ELLEFSON – No Cover (2020)
David Ellefson announces to release a new solo album; “No Cover“. Under the name ELLEFSON the Megadeth bassist cooperates with various artists from bands like TESLA, SLAUGHTER, ANTHRAX, ICON, SLASH, etc, to make a bunch of covers of classic hard rock / metal anthems, ranging from DEF LEPPARD (look the artwork) JUDAS PRIEST and FASTWAY to W.A.S.P., NAZARETH, etc.
While recording a few cover songs for B-sides and bonus tracks for his upcoming Ellefson solo LP (due out in the Spring of 2021), David and his band, Thom Hazaert (vocals), Andy Martongelli / Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (guitars), and Paolo Caridi (drums), decided to create enough cover songs for an entire album.
Throughout the record, there are many different contributions and individual personalities that shine through. Although Hazaert is the anchor singer for the majority of this release, prominent guest singers fill out the rest of the tracks doing trade-off verses, duets, and backing harmonies. And the tracks where various vocalists along with Hazaert in tandem makes for a pleasing and different dynamic.
The album kicks things off with an explosive rendition of Judas Priest’s “Freewheel Burning” as Hazaert and Jason McMaster (Dangerous Toys, ex-Watchtower) form a lethal vocal tandem that adds a real unique quality to this classic track.
Ellefson’s love of early Def Leppard was the impetus for covering “Wasted” from 1980’s On Through the Night, as well as paying homage to that album cover with his own rendition for this record’s artwork.
Some of the biggest surprises on No Cover are “Auf Wehdersehen” by power pop rockers Cheap Trick featuring Al Jourgensen of Ministry on vocals, “Not Fragile” (Bachman-Turner Overdrive) with Hazaert singing, and “Sweet FA” by Sweet featuring Todd Kerns (Slash & The Conspirators).
For the most part, every track seems to work in its own unique way, especially with the different vocalists on offer. Tracks such as “Nailed to the Gun,” “Tear It Loose,” and Fastway’s “Say What You Will” allow Haezart’s voice to add a necessary weight to the vocal performance.
There are also some rather cool moments with several of the guitar solos. Eddie Ojeda gets to handle the solo, originally done by Jay French, on this rendition of Twisted Sister’s “Tear It Loose,” while Russ Parrish (Satchel from Steel Panther) gets to solo on Fight’s “Nailed to the Gun,” in which he was a part of with Rob Halford back in the 90s.
All in all, Ellefson’s No Cover is a fun record that pays homage to some of his heroes with killer renditions of timeless classic tunes.
Highly Recommended
CD 1:
01 – Freewheel Burning
(feat. Jason McMaster, Gus G, Andy James & Dave McClain)
02 – Tear It Loose
(feat. Eddie Ojeda & Dave McClain)
03 – Love Me Like a Reptile
(feat. Doro, Greg Handevidt & Chuck Behler)
04 – Holiday in Cambodia
(feat. Charlie Benante)
05 – Rebel Yell
(feat. Paolo Caridi)
06 – Wasted
(feat. Frank Hannon, Jacob Bunton & Dave McClain)
07 – Riff Raff
(feat. Jason McMaster, Dave Lombardo & Bumblefoot)
08 – Nailed to the Gun
(feat. Andrew Freeman, Russ Parrish & Jimmy DeGrasso)
09 – Not Fragile
(feat. John Aquilino, Paolo Caridi & Bumblefoot)
10 – Auf Wiedersehen
(feat. Al Jourgensen & Charlie Benante)
CD 2
01 – Love Machine
(feat. Dirk Verbeuren, Dave Alvin & Bumblefoot)
02 – Love Hurts
(feat. Brandon Yeagley, Tyson Leslie & Chuck Behler)
03 – Eat the Rich
(feat. J. McMaster, D. Sharpe & Opus of the Dead by Wednesday)
04 – Sheer Heart Attack
(feat. Doro, Charlie Benante & Bumblefoot)
05 – Over the Mountain
(feat. Andrew Freeman, Bumblefoot & Jimmy DeGrasso)
06 – Sweet F.A.
(feat. Todd Kerns, Bumblefoot & Shani Kimelman)
07 – Beth
(feat. Bumblefoot & Tyson Leslie)
08 – Say What You Will
(feat. Troy Lucketta & Mark Slaughter)
09 – Downed
(feat. Chip Z’nuff, Drew Frontier & Mike Heller)
Thom Hazaert – Vocals
David Ellefson – Guitars, Bass, Drum programming
Paolo Caridi – Drums
Guest musicians:
* Frank Hannon and Troy Lucketta (TESLA)
* Mark Slaughter (SLAUGHTER)
* Charlie Benante (ANTHRAX)
* Eddie Ojeda (TWISTED SISTER)
* Brandon Yeagley (CROBOT)
* Dirk Verbeuren (MEGADETH)
* Jason McMaster (DANGEROUS TOYS)
* Greg Handevidt (KUBLAI KHAN, ex-MEGADETH)
* Chuck Behler (ex-MEGADETH)
* Gus G. (FIREWIND, OZZY OSBOURNE)
* John Aquilino (ICON)
* Doro Pesch
* Dave McClain (ex-MACHINE HEAD)
* Dave Alvin (WHITE TRASH)
* Todd Kerns (SLASH)
* Jimmy DeGrasso (ex-MEGADETH, ex-Y&T)
* Andrew Freeman (LAST IN LINE)
* Jacob Bunton (MICK MARS)
* DEAD BY WEDNESDAY
PRE ORDER:
napalmrecords.com/english/no-cover-cd.html
