After a 5 year hiatus, keyboardist Derek Sherinian rejoins forces with drummer Virgil Donati and releases another PLANET X record. Both musicians have had stellar careers, playing for numerous acts and making names for themselves in the Progressive Rock/Metal worlds. As usual, PLANET X also featured a few guest musicians as well, with Jimmy Johnson and Rufus Philbot sharing bass duties, and the guitars being played by Brett Garsed and the legendary Allan Holdsworth (check out the list of bands each has played with. Too long to list here). Unfortunately, Tony MacAlpine, the guitar player on their previous albums, is no longer a member of the band.

Despite having an ungodly amount of talent on hand for “Quantum”, the primary focus of PLANET X isn’t overwhelming the listener with nasty displays of musicianship. “Quantum” is VERY musical and melodious. It’s not without its share of intricate drumming and complex time signature shifts, due to Donati’s EXCELLENT mastery of the drums. The different instruments often wind up playing melodic lines around each other, each one existing in its own rhythm pattern, while still sounding pristine on the general whole. It’s a bunch of excellent Rock/Metal musicians jamming in a Jazz/Fusion framework, what can I really say? The focus is on the melodies, though, which really makes the songs stand out from one another. There are also parts of the record that seem like jams or improvisations, which gives “Quantum” a loose vibe.

I must give a special nod to Holdsworth. His playing is SO FLUID and gorgeous with all of the subtlety of that is achieved when one is a master of an instrument. I can only wonder how many hours and hours of diligent and careful practice he put in to achieve such technique, and how in tune he must be with his instrument in order to convey such emotion into his playing. In short, it’s enough of a reason to pick up the album.

Inside Out has released another stellar instrumental Progressive Rock/Metal album, no surprise there. It’s more Jazz/Fusion oriented than Rock/Metal, with enough infectious melodies and cunning musicianship to warrant a purchase.

(Online July 12, 2007)