Jason Newsted Returns to Heavy Metal: Forming New Band and Holding Auditions

Jason Newsted, the former bassist of Metallica, is making a comeback to the heavy metal music scene and is actively in the process of assembling a new band.

In a recent interview, Newsted revealed his intentions for the future, expressing his eagerness to dive back into the heavy metal genre. Since his departure from Metallica in 2001, Newsted had gradually moved away from metal, exploring different musical paths in his subsequent endeavors.

While briefly leading his own metal band, Newsted, in the 2010s, where he took on the role of frontman, the bassist’s primary focus post-Metallica had been with the Bluegrass group The Chophouse Band. Collaborating with them for over thirty years, Newsted mentioned in the interview that the band has recently completed a new album, freeing him to concentrate on new and heavier projects.

“I spent six months of last year putting together The Chophouse Band Volume 1,” he shared during a Q&A session with Gator 98.7 FM (via Metal Injection). “The Chophouse Band has been together [and] making music since 1992. So it was our first album after 30 years. I spent a lot of time on that.”

Now that The Chophouse Band’s project is completed, Newsted is excited to return to his heavy metal roots. “I’m kind of stepping back into the heavy now,” he explained, revealing that he has already commenced the formation of a new, undisclosed band.

“In the last couple of weeks, I’ve been auditioning guitar players for a heavy project. I’m back on bass and singing with a metal drummer… I’m putting two new projects together right now — but loud.”

Watch footage of Jason Newsted covering Neil Young’s hit single “Rockin’ In The Free World” with The Chophouse Band in the embedded video below.