APOCALYPSE

After all the bickering was over and Mahavishnu Orchestra Mk. I ended on a bitter note McLaughlin restructured the Mahavishnu Orchestra and recruited the London Philharmonic Orchestra for his next spiritual excursion. Those captivated by the sizzling razzle dazzle pyrotechnic meltdowns of the previous Mahavishnu creation might be a little let down as McLuaghlin`s guitar becomes a little more subdued on this one.

He actually becomes more adventurous in the composition department and his guitar intertwines nicely with the orchestrations of Michael-Tilson Thomas. Competent musician replacements have Jean Luc Ponty on violin, Ralphe Armstrong on bass, Michael Walden on drums, whose slashing style is a bit more crazy than Cobam`s more forceful style, and Gayle Moran on keyboards. She takes a softer more melodic approach and her playing is nothing like Jan Hammer`s right hand attacks and we even get a vocal from her on Smile of the Beyond. With all the fresh ingredients in place the Mahavishnu Orchestra starts sounding more like an Orchestra rather than a supersonic battle of wits which was beginning to wear a little thin on the previous Between Nothingness and eternity live set.

Definitely an experiment which works well with excellent production from ex-Beatle producer George Martin whose experience is in evidence. As long as the listener can get over the last burning embers of the previous Mahavishnu incarnation, Apocolypse is a gem with McLaughlin exploring even farther into his musical soul.