| CD REVIEW Michael Vescera |
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Band : Michael Vescera Although Michael Vescera was a trained classical pianist, he chose the life as a Metal frontman when at age 18, he co-founded the Connecticut based Obsession in 1983. the band made their debut with a track on the Metal Blade Metal Massacre compilation series, which got them signed to the label for the release of the 1984 album Marshall Law. The band then went on to major label Enigma, who were to release 1986's Scarred For Life and 1987's Methods Of Madness. When singer Minoru Niihara left Loudness, the Japanese band went looking for an American singer in order to increase their chances on popularity on that continent. Among the people invited to an audition session, there was Vescera, who walked away with the job and ended up contributing to the 1989 album Soldier Of Fortune, the On The Prowl compilation (a combination of archive material and new stuff) and Slap In The Face EP in 1991, as well as to the Live In Budokan album...which was released when he had already bowed out, as the band had re-evaluated its objectives finding that in spite of an increase in sales in the Western world (personally, I found the change to pure Anglo-Saxon making the lyrics lacking in their original attraction and Oriental mysticism, and made that first album with Vescera my last Loudness purchase for a long time), sales were slowing down on home soil. Vescera was subsequently hired by Yngwie Malmsteen, with whom he toured and recorded (2004's Seventh Sign full-length and I Can't Wait EP, plus 2005's Magnum Opus and the Live At Budokan albums). Vescera's next stint would be for São Paulo based brazilian Metal outfir Dr. Sin. Not only did he produce the band's third and 1997 album Insinity and sang on it, he followed up the cooperation by appearing as guest vocalist during live appearances. That same year he released his first solo album (in Japan). He guested on the 1999 Roland Grapow (Helloween guitarist) solo album Kaleidoscope, and that same year issued Windows, the first MVP release (followed up by Animation and The Altar, respectively in 2002 and 2002). By 2001 however, Vescera was moonlighting by fronting Joe Stump's Reign Of Terror for the Sacred Gound album. Obsession reformed in 2003 with Vescera and drummer Jay Mezias as original members, the line-up completed by guitarists Roberto Marcello (of Danger Danger and Ironhorse fame) and Joe Stump (of Reign Of Terror) and bassist Chris McCarvill (who'd been with Jeff Scott Soto and X-Factor-X), eventually sprouting a new album with 2006's Carnival Of Lies. In the Autumn of 2007 Vescera became involved in Stygia, a band with a line-up of well-known people (keyboardist Vitalij Kuprij of Artension and Ring Of Fire Fame; bassist Chris McCarvill – see earlier; and drummer Mike Mangini known from the Steve Vai band, Extreme, and Annihilator) within the American Metal scene, centered around guitarist Todd Seitz. Demos were already recorded in September, and a full-length album would be in the making as we speak. In the course of the last couple of years, Vescera has been preparing this new solo outing, working with a multitude of artists to get the job done. Quite resounding names too, as you will be able to judge for yourselves: from House Of Lords, there's guitarist Jimi Bell and drummer BJ Zampa (played alongside Vescera in MVP), all with a connection to Obsession (old or new) are bassist Chris McCarvill (enough about him aforementioned), guitarist Scott Boland (also played in MVP), guitarist John Bruno (also X-Factor-X), and drummer Jay Mezias. More in-breeding tactics, as Vescera also employed the services of X-Factor-X members Todd Kennedy (drums) and Tony Mei (drums). Additionally to all of this, there's guitarists Joey Conception (a 17 year-old prodigy from Connecticut) and Ango Tasso (from Taiwan). Now, I'm sure the booklet of the regular version of the album will tell you in details whom played on which song(s), but that info was not included in our promo package (and I could find no details on the Internet), but actually those details only matter to the die-hard info-seekers! Important to know, is that each song has an intricately woven, but always melodic, multi-layered guitar soundscape (and frankly, the rhythm part of that alone is interestingly catchy enough to make many a band turn green from envy...so imagine what that gives with the multitude of lead and solo guitaring on top!) with additional keyboard backings (and that instrument even gets the occasional chance to shine as well with an interesting melodic run up and down the register). On a couple occasions (semi-ballads "Crossing The Line" and "(When You're Done) Cryin'", plus the nice "Make Your Move") the sound of keyboard and guitar (and also the backing vocals in the third case) combine to make the song remeniscent of the better Classic Rock with Neo-Classical influences (Rainbow would be the ever-evident first comparison, Deep Purple is a nice one too...but then Vescera doés have his specific vocal signature). And then I suppose the short album closing instrumental "Thrill Of It All" gives us an insight in Vescera's capacities on a keyboard (in this case some clavichord and more orchestral-directed synth...or actual orchestral? In all, an album certain to please most lovers of not-too-simple and melodic Heavy Rock with Metal leanings. Most...because I suppose there will be móre people who, like me, find Vescera's voice just a tad too sharp and high-pitched. When push comes to shove, it turns out I had more reasons to hate the man's joining of Loudness back in the days, because even in his own setting I cannot fully enjoy his specific type of singing, and the fact that it's a singer whom makes the face of a band in the first place is what's gonna cost this album a lot of points in the rating (and if indeed songs off this album had been posted at Verscera's myspace.com/mikevescera, where you'll only find the singer's version of the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields", I might be able to direct you there to make up your own mind. As it is you'll have to wing it, waiting for the album to arrive at your local record store in order to give the album a listening session)! However, when it comes to rating the album as a whole, I mùst take in account the móre than excellent musical colouring so, in spite of my duality about the vocals... 90/100 Tony. |