Tag: Tim 'Ripper' Owens

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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Judas Priest – ‘Jugulator’ (1997) – Album Review (The Complete Albums Collection Series – Bonus Edition)

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After the ‘Painkiller’ Tour in 1991, Rob Halford had decided to leave the band. However, due to contract obligations he didn’t really leave until late 1992 as Halford did help with the 20th Anniversary celebration of the band with the greatest hits package ‘Metal Works – ’73-’93’. After that was overs, so was Halford. Now, according to Rob’s book ‘Confess’, his departure was merely a miscommunication. He said he was leaving to do just go do a solo project, but not technically leaving the band. The band took it as he was leaving the band, plain and simple. It took them 11 years to work that out because Rob was too scared to make contact and clear things up and Rob takes fully responsibility for that part.

In the meantime, the band moved on without Rob. They searched high and low and found their new lead singer in the strangest of places. The found Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens in a Judas Priest Tribute band called British Steel. When they heard him, they knew he was the one. That story inspired a movie in 2001 called ‘Rock Star’ with Mark Wahlberg that told of a story of metal band finding their new lead singer from a Tribute Band…hmmm…is this the bands 2nd time inspiring movies. Didn’t their legendary drummer turnover inspire part of ‘This is Spinal Tap’??? Crazy stuff.

The line-up was set, original members K.K. Downing, Glenn Tipton, Ian Hill along with drummer Scott Travis and new guy, Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens. Tim was not the only new thing about the band for this album, the band changed their sound and changed it big time. They didn’t go to a softer side, they went even heavier…much heavier. The band tuned down their guitars which completely change the tone of the album as that classic Priest guitar sound was gone. The album was pretty much a thrash metal album as there was not much melody and really no catchy choruses. This is the heaviest I think they’ve ever been. They were starting to lean towards heavier even with ‘Painkiller’, but this takes it to another level entirely. And you know what, with a new singer, it wasn’t a bad idea to try and change it up…might’ve been better if it wasn’t a Priest album because as a Priest album, I’m not sure this works. As another band name, might be just fine. We will see.

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