Vescera Project, Michael - Windows

Year of Release: 1999
Label: Z Records
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: CD
Total Time: 54:12:00

Most of you are probably familiar with this guy as he has been sharing his vocal talent with several bands such as Malmsteen, Loudness and Obsession. Now Vescera has gone solo as well and is signed to the magnificent Z-Records. Windows is his debut disc and this album was in fact first issued in Japan in 1996/97. Also worth mentioning is that he just released his second solo disc Animation a couple of months back - a solid CD also worth checking out.

On Windows, Vescara has teamed up with many well known musicians (such as Barry Sparks, Doug Aldridge, Yngwie Malmsteen, and Al Pitrelli have all contributed on a couple of songs). You might expect to hear neo-classical melodic heavy, but not this time around. This is well performed, straight hard rock or melodic metal if you want with some hints of AOR. A good mixture of up tempo/mid-paced rockers and ballads. Michael's characteristic voice is as good as always, offering some Beatles-esque vocal harmonies from time to time, and the music is fairly guitar driven with suitable, catchy hooks. The melody lines and choruses are good, although I miss a few killer tunes. Beside the occasional piano, the keys are not very present. Of course, the drumming by Sparks is top notch. Although all songs have both feet in the melodic metal genre, Vescera has given room for other elements and instruments as well and overall I think this CD is pretty original sounding. On a few songs you can hear instruments such as piano, horns and sax. Some songs even have some progressive elements. The production by Vescera himself is good, although there is room for improvement of the overall sound. Overall the songs are even and of good quality, although it might take some spins before you get into these songs. The problem however, is as mentioned above, that I miss a few killer songs, which would have raised the overall quality and my final impression. Having said that, this is by no means a poor CD.

This is definitively an enjoyable release for all fans of Vescera and hard rock in general. Might not be a one of my most played CDs, but it's absolutely worth the money. Worth checking out!

[This review originally appeared November 2002 at the ProgPower Online review site -ed.]

Tracklisting:
In The Beginning / Innocent Man / Windows / Crack The Sky / Somewhere / No More / Take Me Away / Anyone / Yesterday / Don't Let Me Down / Why / Say A Prayer / Words Unspoken / Strawberry Fields

Musicians:
Michael Vescera - vocals, keyboards
Scott Boland - guitar
B.J. Zampa - drums
Barry Sparks - bass
Yngwie Malmsteen - guitar
Al Petrelli - guitar
Doug Aldrige - guitar

Discography:
Windows (1996/1997/1999)
Animation (2000)
The Altar (2002)

Genre: Melodic Metal

Origin

Added: March 29th 2005
Reviewer: Bjørnar Bevolden
Score:
Hits: 2406
Language: english