Testament’s Steve Di Giorgio shared his thoughts on Metallica’s impact on metal bass in the ’90s during an interview with D’Addario and Co. He called the band’s 1988 album ‘…And Justice for All’ a key moment when bass started getting pushed to the background in metal music.
“And then the ’90s hit, and this new standard [had] come out of bass players being pushed down, pushed to the back, mixed out of there. It was happening before [Metallica’s] ‘…And Justice for All,’ but that’s the famous example of the bass being turned off during the recording,” the bassist said.
He explained that this style of mixing made bass almost disappear in many metal albums from that time. “A combination of that album and then the time period and this style, the bass was getting to the point where it was like, embarrassing. That fueled me to play even more obnoxious and give it a reason to be back in the mix.”
Metallica’s approach to bass levels has been a hot topic for years. Fans and musicians have often criticized the band for keeping bass too low in their recordings. This was especially clear on ‘…And Justice for All,’ where Jason Newsted’s bass parts were barely audible. That style of mixing carried into the ’90s and influenced how other metal bands treated bass in their music.
Still, some bassists managed to break through during that decade. Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), Les Claypool (Primus), Robert Trujillo (then with Suicidal Tendencies), Tim Commerford (Rage Against the Machine), and John Myung (Dream Theater) all brought unique and prominent bass playing to their bands’ sounds.
Established players like Geddy Lee (Rush), Steve Harris (Iron Maiden), and Tony Levin (King Crimson) also kept front and center in their music, proving the instrument still had a vital role in rock and metal.
Steve Di Giorgio himself built a strong reputation for his technical skill and use of fretless bass in extreme metal. His work with bands like Death, Autopsy, and Sadus pushed the boundaries of metal bass playing. He’s often mentioned players like Lee, Harris, and Jaco Pastorius as his key influences.
