Label: Insideout Music
Release date: 5/18/2007
Production: Planet X
Album length: 50.47 min
Genre: Jazz Rock Fusion / Progressive Rock
Rating: 9.0/10
»Quantum« was the third and, at the time of writing this review, the latest album from the instrumental prog rock/prog metal/jazz rock fusion supergroup Planet X, led by drum maestro Virigil Donati and keyboard wizard Derek Sherinian. By the time »Quantum« was made, Tony MacAlpine had been replaced on guitar by Australian guitarist Brett Gaersed (ex-Nelson), while the bass lines were handled by Jimmy Johnson, best known for his work with cult British guitarist Allan Holdsworth (ex-Nucleus, Soft Machine, Gong, UK). Holdsworth, who was supposed to be Planet X’s big new catch, was originally slated to play on all the »Quantum« compositions, but in the end he only contributed extra guitar solos on two tracks.
Every composition on »Quantum«, except »Space Foam« (which Sherinian and extra bassist Rufus Philpot also had a hand in), was written by Donati, who has always been the creative driving force of this supergroup and is the main reason this album is so fascinating to all admirers of drumming grandmasters. Donati also wrote all the orchestral arrangements. On »Quantum«, Planet X took another step forward in maturity, both in arrangements and in atmosphere, outgrowing their status as a bridge between prog metal champions in the vein of Dream Theater and ‘old-school’ jazz fusion bands like Return to Forever and Brand X, and becoming a band with a soul of its own. This time around, the musicians in Planet X sound less like a bunch of rivals trying to outplay each other in virtuosity and more like a well-oiled, highly eclectic machine running at full steam, giving every member an equal share of room to show off their virtuoso chops.
The opening fusion carousel »Alien Hip Hop«, which of course has nothing to do with hip hop, ‘sucks the listener in’ instantly and floors them with the technical prowess of every instrumentalist, the rhythmic complexity, the clever arrangements, and the atmospheric depth of the piece. »Desert Girl« opens as a piano-driven composition reminiscent of the golden years of jazz rock fusion, until complex bass lines, cleverly timed drum fills, and white-hot guitar passages kick in and add an extra dash of prog metal spice. Holdsworth’s distinctive, nostalgia-tinged guitar solo is what makes this track one of the most interesting moments on »Quantum«, too.
»Matrix Gate« is yet another incarnation of jazz fusion/prog metal/prog rock fusion perfection, with all sorts of genre elements flowing together harmoniously into an almost flawless whole, while the dramatic mood builds up in a clever, rhythmically stunning, and eclectic way. Gaersed also proves with his ‘spacey’ guitar solo that he’s a true grandmaster of his instrument. »The Thinking Stone«, spiced up with another unmistakable Holdsworth solo, has a mysterious atmosphere, a light touch of pentatonic scales, cataclysmic drum fills, and razor-sharp yet eclectic guitar passages that no prog metal band would be ashamed of.
»Space Foam«, another of the »Quantum« highlights and one of the most complex Planet X achievements so far in terms of both atmosphere and eclecticism, could be described as ‘space jazz prog rock metal fusion’. Gaersed livens it all up with yet another of his ‘extraterrestrial’ guitar solos. The combative yet cosmic mood is reminiscent of the clash between the Jedi knights and the Sith in the Star Wars saga, except this time they’re fighting each other with electric guitars instead of lightsabers. Why the next track is called »Poland« remains a great mystery, since, like all Planet X music, it has no lyrics, and its mood doesn’t remind you of Poland in the slightest. Maybe the members of Planet X wanted to tip their hats to their Polish fans, who are usually among the most fervent lovers of prog metal and prog rock. After the opening ‘madness’, the track calms down a bit, mostly thanks to subtle keyboard textures, and even Gaersed’s ‘intergalactic’ guitar solo comes out much more subdued than usual this time.
»Snuff« has an almost solemn mood thanks to its middle section, which features an extremely clever and subtle interplay of guitar and keyboard harmonies that all music gourmets and fans of technically top-notch virtuosos will savor. »Kingdom Of Dreams«, which with its white-hot guitar passages and cataclysmic drum fills ranks among the heavier moments on »Quantum«, is marked by a somewhat sinister atmosphere. Gaersed’s guitar solo this time sometimes sounds like the buzzing of a maddened hornet, though in the next moment it slips into subtler waters, as do the rest of the instrumentalists.
The closing »Quantum Factor« offers yet another highly effective blend of jazz fusion and prog metal elements, with the solos in between landing at just the right moments and, via breathtaking drum acrobatics, ramping up the eclectic nature of this ambitious composition, which once again, with its ‘spacey’ vibe, justifies the band’s ‘cosmic’ name.
»Quantum« was undoubtedly the most interesting and eclectic achievement in Planet X’s discography up to that point, reflecting the next stage in the maturation of this exciting supergroup. Thanks to Donati’s drumming acrobatics, »Quantum« should be heard by everyone who cares about drumming superiority in both the technical and atmospheric sense. No wonder Dream Theater drummer Mike Mangini sang its praises when it came out.
It’s a shame that the Planet X story still has no sequel after »Quantum«. Tony MacAlpine returned to the band in 2009 and claimed that a new Planet X album was in the works, but nothing came of it, as just three years later he announced he was no longer a member. In 2012, Donati and Sherinian decided to put Planet X on hold; the band hasn’t officially broken up, even though they’ve been dormant for more than ten years. Still, it seems the Planet X story is far from over, and we may well hope for their return in the near future.
Author: Peter “Dr. ProgRock” Podbrežnik
Track list:
1. Alien Hip-Hop (7:09)
2. Desert Girl (6:02)
3. Matrix Gate (4:07)
4. The Thinking Stone (4:10)
5. Space Foam (4:44)
6. Poland (5:21)
7. Snuff (4:55)
8. Kingdom Of Dreams (6:46)
9. Quantum Factor (7:09)
Lineup:
Derek Sherinian – keyboards
Virgil Donati – drums, orchestrations on track 1
Guest musicians:
Brett Garsed – guitar
Allan Holdsworth – guitar solos on tracks 2 and 4
Jimmy Johnson – bass guitar
Rufus Philpot – bass guitar on tracks 5 and 9
