MIRROR REALMS

Another year has begun the PIKE series shows no signs of slowing down although there was a little break over the holidays on January 7, BUCKETHEAD released his first album of 2016 which is PIKE 220 - MIRROR REALMS.

A very things are a given at this point:

BUCKETHEAD plays all the instruments

This PIKE is all instrumental

Released on January 7, 2016

The album clocks in near the half hour mark. This one at 29:08

This one has four tracks. One titled "Blue Side" and all the rest different parts titled "Mirror Realms"

"Blue Side" (17:10) is 2/3 of the album's length and starts off with some acoustic guitar accompanied by bass and drums. Hmmm, i'm trying to think of who this acoustic rock reminds me of but i can't place it. It has a rather new agey feel although it does slightly rock but never gets into high energy territory. Unfortunately track one of the first album of 2016 doesn't do much for me. It seems Mr Chicken Lover is stuck in a rut of constantly regurgitating these same endless jams that for the most part just sound boring. This one is basically the same riff carried on for over 17 minutes with some soloing. Neither the riffs nor the solos are interesting and a bad start for 2016. Meh.

"Mirror Realms Part One" (4:13) picks up the speed and enters metal territory. We are treated some thrashy chords with electronic effects. The timing is rather straight forward with some sporadic time sig changes here and there. The metal alternates with some electronica and some soloing is inserted here and there.

"Mirror Realms Part Two" (3:18) is a much more interesting number. It sizzles at breakneck speed and stuns with an aggressive funky bass, hot sizzling guitar and electronica madness. It has some progressive parts and really rocks. Very cool. Short and sweet.

"Mirror Realms Part Three" (4:27) is basically another track like "Part Two." In fact it's too much like part two. Nicely played but a little short on ideas like this whole album. Of all the gems tucked into the pile of albums that form BUCKETHEAD's slunk stack, this one is NOT one of them. Well played and enjoyable if it's the only PIKE you've heard but after 100 plus of these things, this is fairly meh.