Remember when Metallica legend Kirk Hammett joined Meshuggah onstage to play “Bleed”? In one of the most epic metal crossovers ever — at the Metallica guitarist’s own festival, no less — Hammett brought his signature style to metal’s most headbangable song.

In April 2015, Kirk Von Hammett’s Fear FestEvil was held in San Jose, Calif. The lineup was stacked, featuring Meshuggah, High on Fire, Agnostic Front, Orchid, Ghoul and Asada Messiah, while Corey Taylor, Slash, John 5, Charlie Benante and others were also on-hand for the festivities.

During Meshuggah’s headlining performance, Hammett crashed the stage to rip a solo on “Bleed,” walking a sonic tightrope between Metallica and the extreme djent pioneers. After a full minute of shredding, Hammett disappeared back into the darkness, leaving Meshuggah to rhythmically crush the California crowd.

Watch the fan-filmed footage of Kirk Hammett jamming with Meshuggah in the video below.

"I could feel the power behind me," Hammett later told SiriusXM’s Liquid Metal. "And I was thinking about it, and it was kind of like being in front of a locomotive. And the only way to, like, keep in front of that locomotive is to just play my ass off and keep up with it. It was amazingly powerful and an amazing experience. I have to say, I've jammed with a lot of people and I've jammed with a lot of bands, but that was so unique and next level.”

"Their stage show is trippy, because they have lights — a lot of lights — and you can barely see those guys. So when I walked on stage, it was so dark on stage, I could barely see my [guitar] neck, but, for some reason, somehow, some way, that kind of added to the overall vibe."

Hammett added, "I just have to say, man… It was the first time I really sat and watched them for more than ten minutes, 'cause that's usually all the time I have. And I have to say, they're one of the best metal bands out there for a variety of reasons, man. In terms of technique and virtuosity, in terms of originality, there's no precedent before Meshuggah. They have set a precedent, and they are so unique. It's almost 'Dada-esque.' I know I'm using a lot of big fifty-cent words here, but it's the only way I can really explain how I think and how I feel about them." [via Blabbermouth]

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