Metal Allegiance – Fallen Heroes
Nuclear Blast
Release: Out Now
Review by Paul Southwell
The ongoing jam project of metal luminaries titled Metal Allegiance continues with a three track EP that pays homage to three recently deceased music greats; Lemmy Kilmister, David Bowie and Glenn Frey. The backing band consists of Alex Skolnick on guitar, Mark Menghi on bass and Mike Portnoy on drums. If that is not enticing enough, it is expertly recorded, mastered and produced so it is anything but a poor effort.
First up, Motörhead’s Iron Fist gets an airing with Troy Sanders offering suitably gravelly additions to an aggressive, gritty and not too clinical rendition of one of Lemmy’s greater tracks that regularly appeared in the ‘Head’s live sets over the decades. Naturally, the bass playing is raw, loud and powering alongside hammering drums and fret wearing, heavy vibrato guitar playing.
Next, David Bowie’s genre defining Ziggy Stardust era track Suffragette City, which has probably been over-analysed ever since it appeared in the early seventies, is given a respectful cover version. Utilising the urgent vocal delivery of Mark Osegueda and with Mr Skolnick doing his best Mick Ronson impression, it passes with flying colours. As a tribute to a remarkable musician, the defiant attitude mixed with glam rock posturing carries the track as the EP’s highlight.
Finally, The Eagles’ Life In The Fast Lane, a classic rock track and a dissection of partially self-referential seventies decadence, is helmed by the young, boisterous and straight edged Alissa White-Gluz, offering slight raunchiness and great vocal prowess. Instrumentation plays authentic tribute to the original, sonically, and has the necessary looseness of guitar virtuosity to flow freely.
The brevity of the release might dissuade some listeners, but what is on offer here is very solid nonetheless. This EP is worth your time, as it explores what shaped the influences of the revolving door of metal musicians who appear here, and originated during revelations of these three legends passing on. In other words, this is a fitting tribute, which is somewhat short, sweet and to the point.
