Chris Poland - Club Ded
Chris Poland is a great guitar player. There can be no question of that. And he proves it on this album. He constructed melodies and riffs that mesh both his jazz and metal leanings together into a unique blend. But this ain't no Jack and Coke. Not by a long shot. As I'm comparing to one of my favourite mixers, I'd say this is resembles my creation, namely pineapple and whiskey. It's an unusual mix that you recommend to all your friends but never really drink substantial amounts of (but you should still give it a go. Get a single malt and go crazy).
First and foremost, this is an instrumental album, so all focus is on the guitars. So, in this case, I'm gonna go ahead and talk about the drums first, which are handled by Mark Poland. And they are expertly handled, filling out the sound so you never really miss the lack of vocals. Take the opener, 'Club Ded'. The drums add to the drama of the initial chord strikes without being overbearing and ruining the music (St Anger is mentioned at this vital break. You know why). The production makes the drums actually sound organic; again, something not every band gets right (Beneath the Massacre, you are good but you don't sound good). The beats range from bass-snare stomps to double-pedal attacks, with occasional fills. For sure, Mark Poland doesn't break any boundaries with his performance here, because that's what Chris is there to do.
Now, after my digression on the drums, you may be wondering, 'Is the guitar not worth talking about?' No, that's not it at all. The axe has a warm tone for the more 'out-there' compositions, but is still crunchy for the thrash riffs Chris busts out on most of the songs. While we're on the matter, the thrash riffs sound cool, but- and I hate myself for saying it- are kinda redundant. They're not anything you haven't heard before, unless Exodus means nothing to you. You know, tremolo-picked palm-muted notes with power chords interspersed at certain intervals. Yeah, they're enjoyable, but they bring nothing new to the table, especially as they are neither as inventive or aggressive as Sodom or Coroner.
However, I don't believe Mustaine paired up with Chris because of his riffs. That wasn't his place in that band. It was his solos and flat-out weird playing that got him on that metal train, and that is where this album excels. Songs like 'Alexandria' and 'Heinous Interruptus' is where the real magic is. Spacey melodies that bring to mind Satriani and Vai dominate throughout, over the top of interesting rhythms and jazzy influenced riffs. 'The Fall of Babylon' and 'Khazud Dud' feature the almost obligatory acoustic section at the start, and move through heavy riffs to a soft chord section for the solo. Which is another thing. Chris Poland can solo marvellously. Being a solo album, you'd hope so. He doesn't focus on playing fast incessantly and try to play more notes than the Hot Shots Part Deux body count in a single song. Instead, his style is to put together smooth, flowing licks that can last for two notes, or for two whole bars. There isn't a lot of choppy alternate picking patterns here, which differentiates him from the masses of 80's shredders.
The bass on this album doesn't get a lot of attention, obediently following the guitar and not getting in anyone's way. It is not that loud, so don't expect your car to bounce around from Point A to Point B.
So, what is my problem with this album? It's this. The metal sections of the album aren't that compelling. Well played, obviously, but static. They just sit there and go through the motions. It doesn't get any emotion pumping through me, expect for a nod that says 'That's alright.' Not great, just alright. And I don't need that. There are countless metal albums that get a better reaction out of me that are waiting to be listened to, so why should I care about this? This album shines on the minority sections that showcase what Chris Poland is actually good at, which is probably what the whole album shoud have been.
In the end, the best track on this album is a bonus track on the re-release, titled 'The Heavy Guitar Jam.' This song contains everything that a Chris Poland solo album should have: jazz weirdness with a special touch. It's a winding jam, with a guitar that tries all sorts of zany stuff, drums with a life of their own and a bouncy bass that can be heard and that slides, bends and slaps all over the place, until all the instruments wind down to a stop. The song feels alive, and isn't constrained by any generic riffs. And that is the ultimate flaw with this debut effort. It's too much pineapple. There are more impressive instrumental albums that convey the strengths of the guitarist, but this isn't so bad if you want background music with a little gallop.
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