### F5: The reckoning

#### 06/01/09 || Euthanatos

I knew Dave Ellefson, former Megadeth bassist, formed F5 after he left Mustaine’s metal behemoth, and that he also got Jimmy deGrasso, also a former ‘Deth member, to join him. I had no idea, until now, what the band played, though. After listening to the album, I’m still not quite sure. For some reason I thought Ellefson would go the modern/new metal path, trying to cash in in what was hip. Actually, no, it’s pretty much your straightforward heavy metal, with melodic vocals and everything. It’s somewhere between power metal and traditional heavy metal, leaning towards the latter. Any good? Nope, pretty boring.

Every necessary element for a good album is here; there are some okay riffs, Dale Steele is a pretty decent singer, the drummer and bass player do not need introducing, so what’s missing? Uh, pretty much anything that makes an album interesting. No hooks, no catchy chorus, the song writing is just shitty all around.

This band reminds me of modern day, post-Max Sepultura. See, at first, it makes sense carrying on a band with the same name if only one member left. But if the member is the singer AND guitar player AND main songwriter? Well, fuck lot of sense that makes. It’s no wonder Sepultura albums post-Roots are so crap; no one left in the band could write a song if their life depended on it. So what does that have to do with F5? Well, not much, all I’m trying to say is that no one here has any talent for writing song. All great musicians, top notch, spit spot, but that’s not enough to cut it. Sorry. Move along. Go get yourselves hired by someone.

The cover: Some kind of biomechanic reaper.

3 Dave Mustaines laughing out loud out of 10.

- Information
- Released: 2008
- Label: OarFin Dist., Inc.
- Website: www.f5theband.com
- Band
- David Ellefson: bass
- Dale Steele: vocals
- Steve Conley: guitars
- John Davis: guitars
- Jimmy DeGrasso: drums

- Tracklist
- 01. No Excuse
- 02. I Am The Taker
- 03. The Reckoning
- 04. Rank And File
- 05. Love Is Dead
- 06. Through Hell
- 07. Wake Up
- 08. Cause For Concern
- 09. My End
- 10. Control
- 11. Final Hour