Because March 31 was a Friday (new release day in the U.S.) and so many people were (foolishly) pushing their April Fool’s jokes forward a day to take advantage of the working crowd, the news of “Metal Disney” was unfortunately timed. No, it is not a joke, and yes, it is very real. Released last Fall in Japan via Disney Music Group, Metal Disney is the first album by the D-Metal Stars, a group consisting of Obsession vocalist Mike Vescera and guitarist John Bruno, with former Ozzy Osbourne bassist Rudy Sarzo and drummer BJ Zampa (who also did a stint in Obsession). The 11-track compilation features symphonic power metal versions of iconic Disney themes, legitimized into the metal genre with an official stamp of approval from Mickey Mouse himself.
Disney Metal – D-Metal Stars Tracklisting:
- Introduction
- Mickey Mouse March (The Mickey Mouse Club)
- I See the Light [feat. Demon Kakka] (Tangled)
- A Whole New World (Aladdin)
- It’s A Small World
- Beauty and the Beast
- Under the Sea (The Little Mermaid)
- Go the Distance (Hercules)
- Can You Feel the Love Tonight (The Lion King)
- Disney Medley – Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo (Cinderella), Heigh-Ho (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious (Mary Poppins), Winnie the Pooh, Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah (Song of the South)
- When You Wish Upon a Star (Pinocchio)
As Rolling Stone pointed out, this isn’t quite the first time that Disney has chosen to work with metal artists, as the Nightmare Before Christmas-inspired Nightmare Revisited featured the likes of Korn and Marilyn Manson, but Metal Disney is certainly the most straight-forward. Thing is, “Disney Metal” could be a sub-genre on its own, with thousands of homegrown Disney covers available on YouTube, an explosion that really came with Idina Menzel’s “Let It Go” from FROZEN inspiring the likes of Betraying the Martyrs and Leo Moracchioli to get in on the action. As I can tell you, there are legions of metal fans who cross over into the realm of hardcore Disney fandom.
Stream Metal Disney below thanks to Spotify, or pick it up via Amazon…
