Clark Colborn is a local guy for me. He is also a friend, and I've done PR for him in the past. I suppose that means I'm biased. But, and I mean no disrespect to other local musicians - I know and respect many people in the scene - he might well be the most talented music in the Rockford, Illinois area.  This new album showcases that fact.

You'll notice that it's listed under the progressive rock heading at MSJ. I think if this was my first exposure to his work, I'd probably land it under heavy metal. It clearly fits, but it's also proggy. Given that the rest of his catalog is under prog at MSJ, he's considered a prog artist for our categorization. This does lean more toward the heavy metal end, though.

There is a good range of sounds and styles here. Most of the songs are instrumental, but a few have vocals. The guitar playing is exceptional throughout, but when it comes to Colborn you really can't expect anything else. In a fair world, Colborn's name would be as familiar to music fans as names like Malmsteen, Vai and Satriani. Maybe this album will be the one that does it.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2021  Volume 4. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2021.

Wow! This is fierce and furious. It's metallic and proggy. It's a screaming hot instrumental.