Anthrax’s Scott Ian and Charlie Benante have teamed up once again with their former Stormtroopers of Death bandmate and Nuclear Assault bassist Dan Lilker for yet another virtual cover. The trio have teamed up with Fear vocalist Lee Ving this time around for a cover of Fear’s “I Don’t Care About You,” from their 1981 studio album The Decline of Western Civilization.
Their take on “I Don’t Care About You,” is a faithful cover of the punk original, with hard hitting drums, and quick guitar riffs that give the track a charged energy. Ving’s performs his vocals in a gravelly manner, recalling early 1980s punk rock, while Benante’s unique drumming help the track channel marry metal and punk.
Benante said that Ving reached out to Ian after watching their jam sessions on Instagram, which eventually led to this collaboration. The drummer stated that he was a huge fan of Fear and the vocalist, calling them one of Stormtroopers of Death’s direct influences.
“We are all such huge fans of Lee and FEAR. The Record, FEAR’s debut album was such a direct influence on S.O.D. They were hard as hell and twice as tight,” Benante explained. “I used to watch their performances in Decline of the Western Civilization over and over, marveling in their ability to not give a fuck.”
The trio of Ian, Benante and Lilker have also done remote covers of their Stormtroopers of Death catalog, taking on “Speak English or Die” (reworked as “Speak Spanish or Die”) “Chromatic Death” and the introduction of “March of the S.O.D.” They also teamed up with Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe to cover Discharge’s “Doomsday” and “The Final Bloodbath.”
Photo Credit:Raymond Flotat