Filter, ‘Gimme All Your Lovin” – Song Review

At first glance, industrial metal and Texas-fried blues rock seem to go together like Lamb of God and Lady Gaga. So, when Filter were announced as one of the bands included on the forthcoming ZZ Top covers album, ‘A Tribute From Friends,’ you can be forgiven for doubting the results.

But frontman Richard Patrick and his band step up to the challenge. Filter offer up a reworked version of ‘Gimme All Your Lovin,'’ the first single from the Top’s classic 1983 release, ‘Eliminator.’ ZZ Top’s ‘Lovin’’ was a massive hit for the legendary ‘Little Ol’ Band From Texas,’ peaking at No. 2 on Billboard’s Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and helping ‘Eliminator’ sell more than 4 million copies in the United States.

That’s about as many records as Filter have sold over their entire career. Despite breaking through to the mainstream with hits like ‘Hey Man, Nice Shot’ and ‘Take a Picture,’ Filter are, at their essence, an underground act, a band more comfortable churning out aggressive metal music than they are garnering airplay on the pop charts. And that’s what makes their version of ‘Gimme All Your Lovin’’ so remarkable.

It has many of the same elements as 'Hey Man, Nice Shot’: pounding electronic drums; a throbbing, dance-inducing bass line; crunchy guitars; atmospheric synths; and Patrick’s trademark scream. Yet despite the obvious industrial tone of the tune, Filter still manage to stay remarkably faithful to the essence of the original. ZZ Top’s version has a distinct pop sheen to it, and so does Filter's, with the chorus -- "Gimme all your lovin' / All your hugs and kisses, too” -- worked in as a catchy hook that doesn't feel out of place amongst all the chaos.

‘A Tribute From Friends’ is set to drop Oct. 11. In addition to Filter, the disc features Nickelback, Mastodon, Wolfmother, Steven Tyler and Duff McKagan all paying homage to the legendary ZZ Top.

Listen to Filter, 'Gimme All Your Lovin''