{"id":7552,"date":"2025-07-19T07:47:09","date_gmt":"2025-07-19T07:47:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/7552\/"},"modified":"2025-07-19T07:47:09","modified_gmt":"2025-07-19T07:47:09","slug":"king-ultramega-alice-in-chains-anthrax-mastodon-metal-allegiance-drop-a-cover-of-soundgarden-classic-rusty-cage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/7552\/","title":{"rendered":"King Ultramega (Alice In Chains, Anthrax, Mastodon, Metal Allegiance) Drop a Cover of Soundgarden Classic \u201cRusty Cage\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>A tribute project to the legacy of Chris Cornell, King Ultramega have just released a cover of \u201cRusty Cage,\u201d originally by the late singer\u2019s iconic grunge band, Soundgarden. In addition to metal and rock luminaries, the album was mixed by Josh Wilbur (Lamb of God). Delivered in collaboration with Reigning Phoenix Music records and MusiCares, it is the collective\u2019s debut and comes with an animated lyric video. Watch it below and find out more.
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Stream \u201cRusty Cage\u201d here: Listen HERE: https:\/\/kingum.rpm.link\/rustycagePR<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cChris Cornell\u2019s voice and presence meant so much to so many, including all of us at MusiCares. He and his loved ones have long championed the importance of our work, and it\u2019s deeply meaningful to see his legacy continue through a project that brings connection, awareness, and hope to the music community.\u201d \u2014\u00a0 Theresa Wolters, interim executive director and VP of health & human services, MusiCares<\/p>\n

King Ultramega is an all-star collective featuring original members of\u00a0 Alice In Chains, Anthrax, Mastodon and Soundgarden, alongside legendary artists from the hard rock and metal worlds. With each single release King Ultramega will feature different musicians that aim to celebrate Cornell\u2019s musical genius while raising critical funds and awareness for MusiCares, the Recording Academy\u2019s nonprofit providing mental health, addiction recovery, and emergency services to those in the music community.<\/p>\n

The lineup for \u201cRusty Cage\u201d includes William DuVall (Alice In Chains), Bill Kelliher (Mastodon), Mark Menghi (Metal Allegiance), and Charlie Benante (Anthrax, Pantera). DuVall approaches Cornell\u2019s towering vocal legacy with reverence and restraint. \u201cI just leaned into my love for the song and my immense respect for Chris,\u201d he says. \u201cSince the instrumental track Bill, Charlie, and Mark sent hewed so closely to the original, I thought it best for me to stay in that ballpark as well. Again, my reason for participating was simply taking on an interesting challenge when so much of the world was shut down. I had no thoughts or ambitions for this beyond our posting it on social media five years ago. But if this release can help further the good work done by MusiCares, then I\u2019m all for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelliher faithfully channels the song\u2019s jagged, shifting riffs, while Menghi injects a dose of low-end swagger, including a bold bass-wah section in the song\u2019s doom-laden second half. Benante captures Matt Cameron\u2019s explosive style with precision and feel, staying true to the song\u2019s \u201ctight but loose\u201d groove.<\/p>\n

King Ultramega is more than a tribute, it\u2019s a movement. The collective will continue releasing new interpretations of Cornell\u2019s work across Soundgarden, Audioslave, Temple Of The Dog, and his solo career, each track featuring rotating guest musicians and collaborators. Proceeds from every release will benefit MusiCares.<\/p>\n

More from King Ultramega:
King Ultramega is a passion-driven musical project honoring the life, voice, and genius of Chris Cornell, one of the most gifted artists of our time. It launches in conjunction with Soundgarden\u2019s long-overdue induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This project did not begin with a single, dramatic moment. Instead, it grew quietly and gradually, an organic result of years of conversations, inspiration, and deep reverence for a musician whose impact remains immeasurable.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is not a singular moment in time that led to this project,\u201d says bassist and producer Mark Menghi, the driving force behind King Ultramega. \u201cIt was a trail of events that led to the formation of King Ultramega and the evolving creation to pay tribute to the voice of a generation.\u201d<\/p>\n

It started in 2020, in the midst of the pandemic, when Menghi recorded a version of \u201cRusty Cage\u201d with friends. What began as a creative release soon became something larger. With every step forward, the project deepened in meaning and purpose. \u201cI kept crossing the mental roadblock of \u2018you are entering uncharted waters, are you sure you wanna do this?\u2019\u201d Menghi reflects. \u201cChris is one of those dudes if you cover, you better do it justice.\u201d The decision to continue became clear when Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil joined the project and re-recorded one of his own iconic tracks. \u201cOnce Kim got involved and re-recorded one of his own songs, I knew something was brewing,\u201d Menghi says.<\/p>\n

