First released way back in 1990 this album puts top fusion guitarists Frank Gambale and Allan Holdsworth back to back. Conceived by Mark Varney and released on his very own Legato label this pure instrumental album delivers two climaxes in the world of guitarplaying. Helped out by such accolades as Jimmy Earl, Steve Taglione, Tom Brechtlein and Freddy Ravel the playing level of Gambale and Holdsworth gets to unheard heights. Of the seven tracks on display here only one has been written by Gambale. One is a Randy Brecker original whilst two are from the hand of his brother Michael Brecker. Two others are from Wayne Shorter. Having been a member of the Chic Corea Elektric Band in which he was able to demonstrate his unlikely fretwork, of course Gambale had to include a Chic Corea original as well. The choice became ‘Humpty dumpty’, probably one of the most energetic pieces on this album. Not all the solo work you’ll hear is pure electric as the tremendously fast and furious acoustic guitarsolo by Frank in ‘The fall’ illustrates followed in it’s footsteps by the jazz saxophone of Steve Tavaglione which in turns gives way to yet another solo this time delivered in a more experimental wat by Allan on his synthaxe. Strange as it may seem but all of Holdsworth’s parts have been recorded in the secluded tranquility of his very own The Brewery homestudio. It was however planned that each solo should at least last for two minutes so as to really put each of the main musicians in the spotlight. One of the major attractions on this album probably has to be the wild version of ‘Not Ethiopia’ which has our players speed up their respective solo’s as if it concerns their final achievement ever ! It also strikes me that the rhythm section often signs for a pure ‘swing’ rhythm whether at a ‘normal’ speed or incredibly spiced up. On the final track ‘Bathsheba’ drummer Tom Brechtlein is allowed a solospot whilst his name is even forgotten on the sleeve of the album which perfectly proves how far inferior his role is seen as opposed to the guitarparts !

To be honest I like my fusion to have a little bit more emphasis on the keyboards, preferably in the Alan Gowen direction. “Truth in shredding” however is before all a guitarist’s wet dream with the powereful, fast Frank Gambale on one side and the more technical, experimental Allan Holdsworth on the other. Although the musicians around them are some of the world’s finest all focus goes towards our guitarfriends. So if you enjoy the skilled approach of the six-string instrument to be savoured in the calm of your very own dreamworld then no doubt this one’s for you.