On his 1993 debut, instrumental rocker plucks and hammers his way through 40 minutes' worth of post- noodling. Despite several attempts at genre-bending and references, is all melodic (bordering on adult/soft) . The aggressive opener, and the upbeat shuffle count as highlights, but the real standout is probably a cut that boasts what is clearly the record's finest melody. plays admirably, and his supporting cast -- (bass) and (drums) -- also provide solid performances. is a respectable offering for sure, but doesn't demonstrate a rhythmic or melodic capacity anywhere near that of his obvious influences, . Fans of virtuoso would do better to search out superior shred material from the likes of , , and before picking up this or any disc. ~ Vincent Jeffries