Released by: Construction Records/Suburban

Genre : Instrumental Melodic Rock / Neo-Classical Rock

Line Up:

Mark Bogert – Guitar
Stuart Hamm (Joe Satriani, Steve Vai) – Bass (on one song)
Edward Reekers (Kayak, Ayreon) – Vocals (on “Light Of Love”)

Tracklist:

Thermal Properties
Mercury Glow
Chemically Inactive
Shine On You
Specific Wavelengths
Artistic Shapes
Whisky A Go Go
Future Invention
Light Of Love
The Extinguishing Of Light

If there’s one guitarist in The Netherlands who is able to let his guitar sing, it’s MARK BOGERT. He is an exceptional guitarist from my hometown Dordrecht, and it’s also there at the Prosound Media Studio where he recorded his 3rd solo CD Antiquity Neon. The legendary STUART HAMM (JOE SATRIANI, STEVE VAI) plays bass on one of the songs, while EDWARD REEKERS (KAYAK, AYREON) sings on the beautiful Light Of Love.

There’s a few more guests making their appearance (including several drummers), but of course guitarist Mark himself is the star here. 10 songs are included in total, and opener Thermal Properties is a stunning uptempo rocker with beautiful guitar melodies in the neo-classical melodic school direction of the legendary guitarists STEVE VAI, JOE SATRIANI, JOHN PETRUCCI, NEAL SCHON, PETE LESPERANCE, the late HELGE ENGELKE, the late ZENO ROTH, etc. etc.

Up next is the calmer but extremely lovely melodic rockballad Mercury Glow, which is followed by the catchy uptempo melodic rocking Chemically Inactive. Although instrumental, the melodies are simply incredible here, and it’s not far removed from an instrumental version of FAIR WARNING and HAREM SCAREM, and a bit of VAN HALEN of course. In Japan they will absolutely go nuts when hearing this CD! Shine On You is another superb piece of shredding melodic guitar rocking brilliance. Further on the CD are uptempo melodic rockers Specific Wavelengths, Artistic Shapes and Whisky A Go Go, 3 more masterpieces, and so are the midtempo AOR/Melodic Rockballad Future Invention, the acoustic ballad Light Of Love and the piano/guitar duet of closing song The Extinguishing Of Light.
Nothing but praise from my side, and perhaps this is one of the finest instrumental albums of the past few years!

I must admit that I don’t hear many instrumental albums nowadays, unlike in especially the 1990s, when I received countless instrumental albums, but this MARK BOGERT CD is definitely in the upper league. He shreds in a melodic way it reminds me of the aforementioned guitarists, and that’s definitely a compliment! Better make sure to check out this album a.s.a.p.! A true instrumental melodic rocking masterpiece!

Written by: Gabor