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Great Metal Fusion cd!

Mattowarrior | Madison, WI United States | 10/21/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Chris Poland and Megadeth should be credited for helping invent "Technical Metal" (having an influence on but not exactly being, prog metal) with their jerky rhythms and complex riffs on the first two Megadeth albums. After getting sober and deciding to strike it on his own in 1989/1990 (and ironically, recording with Megadeth on the demoes of Rust In Peace before leaving the Deth again- perhaps one day we can hear those demos!); Chris released this awesome solo album. Hints of Megadeth and the future Damn the Machine release are sprinkled throughout the album, which features some awesome shred guitar and fusion dynamics. The album begins with more of a metal sound and feel, and slowly adds more and more fusion chops and techniques to the mix, and by the end of the album the songs are pure fusion (albeit slightly more metallic in a certain way). Whether or not this was intentional I have no idea, but it creates for very interesting listening. The songs have hooks that slowly creep in, and I consider it a shred classic, even if its not on Shrapnel records! Get it now!"

Excellent metal guitar!

N. Jacobs | Fish Creek, Wi USA | 02/25/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Chris must have wanted to make a statement to Dave Mustaine with this album. Something along the lines of "hey, I'm not just a fusion guitarist playing as a hired gun in a metal band, I can actually write great riffs AND play shredding solos over them!" Chris rhythm playing is tight and fast, making this album almost as good as "Rust In Peace." In fact, if you probably added in some different elements (Like the beautiful harmonies on "Alexandria" and the wonderful acoustic segues in "Fall of Babylon") to "Rust In Peace," it would probably sound somewhat like this album. No vocals are present, so you can focus all your energy on this high quality music. I've heard Marty Friedman's solo albums, and they really don't compare to Chris. No offense to Marty, but Chris really plays with his soul. Listen to the acoustic break in the middle of "Fall of Babylon," as Chris bleeds out tortured harmonics and a truely emotional series of notes. Megadeth fans will love this album for its aggressive riffing and wild solos, but solo guitar enthusiasts will enjoy it as well. Imagine Eric Johnson playing speed metal and you've got a pretty good idea. Solid album and it flows effortlessly from one song to the next, making it possible to listen to it in its entirety."