G.I. Joe’s Fictional Metal Band “Cold Slither” to Release a Real Album

If you grew up in the ’80s, you might remember Cold Slither, the fictional metal band that appeared in a 1985 episode of G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero. Led by Zartan and his Dreadnoks, the band was a front for Cobra’s latest scheme—using subliminal messaging hidden in their music to brainwash America’s youth.

While the idea of music as mind control was a plot straight out of a cartoon, it mirrored real-world concerns at the time. The mid-’80s saw paranoia around supposed subliminal messages in rock and metal, with Ozzy Osbourne and Judas Priest both facing scrutiny over claims their music contained hidden commands.

Now, 40 years after the infamous ‘Cold Slither‘ episode aired, Hasbro has teamed up with Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM) to bring the fictional band to life—both musically and in action figure form.

Ben “BMac” MacCrae, Associate Brand Manager, Global Brand Development & Marketing at Hasbro, spoke about the significance of this project:

“Bringing Cold Slither to life through our partnership with RPM has been an absolute dream come true! As a child watching this fictional band on my TV screen, I never imagined I’d one day help transform them from animated rockstars into a tangible, sonic reality. From the meticulously crafted figures you can hold in your hand to the face-melting album we’ve created, G.I. Joe fans worldwide are about to experience something truly revolutionary this summer.

This project bridges nostalgia with innovation in ways that will leave the community speechless—prepare for a musical assault that would make Cobra Commander proud!”

Gerardo Martinez, General Manager and Co-founder of RPM, added:

“It is a dream come true to be able to work on this amazing collaboration with my favorite, and one that happens to be one of the most iconic brands in the world: G.I. Joe! It is also a pleasure to work on this amazing project alongside some of my friends from Hasbro and be able to bring Cold Slither into reality in the most Heavy Metal way!

Many of us have waited 40 years for this to happen but the wait is finally over. And a special thanks to Michael Charles Hill for writing the original Cold Slither episode back in 1985.”

The band’s self-titled track has now been reimagined, with a full-length Cold Slither album on the way. While the songwriting credits still list the fictional band members, the real-life metal musician Gus Ríos (Gruesome, ex-Malevolent Creation) handled production duties for the updated version.

You can check out the newly revamped Cold Slither track below, featuring a lyric video animated by Costin Chioreanu. More details will be available soon at coldslitherofficial.com.

Additionally, the G.I. Joe Classified Series Cold Slither action figure set will make its debut as an exclusive at San Diego Comic-Con 2025, with a limited online release to follow.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hasbro Pulse (@hasbropulse)

---

Do you love independent bands, or are you in one? The Mosh Network is not just a rock/metal news website, but it doubles as an independent band directory, designed so that visitors can browse independent bands by not just subgenre, but location as well. It’s perfect to keep your finger on the pulse of your area’s hottest and newest bands or if you’re in a band, it’s a great way to find bands to network with! Click the banner below and start discovering bands all over the world, now!