MOONBABIES

In response to someone saying things sounded "disjointed", I think/assume/feel I know where he is coming from. Between Donati's much more complex drum modes, Sherinian's incredibly dense compositions of angular, stop-n-go-stop-go-go-stop-break-GO! frenetics of one onslaught after another, (which my neurons have adapted to long ago), a first listen or melody-inclined listen might make one feel as if their head was in a faulty food processor upon hearing Moon Babies.

This CD represents a new, polymosaic of fusion in micro-evolution! I kept thinking of new coin-able phrases, buzz-words to hold this sound.

For example: dense fusion, black-hole fusion, aggressive fusion, cyber-warrior-caste fusion, angularly heavy fusion, Godzilla fusion . . . I think I like Godzilla fusion best. Why?

Derek, Virgil, and Tony are serving up way heavy, monstrous, dense, challenging, threatening, and excellently powerful fusion rock. There are some slow and flowingly easy moments but those are quickly devoured by whirlwind of notes, polyrhythmic rage, immense bass, and doomer speed-crunch axe. This is a warping, wall of fusion "noise" that requires cranking your brain up 4 or 5 notches to near 78rpm listening. Between Derek and Tony going insane in hyperdrive, fractal overload, unison lines and conversational soloing -- my bet is many folks will feel "disjointed" or pummeled into submission.

What keeps it all very organized is Donati's drums and the guest bassists providing a very interesting fusion rock groove throughout, a groove that provides a perfectly NON-disjointed foundation for all Derek and Tony's rail-gunnery and seek-and-destroy sonic ambushes.

I am gonna give this release a solid 9.3 out of 10 and that's only because I felt Tony needed to wail on fusion axe solos moreso and fills at least 10-15% more per track or at least be more present in the mix versus blended into much of Derek's superb synthwork. (I am an axe guy - so be it.)

After a good listen I have to disagree with any "disjointed" call. "Dense" is a much more accurate description.

Lastly, is this music or madness? It's a bit of both and that's exactly how I like it.