Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
Below is a professionally shot video of Metal Allegiance, an all-star metal band made up of a rotating cast of musicians, including core members David Ellefson (Megadeth), Mark Menghi (King Ultramega), Alex Skolnick (Testament), and Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater), performing their most recent single, “Black Horizon,” on January 22 at the House Of Blues in Anaheim, California, as per Blabbermouth. Chuck Billy (Testament), John Bush (ex-Anthrax, Armored Saint), Doc Coyle (ex-Bad Wolves, God Forbid), William DuVall (Alice In Chains), Jack Gibson (Exodus), Gary Holt (Slayer, Exodus), Phil Demmel (Kerry King, ex-Machine Head), Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), Alissa White-Gluz (Arch Enemy), and Troy Sanders (Mastodon) joined the “core four” members.
The studio version of “Black Horizon” was released by Metal Allegiance earlier this month through Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM). The song, which is the band’s first original release since 2018, paints an apocalyptic atmosphere with DuVall’s menacing yells and guitarist Alex Skolnick’s thunderous opening riffs. The dread is kept low in the sky by Menghi’s bass and Portnoy’s drums, ready to erupt violently at any time. In this hopeless world, systems break down, darkness descends, and there is a doomed plea for deliverance. Thunderous choruses are bookended by gloomy, minimalistic verses that describe a terrible struggle for survival.
Bassist and songwriter Mark Menghi founded the American thrash metal ensemble Metal Allegiance on Long Island, New York, in 2014. Soon after, he signed drummer Mike Portnoy from Dream Theater, guitarist Alex Skolnick from Testament, and bassist David Ellefson from Megadeth. Even though the group doesn’t have a designated lead singer, they frequently use guest musicians, such as Andreas Kisser of Sepultura and Mark Osegueda of Death Angel/Kerry King, to provide vocals and/or guitar parts for their live performances and studio recordings. Metal Allegiance has put out one EP and two studio albums so far. “Metal Allegiance” (2015) and “Volume II: Power Drunk Majesty” (2018).
