In a brand new interview with Scott Itter of Dr. Music, acclaimed laborious rock vocalist Jeff Scott Soto spoke concerning the standing of the second album from ELLEFSON-SOTO, his collaborative mission with ex-MEGADETH bassist David Ellefson. He stated (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “The file’s within the can.
“The best way Erik Martensson, he is the ringleader, the overseer [of Soto‘s W.E.T. project], David is that with ELLEFSON-SOTO,” Jeff defined. “He pulls the songs collectively, he will get the timing collectively, he will get the label aspect, all of the industry-side stuff collectively. I simply must loosen up and sit again whereas I am doing all of the million of different issues that I am doing, and I are available in after which I dive in and I put my enter.
“I really like working with David and Andy [Martongelli], who’s our guitar participant and in addition co-writer within the band. And I really like the truth that they permit me to be me.
“I’ve confirmed myself as an artist, producer, author, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, however there are nonetheless occasions the place I will do one thing they usually’ll go, ‘Hmm, [it’s] probably not what I believed you have been gonna do. Are you able to strive extra of this? Strive extra of that?’ I do not thoughts that in any respect, as a result of no matter is nice for the tune, the most effective factor for the tune, after all. However in the case of ELLEFSON-SOTO, I am actually, actually headstrong on the concepts I give you, and after I ship it to David, [I’m] like, ‘Oh, God, I hope he would not say, ‘Oh, I do not know, man.” And each time, him and Andy say, ‘House run. You knocked that one out of the park. That is superior.’ And that is what motivates me to wanna do extra and to offer my all into that, even that scenario, as a result of I do know if I am making them pleased with what I am delivering, I do know in the long run, it is gonna be a cohesive sound and mission.”
Relating to the songwriting strategy on the second ELLEFSON-SOTO album, Jeff stated: “It is bizarre as a result of the primary album, after we did it, it wasn’t imagined to be an album. I used to be doing songs with David and Andy. We have been simply writing songs and recording songs throughout the pandemic. And it was, ‘Hey, we’re on to one thing right here. We won’t give these songs to another person or simply use ’em as catalog music. Now we have one thing right here.’ And that is what made us put that out as an album. This time round, we truly went in to file and write an album. We did not say, ‘Let’s simply write songs and see the place it goes.’ We truly went in and stated, ‘That is the sound. That is what we created on the primary album. Now let’s develop on it.'”
He added: “It is actually, actually good. I do not hearken to my very own stuff that always until I’ve to study songs for a tour or a present, however I truly discover myself listening to this file simply to hearken to it.”
As for a doable launch date for the brand new ELLEFSON-SOTO LP, Jeff stated: “We’re getting collectively subsequent month to do photograph classes and movies and stuff like that. So I imagine it is late Might. I am not precisely certain of the precise timing.”
ELLEFSON-SOTO‘s debut album, “Trip In The Underworld”, was launched in October 2022 by way of Rat Pak Data. The duo was joined by Martongelli on guitar and keyboards and Paulo Caridi on drums. Giada Jade Etro from the Italian energy metallic band FROZEN CROWN made a visitor look on the tune “The Day Earlier than Tomorrow”. Steve Conley and Ken Mary from FLOTSAM AND JETSAM carried out on the title monitor, “Trip In The Underworld”.
“Trip In The Underworld” was produced by Chris Collier and featured eleven tracks and three bonus recordings.
The official music video for the “Trip In The Underworld” title monitor may be seen beneath. The clip was produced by Jamie Brown at Smokin’ Gun.
To formally launch the mission, Ellefson and Soto performed live shows in September 2022 in Italy the place they carried out among the music in addition to ran by varied catalog highlights, together with picks from MEGADETH and Yngwie Malmsteen. They have been joined by Martongelli because the musical director, in addition to Caridi on drums and Valerio De Rosa on rhythm guitar.
In March 2021 — two months earlier than David was fired from MEGADETH — Ellefson and Soto introduced that that they had been collaborating on some new materials beneath the moniker ELLEFSON-SOTO. The ELLEFSON-SOTO model of the RIOT basic “Swords & Tequila” was concurrently launched throughout all digital streaming shops by way of Ellefson‘s Fight Data.
When Ellefson‘s collaboration with Soto was first introduced, David stated in an announcement: “Jeff and I’ve been pals for thus a few years that it is nice to lastly collaborate on some materials collectively. He has such a particular voice and ideal type for some new concepts my guitarist Andy Martongelli and I’ve been composing. We’re excited concerning the progress of all of it and thought this may be an ideal time to offer a bit of sneak preview.”
On the time, Jeff added: “As COVID-19 turned an enormous unfavorable across the globe, it truly provided many artists an opportunity to lastly collaborate with each other that may have by no means occurred in any other case… As I’ve recognized David for a few years, I knew from our different efforts exterior of our day jobs that we may give you some badass jams…and right here we’re, letting you in on our cool little secret.”
David was in MEGADETH from the band’s inception in 1983 to 2002, and once more from 2010 till his newest exit.