MYTHOLOGY

This is my first Derek Sherinian disc. I'm not a Dream Theater fan, so I don't have too many references to use as a backdrop. I do have an extensive collection of instrumental rock, jazz-rock, fusion and prog-jazz recordings.

Over all, this album has some great moments, like the Jeff Beck inspired A View from the Sky and Alpha Burst. Quirkiness in El Flamingo Suave (rather fun, in my opinion). Steve Stevens and Steve Lukather play some inspired and entertaining solos throughout. True masters of the craft. Tony Franklin lays down some tasty bass, too. I would have liked to hear him more out front in the mix.

We have Mahavishnu Redux with Jerry Goodman reprising his role as the perfect foil to Holdsworth, filling in for John McLaughlin. Rufus Philpot and Simon Phillips fill Laird and Cobham shoes admirably, but... Sherinian does Jan Hammer proud. Based on the way the solos come off, I assume this wasn't played live in the studio, solos are punched in. Too bad, the inter-play would have been grand in a live setting.

There are some horribly out of place moments, such as the River Song, a Zakk Wlyde tune that would have been better suited to his own release. I would have to say the same for God of War, a heavy handed spank-fest. It seems out of place among the more sophisticated and musical offering on the majority of tracks. A lot of squeals and superfast noodling that doesn't say anything that hasn't already been said on every Ozzy CD since 1985. Trojan Horse is another heavy for heavy-sake tune that runs in circles without saying anything, featuring guitarist Brain Tichy.

The most unrealistic moment occurs when mismatched guitar-slingers Zakk Wylde and his over the top, grind your teeth to nubs power-chording supports Allan Holdsworth's creative string work. The first solo arrives at around 3:40 as the music slows and a smooth undercurrent allows for a beautiful string skipping dance that swells and slithers for over a minute for the highlight of the tune, then it's back to bone jarring power- chords. Holdsworth skips along over the rough terrain before Wylde begins an onslaught of neck wrangled. Thankfully, Holdsworth gets to solo through the final minute like a beautiful bird trapped in hurricane.

A 5 to 4 split. Five good tunes that rate 3 to 3.5. Four tunes that would be better left to an Alice Cooper revival. I rated this album 2 stars, but in reality it should be 2.5. If you are a Sherinian, Stevens, Holdsworth or Lukather collector, get it. If not, buy your mother some flowers and give her a kiss on the cheek. She will appreciate that more than you would like this disc.

I thought Sherinian's previous album Black Utopia was good but this one's even better. The reason for this is that it has a greater variety of music that the previous album. Yngwie Malmsteen is not on this album but there's still plenty of heavy guitars courtesy of Zakk Wylde and Steve Stevens.

The version of the album that I have starts with 3 heavy guitar-based tracks (Alpha Burst, God of War and Day of the Dead). Then the real variety starts. El Flamingo Suave is a latin-based track and Goin' To Church is like instrumental gospel music. One Way Or The Other is where Jerry Goodman shows his skills on the violin in a way that he wasn't allowed to on Black Utopia. His violin is really at the front of the music here. After this, we're back on the heavy guitar music with Trojan Horse. Then, A View From The Sky is a lovely laidback guitar piece. The final track on the album (my version anyway) is The River Song. This is the first track that Derek Sherinian has done with vocals. The vocals are done by Zakk Wylde and sound a lot like Ozzy Osbourne singing War Pigs with Black Sabbath. All those years playing with Ozzy obviously had an effect on Zakk Wylde. This song is not a bad one but it's not really progressive either as it's in a similar mould to what you'd get with Ozzy Osbourne or Black Sabbath.

So on the whole, a diverse album with excellently-played music. Derek Sherinian's next solo album is due in May 2006.

Much like "Black Utopia" there is a lot of variety on this one, but certainly the heavier tracks are in the majority. A lot of the guests who were on "Black Utopia" are back including Zakk Wilde, Steve Lukather, Jerry Goodman,Tony Franklin, Simon Phillips and others. Some of the new guys are Steve Stevens who I knew as Billy Idol's lead guitarist in the eighties, but gained a whole new respect for him with his work on the Bozzio, Levin, Stevens cd I have. John Sykes is another guitarist I was very familiar with, having a BLUE MURDER cd from the eighties and knowing he also played lead guitar with WHITE SNAKE. Allan Holdsworth who needs no introduction also guests on this record.

