Prog4you.com - Progressive Rock Review

: : Drum Nation Volume 1 : :

It’s very rare that we get a glimpse into the instrumental world of a drummer/percussionist. Very rare is it that we see any record wholly devoted to the guys that provide the backbone to the rhythm section of a band, where their technicality and precision almost always gets buried under the melody and arpeggios that dominate the focus of the song, and for the most part, most drummers who actually lead a band usually are found releasing records with a strong musicians holding down the tunes.

Modern Drummer has presented to us a compilation of sorts that lets the drummers come forward, with or without a backing band, with the percussion element being brought forward in the mix. There is, however, a mixture of material presented here, from jazz fusion, to metal fusion, to avant-garde experimentation, to drum solos that extend beyond the just typical arena rock filler.

Beginning with Bozzio’s “A Glimpse Into a deeply Disturbed Mind,” an avant-garde piece with ambient noises, not too far fetched from the experimentation of OSI, offering a performance without going completely overboard. For Bill Bruford, like always, it’s more jazz oriented, with heavier punch for modern jazz/rock fusion, featuring the woodwind work of Tim Garland placing himself within the forefront.

Now with “Mad Tea Time,” featuring the Drumming of ex-Journey/Storm/have sticks will travel fame, and the tunes world percussion of Zakkir Hussain, offers another jazz cut, this time it meets the world beat vibe. The first part features the interlay between the sax and the Coral sitar leading up to the second half, where it generally is a percussion solo.

“The Spell” by Chad Wackerman offers an Asian feel during the cut, due to the clever vibe playing of Daryl Pratt, literally almost emulating a koto, in front of a heavy melody being put behind all the percussion. “Sprung Monkey” uses the Lil’ Rascals Brass Band to play arrangements that sound like they otherwise might have been used for a guitar. Simon Phillips (“Manganeese”) and Rod Morgenstein (“Faceless Pastiche”) bring the record to the metal/rock fusion that most people might expect from a record like this, but for John Freese (“Lagerborg”) and Tim Alexander (“Shut Up and Play Your Drums”) offer the heaviest cuts on the record, without the jazz connotations. With Straight ahead rock cuts like the Police reminiscent “Wandering Portland Maine” by Marco Minnemann and full-blown solo drum solo by both Stephen Perkins and Brooks Wackerman, as heard on “Pull Up My Sleeve,” Drum Nation has the whole spectrum of styles filled within this compilation.

The styles tend to jump from one another throughout, making the album lack redundancy; it represents drumming as a melodic tool for musical endurance, rather than just showcasing it to hold up the backbone of the band, going beyond the simple double bass pounding and the 1-2 riffs, played out with precision rather than aggression.

Rating: 7 of 10
Reviewed By: Tommy Hash

: : Visit the artist website : :
http://www.magnacartarecords.com/releases/drumnation.html

: : DISCOGRAPHY : :
Drum Nation Volume 1 - 2003