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21 Metal Musicians and Celebrities You Need to be Following on Twitter

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Ah, Twitter. The ultimate echo chamber of the Internet! What started out as such a promising medium for interacting with stars (I remember when Shaq first responded to me… sigh!) has devolved into a mess of misinformation, trash-talking and self flagellation.

Unless you have MetalSucks handy-dandy guide to Metal Twitter, that is! Through a rigorous, very scientific process, we have determined that these twenty metal musicians (and a couple of prominent non-musicians) are people you should absolutely be following to make the most of your boss’s time while you’re on the shitter at work. Each has a unique perspective to offer — whether on metal, politics, sports or life in general — and they’re people we highly enjoy following.

Get to it.

Mark Morton (Lamb of God)

Follow: @MarkDuaneMorton

The Lamb of God guitarist doesn’t Tweet all that often, but when he does it’s to express genuine emotion, often over political and/or social issues that most musicians steer clear of for fear of alienating their fanbase. Recent topics Mark’s chimed in on include the shooting death of Philando Castile by cops in Minnesota, Trayvon Martin’s mom speaking at the DNC and the following about our current election:

Robb Flynn (Machine Head)

Follow: @TheGeneralMH

Flynn and Mark Morton are very much cut from the same cloth, with Flynn’s Twitter persona perhaps a bit more frayed around the edges… it takes much less to get him going than it does Morton, and he posts more often. While Flynn doesn’t interact with fans a ton, he does often offer glimpses into his personal life; see a summer selfie with James Hetfield, or some pics from his recent whitewater rafting trip.

Otep Shamaya (Otep)

Follow: @otepofficial

The logical conclusion in the Morton/Flynn continuum, Otep gives absolutely zero fucks and just LETS LOOSE. Completely fearless with regards to alienating fans or potential fans, Otep doesn’t think twice about laying into Trump supporters (and continuing to engage with them!), snuffing out racism, sexism or homophobia, and generally just putting ignorant Internet assholes in their place. Even if you don’t agree with her politics (which you should, duh), it’s great Internet theater.

https://twitter.com/otepofficial/status/788464952331735040

Phil Labonte (All That Remains)

Follow: @philthatremains

Kinda like Otep, but on the complete opposite side of the spectrum. Phil long ago blocked me and I’m too lazy to log out to see what kind of hatred he’s spewing today, but expected frequent topics include being Libertarian, guns rights, anti-government rhetoric and liberal use of the word “faggot” (which, naturally, no one is supposed to be offended by). Follow because a) you like being entertained, and b) it’s always good to know what the other side is saying, right?

Tim “Ripper” Owens (Charred Walls of the Damned)

Follow: @TimRipperOwens

Similar to Labonte, but less articulate. His recent string of casually racist Tweets we posted about earier this week should give you a good idea of what’s in store for you.

Dave Mustaine (Megadeth)

Follow: @DaveMustaine

An obsessive Tweeter who posts multiple times a day on the regs, Mustaine shares whatever’s on his mind. Most of it is mundane, especially when he’s on tour, but the occasional bizarro, unfiltered opinion makes it all worth it. He’s also incredibly grateful for and responsive to his fans, finding time to reply to as many as possible. There was also this, directed at MetalSucks, which we currently have framed on the walls of the MS Mansion:

Dez Fafara (DevilDriver)

Follow: @evilriver

Super posi vibes all around, especially regarding whatever show the band just finished playing (sample: “Ok Columbus Ohio just tore the roof off tonight holy shit ! #WeekDaySaidHuh A VERY THANKFUL ME SAYS THANK YOU”). Also, his emoji game is on point and completely over the top.

Devin Townsend (himself)

Follow: @dvntownsend

If you’ve ever read or listened to an interview with Devin you already know how willing he is to dive into psycho-analysis of himself as it pertains to his recorded output, and his Twitter account is no different. Same goes for his quirky sense of humor. Devy’s Twitter is also very frequently the first source of upcoming news in the Devin camp, so it’s a must-follow if you’re a fan.

