This bonkers Metallica medley got an Arizona marching band on the metal icons' radar

Ed Masley, Arizona Republic
Updated ·2 min read
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A Scottsdale high school marching band has made the finals in the first Metallica Marching Band Competition.

Desert Mountain High School is one of five finalists in the medium high school category for bands with 75-124 members.

More than 450 colleges and high schools across the U.S. signed up for the competition, which Metallica announced on April 10, competing for more than $180,000 in prizes.

Bands that entered got access to a library of marching band charts for Metallica songs, provided by Hal Leonard via sheetmusicdirect.com.

Five finalists in each category, selected by a panel of six professional judges, were announced on Monday, Dec. 11, at metallicamarchingband.com.

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Desert Mountain High School's Metallica Marching Band Competition entry

The winning band in the medium high school category will receive $15,000 worth of musical instruments for its school program, provided by Metallica and sponsors including Tama, KHS America, Zildjian, D’Addario Woodwinds, Evans Drumheads, ProMark and Gator, in partnership with Sweetwater.

Desert Mountain’s entry was a halftime performance of a Metallica medley of "For Whom the Bell Tolls," "Enter Sandman," "Wherever I May Roam," "One” and "Master of Puppets."

That’s one very heavy halftime.

Members of Metallica will choose the winning bands

The members of Metallica will select the winners in each category at a date to be determined in early January.

Additionally, two Fan Favorite winners — one Collegiate (across all divisions) and one High School —will be determined by popular vote and awarded $10,000 each.

Metallica marching band contest photo
Metallica marching band contest photo

You can watch the submissions and vote at any time until Dec. 31 at metallicamarchingband.com to watch submissions and vote anytime up until Dec. 31.

The Metallica Marching Band Competition promises to be a yearly national challenge to marching bands of all levels to craft their most unique and impressive performances of the band's songs.

Details: metallicamarchingband.com.

Reach the reporter at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter @EdMasley.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Metallica Marching Band Competition: Arizona high school is a finalist