ELLEFSON-SOTO – Vacation in the Underworld (2022) HQ

In a partnership that has been years in the making, ex Megadeth bassist David Ellefson and acclaimed metal vocalist Jeff Scott Soto have joined forces for an all-new collaboration, ELLEFSON-SOTO. In their upcoming debut album “Vacation in the Underworld” the band follows the tradition of successful individuals that joined forces to create memorable music: David Coverdale & Jimmy Page, Tony Iommi & Glenn Hughes, Tommy Shaw & Jack Blades, Michael Sweet & George Lynch to name a few examples.
The metal duo is joined by Andy Martongelli on guitar & keys and Paulo Caridi on drums to unleash their debut featuring eleven tracks and three bonus recordings that demonstrates why Ellefson-Soto are considered legends by many in the metal world.
From the fiery guitar lead and huge vocals of the album opener title track to the prog-metal fury of closer “Rise To Win,” Ellefson-Soto have created a debut that is sure to capture metal / hard rock fans from all over the globe.

Combining different styles of metal, songs like “Sharpen The Sword,” “The Revolution” and “Live To Die Another Day” showcase the various influences Ellefson-Soto have picked up over their four decades in music.
Jade Etro from the Italian power metal band Frozen Crown makes a guest appearance on “The Day Before Tomorrow.” Steve Conley and Ken Mary from Flotsam and Jetsam perform on the title track “Vacation In The Underworld.”
”Vacation In The Underworld” ignites an inimitable hybrid of metal firepower, rock swagger, and anthemic arena-ready thunder.

With eleven tracks heralded by three bonus tracks, the album musically harkens back to both ELLEFSON/SOTO’s halcyon days in their respected careers. Tracks such as “Like A Bullet”, “Sharpen The Sword” and the opening title track (also featuring guest appearances from Steve Conley and Ken Mary from FLOTSAM AND JETSAM) are definite energetically-fired bangers, with Soto’s powerfully raging vocals sounding as strong as ever for someone with an active musical pedigree nearing four decades while Ellefson’s galloping bass riffs showcases some of his strongest playing in decades, further highlighted in other tracks such as “S.T.N. (Something To Nothing)”, “The Day Before Tomorrow” and the intro to “Rise To Win”.

And with the ELLEFSON/SOTO project having made its inroads with a short tour of Italy in mid-September, the remaining array of talent outside of Andy’s impressive shredding and Paulo’s solid drumming also includes another guest appearance by Giada Jade Etro from the Italian metal band FROZEN CROWN on the aforementioned “The Day Before Tomorrow”.

All in all, fans of these talented musicians looking to travel outside of their genre’s own musical norms, ELLEFSON/SOTO’s ”Vacation In The Underworld” provides the ideal getaway. It’s heavy, melodic, groovy, thrash at times, progressive, a varied and explosive mixture.
Highly Recommended

01 – Vacation in the Underworld
02 – Like a Bullet
03 – Sharpen the Sword
04 – The Reason
05 – S.t.n
06 – The Revolution
07 – Celebrity Trash
08 – Live to Die Another Day
09 – The Day Before Tomorrow
10 – Hercules
11 – Rise to Win
Bonus Tracks:
12 – Out of the Blue
13 – Lone Star
14 – Writing on the Wall

David Ellefson: Bass
Jeff Scott Soto: Vocals
Paulo Caridi: Drums
Andy Martongelli: Guitar, Keys

Pre order:
www.amazon.co.uk/Vacation-Underworld-Ellefson-Soto/dp/B0BB82PY9Q