Derek Sherinian needs no introduction, those who love Rock music know that he is one of the most prolific and influential keyboard players of the modern Rock and Prog world. Both live and in the studio he has collaborated with top level artists, as well as having been and today being a member of some of the best Prog Rock / Metal bands on the scene. In addition he has also continued his solo career, through which he has released 9 studio albums, the new “Vortex” was released on July 01, 2022 via InsideOut Music. Numerous guitar guests collaborate on the album, as in addition to Derek on keyboards, the rhythm session is composed of Tony Franklin on bass and Simon Phillips on drums. The album opens with the title track “Vortex” which sees the participation of Steve Stevens on guitar, offering a solid sound rich in virtuous phrasing. Derek immediately showcases his technique with pulled synth textures that intertwine and duet with the guitar, which also offers solo inserts. The rhythmic session is accelerated and in line with the artist’s more Prog Metal repertoire, giving the right power to the sound. The following “Fire Horse” with Nuno Bettencourt has a more Fusion imprint than the previous one, always maintaining a granite and Heavy sound. The virtuous intertwining of keyboards and guitar is valuable, with solos at times frenetic on a rhythmic session with supporting bass lines and solid drumming. In the finale an excellent duet between organ and guitar for lovers of more retro keyboard sounds. “Scorpion” is the shortest track on the record and the only one without guests on guitar, which opens with an elaborate interlacing of piano and an intricate rhythm session. A mixture of genres and styles, with a marked Jazz imprint, where all three musicians offer a technical rehearsal with long solo piano inserts. Between tempo changes and accelerated rhythms this track is a concentrate of technique and quality. An Ambient keyboard intro and frenzied bass line opens “Seven Seas,” where Steve Stevens rejoins the guitar. An intro of Fusion matrix, which with the entry of the guitar takes on a heavier character, with valuable duets with the keyboards creating elaborate passages and plots. A track that mixes the power of Prog Metal with the elegance of the intertwining between derek and Steve and with a linear rhythmic session, with some tempo changes and virtuosity. Joe Bonamassa and Steve Lukather as a couple join the lineup in “Key Lime Blues” giving us an effective riffing with solo plots with Heavy Blues hues. The rhythm session offers a great groove, with Derek leaving more room for the guests here, offering a solo organ insert, between Joe‘s and Steve‘s solos. An intro with an oriental atmosphere opens “Die Kobra” and then develops a granite and modern Progressive Metal sound, with the participation of Michael Shenker and Zakk Wylde on guitars. From the engaging sounds with a structure that alternates accelerations with more symphonic openings, on which the guitars insert very intense solos. To intertwine with the two guitarists, the always precise and virtuous solos of Derek on the keyboards, and then in the final return to the initial theme and close. “Nomad’s Land” with Mike Stern on guitar, which together with derek creates plots and riffs that combine Fusion and Progressive. The rhythm session features solid drumming and a killer bassline that gives body to the song, while the keyboards take the stage with a virtuoso and accelerated solo. the second part of the piece is characterized by a technical and very intense guitar solo, and then concludes the piece with duets and phrasing with the keyboards. A track with Fusion traits and a retro touch, managing to bring these sounds into a modern context thanks to the personal touch of the artists involved. The final track “Aurora Australis” is also the longest in duration, where both for the presence of Bumblefoot and for the proposed sounds it recalls their band Sons Of Apollo. The keyboards are pompous, the guitar riffs granite and the rhythm session solid and powerful, enriched by continuous tempo changes. Derek and Ron perform in a very convincing rehearsal, giving life to a high-level elaborate track, which takes advantage of the long duration to develop the central theme with solos and virtuosity out of the ordinary. More intricate passages with Jazzy traits alternate with others where they bring out all the power of the band’s sound, touching the hardest Prog Metal. A track that is a masterpiece to conclude an album that is a masterpiece. A listening that confirms how Derek and all the artists involved in the album are among the best muasicists on the world Rock scene. Between Prog Metal, Jazz, Fusion and Rock, this album manages to blend multiple genres and styles with elaborate tracks and long solo textures with exceptional virtuosity and duets. A masterpiece of the modern Progressive, which enhances the technique of all the artists involved, adding another great album to Derek Sherinian‘s discography.
Tracklist
01. The Vortex (4:26)
02. Fire Horse (4:27)
03. Scorpion (3:39)
04. Seven Seas (6:17)
05. Key Lime Blues (4:43)
06. Die Kobra (6:45)
07. Nomad’s Land (5:21)
08. Aurora Australis (11:12)
Lineup
Derek Sherinian / Organs, Pianos, Synths
Tony Franklin / Bass
Simon Phillips / Drums
With:
Steve Stevens / Guitar (1,4)
Nuno Bettencourt / Guitar (2)
Joe Bonamassa / Guitar (5)
Steve Lukather / Guitar (5)
Michael Schenker / Guitar (6)
Zakk Wylde / Guitar (6)
Mike Stern / Guitar (7)
Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal / Guitar (8)