Plug-In - Hijack review

Year : 2011
Genre : Instrumental Fusion Rock with Metal elements
Label : Independent
Origin : France
Rating : 7.5 / 10

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Plug-in, as a full length delivery, sounds to have two focal attitudes/behaviors it seeks to entertain you along, and one of these guarantees intact sonic satisfaction, for sure : this is none other than the - initial - intent of the release to give birth to unique harmonic environments which I personally find the most relevant thing it does, yet, a good amount of this spin revolves around the act of administering quasi-competent guitar wankery on top of orthodox fusion chord progressions and risk-free harmonic passages that lack the will or capacity to surprise your receptors once they have revealed their limited charms.

Hey Cherokee Warria', this is not a problem, there are solo guitars on top, remember? Of course you remember! You have not been given the chance to forget. The release has a whole mini-army of guest lead guitarists featured on it, and, among these, I only am familiar with the name of Matthias Eklund. Mr. Eklund is from Germany, and he is a vastly talented guitarist with a unique vision of the instrument, as you can see if you take the time and check out some of his stuff for yourself. He truly does inventive, crazy, relevant things with the guitar. This is not something I can tell about each and every guest artists of this contribution, though. The extensive - I mean : exxxxxteeeeensive - solo guitar playing on the release does not have a collective body worth showing as long for as it IS shown for, as the undisturbed harmonic structures often are rode by leads that are above average solo monologues at best. Granted, I'm a snob, but, whenever the name of the game is instrumental, than so should you be, Lover, too, because why satisfy with anything else than stellar content if the potentiality to summon that, only is hindered by the sensitivity/skillset of the - ccc - artist? Read on to find out more about this decent fusion rock / metal hybrid delivery if you want.


You know the world famous solo guitarist Steve Vai? He has a profound fixation on this - kind of - drunk whale melodic rhetorics since 1312, and this spin features an extensive hommage to that particular music lingo. I find that feeling truly punishing. Luckily, the harmonies behind the drunk whale melodies are taming my torment a bit, regardless how they are directly taken from the CD outlet of a play-along magazine, I suppose. The release is a hybrid in its artistic quality, in my opinion, and sounds to cover about 1/3 longer of a distance than it could have looked more than "just" reasonably "good" along. Don't get me too wrong, please. The best parts of the release - which I think are the unique harmonic /rhythmic environments whenever it takes the time to reveal them - are of delicate entertainment value, yet, the tendency to trade in this readiness for "easy way out"-type chord progressions, seems to increase in activity as the record - hahaha - progresses.

Titular delivery "Hijack" sounds to be a good example of the top form of the record, with a warped, colorful rhythmic/harmonic fabric, toppled - for NOW - by top tier, rabid lead guitar playing. The superb bass work demands separate mentioning here, as well. While the next track, called "Conkrete" has tremendous promise, the "gift" of the promise never seems to arrive, and the build is toppled by drunk whale guitars, THEN the release is about to reveal its family friendly jazz fusion character for the first time. Seriously, the content starting from 2:50 is the kind of music I expect to hear in a guitar lesson video on YouTube. "Aaaaah, hello! Did you catch which musical MODE I was just playing in? Hello? HELLO??" Later on, the track brings in a hefty, elegant theme reeking a nice, pink Dream Theater vibe.

Next track, called "Meeting Steeve" is your auto-motor sport background music, and the whole song is superbly reminiscent to Steve Vai's song "Let's get out of here". I have a hunch that the title is a tribute to Mr. Vai. (The mid section features Vai's drunk whales, too! Fuck me running!) As for the music contained in this track, it is your everyday average auto-motor music, and it begs for your cheaply tolled appreciation so shamelessly that you will either submit and give it, or it won't get any of it at all. As for me, I can listen to this song with a poker face. (Not counting the tears.)

The remaining portion of the delivery signifies a profound shift towards the rock fusion side of things, characterized by the risk-free modal guitar playing I have been telling you about. I'll be honest with you, and tell you that I have nothing against it at all, it's only that it has nothing for me beyond its super-orthodox existence, which though is super-easy to appreciate. But don't expect crazy-ass progressive metal stimuli as the final third of this album. Expect family friendly fusion rock, and don't expect top of the heat of that, either. For that, you want to listen to the Almighty Frank Gambale. (He is your Daddy.)

Rating : 7.5 / 10

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