There have been countless "cover albums" over the years, where established rock artists redo favorites from their formative years (
David Bowie's
Pin Ups,
Rush's Feedback, etc.), and the 2005
Michael Schenker release
Heavy Hitters treads upon similar terrain. Put together by renowned studio musician
Bob Kulick (best known to
Kiss fans as the brother of
Bruce Kulick, and as a guest guitarist on numerous
Kiss albums),
Heavy Hitters puts
Schenker together with quite a few notable names from both the heavy metal and classic rock genres. Featured are covers of
Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" (featuring
Tim "Ripper" Owens on vocals),
Pink Floyd's "Money" (with
Tommy Shaw),
Mountain's "Blood of the Sun" (with
Leslie West), and
Nazareth's "Hair of the Dog" (with
Paul Di'Anno). Also featured are a pair of tracks that are "
Schenker related" -- a cover of
UFO's classic "Doctor Doctor," while former
MSG singer
Gary Barden reunites with
Schenker on a cover of
Gary Moore and
Phil Lynott's "Out in the Fields." Other featured special guests include
Aynsley Dunbar,
Mike Inez,
Edgar Winter,
Tony Levin,
Rudy Sarzo,
Sebastian Bach,
Eric Singer, and
Mark Slaughter, among others. While undoubtedly longtime fans would have rather had a new studio album by
the Michael Schenker Group,
Heavy Hitters is your typical fun cover set, which at times serves as a glimpse into
Schenker's musical roots. ~ Greg Prato