"Day Of The Dead" contrasts Holdsworth fluid, fusion style with Wilde's heavy riffs. As Sherinian mentions in the liner notes Holdsworth has never been involved in something so heavy before. Check out Holdsworth after 3 minutes. Goodman adds some violin on this one as well. This is heavy and uptempo out of the gate, and it closes even heavier. "Alpha Bust" is a Stevens composition and it has such an amazing beat to it as synths and guitar(Stevens) rip it up. Stevens is clearly influenced by Beck on this one, he's incredible. "God Of War" features Sykes and Wilde on lead guitars. This one has a thunderous soundscape with outstanding guitar solos. "El Flamenco Suave" again features Steve Stevens this time on his nylon string guitar. This one is very latin sounding with these beautiful intricate sounds that are so impressive. "Goin' To Church" has Lukather on guitar. Before he comes in with his soaring melodies we get some organ to give it a gospel flavour. My least favourite tune.

"One Way Or The Other" is the Jerry Goodman show. He plays almost in a country style at first before he settles into a fusion style 2 minutes in and even gives a nod to MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA 3 1/2 minutes in. Holdsworth is on lead guitar. I have to mention the drumming of Simon Phillips which is a real highlight of this song. "Trojan Horse" is a tribute to Eddie Van Halen. It is very heavy early but lightens somewhat after 2 minutes but then it only becomes more furious. Brian Tichy does his best Van Halen impression. "A View From The Sky" is another Stevens composition and again a tribute of sorts to Jeff Beck. This song is mellow but it does get fuller to the point of passionate. Beautiful song. "The River Song" is the first vocal song on a Sherinian album. The vocals come courtesy of Zakk who brought along a vest that was worn in the past by Randy Rhodes, he also used his whammy bar that he very rarely touches. Sherinian put up a collage of his of Rhodes and Eddie Van Halen pictures and they just let Zakk play and sing. This was the result, a very BLACK SABBATH / ALICE IN CHAINS doom-like track. It's freaking amazing !

So yes i'm once again I am impressed with what Sherinian has come up with, although I prefer "Black Utopia" more.

Mythology from 2004 is an improvement over previous one to my ears, the jazz fusion elements are more present, living to a more polished sound, little more complex then before. This was my first Sherinian album that I bought when was released, and to me is among his best if not the best he ever released. The variety of arrangements are more choesive, the passages are well developed and with some fantastic jazz fusion elements melted with some more rockier ones. Again a real solid line up, again Zakk Wild is preset, I guess that Sherinian loves the prestation of this musician and invited again to take part to his solo work, nice job again. Pieces like Alpha Burst , The River Song with vocals this time, first piece on his solo album where appears vocal arrangements and smooth Going to church are good ex of how Sherinian understands and compose pieces these days. Excellent album, better then Black utopia, not perfect but a fairly good jazz fusion album with a touch , this time less prog metal elements. 3.5 rounded to 4.

2004, Derek Sherinian is here to offer another solo album to the fans of his personal productions.''Mythology'' was released on the InsideOut and Avalon labels in Europe/USA and Japan respectively, line-up/list of participants remains pretty much the same as on the previous album, still Sherinian had sent an invitation to Jazz-Fusion legend Allan Holdsworth to offer his guitar work on a couple of pieces.

Now, another great member of the all-time Fusion Hall of Fame has entered the gates of Sherinian, so expectations were really high for this one.I am pretty dissapointed to say that the result has taken the opposite direction.Sherinian seems to have forgotten about the sense of melody and for what this album will be remembered about will be the endless and tiresome keyboard noodling, extreme technical exhibitions and loose soloing.It's pretty weird to listen to some Hard Rock-in' guitars trying to get on track with Sherinian's fists of keyboard masturbation, the execution by all instrumentalists are reckless, virtuosic and even flawless, but you've to come up also with some decent composing to satisfy your fans.This is not the case.''Mythology'' relies too much on self-indulgent performances, the balance between virtuosity, melody, technique and composition has pretty much faded in my ears and the numerous solo exhibitions are hard to follow, not to say they're not particularly memorable after repeated listenings.The rise of Metal and Hard Rock elements in the place of more Fusion-oriented lines are sounding rather annoying, there are still pieces with interesting moments, like the monumental guitar work of Steve Stevens on ''Alpha burst'', the impressive atmospheric passages on ''God of war'' Sykes' solo and Sherinian's orchestral keys creating a few enganging minutes of well-constructed music or the Latin vibes of ''El flamingo suave'', but the majority in here is about virtuosity and technique, fast solos, egoistic exhibitions and nonsense Metal/Fusion pomposity.

Not meeting my expectations.Flawless in terms of talent and execution, but very low in what you'll recall after the listening.Little to remember actually, so be sure to like furious, bombastic music if you ever lay your hands on this...2.5 stars.