Metallica, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath members and more mourn loss of heavy metal journalist Malcolm Dome

Metallica, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne and others have paid tribute to heavy metal journalist Malcolm Dome, who has died aged 66.

Dome was known for coining the term “thrash metal” and his 1980 book Encyclopedia Metallica has long been thought to have inspired Metallica’s name upon their formation.

The journalist had been writing about rock and heavy metal since 1979. In addition to publishing several books on artists including AC/DC, Metallica and Led Zeppelin, Dome also edited and/or contributed to a number of music magazines including Record Mirror, Metal Hammer, Kerrang!, Classic Rock, Metal Forces, Louder and Prog.

Lars Ulrich of Metallica wrote in a tribute: “Extremely sad to hear of Malcolm Dome’s passing. Not only was he an incredible talent who helped guide my relationship with heavy music, but he was also a great person. Today, I’m thinking of the fun, memorable times we spent together back in the day.”

Former Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi said: “Malcolm was a lovely guy, he interviewed me many times and was always positive about the music. He was one of the first journalists to totally get metal. We even worked together last year when he helped me sort out my Wikipedia entry. Sadly missed.”

 

Elsewhere, Ozzy Osbourne, who formerly fronted Black Sabbath wrote: “Words cannot express how sorry I feel to hear about the passing of Malcolm Dome. Rest In Peace. God Bless.”

Dome also wrote sleeve notes for various album reissues, including those by German thrashers Kreator whose frontman Mille Petrozza wrote: “Shocked to hear about Malcolm Dome’s passing today. Malcolm wrote all liner notes for the recent @kreatorofficial reissues, including ‘Enemy Of God’ and ‘Hordes Of Chaos’, still on the horizon.

“We talked on Skype for hours and Malcolm knew more about my band’s past, than I could remember myself. He was a true music lover and one of the funniest people out there. Working with Malcolm never felt like actual work.”

Prog editor Jerry Ewing co-wrote a number of books on rock and metal bands with Dome including Encyclopedia Metallica. He said in his tribute [via Louder]: “Malcolm was a great friend to me from the very first time I met him as a writer just starting out, as he was for many other writers as well.

“The word legend gets bandied around far too often these days but Malcolm most certainly was. He had an encyclopaedic knowledge about music and was one of the most genuinely widely loved and respected men I know. I will miss him terribly.”

See more tributes to Dome, including those by Frank Turner, Therapy?, former Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler, and Whitesnake‘s Bernie Marsden, below.

Dome is credited with inventing the term “thrash metal” while writing about the Anthrax song ‘Metal Thrashing Mad’ in February 1984. Before that point, bands including Anthrax and Metallica had labelled their music “power metal”.

He is also remembered for his work on Total Rock Radio, which launched as Rock Radio Network in 1997.

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