Raise Your Hands and Pledge Metal Allegiance in Anaheim [Photos]
Metal Allegiance, the all-star metal band consisting of core members Mark Menghi, Mike Portnoy, David Ellefson, and Alex Skolnick, put on what is becoming their almost annual show during NAMM week at the House of Blues in Anaheim on Thursday, delivering an almost two hour set of not only metal classics, but new material as well.
The NAMM weekend provides a perfect opportunity to find some of metal's finest all in one place at the same time and it was like a class reunion of sorts, with the core group rounded out by a stellar group of guest performers. Joining the core members on this outing were Mark Osegueda of Death Angel, longtime Sepultura guitarist Andreas Kisser, Chuck Billy of Testament, Gary Holt of Slayer and Exodus, John Bush of Armored Saint, Bobby Blitz of Overkill, Nita Strauss from Alice Cooper's band, and Cristina Scabbia of Lacuna Coil.
Opening with Metallica's "Hit the Lights" with Chuck Billy on vocals, the rotating cast performed everything from Exodus' "Bonded By Blood" to Testament's "Into the Pit." It was a full on metal extravaganza throughout the night.
Metal Allegiance also debuted a brand new song, "Mother of Sin," with Overkill's Bobby Blitz on vocals, before wrapping up the evening with a blistering take on Iron Maiden's "Number of the Beast." Check out our photos from Metal Allegiance's performance at the Anaheim House of Blues in the gallery below.