Having surprised the audience at Metal Master 2 in New York City with surprise appearances by Philip Anselmo (Pantera / Down) and Scott Ian (Anthrax), as well as a full Anthrax performance, Charlie Benante and Frank Bello (Anthrax), David Ellefson (Megadeth), Mike Portnoy (ex–Dream Theater/Adrenaline Mob), Kerry King and now Dave Lombardo (both of Slayer) are back on the West Coast with an exclusive metal experience that’s bigger than ever. Artists will perform both individually and collectively, demonstrating their personal techniques and how they all come together to create the music that millions bang their heads to every day.

“We’re extremely excited to be bringing the Metal Masters series back to the West Coast where it originated,” says Mark Menghi, Samson’s Director of Marketing. “And with the artists we have participating and the surprises we have planned, Metal Masters 3 is going to be the best one yet.”

Tickets are available for $20 (first come, first served) at the Key Club’s box office, located at 9039 Sunset Boulevard, or via www.keyclub.com. With door giveaways and surprise guests, all should purchase their tickets early for this All Ages event to witness the return of the Metal Masters.

Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society, Ozzy Osbourne): “Big BL get well wishes out to Lord Iommi!!!”

Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Black Country Communion): “Prayers please for my brother Tony Iommi… We all pray for a full, speedy recover from cancer…. Much love…”

David Draiman (Disturbed): “Everyone please send their prayers/good vibes/best wishes to Tony Iommi for a speedy recovery; he has been diagnosed [futureusgallerywith] lymphoma.”

Anthrax:: “This really does suck. GET WELL SOON TONY!”

Randy Blythe (LAMB OF GOD): “I absolutely insist that every single follower of mine, religious or not, send a prayer up for Tony Iommi. He has been diagnosed with lyphoma. It’s in its early stages—Sabbath is writing a new record, and they are continuing to. Iommi is the reason heavy metal exists. Pray for him. You pray to Crom, Odin, yourself—don’t care who. Just send up some positive vibes for Tony Iommi.

“This is terrible news for metal. I’ve toured with Iommi a coupla times. He is a gentleman and a living legend. Hopefully since it’s in early stages they can beat it pretty easily. But Iommi’s not a young man, so think good thoughts! It is no secret that I have donated both my time, energy, facial hair, and a fair amount of my money to cancer research. I’ve walked the walk (literally) as well as talked the talk. However, there’s nothing wrong with positive vibes.”

Sebastian Bach (Skid Row): “All hail the mighty Tony Iommi. & FUCK YOU, Cancer.”

Gus G. (Ozzy Osbourne, Firewind): “I’m in shock to hear the news about Tony Iommi. Get well soon ‘Iron Man’!! Your biggest fan.”

Slash: “Best wishes for a full recovery to Tony Iommi.”

Frank Bello (Anthrax): “Get well soon Tony!!”

Chris Jericho (Fozzy): “Best wishes and prayers to Tony Iommi in these tough times. The MASTER of the riff will crush his cancer with the power of metal (and God)!!

Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth): “Just read the news, and it’s perplexing and shocking to say the least. On behalf of the band and, I’m confident to say, the whole population of rock music lovers in the world, we all wish for a swift recovery for Tony. Get well!”

Richie Faulkner (Judas Priest): “My thoughts go out to Tony Iommi and I wish him a fast and full recovery.”

Michael Amott (Arch Enemy, Carcass): “Here’s hoping for a solid and speedy recovery for my guitar hero Tony Iommi!”

Shawn Drover (Megadeth): “Tony Iommi – Please get well soon!!!!!!!!!!!!”

The Big Four
Although Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, and Anthrax jammed together for the first time last year, it was in 2011 they made it their calling card. Beginning with their performance of Diamond Head’s “Am I Evil?” in April to their jams in Europe (which also featured members of Diamond Head, Exodus, and Sepultura), to their U.S. final performance of Motörhead’s “Overkill” in New York City, these bands have made history at each performance.

The Metal Masters
The night before the Big Four concert in New York City, members of Megadeth and Anthrax along with drummer Mike Portnoy gathered to give instrument tips to fans and musicians a like. What the audience didn’t expect was the closing jam, which featured Anthrax’s Scott Ian, Frank Bello, and Charlie Benante, Megadeth’s David Ellefson, Mike Portnoy, and special guests Kerry King of Slayer and…Phil Anselmo of Pantera and Down fame, who sang “Fucking Hostile” and “A New Level.”

Temple of the Dog
For Pearl Jam’s 20th Anniversary concert, Chris Cornell joined the band for a four-song set of the songs he recorded with the nascent band under the name Temple of the Dog in 2011.

The Revolver Golden Gods Awards
We may be tooting our own horns here, but even we were floored by the collaborations of Avenged Sevenfold with Vinnie Paul on Pantera’s “Mouth for War” and Duff McKagan on GN’R’s “It’s So Easy,” as well as Duff, Corey Taylor, and Steve Jones’ take on Judas Priest’s “Electric Eye,” Volbeat’s take on Dusty Springfield’s “I Only Wanna Be With You,” and Asking Alexandria and Sebastian Bach’s electrifying take on “Youth Gone Wild.”

