REVIEW: JAMES BYRD - FLYING BEYOND THE 9

 

JAMES BYRD - FLYING BEYOND THE 9 (Lion Music, 2001):

Technical Data:

Recorded at Brian Hutchinson Studios, Strange Practical Productions.

Produced by James Byrd

Engineered by Brian Hutchinson

Cover Art: Photo: Robert Whitworth , Concept and illustration: James Byrd

Track List: 1-Flying Beyond the 9; 2-Dark heart; 3-W.T.O. (We Took Over); 4- Nevermore; 5- Everything to Me; 6-Unity (While You Were Sleeping); 7-Paradise Tonight; 8-All of Me (An Allegory); 9- Avianti suite Op.1, Nº63

 Guitar God James Byrd has been shredding people´s mind with his amazing guitar playing skills since the eighties when he was the main guitarist in Fifth Angel. After Fifth Angel´s disolution he started a solo career with acclaimed albums like "Atlantis Rising" or "Octoglomerate". Now it is time for James to return to action with "Flying Beyond the 9" and this is not an instrumental album it is something in a hard rock vein like for examples Tony Macalpine´s album "Eyes of The World" but heavier. "Flying beyond the 9", the first song is full of vocal ahrmonies and the shredding of Byrd. Michael Flatters is a good vocalist for James Byrd´s music, he canbe commercial when he wants and stronger when the song need it. For those who don´t know Byrd´s guitar shredding, here are the elements that made him famous: fast scales, arpeggios, sweep picking, neoclassical runs and the use of harmonic minor scales and phrygian modes. There is a certain influence of seventies progressive rock in this album, specially on the vocals parts (some Yes in parts of "Nevermore" but drker) and certain Yngwie Malmsteen shades in Byrd´s playing too. There is in this recording also a beautiful instrumental called "Avianti Suite Op. 1 Nº63 with synthesized strings and Byrd´s tastefully playing along. My favorite tracks: "W.T.O. (We Took Over)", "Unity (While You Were Sleeping) and "Paradise Tonight". Contact: www.lionmusic.com or www.jamesbyrd.com