Though he's mostly known as the lead guitarist for Doro and previously with ex-Iron Maiden singer Blaze Bayley, Rough Blue is the solo debut from Luca Princiotta and his band, out now on Metalville Records. Chock full of mostly instrumental songs featuring Princiotta's blistering hard rock, metal, and blues solos, Rough Blue is a tasty treat that shows a guitar player who has a lot more to offer than just the work he's done in his regular paying gigs. Just check out his screaming leads on "On Board" and "Shake the Cake", two tunes dripping with great tone, technique, but more importantly, melodies. Vocals from Matteo Bertini are featured on a few tunes, like the heavy metallic blues rock of "What it Takes", and the softer, almost country-blues of "Nothing But This Song", showing a different side to Princiotta's musical palette, but it's his fiery six-string workouts that really provide the spark here. "The Guest" and the title track blister in a sort of Paul Gilbert-meets-Joe Satriani way with some uptempo grooves and blazing solos, while "Good Life Ahead" grinds & grooves along with plenty of swagger and attitude. "Ain't No Love" again features Bertini and is like a cross between classic Montrose and Extreme, a bluesy metal/hard rock gem that provides some of the albums best head banging and air guitar moments, and the guitarist ends this studio set with the lovely "We Need Time", an instrumental ballad that contains some of his most melodic and emotional solos on the album.
Some really tasty guitar playing as well as memorable songs to be found on Rough Blue, an album that signals the arrival of a musician who has a bright future ahead of him as a solo performer should he ever decide to fully go that route.
Track Listing
1) On Board 3:57
2) Shake the Cake 3:48
3) What It Takes 3:39
4) When Everything's Right 5:33
5) The Guest 3:45
6) Nothing But This Song 4:04
7) Rough Blue 4:35
8) Good Life Ahead 3:49
9) Ain't No Love 4:43
10) We Need Time 4:23
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