System Of A Down guitarist Daron Malakian has been reflecting on one of the most surreal and often-forgotten moments in early-2000s metal history: the time he unexpectedly fronted Metallica after James Hetfield was sidelined by injury.
Speaking on Rick Rubin’s Tetragrammaton podcast, Malakian detailed how a chance moment during Metallica’s Summer Sanitarium Tour 2000 turned into a career-defining experience—one that saw him playing Master of Puppets onstage with his heroes in front of tens of thousands of fans.
System Of A Down and Metallica on the Summer Sanitarium Tour
At the time, System Of A Down were still on the rise. Their breakthrough album Toxicity had not yet been released, and the band were touring in support of their self-titled debut album. They were the opening act on Metallica’s massive Summer Sanitarium tour, which also featured Korn and Kid Rock.
“We’re the first band. Nobody knows us,” Malakian recalled. “Toxicity’s not out yet. We’re on our first album.”
The tour, however, was thrown into chaos when James Hetfield injured himself in a jetski accident, leaving Metallica without their frontman. Rather than cancel dates, the band opted to keep the shows going—improvising as they went.
How Daron Malakian Ended Up on Stage With Metallica
With Hetfield absent, bassist Jason Newsted initially took on vocal duties. Members of Korn were also brought onstage to help fill the gap, but it was clear that Metallica were searching for a more permanent solution.
That’s when Malakian made a bold move.
“I turned to my tech and I go, ‘Listen, man. Go tell their tech that I know a lot of their shit,’” he said.
Moments later, Malakian was being escorted to Metallica’s side of the stage.
“Master of Puppets. OK. Count It In.”
Thrown into the deep end, Malakian suddenly found himself face-to-face with Lars Ulrich, Kirk Hammett, and Jason Newsted—members of the band he’d idolized for years.
“They’re like, ‘What do you know?’” Malakian recalled. “I go, ‘I don’t know. Master of Puppets. OK. Count it in.’”
With no rehearsal and no warning, Malakian played Master of Puppets live with Metallica in front of 60,000 people—and then made another snap decision.
“I’m like, ‘Who’s gonna sing?’ I said, ‘Fuck it. I’ll go sing.’ And I sang.”
Despite the spontaneity, the performance went remarkably well.
“You would think we were rehearsed,” he said. “But we didn’t rehearse it. And I didn’t even know it was gonna happen.”
From Opening Act to Metallica’s Stand-In Frontman
The night didn’t just end with a one-off appearance. After the show, Metallica approached Malakian with an unexpected offer.
“They’re like, ‘Hey, James isn’t gonna be able to play for a few nights. They want you to come and play with them,’” he said. “Then next thing you know, they’re like, ‘Hey, get your shit from your bus, because you’re flying on the private jet with us now.’”
For a musician who had been sitting in the cheap seats at Metallica shows just a few years earlier, the experience felt almost unreal.
A Pivotal Moment in Daron Malakian’s Career
Looking back, Malakian describes the experience as life-changing.
“I’ll never forget it,” he told Rubin. “It still brings goosebumps that I had a chance to experience that at that point of my career.”
Shortly afterward, System Of A Down would explode into the mainstream with the release of Toxicity, cementing Malakian’s place as one of metal’s most distinctive guitarists and songwriters. But for a brief, unforgettable moment, he was also the man who stepped in for James Hetfield—and helped Metallica keep the show alive.
FAQ
Did Daron Malakian really front Metallica?
Yes. Daron Malakian temporarily fronted Metallica in 2000 after James Hetfield was injured in a jetski accident during the Summer Sanitarium tour.
Which Metallica song did Daron Malakian perform?
Malakian performed “Master of Puppets” with Metallica, both playing guitar and singing lead vocals.
Why wasn’t James Hetfield performing?
James Hetfield was recovering from injuries sustained in a jetski accident, which prevented him from playing guitar and singing onstage for several tour dates.
What tour did this happen on?
The incident took place during Metallica’s Summer Sanitarium Tour 2000, which also featured System Of A Down, Korn, and Kid Rock.
How did this moment affect Daron Malakian’s career?
Malakian has described the experience as pivotal and unforgettable, coming just before System Of A Down’s major breakthrough with Toxicity.
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