Sherinian, Derek - Inertia

Year of Release: 2001
Label: InsideOut Music
Catalog Number: IOMA-2023-2
Format: CD
Total Time: 46:55:00

The lineup on Derek Sherinian's new solo album reads like the who's who of rock: Zakk Wylde and Steve Lukather take care of guitars, Tony Franklin is in on bass, and expert drummer Simon Phillips lends a hand on engineering and songwriting apart from pounding on the skins. It is therefore considerably hard to figure out exactly what went wrong, because something definitely did. There's no point in mentioning the rest of the contributors on the album either, because it will be of no avail. Something went wrong. Period.

The mishap becomes evidently apparent as soon as the cute little effects at the beginning of "Inertia" come to an end and collide into a nondescript guitar wail that could be found on any legendary guitar hero album, except it would be done a million times better. Then it's off to a cover version of the rocking jewel "Frankenstein," from Edgar Winter. And what do you know? After a ballsy start that lasts an entire minute of stomping glory, Sherinian and crew somehow manage to deface one of the greatest songs ever in the history of rock, with the exception of some awesome guitar shredding right in the middle of the whole mess. There's even worse news: the album's going to stay pretty much in the same direction throughout.

Moreover, excepting for the players' undeniable technical abilities, there's fault to be found everywhere. Sherinian's synthesizers oversaturate every single track, the guitar solos are more often than not rather commonplace, the bass playing is barely audible with a few lucky exceptions, the songwriting is under par, and the production results lacking. It's a shame too, as the album actually manages to crawl out of its misery every time Sherinian and crew forget their manners and just let it rip, as witnessed on the driving "Evel Knievel" and the few good-but-too-short moments on "La Pera Loca" and "Rhapsody in Black." Who knows? Maybe Sherinian's next album will be more spontaneous and enjoyable. Maybe nothing will go wrong next time around. This time it did.

Similar artists: Planet X, Liquid Tension Experiment, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Tony Macalpine

Also released by InsideOut (Europe) (IOMCD077/SPV 085-41582 CD)

Tracklisting:
Inertia (4:20) / Frankenstein (3:31) / Mata Hari (6:21) / Evel Knievel (3:17) La Pera Loca (5:06) / Goodbye Porkpie Hat (6:23) / Astroglide (4:35) / What A Shame (5:01) / Rhapsody Intro (1:41) / Rhapsody In Black (- [Untitled] ) (6:40)

Musicians:
Derek Sherinian - keyboards
Steve Lukather - guitars (1, 3, 5, 6, 8-10)
Zakk Wylde - guitars (2, 4, 8)
Simon Phillips - drums
Tom Kennedy - bass (1, 6, 10)
Tony Franklin - bass (2 - 4, 8)
Jimmy Johnson (5)
Jerry Goodman - violin (1, 7)

Discography:
Dream Theater - A Change Of Seasons (1995)
Dream Theater - Falling Into Infinity (1997)
Dream Theater - Once In A Livetime (1998)
Planet X (1998)
Platypus - When Pus Comes To Shove (1999)
Planet X - Universe (2000)
Platypus - Ice Cycles (2000)
Inertia (2001)
Planet X - Live From Oz (2001)
Planet X - Moon Babies (2002)
Black Utopia (2003)
Mythology (2004)
Blood Of The Snake (2006)
Planet X - Quantum (2007)
Molecular Heinosity (2009)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Origin US

Added: August 25th 2001
Reviewer: Marcelo Silveyra
Score:
Artist website: www.dereksherinian.com
Hits: 1671
Language: english