Metal Allegiance Album: 10 Tracks Reviewed & Ranked

5. Pledge Of Allegiance

Vocals: Mark Osegueda Lead & Rhythm Guitars: Alex Skolnick Bass: David Ellefson Drums: Mike Portnoy Additional Lead Guitar: Charlie Benante, Gary Holt & Andreas Kisser If you were thinking the album was playing things a bit too simple by focussing on chugging riffs, Pledge turns up to turn on the fancy switch, birthing a sick pull-off pattern that gives way to a composition positively revelling in giving its quad-guitar attack room to breathe. Verses are topped off by each six-stringer trading the spotlight - something that any modern-day Anthrax fan will be glad of, as Benante's guitar work is very rarely showcased. Naturally it's Holt, Kisser and Skolnick who provide the most sonically-satisfying parts that make you hope for a string of live dates to bare witness to everything in person, but the tone of the track is a total album highlight, a headphone jack of purely old-school high-speed metal, plugged straight into your primal cortex when you need it most.