Metal Allegiance presented a professionally recorded video of their live rendition of the Metallica classic "Whiplash," performed on January 22 at the House of Blues in Anaheim, California. The performance featured core band members Mike Portnoy on drums and Mark Menghi on bass, alongside special guests Troy Sanders from Mastodon on vocals, Andreas Kisser of Sepultura, and Doc Coyle from God Forbid on guitars. Notably, Menghi played Cliff Burton's bass, which was provided by Burton's family for the occasion.
Earlier in the month, Metal Allegiance released "Black Horizon," their first original song since 2018, through Reigning Phoenix Music. The track showcases Alex Skolnick's guitar work and William DuVall of Alice in Chains on vocals. The song explores apocalyptic themes with a dynamic composition marked by both gloomy verses and powerful choruses, supported by Menghi's bass and Portnoy's drumming.
In interviews, DuVall described the collaboration as a welcome creative challenge, emphasizing the complexity of the music and its narrative inspiration. He explained that the song's concept was influenced by contemporary discussions on space exploration and the hypothetical journey of ordinary people colonizing Mars.
Metal Allegiance started as a tribute to the metal genre and has evolved into a collaborative supergroup featuring trailblazing musicians from the metal community. With two albums and an EP of original music, the band continues to blend influences and showcase versatility through project members from bands like Dream Theater, Testament, Megadeth, and others.
Guitarist Alex Skolnick shared insights on how the group formed and its unique position in the metal scene, highlighting the members' diverse musical openness and the distinct identity of Metal Allegiance as separate from their other main bands. He also noted the growing fan base and the distinct nature of their live performances, which bring together musicians from various successful metal acts in a cohesive and well-organized setting.