Band: Derek Sherinian
Album title: Molecular Heinosity
Label: Inside Out
Distributor: SPV - CNR
Release date: 23/03/2009
Release: CD

Well, it’s been almost 3 years since keyboardist Derek Sherinian’s last almost-instrumental (two of the 10 tracks had vocals) solo album Blood Of The Snake (review by your servant posted 19/09/2006). In that time, he’s not only busied himself by touring with the likes of Billy Idol and Yngwie Malmsteen, but also with his own band Planet X, having issued their comeback album Quantum in May of 2007.  Also in 2007, he recorded the album Hyperpyrexia with Theodore Ziras (released April 2008), participated to Ayreon’s January 2008 released 011011001 (the June 2008 released Billy Idol compilation The Very Best Of Billy Idol: Idolize Yourself, also comprised collaborations from Sherinian), and in that time he probably also did some clinics for Korg and Clavia keyboards, which he endorses and usus!

In an assortment of ways, this new solo album differs from previous ones, in that Derek was unable to get drummer Simon Phillips in on the project due to clashing schedules. In stead, he’s relied mostly on Virgil Donati (of Steve Vai, Steve Walsh, etc…fame) and Brian Tichi (Ozzy, Foreigner, Pride & Glory), the latter already having guested on 2006’s BOTS. Back there for the ride were fretless bassist Tony Franklin, and of course guitarist/singer Zakk Wylde (bringing a great vocal contribution to album closing song “So Far Gone”, a song which contains shards of Oriental music). But besides working with the usual “stars”, Sherinian also felt the need to work with some new guitarists on this album, those being Rusty Cooley (of the band Outworld, he also has a solo album out on Lion Music, and released a couple of instructional DVDs as well; his collaboration on Molecular Heinosity can be heard on the track “Frozen By Fire”, which he co-wrote), Brett Garsed (apparently a solo artist from the world of Ambient/ progressive Rock and Rock Fusion, with several solo albums to his name; I’ve found no details as to which track on the album he participated) and Taka Minamoro (a young, 1984 born, Japanese guitarist whom moved to Los Angeles to be tought the guitar at Hollywood’s GIT, after having been introcuced to the instrument by Kelly Simonz; now working towards the release of his first instrumental album; his contributions on Molecular Heinosity can be found on the album title track and intro, plus on the overall calmer “The Lone Spaniard”). Due to the absence of Phillips, whom usually brings in his Fusion leanings to the music, Molecular Heinosity became an album which is much more geared towards the world of Heavy Rock and Metal…and it can certainly be said that this is Sherinian’s most Progressive Metal geared solo album to date! Noteworthy is the fact that the album opens with with a near 16-minute trilogy titled “Antarctica” (on our promo copy split in the separate pieces “Antarctica”, the calmer intersection – no drums – “Ascension”, and “Primal Eleven”), written by Donati. In Sherinian’s own words: “I wanted to open the record with a very progressive trilogy like I did on my debut record. Virgil Donati wrote this epic piece very much in the spirit of Planet X” (Planet X is still considered by Sherinian as his debut solo album).

When you’ll surf to myspace.com/dereksherinian2008, you’ll find 5 samples off the new album (including a longer version of “Antarctica”, plus samples of “Frozen By Fire”, the title track, “So Far Gone”, and one more), enough to get you acquainted with the material overall in case you’d never gotten in contact with the man’s music before! Of course, if you’re already familiar with the man’s work and uncanny ability to write music to fit the guitarists he works with, you’ll need no confirmation of the outstanding quality of Molecular Heinosity, and just go out to buy the album once it’s available! Hey, now that this review’s been done so far ahead, you might even order your copy in advance, eh? From my viewpoint, there’s very little this outstanding keyboardist can do wrong, and that’s why his releases unvariable end up getting the excellent ratings they deserve! And this time around, I’ll even nominate the album into my “Best Albums Of 2009” list!!!

98/100

Tony.