While
Vinnie Moore certainly has his own guitar sound, he does not have a very distinctive style. In the '80s he successfully copied the style of
Yngwie Malmsteen to the 32nd note. Here he copies the style that
Joe Satriani made famous with his Surfing with the Alien recording. The time signatures are mostly 4/4 so the feel is centered around the standard rock groove. While it is understandable where
Moore and his record company were going with this, the simplification of the backbeat did nothing more than to make the session a dull showcase for
Moore. The themes here are typical of what is heard in the average macho beer commercial or during a sports highlight. If that was the sole purpose, then bravo -- but without any visuals to help build the excitement,
Meltdown does just what its title implies. ~ Robert Taylor