Sleigh Bells front woman Alexis Krauss has teamed up with members of Poison the Well, Cloak, and High on Fire to perform a cover of Guns ‘N Roses’ “Rocket Queen” from the band’s 1987 album Appetite for Destruction on Two Minutes to Late Night, a metal parody talk show created featuring a slew of metal musicians. In addition to Krauss, the seventh rendition of Two Minutes to Late Night features Poison the Well’s Ryan Primack, Cloak’s Billy C. Robinson, and High on Fire and Wear Your Wounds’ Chris Maggio.

The cover stays true to the original nature of the song, while injecting more elements of metal rather than punk rock, with the heavy, percussive drums and heavily distorted guitar and bass. Despite all of the musicians’ different backgrounds, they show a clear chemistry playing with each other, as Krauss’ bandmates in Sleigh Bells is a former member of Poison the Well. The cover also offered some comedic relief throughout the song, as Krauss shows off her dog to the audience, and videos of dolphins are sprinkled in throughout the guitar solo. The cover definitely delivers, and is a welcome addition to Two Minutes to Late Night.

Other song covers that have been featured on the Two Minutes to Late Night series include White Zombies’ “Super Charger Heaven,” AC/DC’s “Riff Raff,” Danzig’s “Snakes of Christ,” Boston’s “Foreplay / Long Time,” Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train,” Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ in the Years,” Prince’s “Purple Rain,” and Weird Al’s “Dare To Be Stupid.”

Sleigh Bells had previously scheduled to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their debut album Treats, at the Brooklyn Steel in New York City on May 19, but the event was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Other than their appearance on Two Minutes to Late Night, Poison the Well have announced they have no plans to release new music in the near future.

Photo Credit: Sharon Alagna