Jimmy Kay from Canada's The Metal Voice recently spoke to Metal Allegiance, Testament guitarist Alex Sckolnick.
Photo Credit by Scott Braun
In this fun chat Alex talks about the upcoming Metal Allegiance show on Jan 25, 2024 at the House of Blues in Anaheim. He also talks about the history of Metal Allegiance and discusses the personalities of the core group and the guests who have participated over the years as well as future plans.
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Asked why he joined Metal Allegiance
"It was a lot of fun to do and it was a very different situation from working with Testament which is a band I didn't form initially. I'm grateful that we've (Testament) continued and we've sort of found this whole second life. I'm involved in the composition of some of the best known (Testament) music but in the studio the rhythm guitar you hear isn't me so for the most part. It is on some of the earlier records and there's sections here and there but mainly Eric (Peterson) plays the role of like James Hetfield on the rhythm guitar of Metallica or Dave Mustane in Megadeth or Scotty Ian (Anthrax). It's hard to find examples where you hear my (guitar) tone (In Testament). Yes with solos but not as much with rhythm guitar. With Metal Allegiance you I got to be the foundation of it. That's all my my ton, those are my riffs. Some of the riffs we co-wrote or maybe somebody else in the group wrote but both the Metal Allegiance records I got to lay down the foundation as well as adding the um the frosting to the cake."
When asked to say a few words about the Metal Allegiance members and guests, as artists and as people
John Bush
"Just a gentleman off stage, polite. He exudes rock and roll could be an everyday guy so some folks might be surprised to find that he's just this powerhouse vocalist. But also a consummate professional and just believes in getting it right. He's not going to leave the rehearsal until it's gotten right and it's an inspiration."
Mike Portnoy
"Just a lovely guy. Larger than Life on the drums and personality as well. An encyclopedia I mean you can call out songs by Frank Zappa or King Crimson or Stevie Wonder and he'll know it and he'll at least be able to play a recognizable part of the song. He also can do riffs on guitar and bass. He's really an all around multi- instrumentalist and he can do vocals. He's great to work on songwriting because he's really a take-charge kind of person. He has a Blackboard he'll do a road map and I'll think of a name of it's a very rock and roll way of doing it but in some ways it is like orchestration. So it's fun to work with somebody like that."
David Ellison
"David's one of the nicest guys in music, just a real genuine guy. I'm not going to bring up anything he's had a rough couple years you know. I feel so bad but just a sweetheart. He's got so much going on and he's just always working on something. Whether it's the record label, the coffee, he's got a lot of talents. A very distinct bass sound and it's just you know pleasure to work with David."
Mark Oseguada
"He's one of the few that could pretty sing almost every song, he's just got that type of range and just so much energy. I think the project has been great for him because he's been able to really show different sides beyond Death Angel. He's just got a lot more range and he can cover a lot of different styles and you really hear that with Metal Allegiance. He's just always fun to be around he just lights up the room when he walks in.
Bobby Blitz
"Bobby Blitz yeah l like a Soprano's character but not Italian. He could be like a wise guy. He could be the guy hanging out at the Bara Bing just cracking jokes. He's just hilarious and as funny as his voice is intense. "
Chuck Billy
"It's actually really fun for us because we can work together but in a completely different dynamic. Every band has its own dynamic but when he comes to Metal Allegiance I have this role that's very different. I'm not just the soloist, I'm directing and it's a lot of fun. He's incredibly quiet off stage, people expect the opposite because he's so intense on stage but offstage he's the opposite. He tends to be very chill and relaxed and uh but on stage that's where it all comes out."
Charlie Benante
"For a long time was very underappreciated. He's so Mega talented, multi- instrumentalist. He plays guitar well, plays keyboards well, does art, like a real Renaissance guy but if you only know him as the drummer for Anthrax you'd have no idea. So I think this project has been great to work with him and see that side. I've also done other outside projects with Charlie. We started doing tributes to Rush after Neil Peart passed away and that was during the pandemic, so our lockdown videos got a lot of attention. "
Cristina Scabbia
"You can't say enough great things. Her voice is operatic like on the level of somebody that does Opera but um works for heavy music. Incredibly unpretentious, funny, down to earth, no airs even though she'd have every right to just be a complete Diva because yeah know she's just a powerful presence on stage. Just incredibly unassuming, puts everyone at ease and fun to hang out with and fun to work with. Really pleasure to throw ideas back and forth and yeah this was a great opportunity to work with her. We're overdue to have her on stage live it's been a while."
