Randy Blythe: I wonder if saying 'underground' is still valid

In the new Metal Hammer, we celebrate our 300th issue with the biggest roundtable debate in heavy metal history. Corey Taylor, Dave Mustaine, Scott Ian, Jonathan Davis, Ben Weinman, Alissa White-Gluz, Ice-T and loads more joined us to discuss the genre we love. And during our chat with Lamb Of God frontman Randy Blythe, the idea of the ‘underground’ came up, whether metal is too obsessed about making it big, and if we should be proud to stay beneath the surface.

Here’s what Randy Blythe had to say.

“I wonder about the validity of the term ‘underground’. When you can download anything from any era of music, like, even if you’re in the middle of an Indonesian jungle – which I’ve done – how underground is that? Underground used to mean you had to search and hunt and use word of mouth. You had to go to some fucking sketchy shithole with a heroin junkie running the register in order to find something. Now you can go on Amazon and find any record. That’s not very underground.”

Do you agree? Is ‘underground’ a meaningless term in 2017? What does it mean to be truly underground in metal? Let us know in the comments below!

The 300th issue of Metal Hammer is out now, featuring the biggest bands in heavy music delivering the definitive state of the nation address. It’s available in stores now. Or you can order your copy from our online store.

All of issue 300 is also available to read on TeamRock+ right now.

The biggest bands go head to head in Metal Hammer's State Of The Nation

Founded in 1983, Metal Hammer is the global home of all things heavy. We have breaking news, exclusive interviews with the biggest bands and names in metal, rock, hardcore, grunge and beyond, expert reviews of the lastest releases and unrivalled insider access to metal's most exciting new scenes and movements. No matter what you're into – be it heavy metal, punk, hardcore, grunge, alternative, goth, industrial, djent or the stuff so bizarre it defies classification – you'll find it all here, backed by the best writers in our game.