ELLEFSON, the eponymous solo band of Grammy-Winning Megadeth bassist and co-founder David Ellefson, earlier this week announced signing to EARMusic (Europe) and Ward Records (Japan) for the release of their upcoming full-length covers release NO COVER, which will be released Worldwide 11/20 in conjunction with Ellefson’s revived COMBAT RECORDS, who will release the album in North America via AMPED. The band also released the video for their cover of the Cheap Trick classic “Auf Wiedersehen”, featuring guest appearances from Ministry’s Al Jourgensen, Anthrax’s Charlie Benante, and Crobot’s Brandon Yeagley, alongside bassist Ellefson, vocalist Thom Hazaert, and guitarist Andy Martongelli.

Also today, October 9th, proclaimed DAVID ELLEFSON DAY by the Mayor of David’s hometown of Jackson, MN, the band has announced a handful of upcoming tour dates, including late October Texas dates with SALIVA, The Crowned, and A Killer’s Confession, and a week of November CD release shows for NO COVER, with The Crowned. The shows will be limited capacity club dates, following all state and local safety protocols, social distancing, and capacity guidelines.

Says Ellefson, “We’re all trying to make sense of everything right now. We got offered the shows in Texas with Saliva several months ago, and as things opened back up, we thought if they could be done as safely as possible, for us and our fans, it might be possible to do them. So we decided to try. And with NO COVER coming out in November, we wanted to try and play a few intimate, limited capacity shows around the release, just to get out briefly and say hello to the fans.

We have safety plans and protocols in place for capacity, limited interaction meet and greets, etc, and we think we can still have fun, play great shows, and keep everyone safe. These aren’t massive shows, they are very intimate club events, some with extremely low capacity, which we are hoping will make it possible for us all to stay as safe as possible and have some fun and semi-normalcy for a night. And as you can imagine, we are as excited to go out and play, as fans seem to be to see us.”

With Saliva, The Crowned, A Killer’s Confession 

10/30 San Antonio, TX – Historic Sunset Station 

10/31 Slidell, LA – Browns Village Plaza 

11/1 Houston, TX – Barge 295

With The Crowned 

11/18 – Pekin, IL – Twisted Spoke Saloon 

11/19 – Indianapolis, IN – Emerson Theater 

11/20 – Chicago, IL – WC Social Club (NO COVER Album Release) 

11/21 – Green Bay, WI – Phat Headz II (NO COVER Album Release)

Also earlier this week, ELLEFSON anounced an updated release schedule for NO COVER, chalked up to unexpected medical situations for vocalist/co-producer Thom Hazaert.

Says Hazaert, “There’s no easy way to say it, but in July, right in the middle of recording the album, I had massive heart failure, and went into cardiac arrest. My heart literally stopped for several minutes, and I was revived at the hospital. There was a long recovery, but we managed to finish the record, and secure amazing deals with our friends at EARMusic, and Ward, but obviously we had to revisit our timeline a bit. And literally, maybe a month and a half later we were in Los Angeles, at Al’s house, shooting the video for “Auf Wiedersehen”. I’m just extremely humbled and thankful to be here to not only be able to finish this incredible record, but be able to see it released Worldwide with incredible labels, which really almost wasn’t the case.”

He adds, “Originally we had envisioned NO COVER as a smaller, limited release “quarantine project” we were doing for fun with a bunch of our friends, really just to not have to release our studio album during the pandemic. But as it neared completion, and we really got to see the scope of what it was turning into, we realized it was worthy of so much more.

I have a long history and friendship with Max at EARMusic, and they are an incredible label, and home to some of our favorite artists, and friends – Alice Cooper, Def Leppard, and more, and we are ecstatic to be able to partner with them for not only this release, but future ELLEFSON releases as well. WARD had already released Sleeping Giants for us last year in Japan, and we had secured a deal with them for our upcoming 2021 studio album, so it was a natural fit when we went to them with the idea of partnering with us on No Cover.”

Adds Ellefson, “It really was a crazy, whirlwind process, not only making such an involved album so fast, but also remotely, during a pandemic, with not only dozens of guests, but the entire band, spread around the Globe. And then, almost losing our singer in the middle of it. But at the end of the day, it turned out better than any of us had hoped, and really was one of the most fun records I’ve ever made. It’s been great to pull so many great and positive things out of 2020, despite all the challenges.”

Produced by Ellefson and Hazaert, with additional production by guitarist Andy Martongelli and Matt LaPlant (Nonpoint, Skindred, Lil’ Jon), mixed by Alessio Garavello, and mastered by Maor Appelbaum (Faith No More), No Cover includes Ellefson-ized versions of 19 classic tracks from Motorhead, WASP, Def Leppard, Cheap Trick, Queen, Judas Priest, Twisted Sister, Fastway, Fight, Dead Kennedys, and more. Featuring cover art by Melody Myers (Ellefson, Altitudes and Attitude, Escape The Fate), an homage to the legendary Def Leppard debut On Through The Night, No Cover is the second release under the ELLEFSON banner, the follow-up to 2019’s Sleeping Giants, a double-disc compilation combining new tracks, with unreleased Ellefson solo, and F5 material.

ELLEFSON, featuring Ellefson on bass, Vocalist Thom Hazaert, Guitarists Andy Martongelli and Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (Sons of Apollo, Yes, Ex-Guns N’ Roses), and drummer Paolo Caridi, are joined on the album by a who’s who of legendary guests including Charlie Benante (Anthrax), Eddie Ojeda (Twisted Sister), Brandon Yeagley (Crobot), Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth), Frank Hannon and Troy Lucketta (Tesla), Mark Slaughter, Jason McMaster (Dangerous Toys, ex-Watchtower, Evil United), Greg Handevidt (Kublai Khan, Ex-Megadeth), Chuck Behler (Ex-Megadeth), Gus G, John Aquilino (Icon), Doro Pesch, Dave McClain (Sacred Reich, Ex-Machine Head), Dave Alvin (White Trash), Todd Kerns (Slash & The Conspirators), Andrew Freeman (Last In Line), Jacob Bunton (Mick Mars), Al Jourgensen (Ministry), Russ Parrish (Fight), Dead By Wednesday, and more.

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