This is the third album released by this short lived variant of the jazz/rock fusion band. Gary Moore slotted this in between stints with Thin Lizzy and recording his first solo album. Gary Moore is on fire on this album and it shows how versatile he is.
The opening track Wardance was written by Don Airey, but it’s Moore’s solo that is just jaw dropping. Major Keys follows and is a seriously groovy piece with a killer funk groove and beat, and again it’s Gary’s slide solo that wins the day. Put It That Way is back to the heavy fusion chops with Moore and Airey harmonizing on the main melody. This is just a Moore masterclass. Superb playing! Castles close out Side 1 and has Gary showing his vocal skills with a very chill track.
Side 2 kicks off with Fighting Talk. That start feels a bit like a boogie and that main riff is really cool, and again Moore and Airey duelling. The Inquisition is next up and is my favourite tune on the album. I’m not sure you’ll hear Gary playing any better than this. A fast tempo fusion groove with Gary laying it DOWN both acoustically and plugged in. The next piece is split into three, Star Maiden is a bass fest with a very smooth vibe, Mysterioso has a weird time signature but Garys’s solo is wonderful, and Quasar with the keys and guitar harmonizing. Last Exit closes out the album with a big statement ending. The whole 3:30 is an ending and it’s worth buying the album just for Moore’s playing on this piece alone.
RIP Gary!
9/10 from The Grooveman.
