Metal Allegiance mark a decade of keeping the faith
STEPHANIE CABRAL
HOUSE OF BLUES, ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA
Metal legends reconvene in the land where dreams come true
ADECADE AGO, after medical issues forced Megadeth to pull out of the inaugural Motörboat cruise, a ragtag group featuring members of other acts onboard banded together as Metal Allegiance, filling the gap with two sets of covers by the likes of Pantera, Sabbath and Maiden. Ten years –and two albums of original material –later, the band are commemorating their anniversary in epic fashion with the return of their annual performance at NAMM, a musical instrument convention that takes place a stone’s throw from Disneyland.
All-star NAMM jams can frequently lack structure and feature sloppy performances, but that’s not the case with Metal Allegiance. The group’s ‘core four’ are prodigal Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick, Dieth and ex-Megadeth bassist David Ellefson and bassist Mark Menghi. They’re joined, as ever, by a rotating cast of thrash legends, who tonight include current and former members of Overkill, Machine Head, Exodus and Sepultura, among others.