Recently, the brutal/technical death metal band Cryptopsy announced the re-release of their 1994 debut album, Blasphemy Made Flesh, featuring some special guests. Billy Strings is among the list of guest appearances on the remastered death metal classic slated for a summer release.
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Strings may have deep roots in bluegrass and old-time music, but he is also a longtime metal fan. He even played in heavy metal bands as a teenager before turning to the genre that he grew up with. With the news of his collaboration with Cryptopsy, we have a wishlist of future metal collaborations.
1. Suffocation
Billy Strings is known for his fast and technical guitar playing, which makes him the perfect fit for these metal titans. New York-based technical death metal pioneers, Suffocation, made a name for themselves in the 1990s with their debut album Effigy of the Forgotten. The album, like the rest of their discography, featured monolithic and complex riffing, breakneck solos, and some of the best breakdowns in the genre.
2. Skeletonwitch
Skeletonwitch’s sound lies somewhere between the darkness of black metal and the relentless speed of thrash. However, they don’t shy away from quiet or melodic moments like the intro to “This Horrifying Force (The Desire to Kill).” Billy Strings’ knack for melody and speed would make him a perfect outside collaborator for this Ohio-based metal outfit.
3. Baroness
Seeing Billy Strings playing alongside the Atlanta-based metal band Baroness would be a dream come true. They blend elements of post-metal, stoner metal, and progressive metal into a unique and groove-heavy version of sludge metal. They don’t reach the breakneck tempos employed by other bands on this list. Instead, their focus lies in melody and experimentation. They’ve even employed finger-picked acoustic guitar work into their songs. Strings’ willingness to experiment would make him at home with these Georgia-born metal masterminds.
4. Necrophagist
In the minds of many metal fans, Necrophagist is the gold standard of technical death metal. Their riffs are complex, heavy, and lightning fast. This top-tier metal band might push Billy Strings to his limits, and it would be endlessly interesting to see him match riffs and solos with Muhammed Suiçmez and Sami Raatikainen. At this point, though, fans would love to see the band play with anyone. They have been on hiatus since 2008. Their latest album, Epitaph, was released in 2004.
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