DEC BURKE

DEC (lan) BURKE, British guitarist and member of the well-known group FROST *, is also a founding member of the British group DARWIN'S RADIO and DILEMMA; good, powerful, almost greasy prog metal narrating themes of loss, hope, and today's race to materialism; complex, powerful, progressive rock, melodic rock ballads for his 4th album composed during confinement again. We note in fact his style prone to guitar drift on a strong and warm voice. Note members of PENDRAGON, PAIN OF SALVATION, DILEMMA and COSMOGRAF as luxury companions.

"Life in Two Dimensions" on the prog rock track of the stadiums, nervous enough to stay upright, soft enough to dance arm in arm! Chorus in chorus which ogles pop-rock, memory on BON JOVI. "Emergency" much more nervous to the point that it can recall the devastating riffs of PRETTY MAIDS, fast and incisive rhythm as indicated by the title which is eyeing on the CHEAP TRICK. "Sister X" follows at the same tempo, frantic riff bordering on hard 80's; a prog break appears at the end to justify belonging to this very open current. "This Time" and a cool ballad that plunges into the JOURNEY and others FOREIGNER, the charmeuse repetitive rhythmic acoustic guitar; a strong solo reminds us that it is often on the ballads that we find the most beautiful; the warmly melancholy cello finale gives it a pleasant touch. "Sunlight" and return to a prog rock metal sound with a playful air playing on the thundering bass bringing the title to tunes known in our subconscious.

"Love Steel" ROGUE MALE, MOTORHEAD in the distance; it smells like the 80's with a clear and fast tune, metallic, it's basic; you would expect a 'stadium' title and then a prog variation suddenly comes without realizing it! Attention more complex than it seems, the final guitar solo holds up well. "Energy" passes like a letter to the note with a river tune and a guitar solo that flows naturally. "Fly with Broken Wings" on a mid- tempo, jerky air, ballad again à la FOREIGNER; I give this as an example to try to indicate to you where you are going to start, the current sound, fast, more rhythmic, fruity, heavy metronomic length. "Paper Fortress" with its piano intro, go a little souvenir from the "Images" of SAGA; the track then goes off to a melodic rock ballad almost in frenzied slow, the DEF LEPPARDs come to mind on their emotional ballads; halfway through, the break a little messy, complex with hard riff, heavy bass and twirling synths all giving way to a deluge of notes for his guitar; a little nod to the rhythmic drums of "The Knife" by GENESIS or DEEP PURPLE, you will quickly understand. "Trap Door" for THE title, 10 intense minutes that go by quickly, a bit of the madness of DEVIN TOWNSEND, psyche synths, rising notes, which have difficulty getting out of the speakers because it is so compacted; we then go on a ballad posed for a while before setting out again on the frenzied final.

DEC BURKE didn't invent anything I can tell you, but he wrote a bitch ... good melodic prog rock album. Recent fresh sounds that eye the 80's without falling into it, we are in the reminiscences exclusively. A rock album which gets better towards the end with more progressive drifts and which suggests that a little more long tracks would have made a major album; I prefer the second dimension of the second side with a little more of everything, the last 3 being just perfect.

'Destroy All Monsters', the debut solo album from Frost* member Dec Burke, is an unfortunate album. While there are perhaps a couple of songs with potential (Promised is one of them), the rest of the songs are extremely bland and uninspired. However, I think that the real fault with this album lies in the mixing. Even the 'good' songs like Promised are dragged down by the quality of the mixing on this album. There are lots of unnecessary noises that have clearly been added in post production, like synthesized drums and weird vocal effects. It's like it's trying to be a dance album as well as a prog rock album, and ultimately failing at both.

Most of the songs on this album are quite short, which, not unusually, means that they have a drab verse-chorus structure. These verses and choruses are never very good, and with all of the mixing, the songs actually become very grating on the ears. Signs Of Life is probably the worst song on the album in this respect.

The artwork and the booklet is quite good in fact. It is a very professionally made CD, which could easily trick you into thinking that the music itself is good. Even though I don't understand the significance of Little Red Riding Hood with a gun, I like the image on the front. Inside the booklet, there is a picture spread across two pages of a house with 'Police Line: Do Not Enter' in front, and again, I fail to comprehend the significance of this. Perhaps this album is a concept album? Even if it is, I really cannot be bothered to listen more to find out.

Ultimately, this album is a poor release. There moments I enjoy on this album are few and far between, but I will admit that I quite like Promised, with its quiet build up, synth solo, heavy section, and guitar solo. The chords in that particular song are powerful, but the mixing hinders the effect, when they should have loaded it with bass. Still quite a well balanced song, and it deserves praise for having the potential. However, it is only that good when it is compared with the rest of dross on the album. I hate giving such a critical review to a small time artist, but the prog world deserves to be warned when there is a bad album out there.

Dec Burke is a british musician founding member of UK act Darwin Radio and also part of the Frost band. He decided to make a solo career in 2009 and in 2010' he release his first album under his name Destroy all monsters. To tell the truth I was not very impressed by this release. I mean the music sounds anything but neo, how is mentioned here on PA page, this is mainstrem crossover with pop elements and with that specific UK almost alternative sound. Above all this ingredients not very consistent, at least to e, the sound is muddy, unpolished and very garadge like, another low point for sure to me. All pieces are not necesarly bad, but without anything catchy or demostrative, the keybords almost doesn't exist only here and there and very low profile, the rst of the intruments are ok,\ but far from being something at least instristing if not original. Total lack of diversivity make from this album , to me to be a collectors item, nothing intristing for prog fans, comercial mainstrem alternative/crossover just good to be puted on TV. Sorry but I found Derek to be much more a musician with Darwin's Radio, because here is almost boring. If the next album is like this one, then I will forget for sure his name, at least under solo umbrella. 2 stars, one of the most unpleasent albums from 2010 so far from my collection. Where is the neo prog here, realy, I can't find anything under this genre on this release, not a single guitar chop remind me I'm listning to something close to neo zone. Strange cover art aswell, but not bad , the only intristig point in this album .