David Ellefson – No Cover 2020 Album review

Reviewed: by Chris Hammond

David Ellefson – No Cover (2020)
Label: Combat
Style: Cover Songs/Heavy Metal

Tracklist

1/"Freewheel Burning"(Judas Priest) ft. Jason McMaster, Gus G, Andy James, Dave McClain  (4:20) 

2/"Tear It Loose" (Twisted Sister) ft. Eddie Ojeda, Dave McClain (3:41)   

3/"Love Me Like A Reptile" (Motorhead) ft. Doro Pesch, Greg Handevidt, Chuck Behler (3:18)   

4/"Holiday in Cambodia" (Dead Kennedys) ft. Charlie Benante (3:43)  

5/"Rebel Yell" (Billy Idol) ft. Paolo Caridi (4:48)  

6/"Wasted" (Def Leppard) ft. Frank Hannon, Jacob Bunton, Dave McClain, Bumblefoot (3:46) 

7/"Riff Raff" (AC/DC) ft. Jason McMaster, Dave Lombardo (5:14)  

8/"Nailed To The Gun" (Fight) ft. Andrew Freeman, Russ Parrish, Jimmy DeGrasso (3:43)  

9/"Not Fragile" (Bachman-Turner Overdrive) ft. John Aquilino (4:07)  

10/"Auf Wiedersehen" (Cheap Trick) ft. Al Jourgensen, Brandon Yeagley, Charlie Benante (3:41) 

11/"L.O.V.E. Machine" (W.A.S.P.) ft. Dirk Verbeuren, Dave Alvin (3:44)  

12/"Love Hurts" (Nazareth) ft. Brandon Yeagley, Chuck Behler, Tyson Leslie (3:56)

13/"Eat The Rich" (Krokus) ft. Dead By Wednesday (3:50)

14/"Sheer Heart Attack" (Queen) ft. Bumblefoot, Doro Pesch, Charlie Benante (3:21)  

15/Over the Mountain (Ozzy Osbourne) ft. Ron Thal, Jimmy DeGrasso, Andrew Freeman (4:34)

16/"Sweet FA" (Sweet) ft. Todd Kerns, Bumblefoot, Shani Kimelman (6:14)  

17/Beth (Kiss) ft. Ron Thal, Tyson Leslie (2:47)

18/"Say What You Will" (Fastway) ft. Troy Lucketta, Mark Slaughter (3:16) 

19/Downed (Cheap Trick) ft. Chip Z'Nuff, Mike Heller, Drew Frontier (4:52) 
Total Runtime: 1hr 16 minutes

David Ellefson, best known as the bass of the heavy metal band Megadeth is back with another venture, this time he’s gathered a handful of musicians for a full album of cover songs. This might not sound like anything groundbreaking as it’s been done countless times by many different bands and musicians, but this time these songs are performed to their fullest with some of rock and metal’s best players.
This album of 19 songs is called “No Cover” which is appropriate as Ellefson and crew take the original song and add musical ignition fluid to each and every song.

The album itself covers a who’s who of metal and rock acts of the last forty years. Ozzy Osbourne, Motorhead, Judas Priest, Kiss, Queen. The album also recognizes a few different acts that aren’t household names like Fastway, Fight, and Nazareth.

The songs chosen are also not the overdone versions everyone chooses for their cover albums (with the exception of “Beth” by Kiss). The album starts out rolling with “Freewheel Burning” by Judas Priest. Vocal duties go to Jason McMaster (who many will remember from his band from the 80’s Dangerous Toys). Other vocalists enlisted for this album include Mark Slaughter, Todd Kerns, and even Al Jourgensen, who makes Cheap Trick’s “Auf Wiedersehen” his very own.

Other very notable musicians include Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (guitars), Dave Lombardo (drums), Charlie Benante, and Chip Z’ Nuff. This album is for fans of timeless music that has been recorded through a different view with still staying true to the original material. No Cover by Dave Ellefson and crew is a cover album with nineteen songs that have all the energy and angst as they did when they were first recorded years and decades ago.
5 out of 5 stars

Full list of Musicians

– Charlie Benante (Anthrax)
– Eddie Ojeda (ex-Twisted Sister)
– Brandon Yeagley (Crobot)
– Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth)
– Frank Hannon and Troy Lucketta (Tesla)
– Mark Slaughter
– Jason McMaster (Dangerous Toys, ex-Watchtower, Evil United)
– Greg Handevidt (Kublai Khan, Ex-Megadeth)
– Chuck Behler (Ex-Megadeth)
– Gus G (Firewind)
– John Aquilino (Icon)
– Doro Pesch
– Dave McClain (Sacred Reich, ex-Machine Head)
– Dave Alvin (White Trash)
– Todd Kerns (Slash Feat. Myles Kennedy And The Conspirators)
– Andy Freeman (Last In Line)
– Jacob Bunton (Mick Mars)
– Dead By Wednesday