When asked about other projects he is working on
"I recorded music last year with my Trio the my instrumental Trio, it's jazz guitar, it's called Alex Skolnick Trio. The whole album is recorded and is in the process of being mixed and mastered . I think we're going to drop singles this year and probably towards the end of the year or next year the whole record. "
On January 25th 2024, the band will re-assemble at The House Of Blues Anaheim for the bands 10th anniversary celebration (which will also coincide with the return of the Winter NAMM show). The night will be sponsored by Dean Guitars, ddrum and Heavys Headphones, with opening acts being Dieth, Held Hostage and QUOR.
Since the band's inception in 2014, Metal Allegiance is comprised of the core 4 members of (Mark Menghi – bass, songwriter, Alex Skolnick – guitars, David Ellefson – bass, and Mike Portnoy – drums), and has issued two full-lengths (2015's self-titled debut and 2018's Volume II: Power Drunk Majesty) and an EP (2016's Fallen Heroes).
In addition to Menghi, Portnoy, Skolnick, and Ellefson, the show will feature John Bush (Armored Saint), Chuck Billy (Testament), Troy Sanders (Mastodon), Brann Dailor (Mastodon), Andreas Kisser (Sepultura), Bobby Blitz (Overkill), Gary Holt (Exodus/Slayer), Doc Coyle (Bad Wolves / God Forbid), Hel Pyre (Nervosa) and Chris Poland (ex-Megadeth), among others in addition to their usual unannounced surprise guests.
METAL ALLEGIANCE began as a celebration of heavy metal, powered by the almost tribal bond shared between the extreme music community’s most revered trailblazers, armed with a list of contributors onstage (and off) that read like a Wikipedia entry on the genre itself.
On January 25th 2024, the band will re-assemble at The House Of Blues Anaheim for the bands 10th anniversary celebration (which will also coincide with the return of the Winter NAMM show). The night will be sponsored by Dean Guitars, ddrum and Heavys Headphones, with opening acts being Dieth, Held Hostage and QUOR.
The last time Metal Allegiance played at the House of Blues Anaheim was in 2020, right before the world shut down; the show garnered rave reviews, such as North East Rock Review saying "I have attended a couple Metal Allegiance shows over the years and they seem to get better every year. When attending the NAMM show, this is one of the shows not to miss." Additionally, LA Metal Media added, "Metal Allegiance is an incredible coalition of the metal community’s most incredible and notable musicians today; a coalition that pays tribute to some of the best metal music ever written. Be sure to check out this amazing assembly of metal greats if you can whenever they play live."
Metal Hammer raved about one of their past Anaheim shows, "Tonight the mayhem rises exponentially as a platoon of legends descends on the House of Blues – tucked deep in the heart of downtown Disney – even the besieged bar staff pause to witness the carnage.” while Cryptic Rock suggested, "Anyone who has the chance to see this should run, not walk, and join the Allegiance."
“When Metal Allegiance first came together in 2014, no one could have guessed that ten years later, we’d be planning this anniversary show. The world feels different now than it did then, but we’re still here, music still unites and that is cause to celebrate. Among the many MA highlights over the past decade have been our shows in Anaheim, which always create a lot of great memories. This time will be no exception and no better way to mark our ten-year milestone. See you there!” - Alex Skolnick
Tickets can be purchased starting October 13 via Ticketmaster here https://tinyurl.com/4zxafxvh
Also available will be a VIP upgrade package, which will include:
• Early access into the venue
• Exclusive pre-show Meet & Greet with members of Metal Allegiance
• Personal photograph & autograph signing with members of Metal Allegiance
• Collectible show poster (which they'll happily sign for you)
• Official Meet & Greet VIP laminate
• Crowd-fee access to the merch booth
VIP packages can be purchased via http://metalallegiance.bigcartel.com/product/vip-meet-greet-hob-2024
Please keep in mind that this is a VIP upgrade only. A ticket to the concert is required to attend pre-show meet & greet.
“I never in my life imagined a band like MA would exist, let alone write and record one record… here we are a few records, an EP and many shows/tours later celebrating our 10th year of existence. Pretty surreal. It’s been a minute since the ‘Core4’ have been in the same room. Excited to see my brothers, jam and laugh w/ them again. Only one place to kick off the festivities and that's our home away from home at the House of Blues in Anaheim Cal-i-forn-i-A.” - Mark Menghi
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