Much like Steve Morse in Deep Purple, Vinnie Moore is now the longest tenured guitarist in UFO history, something that kind of just snuck up on us but the truth is he is soon to celebrate his 12th year with the British hard rock legends, working on five studio albums with the band and countless tours. Amid that hectic schedule, he's managed to record an album with his Red Zone Rider band, as well as put the final touches on his 8th solo album Aerial Visions. Containing moments of all out shred as well as the bluesy hard rock he's perfected in UFO, Aerial Visions is further proof of just how far Moore has come over the years since he exploded on the scene in the 80s with those neo-classical metal albums for Shrapnel.
If you are going to release a guitar based instrumental album these days, it's imperative that you mix up the styles on it, and Moore has indeed done just that here. "Mustang Shuffle" shows his knack for blistering blues rock, as does his KILLER rendition of ZZ Top's "La Grange", which, quite frankly, is one of the most incredible cover songs I've heard in some time. UFO fans will probably recognize the riffs & melodies of both "Now's the Time" and "Faith", two songs that originally were intended as instrumentals but some of the arrangements were later used as UFO tunes, now included here in their original vision. "Looking Back" is a tender ballad with tasty picking, while the title track is a rootsy blues/jazz/funk gem featuring the stellar bass skills of Dave LaRue firing off alongside Moore, who also shows up on the raucous "Slam". "The Dark Dream" hints at majestic prog-metal with its shimmering acoustic guitar, heavy riffs, and dark atmosphere, and "A Million Miles Gone" takes that moody atmosphere even further, allowing Moore to launch into a jaw dropping solo dripping with emotion, taste, and supreme chops.
Originally praised for his acrobatic, shredding style, Vinnie Moore has quietly become an incredibly well rounded player who can tackle any style and amaze every step of the way. He does it all here on Aerial Visions, a great complement to his recent work with UFO and Red Zone Rider, and one of 2015s most impressive guitar based instrumental albums.
See more about this release on our recent YouTube show!
Track Listing
1) Mustang Shuffle
2) Now's the Time
3) Faith
4) Slam
5) La Grange
6) Looking Back
7) Aerial Vision
8) The Dark Dream
9) Calling Out
10) A Million Miles Gone
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
