pretty cool.”
Although Trujillo may not have been fully aware of the competitive nature between the two powerhouses, Metal Blade Records founder Brian Slagel revealed in a previous interview with Metal Hammer that Metallica and Slayer always kept an eye on each other’s activities. Slagel mentioned, “Metallica and Slayer were never very close. They were competitive… It was, ‘Who’s faster? Who’s heavier?'”
The connection between Metallica and Slayer, characterized by both competition and mutual interest, adds an intriguing layer to their legacies as influential bands in the metal genre.