System of a Down’s Daron Malakian recently shared an incredible story about unexpectedly performing with Metallica during their early touring days. The story was revealed in an interview on Tetragrammaton with Rick Rubin.
The guitarist recounted how his childhood experience playing Metallica covers in a garage ultimately led to an unforgettable moment on stage with the metal legends. Malakian explained how the opportunity arose when James Hetfield was injured during the Summer Sanitarium tour.
“I was like 12 or 13, at that point I had been playing the guitar for like a year. I was with these guys in my school that we would in their dad’s garage. We would play Metallica covers. That’s pretty much all we play. So I knew all these Metallica covers as you know when I got older I knew them,” Malakian said.
He continued describing the tour situation: “So we were on tour with Metallica on the Summer Sanitarium tour. I met Metallica on stage really playing with them. I never met them before. We’re the first band. Nobody knows us. It’s 1999 maybe at this point. Toxicity is not out yet. And so we’re on that tour and James Hetfield along the way gets injured. I don’t know, they told me he was going water skiing or something and he got injured. They didn’t cancel the show.”
The guitarist then explained how he seized the moment when Metallica needed help completing their set.
“So all the opening bands played and then Metallica still went on stage and Jason Newsted was singing and then they brought the guys from Korn on and they kind of played like this cover song or something. It was like they didn’t know what to do. Because James wasn’t there,” he recalled. “And I turned to my tech and I go, ‘Listen, man. Go tell their tech that I know a lot of their sh*t,’ cuz I’ve learned it playing it in this garage with these other guys. I go, ‘I know a lot of their sh*t from, you could say, Justice for All and back.’ Next thing you know, my tech goes and talks to our guitar tech. And then my tech comes back to me. He’s like, ‘All right, come with me.’ Never met Metallica before.”
Malakian described the surreal experience of suddenly finding himself on stage with his heroes.
“So, next thing you know, I go on the other side of the stage. I get handed a Les Paul. I think it was one of Kirk Hammett’s Les Paul. And they’re like, ‘All right, go.’ 60,000 people. I’m not even ready to like get on stage. I’m wearing a white tank top and a Lakers sweats and I’m just completely was there just watching Metallica, you know? Next thing you know, I get handed a guitar and they go, ‘Go.’ You got to understand our band’s not big yet. I’m still a kid. I’m 22 years old. I can’t even believe that we’re even allowed to open up for Metallica. So, this is all new to me.”
The experience culminated in Malakian not only playing guitar but also taking on vocal duties for the legendary band.
“I’m like I’m up there with Metallica playing Master of Puppets in front of 60,000 people. And I’m like, ‘Who’s going to sing?’ And I said, ‘F*ck it. I’ll go sing.’ And I sang. I’m up there and I’m playing Metallica with Metallica in front of an audience where I would have been in the cheap seats just three years ago, you know? I would have been in the last row. And then I don’t know somewhere down like I got off stage and next thing you know they’re coming to me. They’re like, ‘Hey dude, James isn’t going to be able to play for a few nights. They want you to come and play with them.’ It was crazy. I’ll never forget it.”
This remarkable incident occurred during one of the most challenging periods of Metallica’s touring history. The band had to adapt quickly to unexpected circumstances that threatened their massive summer tour.
Louder Sound reported that Hetfield’s injury stemmed from a jet-ski accident on a lake outside Atlanta between July 4 and 7, 2000. The accident caused herniated and bulging discs in his back. The timing couldn’t have been worse, as Metallica was in the middle of their Summer Sanitarium tour, one of their biggest touring productions featuring multiple high-profile nu-metal acts.
The Summer Sanitarium tour was particularly significant as it showcased the collaboration between established metal giants and the emerging nu-metal scene. Revolver Magazine documented that System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian also joined the impromptu performance alongside Malakian for what became known as the “Mastertarium” medley. The performance combined “Master of Puppets” and “Welcome Home (Sanitarium)” with Jason Newsted handling lead vocals and Tankian using a lyrics sheet.
This wasn’t just a one-off moment of musical collaboration. It was a testament to the tight-knit community within the metal scene. The fact that multiple members from different bands could seamlessly step in to help Metallica complete their set demonstrates the mutual respect and shared musical foundation that existed between these artists. This occurred despite representing different generations and subgenres of heavy music.
The incident has since become legendary among metal fans. It represents a unique moment when the boundaries between headliners and opening acts dissolved in service of the music and the audience. For Malakian, who was just beginning his journey with System of a Down, the experience provided an unforgettable bridge between his teenage years spent learning Metallica songs in a garage and his eventual status as a metal icon in his own right.
