Maynard James Keenan

Tenacious D had friends in high places, and they used them to bring this 2000s smash hit to life

So many things happened this week in metal, from a captured killer to a last minute surprise from our boys in Converge.

Primus have been panning for gold ahead of their upcoming package tour with the Claypool Lennon Delirium and the Fearless Flying Frog Brigade, and it turns out they found themselves A Handful of Nuggs — enough for the alt-funk greats to collect as an EP of the same name. The “Claypool Gold” tour — starring three bands featuring Primus’ founding bass wiz, Les Claypool — begins next week, and Primus are promoting both the trip and the EP by debuting a screwy string-slapper called “The Ol’ Grizz.” The tune is told from the perspective of a prospector lookin’ to fill his coffers with gold, his journey through the wilderness including a face-off with a big ol’ bear. The track leans into a wobbly groove, sports a mid-song bass showcase, and then gets back to business about the time the prospector pulls out a “plastic 10” in the backend showdown. The impending A Handful of Nuggs EP is streaming now, and arrives on vinyl July 22nd. The five-song effort also includes Primus’ cover of Dio’s “Holy Diver” with singing clown Puddles Pity Party, and their “Little Lord Fentanyl” track with TOOL/Puscifer/A Perfect Circle frontman Maynard James Keenan. You’ll find the EP streaming in full up above. That s the cover art and tracklisting down below, while pre-orders for exclusive, thematically-tinted vinyl pressings on “Gold Splatter” and “Black and Gold Blend” (limited to 500 copies each) are up now in Revolver’s shop, along with other golden goodies from the Primus catalogue. The “Claypool Gold” tour begins May 20th at the Reno Events Center in Reno, Nevada. You’ll find more date info on the rest of the trip here. It’s been a rich season for Claypool fans, in general. His The Great Parrot-Ox and the Golden Egg of Empathy album with the Claypool Lennon Delirium was released earlier this month. A Handful of Nuggs tracklisting:The Ol’ GrizzHoly Diver (ft. Puddles Pity Party)Little Lord Fentanyl (ft. Maynard James Keenan)Duchess (And The Proverbial Mind Spread) (Live)

"Sea Of Teeth", the new advance single from progressive/tech death metal band Xenosis' soon-to-be-released studio record Hermetic Transmutation, has premiered online.