Charlie Benante of Anthrax Slows Things Down with Cover of Massive Attack’s “Teardrop” Featuring Carly Harvey of Butcher Babies and Ra Diaz of Suicidal Tendencies

Anthrax drummer Charlie Benante and Suicidal Tendencies bassist Ra Diaz have teamed up for numerous covers during the COVID-19 quarantine, but now the two are taking on a literal downtempo approach with their cover of Massive Attack’s “Tear Drop.” This trip hop classic originally appeared on Massive Attack’s acclaimed 1998 studio album Mezzanine.

This take on “Tear Drop” features vocals from Carla Harvey of Butcher Babies, who is dating Benante, while the trio utilize the original’s keys and guitar lines. Benante and Diaz stay true to its iconic rhythmic structure, while Harvey passionately sings over the song, emulating the original’s sultry vocals. The video opens up with a beetle, which is similar to the beetle featured on the iconic Mezzanine cover, while bursts of purple flames pop up during certain lyrical moments.

“I was on tour in the UK/Europe when I got Mezzanine by @massiveattackofficial . I think it was 97/98 and I remember laying in my Bunk and being absorbed by the Music I was hearing,” Benante wrote on YouTube. “This was different than The Protection Record; It was Darker and the layered instruments created a dense listening experience…this album comes eerily close to giving me an out of body experience”

The three had previously taken on Tom Petty’s “Yer So Bad,” earlier this year, while Diaz and Benante teamed up with Testament’s Alex Skolnick for covers of Rush’s “Red Barchetta,” “Freewill,” “YYZ” and “La Villa Strangiato.” Benante and Diaz also covered  Billie Eilish’s “bad guy” and The Beastie Boys’“Check Your Head,” earlier this year, while also teaming up with hip hop legend Daryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run DMC for medley composed of Run DMC’s classics.

Benante has also teamed up with his fellow Anthrax bandmate Scott Ian and Nuclear Assault’s Dan Lilker for remote covers of Stormtrooper’s of Death’s “Speak English or Die,” (reworked as “Speak Spanish or Die”) “Chromatic Death” and the introduction of “March of the S.O.D.” The three are all members of Stormtroopers of Death, although the covers were performed sans frontman Billy Milano, while Faith No More frontman Mike Patton performed on their rendition of “Speak Spanish or Die.”

Photo Credit: Marv Watson