Liquid Tension Experiment (2 stars)

One of the few successful purveyors of Eighties-style shredding around, Dream Theater’s John Petrucci has managed to thrive at a time when technical razzle-dazzle is no longer in vogue. On these two side projects, he teams up with some heavyweight players to showcase his high-flying style.

Explorer’s Club adds a new twist to classic Seventies progressive rock (Yes guitarist Steve Howe even plays acoustic on one track). Bolstered by the monster rhythm section of bassist Billy Sheehan and drummer Terry Bozzio, Petrucci unleashes some of the most biting, from the gut playing of his career on Age of Impact.

Liquid Tension Experiment is another prefab supergroup. Assisting Petrucci on this all-instrumental shred-fest is King Crimson bassist Tony Levin, Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy and ex-Dixie Dregs keyboardist Jordan Rudess, but unfortunately, there are few rousing melodies to speak of – just self-indulgent, solo-mad forrays for the most part. It’s no surprise that this endeavor was written, rehearsed and recorded during an intense one-week period; it sounds more like an overblown jam session, with little inspiration or imagination, than a coherent album. If Liquid Tension Experiment ever makes another album, they should take more than a week out of their lives to do it.

– Joe Lalaina.