DAVID ELLEFSON (feat. David Glen Eisley) – Sleeping Giants (2019)

He may be known best as the renowned bassist for Megadeth, but DAVID ELLEFSON has plenty of other irons in the fire: he’s curating a recording label, opening coffee shops, producing a horror film, writing a book, and now, releasing his first solo album titled “Sleeping Giants“.
Ellefson is building an little empire, pulling ingredients from his past and present to make his mark in the industry. However, first and foremost, there’s the music.
The aptly named “Sleeping Giants”, his first solo album, features new songs by Ellefson and his business partner, radio personality and music journalist Thom Hazaert, plus a collection of unreleased material.

Since 1983, Ellefson has been one of the most recognizable bassists in US rock music. As a founding member of Megadeth, Ellefson is renowned for being the twisted and melodic backbone to classic tracks like “Peace Sells” and “Holy Wars… The Punishment Due.”
A jack of all things Metal, Ellefson has also been a part of a multitude of great side projects such as F5, featuring former Megadeth drummer Jimmy DeGrasso; Altitudes & Attitude alongside Frankie Bello of Armored Saint /Anthrax; and Metal Allegiance with bassist/songwriter Mark Menghi, guitarist Alex Skolnick of Testament, and drummer Mike Portnoy (ex-Dream Theater, The Winery Dogs).

In becoming Ellefson’s first solo release, “Sleeping Giants” offers a lot in terms of musical variety and the calvary of musicians and special guests featured on the album.
In the studio, “Sleeping Giants” was produced by both Ellefson and Hazaert, but also John Aquilino from legendary Arizona melodic rockers Icon, who provided a more ‘melodic & accessible’ flavor to the material.

With an ample supply of both Hard Rock and Metal, Ellefson is gifting fans a ton of new music as “Sleeping Giants” awakens eighteen brand new / unreleased tracks. Getting started, Sleeping Giants opens with a gritty, one two punch of the hard nosed “Vultures.” A few tracks later, a second version of “Vultures” appears with a fun Techno remix done by Game Of Thrones actor/DJ Kristian Nairn, who played Hodor on the HBO series.

On perhaps the biggest weird spot, Run DMC legend Daryll McDaniels, DMC himself, provides vocals on “Sleeping Giants.” An in-your-face track, DMC’s direct and subtle vocals pair well with a Metal song alongside Hazaert’s dominant pipes.
Mega-melodic, the Megadeth channelling aggression of “Hammer (Comes Down)” features former Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland and Creed / Tremonti guitarist Mark Tremonti who are just what the doctor ordered for a head-banging tune.

One of my favorites is “If You Were God” featuring guest vocals by John Bush (ex-Anthrax, Armored Saint) for a truly classic sounding Hard Rocking track taking it back to ’80s. It has a very clean production, melodic and groovy. A highlight.
Switching up the sound, there’s the F5 project demos. There’s variety here as well, from sludgy Sabbath-like songs like “Dead Man Rise”, to modern metallic numbers via fine tracks like “Faded” and “Feel Your Pain.” All 3-minute effective songs.

But the pearl of this release and special interest for most readers of this blog comes at the end of this release: a special guest on 5 tracks we have David Glen Eisley, best known for being the vocalist behind 80s House Of Lords and Giuffria, and ex Alice Cooper, House Of Lords, et all Ken Mary on drums.
To shed light, Eisley gives an enjoyable melodious feeling to Melodic Hard Rock oriented songs like “Out in the Rain” (I can’t help but reminds me of Giuffria), “Voices,” the smooth ballad “Home,” or “After All (Said and Done).”

An intense collection, “Sleeping Giants” shows Ellefson’s talent as a musician to spread his wings and create something much more than what the average Megadeth fan might expect.
Over the course of these eighteen tracks, Ellefson’s Sleeping Giants offers a variety of moods to keep the listeners’ minds going with Hard Rock, Melodic Metal, Modern Rock, and a bit of Thrash – all of which should be turned up at full volume.

If your ears aren’t accustomed to heavier sounds, you need to check to “Sleeping Giants”; the songs with Eisley are like a ‘lost’ bunch of Giuffria songs.
Highly Recommended

01 – Vultures (feat. Thom Hazaert)
02 – Sleeping Giants (feat. Thom Hazaert & DMC)
03 – Hammer Comes Down (feat. Hazaert, Mark Tremonti & Chris Poland)
04 – Vultures (Kristian Nairn Remix) (feat. Thom Hazaert)
05 – If You Were God (1993 recording) (feat. John Bush)
06 – Deadman Rise (F5 Demo)
07 – I Fall (F5 Demo)
08 – Bleeding (F5 Demo)
09 – Why Can’t We Die? (F5 Demo)
10 – Dying on the Vine (F5 Demo)
11 – Faded (F5 Demo)
12 – Undeniable (F5 Demo)
13 – Feel Your Pain (F5 Demo)
14 – Out in the Rain (feat. David Glen Eisley)
15 – Voices (feat. David Glen Eisley)
16 – Like Father, like Son (feat. David Glen Eisley)
17 – Home (feat. David Glen Eisley)
18 – After All (Said and Done) (feat. David Glen Eisley)

David Ellefson – Bass, Vocals
Thom Hazaert – Lead Vocals
David Glen Eisley – Vocals (HOUSE OF LORDS, GIUFFRIA)
Eric “A.K” Knutson – Lead Vocals (FLOTSAM AND JETSAM)
John Bush – Lead Vocals (ARMORED SAINT, ex-ANTHRAX)
Daryll McDaniels – Lead Vocals (DMC)
Chris Poland – Lead Guitar (ex-MEGADETH, DAMN THE MACHINE)
Andy Martongelli – Lead Guitar (ALTITUDES AND ATTITUDE)
Steve Conley – Lead Guitar (FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, F5)
Mark Tremonti – Lead Guitar (CREED, ALTER BRIDGE)
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal – Lead Guitar (GUNS N’ ROSES)
Ethan Brosh – Lead Guitar
Joey Radziwill – Rhythm Guitar (SACRED REICH)
Dave McClain – Drums (MACHINE HEAD, SACRED REICH)
Ken Mary – Drums (ALICE COOPER, HOUSE OF LORDS)

BUY IT !
www.amazon.com/Sleeping-Giants-David-Ellefson/dp/B07QY5TJDL