SITUATION DANGEROUS

What an amazing album. More coherent than its excellent jam-driven predecessor, it's full of incredible twists and turns, build-ups and chaotically controlled climaxes that turn into driving riffs and then softly let go, leaving you amazed that such music could be made. This is it for me. No instrumental rock album has ever been filled with so much passion and chemistry. These guys are some of the best instrumentalists in the world, and they have made something out of the ordinary. One tip, tracks one (Dangerous) and three (Crash) are good but not great. The other tracks are much more dynamic and original and are what truly make this album so excellent.

In the forefront is Stevens' guitar, soloing and riffing in such a way as you wouldn't believe. The inventiveness and eclecticism this guy plays with on these two albums is unbelievable and I have yet to hear anything Steve Stevens has done that can compare to what these two other musical monsters seem to have brought out of him. As a guitarist who was just starting out when introduced to these albums, both have influenced me to no end in terms of improvising, creating and playing, and I am eternally grateful.

Now, Bozzio, the man behind the drums. A guy who's been around for years and still doesn't seem to show any signs of slowing down. Here he shines. Always working with the other two musicians instead of despite or over them, Terry Bozzio is a master whose deep sense of melodic rhythm makes this one of the best albums in terms of drumming that I've ever heard in my life. Never going for the clichés, Bozzio's musicality goes beyond beats and solos and becomes a whole section of the orchestra in itself, never mind the percussion. The amount of passion and energy this guy puts into his playing is incredible. Nothing short of spellbinding and nothing short of genius. Terry Bozzio is a force of nature.

And finally, Tony Levin. If Terry Bozzio's drumming is the driving force behind the music, and Steve Stevens' guitar the beautiful and intricate pattern that stands out foremost, then Tony Levin's bass is what weaves it all together and it makes it a coherent whole. He's basically the best there is, and I'll be damned if it doesn't feel as if the bass were playing itself sometimes. With Levin it's not about laying down beats and grooves, nor is it about showing off, it about playing music. He's got melody and precision, funk and rhythm, and his playing complements Steven's guitar beautifully.

With this music it's hard to say that one guy is laying down the foundations for another. They all complement each other beautifully and the music they have created is a living breathing monster that expands and contracts with a life of its own. Believe me, the chemistry you can feel here is not something you see every day. Don't be fooled into thinking that this is just another instrumental album made by virtuosos showing off or having fun. Go beyond the surface and you'll see the passion and skill that make this record's heart beat.