Tag: Ghosts

Ellefson-Soto – ‘Unbreakable’ (2025) – Album Review (The Jeff Scott Soto Series)

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The debut Ellefson-Soto album was released back on October 7, 2022 and only 6 months later, David Ellefson and guitarist Andy Martongelli wasted no time in starting to write the next album. Starting April 2023, work began on the songwriting and over the next year and half the two would collaborate with Jeff Scott Soto on what would become the second Ellefson-Soto album called ‘Unbreakable’. Funny enough, it all started with a cover song. David suggest they cover and a Queen song and David knowing Jeff’s obsessive love of Queen, knew this would draw him back in. That cover was of “Death On Two Legs”. Then it was off to the races and squeezing things in when they could as these guys are always extremely busy. The band recorded the album at Rogue Studios in Wembley, UK by Alessio Garavello and produced by Chris Collier.

The band brings the veterans together with former Megadeth bassist and Grammy winner, David Ellefson and journeyman powerhouse vocalist, Jeff Scott Soto joining forces yet again to deliver something unique for the guys. Throw in the young guns of guitarist Andy Martongelli from Arthemis and drummer Paolo Caridi of Hollow Haze, The Bad Guy Experiment, and Cosmic Dead Ringers and the two dynamics merge to form a modern rock band that throws everything at you from thrash, to power metal, to even a little punk while still bring a heavy modern sound that takes this album to the next level.

The sound of this album is just as heavy as the first with a real modern rock sound. The band feels like they are way more comfortable with each other and they have developed their own sound and style and this whole album feels right. It feels collaborative as you can hear and feel all the elements that each member brings to the table. They also brought in a little help as well as we get not one, but two duets on the album. One with the great Tim “Ripper” Owens (Judas Priest) and another with the amazing Laura Guldemond (Burning Witches). It is not that Jeff can’t handle the vocals all by himself because we know he can, but It is a chance to spread their wings and show what this band is capable of doing while keeping things fresh for the listener.

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My Sunday Song – “A Place to Call Home” by Big Wreck

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For My Sunday Song #375, we are at the midway point with Deke’s Choices and this time around it is the song “A Place to Call Home” by the Canadian/American rock band Big Wreck. I say 1/2 American as the band originated in Boston, but ended up in Canada. The song is off their 2014 album ‘Ghosts’ and it is the opening track. The song wasn’t a single, but that track is a standout as it sets the tone for the rest of the album. The band are Ian Thornley, Brian Doherty, Paulo Neta, David McMillan and Chuck Keeping in case you were wondering.

The song was written by Ian Thornley and is about a common problem with a theme on belonging and finding your place in this world. Finding your place to call home basically. The song talks about being defined by your choices and accepting the consequences of said choices. Will making different choices or having a different background effect those choices or will you end up where you are regardless of how you were raised. A lot of thought and contemplation in this song and that is pretty cool.

The song opens with this really distorted, killer sounding guitar riff that drones on into an ominous choir of vocals that make this song seem almost otherworldly. When Ian comes in on vocals, there is an angelic choir feel to his vocals, very spacy and airy. The bass and drum lay down this heavy groove and with Ian’s vocals seemingly sounds a little Chris Cornell like which is really cool. The song is powerful and that chorus is huge. I am really digging this grunge type/Soundgarden sound and very bluesy vibe. A stellar track.

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