Metal Allegiance
Metal Allegiance
Nuclear Blast Entertainment
2015
Metal Allegiance is a “collective” of musicians bringing together an impressive compendium of names like with principal partner Mark Menghi, such luminaries as Philip H. Anselmo, Charlie Benante, Chuck Billy, D. Randall Blythe, Rex Brown, Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal, Phil Demmel, David Ellefson, Alissa White-Gluz, Matthew K. Heafy, Gary Holt, Jamey Jasta, Chris Jericho, Andreas Kisser, Misha Mansoor, Mark Osegueda, Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens, Doug Pinnick, Mike Portnoy, Troy Sanders, Cristina Scabbia, Alex Skolnick, Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza and Ben Weinman.
While it’s not bad, as most of the players in it are seasoned and exceptionally good, it’s a good deal disjointed, as vocalists change so… it feels like an uneven compilation of “stuff” with in most cases a core band of Dave Ellefson, Mike Portnoy and Alex Skolnick providing the musical background along with the occasional “guest”.
Opener “Gift of Pain”, which features Lamb Of God’s Randall Blythe and some additional leads by Gary Holt of Exodus/Slayer, is what you‘d expect it to be a good deal sounding like LOG, because of Blythe but a good deal more blackened.
“Let Darkness Fall” has Mastodon’s Troy Sanders on vox, Mark Menghi & Rex Brown (Pantera, etc) on extra bass and Blythe on extra screams. It starts out as a pretty thrashing affair but as soon as Sanders begins to sing it becomes a good deal more dazed and confused, while the excellent solo somewhere in there gives it a decidedly 70s slant as well… not bad really even if I dislike Sander’s singing in general, here he pretty much saves face.
“Can’t Kill the Devil” has thrash king Chuck Billy of Testament on vox and some additional lead guitars by Phil Demmel (Machine Head) & Andreas Kisser (Sepultura) and expectedly sounds like Testament… good song.
“Dying Song” has Philip H. Anselmo (Pantera, Down and more) on vox and bass by Mark Menghi… and while Phil has pretty much fucked up his voice a good deal, he still sounds like he means it and his nice timbre allow him to put in a believable and honest performance.
Bringing together Mark Osegueda of Death Angel and Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil sounds quite bizarre at least on paper. That’s exactly what happens on “Scars”, a single worthy number, where Scabbia is smartly smuggled into the chorus. Also Osegueda puts in some of his cleanest singing, thus making the whole thing work rather well… bizarre little number, but it works…
“Destination: Nowhere”, which features Trivium’s Matthew K. Heafy on vocals and additional leads isn’t as bad as Trivium, as it sounds a good deal more like Annihilator, but I’m not the biggest fan of Heafy’s very melodic stuff that somewhat makes this smaltzy midway and the instrumental breakdown prior to the solo, sort of kills the momentum of the song considerably.
“Wait Until Tomorrow” is another bizarre marriage of somewhat incompatible musicians, ie King X’s Doug Pinnick & Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed with the former pretty much dominating the first half of the song and the latter screaming his head out towards the latter part and both chipping in for the conclusion… I liked Jasta’s spirited parts, but this sounded more like a jam of a song than something built up from scratch.
“Triangulum (I. Creation, II. Evolution, III. Destruction)” brings together the main band with a bunch of guitarists on lead guitar: Misha Mansoor from Periphery, Ben Weinman of DEP, Charlie Benante (Anthrax), Phil Demmel (Machine Head), Matthew K. Heafy (Trivium) & Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal (ex-GNR)). It’s one hell of a prog inspired exercise in instrumental showing off and does sound a bit, all over the place, as an annoyingly extended solo… C’mon even Yngwie wouldn’t do this! :D
“Pledge of Allegiance” has Mark Osegueda (Death Angel) going for it, with the additional lead guitars of Charlie Benante (Anthrax), Gary Holt (Exodus) & Andreas Kisser (Sepultura) and it sounds a fair good bit like a cross between Annihilator and Zetro era Exodus….
Last but not least, “We Rock”, available in the pricier deluxe edition only, brings together Mark Osegueda (Death Angel), Chris Jericho (Fozzy), Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens (Ex-Judas Priest, Iced Earth), Alissa White-Gluz (Ex Agonist, Kamelot, Arch Enemy), Chuck Billy (Testament) and Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza (Exodus, Hatriot) on vocals and on additional lead guitars Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), Phil Demmel (Machine Head) & Gary Holt (Exodus) for a cover of the Dio classic that they do rather well, Although Ripper and Gluz, stick out the most…
Overall not a bad thing, for what begun as a fantasy camp of stars on concert, but nothin, earth shattering either, as this could hardly ever work as a proper unit… interesting still.
