Alex Skolnick, guitarist for Testament, has teamed up with fellow musicians, Charlie Benante, drummer for Anthrax and Ra Díaz, bassist for Suicidal Tendencies, to cover “YYZ,” originally released by Rush. The three musicians performed the cover from their remote locations, and released the video on Charlie Benante’s YouTube Channel.
Starting off with an intense drumbeat, the three musicians appear on screen, with Díaz ripping an insane bass solo off the bat. Following the bass solo, Benante rolls the snare, matching Díaz’s energy.
Skolnick takes the spotlight, as he shreds away, performing an insane solo, with ease. The pace of the song calms down, as the members are visibly seen enjoying the music they are producing.
As the song progresses, the tone of the song takes a shift, as the sound of the bass is brought to the front. The members swing into groove as they are playing the final notes of the instrumental piece. The bass is heard playing the last note, ending the song.
During the release of the song, Benante mentioned in an Instagram post how Rush inspired the three members to become better musicians. He further stated how they were honored to play a little bit of “YYZ” for the listeners.
“We are honored to play a little #YYZ for you,” Benante wrote. “Hope this magic music makes your morning/afternoon/evening.”
Earlier last month, Chuck Billy, the lead vocalist of Testament, tested positive for the coronavirus. The band released an official statement through their Facebook account mentioning how they are also quarantining at home after receiving the news of Billy contracting the virus.
Photo Credit: Marv Watson
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