MOVEMENT AND DETAIL

Fusion is a type of music where one release doesn't sound to different from any other, some claim. South Carolina based outfit Bolt does their best to disprove such a claim.

With a clinical approach to music, they have produced an instrumental release that sound planned and calculated from start to finish. The overall soundscapes are cold and sterile, giving many of the songs an alien feel.

There's quite a few good tracks here though, and fans of instrumental rock as well as liberal-minded fusion fans should checking these guys out. Not everyone's cup of tea, but it'll be a nice surprise for the adventurous that do like what these guys has to offer.

BOLT are from Columbia, South Carolina which is kind of cool because we go through or around that city when we go to Florida. I always thought it would be great to live that far South.The band is really a duo of guitar and bass with a guest drummer helping out on this album.They do play other instruments like Korg, casio and loops. In fact the music is all about creating moods as we go from atmospheric sections to almost Metal to a very Fusiony style. It's all instrumental too. I actually had a review prepared for this album a couple of years ago but when I went to submit it I noticed the band wasn't added here yet.That's probably happened about 5 times to me over the years. It's always funny looking back on it but at the time not so much.

"The Devil's Paintbrush" has this catchy guitar melody that eventually leads the way then drums and bass come in before a minute. A great rhythm to this one. "Stryker" is more uptempo but it does settle 2 minutes in and the guitar leads. It kicks back in after 3 minutes. "Anaphase" opens with intricate guitar and drums then it kicks in before a minute. Some nice deep bass before 2 minutes. Great sound 3 minutes in with huge bass lines. I really like this one. "Variables" has a fairly heavy rhythm as the guitar plays over top. A good energetic track. "Invasion" opens with a dark atmosphere but drums and chunky bass take over quickly.The guitar joins in too. An ethnic sound comes and goes. Check out the distant sounding screams before 2 1/2 minutes.

"Skydiving With A Life Preserver" opens with drums before guitar and synths join in.This is great ! I like how it slows right down slowly to end it. "Vendetta" is a very intricate track.The tempo picks up 4 1/2 minutes in then it turns experimental.The end of this track is so funny as they've recorded real messages sent to them from people telling them what they thought of their music. Hilarious. One guy tells them that they should just go and kill themselves. "Knocking On' is catchy little number with the vocals shouting "knock, knock" once in a while. "Vanilla" sounds amazing. It all sounds so clear and the drumming so crisp. Keys end it. "Sour" sounds really good with that high pitched guitar while bass and drums support. "Kick" ends the album in an uptempo manner. Not the best way to end the album but it's okay.

A low 4 stars for sure but i'd feel bad giving this 3 stars because it's very well done. For fans of Fusion.

10T Records are a progressive label from Georgia that have already signed some interesting acts such as Frogg Café, Man On Fire and Little Atlas and here they are with their debut release Bolt's 'Movement and Detail', the follow up to their 2003 'Circadian Rhythm'. All three members are credited with vocals but don't let that fool you as what we have here are a trio of musicians who are producing extremely complex instrumental music with nary a vocal in sight. This is extremely complicated stuff, with rhythms and melodies being intertwined, repeated and then take off into new tangents. In some ways it is unsettling music to listen to ? they have obviously been paying close attention to Adrian Belew and Robert Fripp ? yet there is also something strangely compelling about it.

There is the feeling that this has been highly devised and designed, and little is left to chance or improvisation. They do bring in some jazz elements from time to time but mostly this is about creating music that is seeking to provide something that is outside of the norm with the rhythm section being as carefully crafted and organic as the melodic guitar which is always striving onwards. There are some keys, but these are often left behind as the trio get on with producing music for their own world. www.10trecords.com