Super-group ADRENALINE MOB has returned with a new covers album (and brand new US tour to support it). Reviewing an album full of covers is certainly different to reviewing an album of original material from a band, having said that lets check out what the MOB has to offer us on “Coverta”.

This is more an EP of sorts as it features 8 songs and the first thing you notice right off the bat is the band is fan of the late great Ronnie James Dio as they lay tribute to three songs that Ronnie sang on from three different era’s of his career, but more on each of those songs as we go along.

The EP opens with the great BADLANDS tune “High Wire”. This is a song the band has been playing live since it’s debut in 2011 and Allen is clearly a fan of the late Ray Gillen as he does a fine job with the vocals. I recently saw the band live on its tour for “Coverta” and they performed this track and they may have done it even better live! No doubt this tune is a great one even if it is maybe not considered a classic when standing next to the other songs the MOB feature on “Coverta”. I think it shows that the band has balls to lead off the album with this too.

Up next is the classic DIO track “Stand Up And Shout”. This is another song the band has been performing live since its start and again you can tell Russell Allen is a Dio fan as he clearly pulls off Ronnie’s vocals paying great homage to “the Voice”.

THE DOORS tune “Break On Through” is featured next and personally I was never a fan of this classic band. The version that ADRENALINE MOB features is more of a metalized offering than classic rock sound and that’s OK because the MOB are not a bunch of hippies from the 60’s! They make the song their own and that’s kind of what you want when listening to a band do a cover.

The VAN HALEN song “Romeo Delight” is a not-so-typical choice and that is kind of cool, so respect to the MOB for choosing it. Russell Allen’s vocals aren’t really in the style of David Lee Roth and you can tell the real star on this track is Mike Orlando. He pays tribute to EVH while adding his own style to the track. You definitely don’t think as much VAN HALEN on the track as the MOB again makes it their own just like they did with “Break On Through”.

The next track may seem like a real surprise as the MOB takes on the HEART classic “Barracuda”. It might initially seem weird they are taking on a song that originally was sung by a female but the song is one of those kick-ass classics that isn’t defined in that manner. They do a great job with both Orlando and Mike Portnoy shining.

“Kill The King” by RAINBOW is on offer next and it is the second track on “Coverta” that originally featured Ronnie James Dio singing it. The MOB version is slightly more metalized without the classic organ sound featured on the original. Again, ADRENALINE MOB almost makes this track their own and much respect to them for doing that with such a classic song.

LED ZEPPELIN’s “The Lemon Song” is tackled next and for the first time on “Coverta” the MOB tone down the metal style a bit and get into a more classic rock frame of mind. Allen does a great job with the bluesy vocal style of Sir Robert Plant and Mike Portnoy does a fine job paying homage to John Bonham while adding his own sound and style to the mix. And not to forget Mike Orlando, who shows his bluesy side along with his speed and technical ability.

“Coverta” ends where it all began for ADRENALINE MOB as the BLACK SABBATH classic “The Mob Rules” (another original RJD sung track) is covered. The band featured this song on their debut EP as sort of an introduction to the band and with the title cleverly tying into the band name it has become a signature of sorts and a track the band always seems to close out their live shows with. The cover is straight-ahead and has all the energy of the original.

“Coverta” features some not-so-typical choices along with some classic metal tracks by some classic hard rock and metal bands. I wasn’t quite sure we’d ever see another release from ANDRENALINE MOB as all the members have things going on with other bands and projects. Even thought a covers album isn’t exactly a “new” release it gives the band a chance to do another tour and hopefully it isn’t that last we hear from ADRENALINE MOB. With some of the songs these guys came up with on their debut album it’d be a shame if this MOB went to sleep with fishes!