Cold Slither, the Villainous Metal Band From the OG ‘G.I. JOE’ Series, Is Coming to Life at San Diego Comic-Con

For parents and priests back in the ‘80s worried about subliminal, evil messages in heavy metal music, Cold Slither was their worst nightmare. Or at least the four-piece hard rock band would have been if they’d been flesh-and-blood instead of a cartoon band from the iconic animated series G.I. JOE: A Real American Hero. But at San Diego Comic-Con, Cold Slither – the villainous metal band whose music was laden with subliminal messages from terrorist organization Cobra – is coming to life for the first time.

On July 24 at San Diego’s Brick by Brick, Cold Slither will take the stage for a one-night-only show presented by Hasbro and Reigning Phoenix Music. The evil (but honestly kind of doltish) band of swamp mercenaries working for Cobra Commander will be brought to life by Gus Rios (vocals/bass, portraying Zartan), Ross Sewage (guitar, portraying Torch), Matt Harvey (guitar, portraying Ripper) and Andy Selway (drums, portraying Buzzer).

The day after the concert, Friday, July 25, Cold Slither’s debut album will drop. It features the “Cold Slither” song that appeared in the Dec. 2, 1985, episode of the series that introduced the band, as well as nine additional tracks, including “Thunder Machine,” which debuts today. Pre-orders are available now.

Soldiers and mercenaries who swing by the Hasbro and Reigning Phoenix Music booths can pick up the “Zartan Chameleon Blue” and “Blood Moon Red” vinyl variants, respectively, both exclusive to San Diego Comic-Con. Fans can also pick up limited-edition action figures of the hard-rocking Dreadnoks at the event.

“This isn’t just an album – it’s a sonic strike straight from Cobra Command!” the band says. “We’re back, louder, heavier and deadlier than ever. We can’t wait for G.I. JOE fans and metalheads to experience the raw power of our music, culminating in our live debut at San Diego Comic-Con. Prepare your ears for total domination… Let’s Rock and Cobra Roll!”

Check out the Cold Slither album tracklist below.

Cold Slither

1. Welcome to the Swamp (Intro)

2. Cold Slither

3. Knock ‘Em Dread

4. Thunder Machine

5. Zartan’s Revenge

6. Snakes on the Bayou

7. Torched

8. Under the Dreadnok’s Spell

9. Master of Disguise

10. The Ballad of Buzzer

11. These Fluffies Are Fatal