ROOTS AND ROADS (AS YOSSI SASSI BAND)

Some will know Sassi as the lead guitarist for ORPHANED LAND out of Israel. I consider their "Mabool" album to be one of the finest Metal albums I own. I've had some nice conversations with the man, and it was one of his female friends from Israel who let me know about his solo stuff. I did listen, and picked up this record along with the previous one "Desert Butterflies". Normally I would have started with that one being the earlier of the two, but I much prefer the direction he's gone with "Roots And Roads" and wanted to start here. His first two solo albums are under his name but here he's changed it to the Yossi Sassi Band.

The "Roots" in the title might be a hint of the return to those Metal roots on this record. I love how heavy this is at times mixed with those more traditional sounding songs. Besides electric and acoustic guitars Yossi is playing charango, oud, saz and chumbush. Some guests here as well like Ron Thal on guitar on "Palm Dance" and the MYRATH singer Zaher Zorgati on "The Religion Of Music". Man he can sing and I love that band as well. We have some female vocals on "Road Less Traveled" and "Bird Without A Tree" and a different female singer on "Root Out", as well as Yossi himself singing. Lots of guests helping out here instrumentally as well.

"Wings" to open is different from the rest but I like how uplifting the music is, a feel good track with wordless vocals, you know "la la la la..." but it works. Thal is great on "Palm Dance" one of my favourites for the guitars on it. That repeated guitar melody that goes on and on is so good. "Root Out" is another highlight for the metal and ethnic blend but female vocals this time. Heavy with riffs on "Madame TwoSouls" followed by "The Religion Of Music" and the MYRATH singer. Nice and heavy with strong deep vocals. There's an ethnic instrumental break at one point.

The longest track is "Winter" at almost 8 1/2 minutes. Mid-paced with depth and ethnic sounds. A horn early, riffs and piano before the guitar starts to solo. Nice. There's that cool guitar solo from 5 1/2 minutes to around 8 minutes. The last five tracks are good but not on the level of what preceded them, except for the closer "Stranger Than Ever" where it goes from acoustic to an explosion of metal. Smoking big time on this one.

I just think this is the perfect Yossi Sassi record, how it reaches to his glorious past but also to the then present. I'll talk about some of his other albums when I get to that "Desert Butterflies" review hopefully in a few weeks.

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