Metal Insider’s Top 5 is a column where we count down the top five of…well basically anything.
Last Friday (November 4), Black Sabbath left a mysterious image on their website, leaving many to speculate what it could mean. But since it was revealed that the four original members will be holding a press conference in L.A. on November 11 at 11:11 am PST, the possibilities of a reunion are even more likely. With so much hype surrounding the original lineup of Sabbath possibly reuniting, though Tony Iommi is still giving mixed messages, we started thinking about all of the reunions that have occurred within the past five years alone. So with that in mind, we’re listing the top 5 reunions to take place within the past five years.
5. Corrosion of Conformity
It’s only been five years since Corrosion of Conformity went on hiatus, but this feels like a new beginning. By touring and recording as the same three-piece that wrote 1985’s Animosity, the band is saying one thing first and foremost: they’re going back to their hardcore roots when they were more of an punk band. While the addition of Pepper Keenan for 1991’s Blind gave the band mainstream success, the current tour and lineup says that they’re more about keeping it punk rock than heavy metal.
4. Soundgarden
It took a little time for the Seattle grunge group to do a full blown tour. However, a handful of shows and a re-recorded b-side song were enough to blow fans away. Soundgarden sound as tight as ever, and Chris Cornell proved he could still sing his ass off (though his collaboration with Timbalnd had us briefly question that). Now fans are anxiously awaiting to hear new material from Soundgarden, and apparently the wait may come to an end soon.
3. Kyuss/Kyuss Lives!
Kyuss broke up before most people knew who they were. Releasing four albums in five years, the ‘desert rock’ band became a stoner rock cult favorite before splitting up in 1995. Guitarist Josh Homme released a split EP in 1997 with Kyuss and his new project, a little band called Queens of the Stone Age, and Kyuss was pretty much just a hazy pot cloud of a memory. However, last year, the band reformed for some European shows, then came over to our side of the pond, and are working on a new album. While Homme is sitting this one out, Belgian guitarist Bruno Fevery handles his riffs like a pro, and we’re looking forward to hearing new stuff from them.
2. Anthrax
The fact that Joey Belladonna is back with Anthrax again seems like it’s more about Dan Nelson not working out for whatever reason and John Bush preferring to voice Burger King ads. But even if it’s more of a business arrangement than pure passion, there’s no denying that Anthrax are more popular than they’ve been in years. Worship Music took forever to come out, but it was worth the wait. And while mixes exist with Nelson, it’s hard to imagine anyone but Belladonna singing the songs on the album (except for maybe the cover of “New Noise”). But the band’s reunion with Belladonna brings back their most popular era and firmly cements them as the fourth of the Big 4. In fact, some are even getting tattoos about it.
1. Heaven & Hell (Dio era of Black Sabbath)
Thanks in part to the original Sabbath reunion with Ozzy Osbourne, many had long forgotten the significant role that Ronnie James Dio played in Sabbath’s history. However, in 2006, Dio reunited with Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice to record three new songs for a compilation album highlighting Sabbath’s Dio years. Rather than tour under the Sabbath moniker, though, the four reformed as Heaven & Hell (after their classic album of the same name) so as to differentiate the project from the Ozzy-lead Sabbath. Heaven & Hell toured a considerable amount until Dio’s passing in 2010, and released the solid album The Devil You Know in 2009. The success of Heaven & Hell gave Dio-lead material more exposure after years of being overshadowed by the original lineup.
Honorable Mention: Faith No More
Anyone who got to see the Album Of The Year lineup of Faith No More perform in the last two years will note how awesome they were. And while we wish they would play more than just a handful of shows, you also have to respect them for not wanting to overdo it. In a time when some bands reform to do a gazillion tours so they can cash a pay check at the end of the day, Mike Patton and the gang are doing it on their terms. Still, we can only hope that they’ll eventually do more shows and possibly record new material.
