Grammy-winning Megadeth bassist David Ellefson has announced more details for SLEEPING GIANTS, a companion LP to his upcoming memoir MORE LIFE WITH DETH (out July 16th via Jawbone Press). In stores July 19th on COMBAT RECORDS, SLEEPING GIANTS will be a retrospective featuring several new tracks, plus a collection of demos and unreleased material from F5 and David’s other projects, remastered by Richard Easterling. Featuring artwork and photos by Melody Myers (Altitudes and Attitude, Marc Rizzo, Escape The Fate) Sleeping Giants will also include a second bonus disc, featuring a compilation of EMP and COMBAT RECORDS Artists including Last Crack, Dead By Wednesday, Doyle, Mark Slaughter, Ron Keel Band, Hatchet, Wrath, Marc Rizzo, and more.
Produced by Ellefson and his partner, and MLWD co-author, Thom Hazaert, (who also provides vocals for the new tracks), with additional production from ICON guitarist John Aquilino at the Platinum Underground in Phoenix, Sleeping Giants is set to include a multitude of guests including legendary MC Darryl “DMC” McDaniels, who shares vocals with Hazaert on the title track, Mark Tremonti, Eric AK (Flotsam and Jetsam), Ken Mary (Alice Cooper, Flotsam and Jetsam), Steve Conley (Flotsam and Jetsam, F5), Ethan Brosh, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Dave Sharpe and Opus Lawrence of Dead By Wednesday, Illias Papadakis (Memorain), Dave McClain (Machine Head, Sacred Reich), Andy Martongelli (Altitudes and Attitude) and more, plus a remix by Game Of Thones star Kristian Nairn (Hodor), and unreleased songwriting demos featuring vocals by John Bush (Armored Saint/ex-Anthrax), and David Glen Eisley (House of Lords, Giuffria).
“Hammer (Comes Down)” also features a long-awaited fan reunion, as in addition to a laundry list of Metal luminaries including Mark Tremonti, Eric AK (Flotsam and Jetsam), and Dave McClain and Joey Radziwill (Sacred Reich), the track features former Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland, which will mark Ellefson and Poland’s first commercially released collaboration since Megadeth’s iconic Peace Sells.. But Who’s Buying?
Says Ellefson, “It was great to reconnect with Chris, musically and personally, who is still, and always has been, one of the most innovative players in Metal. When we were working on putting together the record, Thom had brought up the idea to Chris of him playing on a track, and somehow it all worked out. Add some killer solos from Chris Poland, onto a song that already features Mark Tremonti, Dave McClain, and Eric AK from Flotsam, and you can only imagine how incredible it came out. It’s truly an epic collaboration, and we couldn’t be more excited about it.”