According to Alice In Chains guitarist Jerry Cantrell, he and his longtime pal, Metallica frontman James Hetfield, have in the past discussed making music together, although nothing from the pair has been laid to tape just yet.
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While answering fan questions in the new issue of Metal Hammer, Cantrell discussed his friendship with the Metallica boys, and whether or not any music has ever come out of their jam sessions. “James and I have talked about it, kind of,” Jerry admits. “We never had a formal conversation but I’ve jammed with him at [Metallica guitarist] Kirk’s [Hammett] place. I’ve even spent a night or two at his house, and we’ve ended up with guitars in the kitchen and on the porch.”
The Alice In Chains guitarist adds, “It’s something I’d be really curious about – even to just write a song with him. As for whether it’d turn into something more than that… he’s got a pretty demanding day job. So I’d understand if it never comes to be.”
An Alice In Metallica collab is certainly not out of the realm of possibility. Cantrell spoke highly of Hetfield a few years ago, saying that what makes James “such a great frontman is his physical presence. Nobody else commands the same kind of respect and attention without it being self-seeking or egocentric. He’s all about the music; all about the fun and the celebration and the connection with the fans. And that, to me, is really inspiring. Especially because he’s done this for so long, and he’s been at the top of his game for so long and he continues to search for a deeper meaning."
Hetfield also shared similar sentiments about Cantrell's group in a past interview with Revolver, remembering rushing to catch and ultimately missing Alice In Chains in 1991 at the ‘Clash Of The Titans’ tour in Los Angeles. “I hung with them a little bit," after missing their set he explained. "[I] always just loved their music, and I’d say that Jerry and I share some life experiences, like getting a second chance at life and realizing how cool things can be. So we’ve got kind of a kinship that way. And seeing them play — I just love hearing those songs. Those songs are awesome and should be heard, you know? They were so unique, so ahead of their time. And out of all the Seattle stuff, that stuff is the most timeless."
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Of course, we're going to have to wait a bit longer to see if anything ever comes to fruition from Hetfield and Cantrell. Metallica recently added a ton of extra shows to their M72 World Tour, with North American dates continuing into the summer of 2025 featuring Pantera, Limp Bizkit, Suicidal Tendencies, and Ice Nine Kills as support.