For those who were wondering, yes, guitar shredmaster Chris Impellitteri is still one of the fastest guitarists on the planet. His new album with his band Impellitteri, featuring longtime vocalist Rob Rock, bassist James Pulli, and drummer Jon Dette, is titled Venom, set for release this April on Frontiers Records. The title of the album is very indicative of the material the band have written for this release, as it's chock full of songs featuring powerful vocals, furious rhythms, and most importantly, blistering speed of light solos & rampaging riffing.
You have to give Chris credit for creating some damn catchy, raunchy, powerhouse riffs for Origin. Yes, the lead guitar solos are mind blowing, but it's the riffs that pull you in, crunchy examples of intelligent heavy metal guitar thunder that will please any fan of the genre. The title track, "Nightmare", and "Empire of Lies" are just classic riff fests that you'll instantly be going into air guitar mode the first time you hear them. "Face the Enemy" slows things down to more of a Black Sabbath/Black Label Society mode, with some delicious bottom heavy groove, while the always dependable and still on top of his game Rock soars to the heavens on the raging "Domino Theory" amid some tumultuous riffing from Impellitteri. "Jehova" and "Time Machine" both hint at classical leanings, but make no mistake about it, each one are examples of driving heavy metal all the way, and the ultra catchy "Holding On" features some fine vocal melodies from Rock as the rest of the band cranks out lethal riffs & rhythms underneath him.
No disrespect to Yngwie Malmsteen, an equally talented virtuoso who probably started the whole shred thing back in the early '80s, but the Swede sometimes has a hard time actually putting together songs that you want to listen to besides for the guitar solos. That's not the case here at all; yes, the guitar solos are otherworldly and jaw dropping, but the songs are memorable, the riffs killer, and the vocals powerful & impressive. Great job by Mr. Impellitteri & Co., who have quite a fun metal record here with Venom that will certainly appeal to the shred crowd but more importantly fans of pure, classic heavy metal.
Track Listing
01.Venom
02.Empire of Lies
03.We Own The Night
04.Nightmare
05.Face The Enemy
06.Domino Theory
07.Jehova
08.Rise
09.Time Machine
10.Holding On
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