While it’s not bad, as most of the players in it are seasoned and exceptionally good, it’s a good deal disjointed, as vocalists change so… it feels like an uneven compilation of “stuff” with in most cases a core band of Dave Ellefson, Mike Portnoy and Alex Skolnick providing the musical background along with the occasional “guest”.
Opener “Gift of Pain”, which features Lamb Of God’s Randall Blythe and some additional leads by Gary Holt of Exodus/Slayer, is what you‘d expect it to be a good deal sounding like LOG, because of Blythe but a good deal more blackened.
“Let Darkness Fall” has Mastodon’s Troy Sanders on vox, Mark Menghi & Rex Brown (Pantera, etc) on extra bass and Blythe on extra screams. It starts out as a pretty thrashing affair but as soon as Sanders begins to sing it becomes a good deal more dazed and confused, while the excellent solo somewhere in there gives it a decidedly 70s slant as well… not bad really even if I dislike Sander’s singing in general, here he pretty much saves face.
“Can’t Kill the Devil” has thrash king Chuck Billy of Testament on vox and some additional lead guitars by Phil Demmel (Machine Head) & Andreas Kisser (Sepultura) and expectedly sounds like Testament… good song.
“Dying Song” has Philip H. Anselmo (Pantera, Down and more) on vox and bass by Mark Menghi… and while Phil has pretty much fucked up his voice a good deal, he still sounds like he means it and his nice timbre allow him to put in a believable and honest performance.
Bringing together Mark Osegueda of Death Angel and Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil sounds quite bizarre at least on paper. That’s exactly what happens on “Scars”, a single worthy number, where Scabbia is smartly smuggled into the chorus. Also Osegueda puts in some of his cleanest singing, thus making the whole thing work rather well… bizarre little number, but it works…
“Destination: Nowhere”, which features Trivium’s Matthew K. Heafy on vocals and additional leads isn’t as bad as Trivium, as it sounds a good deal more like Annihilator, but I’m not the biggest fan of Heafy’s very melodic stuff that somewhat makes this smaltzy midway and the instrumental breakdown prior to the solo, sort of kills the momentum of the song considerably.
“Wait Until Tomorrow” is another bizarre marriage of somewhat incompatible musicians, ie King X’s Doug Pinnick & Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed with the former pretty much dominating the first half of the song and the latter screaming his head out towards the latter part and both chipping in for the conclusion… I liked Jasta’s spirited parts, but this sounded more like a jam of a song than something built up from scratch.
“Triangulum (I. Creation, II. Evolution, III. Destruction)” brings together the main band with a bunch of guitarists on lead guitar: Misha Mansoor from Periphery, Ben Weinman of DEP, Charlie Benante (Anthrax), Phil Demmel (Machine Head), Matthew K. Heafy (Trivium) & Ron ‘Bumblefoot’ Thal (ex-GNR)). It’s one hell of a prog inspired exercise in instrumental showing off and does sound a bit, all over the place, as an annoyingly extended solo… C’mon even Yngwie wouldn’t do this! :D
“Pledge of Allegiance” has Mark Osegueda (Death Angel) going for it, with the additional lead guitars of Charlie Benante (Anthrax), Gary Holt (Exodus) & Andreas Kisser (Sepultura) and it sounds a fair good bit like a cross between Annihilator and Zetro era Exodus….
Last but not least, “We Rock”, available in the pricier deluxe edition only, brings together Mark Osegueda (Death Angel), Chris Jericho (Fozzy), Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens (Ex-Judas Priest, Iced Earth), Alissa White-Gluz (Ex Agonist, Kamelot, Arch Enemy), Chuck Billy (Testament) and Steve ‘Zetro’ Souza (Exodus, Hatriot) on vocals and on additional lead guitars Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), Phil Demmel (Machine Head) & Gary Holt (Exodus) for a cover of the Dio classic that they do rather well, Although Ripper and Gluz, stick out the most…
Overall not a bad thing, for what begun as a fantasy camp of stars on concert, but nothin, earth shattering either, as this could hardly ever work as a proper unit… interesting still.