PLANET X

The first solo album by ex-Dream Theater Derek Sherinian is by far his best one. And I´m not talking only about the incredible musicianship of the four musicians involved (DS on keyboards, Virgil Donati on drums, Brett Garsed on guitar and Tony Franklin on bass), but also about the compositions. Further albums of DS may be as fast and furious (or more) as this one, but IMHO they lack the sense of balance between musicianship and the ability to compose good "tunes" (although this is an instrumental album). Most of the tracks were "built" by DS and Donati, and they go into the fusion genre (the "Atlantis" suite is a masterpiece) more than the prog-metal (some tracks being quite heavy, anyway). To say it in a few words: if you have in high esteem the UK project by Jobson-Wetton-Bruford-Holdsworth (and later with Terry Bozzio) and the two only studio albums they did ("UK" and "Danger Money") and you add something by Emerson Lake and Palmer and Dream Theater, you will have a close idea of how "Planet X" sounds... And Garsed sometimes plays like the incredible Allan Holdsworth! Along with the two Liquid Tension Experiment albums (more adventurous) and the two Transatlantic albums (more classic prog but brilliant), "Planet X" is my favourite Dream Theater side or solo project to date (the first Chroma Key CD is also quite recommendable). A true, awesome and sometimes exhausting sonic adventure!