Guns N’ Roses and Zakk Wylde’s “Whole Lotta Rosie”
At a recent Indiana gig, Guns N’ Roses invited Black Label Society frontman Zakk Wylde to join them on guitar for an electrifying rendition of AC/DC’s “Whole Lotta Love.”

Mötley Crüe with Cee-Lo
Cee-Lo Green the Soul Machine, who had a massive hit last year with “Fuck You,” joined the Sunset Strip’s Kings of “Fuck You”—Mötley Crüe—at an L.A. gig in June for a rendition of his hit and the Crüe’s “Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away).”

Drop in the Bucket Charity Event
At the Drop in the Bucket Charity Event, Slipknot and Stone Sour frontman Corey Taylor played a set highlighted by all of his famous friends. Together they played some of hard rock and metal’s greatest hits. Two highlights were Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train”—performed by Taylor, Jane’s Addiction’s Dave Navarro, Rob Zombie guitarist John 5, and Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo—and AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap”—played by Taylor, Anthrax’s Scott Ian, John 5, and Rob Zombie bassist Piggy D and drummer Ginger Fish. For more from that night, click here.

Metallica 30th Anniversary
Nobody has ever thrown an anniversary party quite like Metallica’s 30th Anniversary shows, which wrapped up on December 10 in San Francisco. Over the course of four nights, they played with artists who influenced them, their peers, and past members of the band. These include everyone from Diamond Head to Mercyful Fate, Marianne Faithfull to Rob Halford, Alice in Chains’ Jerry Cantrell to Kid Rock, and, most impressive, original guitarists Dave Mustaine and Lloyd Grant alongside original bassist Ron McGovney for the first song the band ever recorded, “Hit the Lights.”

“We were so close to him. He was one of us. Dimebag was the sixth member of Anthrax, because he played on the last few records. I thought paying tribute to him in song was a great idea.

“I lost a brother 13 years ago. He was murdered. And then to have Dimebag go in such a bad, traumatic way—he’s one of our brothers. Dimebag was like a brother to me.

“We had a lot of good times. That Anthrax-Pantera tour

“Dude, I swear to God, as soon as it went in my system, I was right on the bowl. So I laugh at that now, because I remember Dime laughing at me. As soon as I shot the Black Tooth, he’d go, ‘You’ve gotta go now, right?’ And he’d laugh. It was a great time. Of course it was painful for me, but it was a great thing for Dimebag. Those are the things you remember. It’s a time in your life I’ll never forget. I love them and I miss them. Only the good die young.”

Dimebag photo by Lorinda Sullivan

If you missed the Clinic, or the special concert by Anthrax that followed it, you can watch a replay right here at Revolvermag.com by clicking here.

“We had our bass-player pact. I watched Cliff every night, because he was so amazing, he was so innovative. And I genuinely liked talking to the man. He was a great hang. Put it this way, Anthrax was opening for Metallica back in Europe on that tour. And after that show, we’d usually be hungry. So you go in catering and you get a bite. You see James or you see Kirk or you see Cliff or Lars just hanging out after the show. I say this with a lump in my throat.

“The last thing I remember with Cliff, every night, after catering—it freaks me out a little bit, I still have his face in my head—the last thing we said to each other every night: ‘Hey, maybe I’ll see you later.’ He goes, ‘Maybe I will.’ We did that that night, and as he’s getting up from the table, because his bus was going, I say, ‘Hey, maybe I’ll see you tomorrow.’ He goes, ‘Yeah, maybe I will.’ And then he left. And that was the last thing he ever said to me. I still have his face. God rest his soul. I love him. That’s the last thing he said to me. That’s the last vision I have. ‘Maybe I will.’ With a joking passion, but man, that’s the last thing I have of him. God rest his soul. You know the history after that.

“It was just a really tough time. Nobody ever sees something like that coming. It was so rough. I remember getting to the hotel after that and everybody crying. It was so surreal. So sad. Only the good die young.

“Cliff had a lot more to give. Not only as a songwriter but as a bass player. Every time I watch Cliff ’Em All, it makes me want to play because it’s surreal. You think back, What would it have been like if Cliff was around? And I do. Because I’m a bass-player fan. He was one of my favorite bass players to watch because I thought he was so innovative. I was always watching what he was doing next. Man, with that wah pedal. And I would ask him, just to pick his head a little, what he used. What his influences were. It was great to pick his head as a bass player. So knowing Cliff was amazing. I’m glad I had that time. I really am. I’m very lucky.

“This metal community is really small, and he was one of us. I’ll go home and listen to Metallica tonight, Ride the Lightning, and celebrate with a glass of wine. His bass tone alone and what he did for that music was so good. I’m lucky to have been around him.”

You can still replay the clinic and the Anthrax concert that followed it here, but below you can watch highlights from the night, courtesy of Samson, Zoom, and Hartke.

While at the show, we interviewed some of the bands. Check out what Anthrax had to say about playing Yankee Stadium below.