This is the third solo album from Dutch musician Marcel Singor, who is probably best known for his work with Kayak, Ayreon, Star One, Bas Bron and Plan Nine. There are a few guests here and there (including “real” drummers on 4 of the 12 tracks), and we are presented with a series of songs and instrumentals. It did take me quite a while to work out who he reminded me of as I kept coming up with names and none of them seemed quite right until I realised this was making me think of Dan Reed Network, whose 1989 album ‘Slam’ is a classic. But that wasn’t all, there was a definite classic Steve Vai feel as well, so much so that this album never feels like something from 2026 but rather something which belongs in the early Nineties.
Marcel is a great guitarist which he demonstrates to great effect, but he is one of those musicians who innately understands melody and never truly overplays, just lets himself have a flourish when the time is right, never choosing ego over melody. I do wish he has used Bas Bron or Maarten Kooymans for more than just two tracks each, as the drums really do stand out on their tracks, which shows how much impact the “drums” have on the others. This is hard rock in its myriad forms, blending plenty of pop with a real groove, and while he is not the strongest singer, his vocals come through well due to the arrangements. It is a very polished release, one which fans of the pre-grunge pop/rock will do well to uncover. In many ways this is not really an album I would expect from OOB which demonstrates how widely they are casting their net to find interesting artists.
Rating: 7/10