Attention, metalheads and headbangers: A legendary jam session just hit YouTube, and it’s basically a superhero team-up—if superheroes played shred-tastic riffs instead of saving kittens from trees.
At the House of Blues in Anaheim (because apparently, Disney wasn’t metal enough), METAL ALLEGIANCE—the Avengers of the metal scene—decided to unleash their inner METALLICA on “Whiplash.” Joining the already stacked lineup of Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater) on drums and Mark Menghi on bass were Troy Sanders (Mastodon) on vocals, Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), and Doc Coyle (God Forbid) on guitar. Oh, and Menghi got to play Cliff Burton’s actual bass. Yes, that Cliff Burton. The one who defined “epic bass face” before it was even a thing. The man’s family literally handed over the instrument like, “Here, make it sound godly—or at least not like a dying whale.”
But wait, there’s more! METAL ALLEGIANCE also dropped a new single, “Black Horizon,” because apparently, they weren’t busy enough melting faces with Metallica covers. Featuring Alex Skolnick (Testament) on guitar and William DuVall (Alice in Chains) on vocals, the track is a dystopian, apocalyptic journey that makes you want to both headbang and build a bunker. DuVall described it as a “nice departure,” which is metal-speak for “This riff is so heavy, my beard grew three inches while listening.”
DuVall also shared some deep thoughts about the creative process, saying it’s like “writing himself a role and then acting it.” So basically, he’s method-acting as a space colonist fleeing Earth. Metal: it’s not just music; it’s performance art with more leather.
METAL ALLEGIANCE started as a love letter to metal but has since become a force of nature, collaborating with legends and proving that even in a genre as heavy as metal, there’s always room for more heaviness. Their lineup reads like a who’s who of “wait, they’re in this too?”—David Ellefson (Megadeth) and Alex Skolnick round out the core group, ensuring that every riff is as tight as Portnoy’s double bass pedal.
So, if you’re looking for a reason to bang your head until your neck begs for mercy, look no further. METAL ALLEGIANCE has got you covered—with a side of apocalyptic dread and a sprinkle of Cliff Burton’s ghost nodding in approval. 🤘
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