Thayil embraced the project wholeheartedly. \u201cI\u2019m super honored to record alongside all the amazing musicians appearing on the King Ultramega project,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m equally proud that it celebrates Soundgarden in this tribute to the songwriting of Chris. Ultra-admirably, everyone\u2019s participation is supporting the work of the MusiCares Foundation. Thank you Mark Menghi, Charlie Benante and Reigning Phoenix Music (RPM).\u201d<\/p>\n

For Menghi, this project is as personal as it is musical. \u201cI went through some very difficult times in my life. I should not be here right now, but I am,\u201d he shares. \u201cI like to think my past trials and tribulations helped me understand Chris just a little, hence the formation of King Ultramega.\u201d<\/p>\n

Song selection was guided by instinct. \u201cMy mood. It\u2019s really that simple,\u201d Menghi explains. \u201c\u201cRusty Cage\u201d was recorded simply because it\u2019s one of my favorite songs featured on one of my favorite records.\u201d Other songs came to Menghi during moments of reflection and inspiration. \u201cThere is a bunch more in the can right now, all with drums fully recorded, which are currently being worked out for future releases.\u201d<\/p>\n

The goal was never to reinvent Cornell\u2019s work. It was about honoring it with the respect it deserves. \u201cIt really is only about honoring the legacy of Chris Cornell. Nothing more,\u201d Menghi says. Each musician brought their own voice, but always in service to the song and to Cornell\u2019s memory.<\/p>\n

\u201cEach musician has their own individual musical stamp,\u201d Menghi explains. \u201cYou hear the absolute best of each one of them. You are talking about musicians who helped invent and shape musical genres and helped define their generations in popular culture, not just music, but society as a whole.\u201d<\/p>\n

The cast of collaborators is remarkable. Kim Thayil, Charlie Benante, Joe Satriani, William DuVall, Bill Kelliher, Alissa White-Gluz, Kenny Aronoff, Menghi himself, among many others. The mix of past friendships and new connections created a unique bond among them. \u201cI think back and go \u2018did I really ask Joe Satriani to do an instrumental reinterpretation of one of the greatest modern vocal songs ever recorded?\u2019 or \u2018what the fuck was I thinking asking the great Kim Thayil to re-record one of his own classic Soundgarden songs?\u2019\u201d Menghi laughs. Yet, no egos entered the room. \u201cEach participating musician saw the vision and understood that this is about honoring the legacy of not only an inspiring musician, but an amazing husband, father and man.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Menghi, Cornell\u2019s music has always been a constant presence. \u201cChris Cornell has been one of only a very small handful of musical constants in my life,\u201d he says. \u201cI never waivered, not once.\u201d<\/p>\n

Certain moments in the process were surreal. Recording with Thayil was one of them. \u201cI remember thinking back saying to myself \u2018holy fuck, I\u2019m on a Soundgarden song with Kim Thayil. What planet are we on?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Throughout it all, Menghi served as the project\u2019s creative director, always guided by one central question. \u201cHow would Chris like this?\u201d Every choice, from guest musicians to mixes to artwork, was measured against that standard. \u201cIf there is even a shred of uncertainty at any point in the process, back to the drawing board we go.\u201d<\/p>\n

The recordings were completed remotely over several years. The final tracks were mixed with care to ensure a cohesive sound that still captured the raw emotion of the performances. Hope is the underlying theme that runs through King Ultramega. It is an offering to longtime fans and an invitation for younger listeners to discover the timeless brilliance of Cornell\u2019s work. \u201cKU is just a blip in the Chris Cornell universe,\u201d Menghi says. \u201cWe are a subtle reminder that Chris was a true musical genius.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Menghi and his collaborators, King Ultramega is both a deeply personal labor of love and one of the greatest honors of their musical lives. \u201cTo be here thirty-plus years later paying tribute to whom I believe was the king of those times is one of the greatest musical honors of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lineup (\u201cRusty Cage\u201d):
William DuVall \u2013 Vocals
Bill Kelliher \u2013 Guitars
Mark Menghi \u2013 Bass
Charlie Benante \u2013 Drums<\/p>\n

Follow King Ultramega:
https:\/\/kingultramega.com\/<\/a>
https:\/\/music.apple.com\/us\/artist\/king-ultramega\/1819972210<\/a>
https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/artist\/3F1IccGSgeegyMUja41KJT<\/a>
https:\/\/www.deezer.com\/us\/artist\/330052681<\/a>
https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/kingultramegaofficial\/<\/a>
https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/share\/16ds3cn2SH\/<\/a>
https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@kingultramegaofficial<\/a>
https:\/\/x.com\/King_Ultramega<\/a><\/p>\n

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