Biffy Clyro, Off! Drop Covers of Metallica’s ‘Holier Than Thou’

Metallica has released another trio of tracks from their upcoming The Metallica Blacklist, a tribute album celebrating the 30th anniversary of the band’s classic LP The Black Album. Biffy Clyro and Off! each take on “Holier Than Thou,” while the band has also released a version of that song recorded during pre-production rehearsals at Bayview Studios in Richmond, California, in 1990.

Scottish rock vets Biffy Clyro open their cover with indie-pop-channeling, shimmering synths before slicing guitars turn their version near-dystopic. Frontman Simon Neil replaces James Hetfield’s grunting snarls with layered, melodic vocals, providing the counterbalance to the band’s allegiance to the original’s driving tone. Hardcore supergroup Off! take to the church in a short film accompanying the cover, highlighted by vocalist Keith Morris bringing his hardcore pedigree to the song.

The Metallica Blacklist — which drops on September 10th along with an official reissue of The Black Album — will feature 53 different covers of Black Album songs and benefit 52 charities chosen by the artists who contributed to the record. The record includes a “Nothing Else Matters” cover by Miley Cyrus, Juanes taking on on “Enter Sandman,” and St. Vincent covering “Sad But True” — as well as a rendition of that song by Jason Isbell.

The official reissue will be released in several formats, including a deluxe box set that contains 14 CDs, six vinyl LPs, six DVDs, and more (digital versions and smaller sets will also be available).