Ex-Machine Head guitarist on Exodus kill poser stunts, Slayer slam dancing, Forbidden feuds, more
photograph by Scott Diussa March 16, 2021
The mid-Eighties glory days of San Francisco s Bay Area thrash scene have come and gone, but its legacy continues to grow stronger with each passing decade. Thanks to the contributions from its venerated list of alumni Metallica, Testament, Exodus, Possessed, Megadeth, to name just a few the movement is now regarded as one of the most significant eras in American metal history.
Phil Demmel then a high-school age guitarist growing up outside of Oakland, California had a front-row seat for the birth of this impactful scene. While metal fans will certainly know Demmel from his 16 years with Machine Head (2002 – 2018), it was his period with Vio-lence one of the breakout bands during the second wave of Bay Area thrash that gave the guitarist his start as a professional musician. There were definitely some strong s