Author: Rok Klemše
Artist: Loomis, Jeff
Label: Century Media
Released: 2008
Jeff Loomis is probably one of the most underrated guitarists in metal. Totally undeserved, if you know his biography and body of work well. So, the short version: Loomis was self-taught and started playing guitar at ten (getting serious at 15), and soon won the Guitar Wars competition in Wisconsin. After Jeff Young left Megadeth, Loomis landed an audition for the lead guitar spot in the thrash giants and almost got it. Mustaine thought Jeff was still too young, but he was blown away by his command of the instrument. Jeff was barely 16! Loomis then landed in the cult Seattle outfit Sanctuary, which soon fell apart because of grunge and label pressure. And from the ashes of that legendary band rose the now mighty Nevermore. In that band Jeff Loomis finally made his name as one of the best guitarists of the younger generation. His crazy sweep solos, unbelievable melodic lines and ever-varied, interesting riffing wrote him into metal history in golden letters. But enough praise, because in front of us is finally the long-awaited debut that Jeff has been preparing for a (very) long time. Ladies and gentlemen, Zero Order Phase!
Jeff proves he’s not messing around right from the opening wrecking ball Shouting Fire At a Funeral. Massive, heavy riffing has become a Jeff trademark, just like the fantastic, breathtaking sweep solos. But luckily Jeff isn’t one of those guitarists who bet everything on their superior technical chops. Back in Nevemore he showed he’s got a knack for writing catchy melodies, apocalyptic chords and epic solos, and Zero Order Phase is full of them. The album is incredibly varied and colorful, and unlike a lot of all-instrumental records, not a single minute of the almost hour-long Zero Order Phase gets boring. The song structures are well thought out and not one solo is surplus to requirements. Even though this is a solo album made for exactly that purpose, they’re not there so Jeff can show off the length of his (cough… Malmsteen… cough…). Loomis is a writer of good songs first and a soloist second! Zero Order Phase brings everything from technical/prog thrash shredding and acoustic interludes to outstanding melodies that work as a stand-in for vocals, plus the almost trademark Nevermore melancholic, doomy leads. Shred heaven opens up for us in Jato Unit, where Jeff and another big name on guitar, Ron Jarzombek (Watchtower, Spastic Ink, Blotted Science), stage a proper guitar duel. In moments like these Jeff proves he’s giving shredding and sweeping in metal its integrity back! The melancholic ballad Azure Haze with its neoclassical patterns comes out fantastic, and it would no doubt have worked incredibly well as one of Nevermore’s mighty ballads. You simply have to hear Jeff’s main lead line, because not everyone can pour such powerful emotions into epic guitar lines (in fact, people who can are rare). Loomis then takes us into uncharted waters with some slightly more fusion-leaning parts in the excellent Cashmere Shiv, where in the jazzy sections with an oriental touch he’s joined by renowned jazz bassist Michael Manring and the album’s producer Neil Kernon on fretless guitar. The guest list wraps up with Pat O’Brien (Cannibal Corpse) in the murderously heavy Rage Against Disaster, where death metal meets Steve Vai. The drummer Mark Arrington (who played with Nevemore in 1993-94) definitely deserves a mention too, as he’s far from just decoration on Zero Order Phase. The album is an exceptionally well-rounded whole that serves the purpose of showing off Jeff’s guitar skills. But even so, Zero Order Phase is more than just another guitar record.
Jeff Loomis is definitely a name that can be, or soon will be, listed in the same breath as Joe Satriani, Jason Becker, Marty Friedman, Steve Vai and John Petrucci. And Zero Order Phase is one of the best instrumental albums in recent times and one of the best guitar albums, period.
Lineup
Jeff Loomis – guitar
Mark Arrington – drums
GUESTS:
Ron Jarzombek – guitar
Pat O’Brien – guitar
Michael Manring – bass
Neil Kernon – fretless guitar
Production
Neil Kernon
Track list
1. Shouting Fire At A Funeral 04:54
2. Opulent Maelstrom 06:07
3. Jato Unit 04:41
4. Azure Haze 04:59
5. Cashmere Shiv 06:16
6. Race Against Disaster 06:13
7. Sacristy 04:50
8. Devil Theory 06:16
9. Miles Of Machines 05:45
10. Departure 03:56
