Thursday, January 19, 2023

Torben Enevoldsen - Transition (Album Review)

Gifted Ax-Man Torben Enevoldsen returns with another kick-ass instrumental guitar rock album. The content is mostly upbeat melodic jams with all kinds of twists and turns. With help from Pete Steincke on Bass and Dennis Hansen on drums. There are progressive and classical influences throughout this 10 track onslaught. There are no skip worthy tracks. 

The opener, "In Orbit" sets the tone for the rest of the material. Composing 10 unique and interesting melodies is not an easy task these days. Yet it all sounds fresh and engaging. "Backslide" is guitar fireworks as the same refrain is revisited multiple times in different ways. The chugging of the rhythm section is a perfect musical backdrop for the guitar expressions of a master painter. "Beyond The Sky" is jazz infused boogie that inclines to higher highs as it progresses. "Fool-Proof" is a lyrical jam that gets guitar nasty as it smears more paint on the canvas. "Out of The Ordinary" is a late night landscape of subdued soloing and fine wine atmospherics. 

"DNA" is the big Deep Purple meets Van Halen opus, riffing and improving to some musical memory of rock dinosaurs feasting on metal scraps from long ago. "DNA" feels like a radio song. "Home" is more subdued and even tranquil. The melody line begs for a lyric or an idea that the listener can grapple with. "Memories" combines a large hook with some persistent fills that all work in tandem. All the influences are there. Classical, jazz and metal. A swirling concoction of six string fury. 

"Bounce Back" is a road rage rocker that finds an open lane and hits the cruise control at 80. "Enough Said" is a culmination of everything with pent up guitar frustration and more twisting, turning and melting of internal soundboard components. A great way to leave the listener wanting more! 

Thankfully Torben has another album called 5.1 that you can rock out to with equal joy and excitement. This is some of the finest instrumental guitar rock on planet earth today. 

Album Rating 9.8

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