Doc Coyle (Vagus Nerve, ex-God Forbid)

Follow: @DocCoyle

It’d be easy to explain Coyle’s straight-talk and honest views as easier for him to be open about now that God Forbid have broken up, but the truth is that Coyle has been bringing the heat — always cordially — on his fellow peers for years, first as a columnist right here at MetalSucks and then at VH1. If you’ve ever met the guy you know he’s the exact same way in person. Also: lots of stuff about the NBA. And politics. And sometimes NBA and politics together.

Vincent Bennett (The Acacia Strain)

Follow: @xDIAMONDCUTx

It’s no surprise that the man who once penned the ageless lyric “When you’re dead, you’re done, you’re dead, you die” is equally as witty and funny on Twitter as he is on record. His social commentary should not be missed if you enjoy laughing and reading things that consistently make you wanna scream “THIS!”

Trevor Strnad (The Black Dahlia Murder)

Follow: @TrevorTBDM

Lots and lots of Tweets about death metal, both above ground and below; his recommendations are always on point! Also, recently, a slew of photos of Trevor as a very young man.

Scott Ian (Anthrax)

Follow: @Scott_Ian

Because he’s Scott Ian! He’s also got a surprisingly tight grasp on pop culture and current metal; recent Twitter topics include Luke Cage, John Carpenter’s The Thing, Meshuggah’s new album and, of course, Donald Trump.

Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine, Prophets of Rage)

Follow: @tmorello

You know exactly what you’re gonna get with Tom Morello. Just follow him.

Buz McGrath (Unearth)

Follow: @buzmcgrath

Follow if you enjoy laughing. Sample Tweet: “Retweet if you have masturbated on a airplane with a flight time of 50 minutes or less.” Because there’s something about masturbating on an airplane that’s just so, so thrilling! Don’t pretend like you haven’t.

Vernon Reid (Living Colour)

Follow: @vurnt22

Informative, insightful commentary on not only social issues and politics, but music, culture and LC-related topics. Great at responding to fans. His Instagram, featuring his own original photography (often in or around his native Staten Island) is also a must-follow.

Jeremy Saffer (Photographer)

Follow: @jeremysaffer

If you’re involved in the creative side of the music industry — photography, art, merch design, etc — or if you aspire to be, you need to be following Jeremy Saffer. Although you’ve seen his photographs on the covers of metal magazines and as Facebook profile pics for hundreds of bands over the years, he’s incredibly down to earth, all about the community, and constantly offering behind-the-scenes looks and tips/advice for creative professionals.

Brian Slagel (Metal Blade Records)

Follow: @brianslagel

Unlike with most prominent metal industry figures, you won’t simply get a bunch of links promoting the label’s latest singles and videos (although, to be fair, there are plenty of those); Brian’s Twitter account is a glimpse into the daily routine of a fucking lifer who still gets just as much joy out of seeing metal shows as he did 30+ years ago. Expect plenty of concert shots, Periscope live streams and photos of NHL face-offs. LOTS of photos of hockey.

Mark Holcomb (Periphery)

Follow: @MarkPeriphery

Mark loves baseball a whole ton, and so do I, so that alone makes him worth a follow for me. But he also posts a lot about guitars, and about new music he’s digging… and he happens to be play in one of metal’s most engaging groups. So make sure you’re paying attention.

Megan Osztrosits (Couch Slut)

Follow: @megans_law

At once sardonic, witty and consistently on point, Megan Osztrosits of the NYC band Couch Slut has a way of cutting their the clutter and delivering smart — and entertaining — commentary on music, art and life. Because nothing’s as smart and entertaining as calling Trump a “cock blister.”

https://twitter.com/megans_law/status/787415015288692741

Chris Alfieri (Vattnet Viskar)

Follow: @chris_alfieri

Equally political and funny, you’re just as likely to see a post about election bias as you are something like this:

https://twitter.com/chris_alfieri/status/786304139789819904

Andrew W.K.

Follow: @AndrewWK

Non-stop party tips. Duh!

https://twitter.com/AndrewWK/status/785885594807263234

Did we miss anyone? Chime in in the comments section, or email [email protected]. 

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