Metal Allegiance, the collective featuring a myriad of metal’s best artists, including guitarist Alex Skolnick and drummer Mike Portnoy, are releasing ‘Fallen Heroes’, an EP to pay tribute to some of the icons of rock and metal that have been lost over the past few months. A trio of guest vocalists take up the mic for the three tracks on this EP. Troy Sanders of Mastodon performs “Iron Fist”, Mark Osegueda from Death Angel does “Suffragette City”, and Alissa White-Gluz, the lead vocalist of Arch Enemy, handles the cover of “Life In The Fast Lane”.
Mike Portnoy does a really impressive job behind the drums on “Iron Fist”, in a performance where he could give even Mickey D a run for his money. Troy Sanders sounds very good on vocals. I’ve got to say, I was very glad he used his own sound, rather than try to make himself sound more like Lemmy. It’s a fitting tribute to such a creative artist that Troy made his own new version of the song rather than try to copy the original. Alex Skolnick’s solo work in the middle is another wonderful tribute, a rendition I think Mr Campbell would be proud of. Everyone is at their best here, as the group do exactly what they set out to do – pay tribute to one of the greatest legends in music history.
“Suffragette City” is next up, with Mark Osegueda taking over on vocals. Once more the vocalist puts his own stamp on the song, with a faster pace than the David Bowie original, but he sounds amazing in his own way. Portnoy and Skolnick contribute again, as everyone hits all the bases in another fitting tribute that is just as memorable and great to listen to as the original.
Last up is the cover of The Eagles song “Life In The Fast Lane”, with Alissa White-Gluz up front this time. Right from the first note Skolnick shows what he can do in what turns out to be his best performance of the EP, before Alissa comes roaring in – in typical fashion – with an almighty scream. Anyone who has never listened to Arch Enemy before will learn what a powerful front woman she is here, as she lays down the outstanding vocals her fans have come to expect. The cover has a much louder sound than the original, but this plays to the talents of the artists, as they serve up another amazing offering.
Each of the artists on ‘Fallen Heroes’ impose their own style in what is a fitting tribute to three creative geniuses. If immortality is in never being forgotten, with their songs having such versatility and being absolutely amazing in such different styles, Lemmy, Bowie and Frey will live forever in our memories.