SUSPENDED ANIMATION

John Petrucci is the founding member, guitarist and composer for the prog-metal band Dream Theater and guitarist/composer for the instrumental act, Liquid Tension Experiment. John's work can also be heard on other notable acts like various years of the G3 project and the Explorer's Club 'Age of Impact'.

The album features John Petrucci who plays the guitar and produces the work. Dave Larue, who plays for one of John's biggest influences (Dixie Dregs and Steve Morse Band), does the bass work. Dave Dicenso is behind the drum set and Tony Verderosa plays the drums on track number three called 'Tunnel Vision'. Kevin Shirley, the mixer of Dream Theater's 'Train of Thought' and 'Falling into Infinity' albums, as well as the first Liquid Tension Experiment album mixed the album.

This is not good at all in my honest opinion. When I hear about artists that come out with solo albums. I expect something that we would see from Steve Hackett of Genesis, Steven Wilson/Gwen Aviv from Blackfield or the guy from Katatonia that I can never type correctly. Their solo albums are composed of things that they could never do in their respective bands, showing that they have other influences and more talent that they are perceived having. John Petrucci does not apply here. The music on this album is nothing that we haven't heard before in a sense. The solo's just seems like just more thrown in the basket like his solos in every Dream Theater song. They are also very 'shred' oriented, which is exactly what we hear in Dream Theater's music. So what can one say about this album after listening to albums that feature him chronologically? Wow, this guy can play fast.but don't we already know that since his debut album in 1989? The riffs also remind me a lot of the 'Falling Into Infinity' album, which were nothing to progressive, just simply hard rockish.especially on the 'Tunnel Vision' track.

The tracks on this album also seem to go in an order of how good they are. It really is just a gradually, or for some, an extremely downhill journey as the clock counts down. 'Jaws of Life' is the opener that has a pretty cool riff and simple yet cool sounding chorus. This track is seven minutes though, how can I describe it by those two things? Well, the rest is basically just a very long shred work, nothing you haven't heard before at all. 'Glasgow Kiss' is the most well known track on the record. This is because it has a very nice sounding intro. The rest of the track is again just Petrucci creating shred work, but that's all that is offered. The rest of the album is just downhill like I said before. We start to lose the tasteful chorus and intro riffs, and then it just becomes Petrucci's 50- minute solo spot. Don't get me wrong though, the solo's are Dream Theater esque, meaning he is hitting the right notes, but he is constantly going way too fast and there is nothing new being offered at the table, which is the point I am trying to make here.

This album is recommended for fans of Petrucci's work, not Dream Theater's. There is not a huge sense of composition's in the songs and we are lacking melody, it just isn't a fantastic listening experience were a bunch of talented musicians are working together to put out some strong tasteful songs. This could appeal mostly to fans of some shredding guitarists such as Yngwie Malmsteen or Chris Impelleteri. Not for fans like Steve Vai, Joe Satch or Paul Gilbert. Although not a Vai or Satch fan, I admit they do make a bit of an artistic statement with their music which is what Petrucci lacks. Again, just for collectors of an album that says it features John Petrucci, nothing more.

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