Label: Nuclear Blast
Review by Alisha Hayden
Metal Allegiance is techinically a debut metal album. However it’s by, as the name suggests, a Metal Allegiance of talent from the industry coming together to forge this solid album from their collective mythologies, truths and experience. The architects of this project were Mark Menghi (an industry executive), David Ellefson (Megadeth), Mike Portnoy (The Winery Dogs) and Alex Skolnick (Testament). Metal Allegiance includes performances from past and present members of Megadeth, Testament, Dream Theater, Lamb of God, Slayer, Exodus, Mastodon, Pantera, Trivium, King’s X, Hatebreed, Sepultura, Machine Head, Anthrax, Lacuna Coil, The Dillinger Escape Plan, Periphery, Death Angel, Judas Priest, Iced Heart and Arch Enemy. The idea for the album came after the Metal Allegiance performed live in 2014 on Motörhead’s Motörboat Cruise which allowed the contributors to get their collective sound together before cutting the album. The first track, “Gift of Pain“ contains the exquisite vocals of Randy Blythe. “Can’t Kill the Devil” sung by Chuck Billy reminded me of an early Metallica with its lyrics. “Scars” has the collective vocals of Mark Osegueda and Cristina Scabbia which is a match made for pure listening pleasure. “Pledge Of Allegiance” is the closing track to this debut and with the amount of legends on this track it was guaranteed to be a success. The entire album of 9 epic tracks is everything a metalhead like me ever wanted to hear. Past and present metal legends together creatively contributing to one album was a brilliant idea and executed seamlessly. There is not a negative thing I could possibly say about this project. The album speaks for itself. All I can say is go out and buy it, you won’t be disappointed.
Review – 90/100
Tracklist
- Gift of Pain feat. D. Randall Blythe (Lamb of God)
- Let Darkness Fall feat. Troy Sanders (Mastodon)
- Dying Song feat. Philip H. Anselmo (Pantera, Down)
- Can’t Kill the Devil feat. Chuck Billy (Testament)
- Scars feat. Mark Osegueda (Death Angel) & Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil)
- Destination: Nowhere feat. Matthew K. Heafy
- Wait Until Tomorrow feat. Doug Pinnick (King’s X) & Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed, Kingdom of Sorrow)
- Triangulum (I. Creation II. Evolution III. Destruction)
- Pledge Of Allegiance feat. Mark Osegueda (Death Angel), Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), Gary Holt (Slayer, Exodus) & Charlie Benante (Anthrax)
Line Up
- Mark Menghi – Songwriter
- Alex Skolnick – Guitars
- David Ellefson – Bass
- Mike Portnoy – Drums
Links
facebook.com/metalallegiancetour