With some uninspired instrumental rock performances of rather bland material,
Gary Hoey's self-titled 1995 release does not count as one of the guitarist's best. As with his more dynamic debut,
Animal Instinct,
Gary Hoey leans heavily on shred superstars
Joe Satriani and
Steve Vai for melodic and textural influence. While the pinch-harmonics and wah-wah pedal extremities match up with the godfathers of gold-selling instrumental rock, the guitar melodies and tone featured on
Vai/
Satriani knockoffs like "Get a Grip" and the ballad "City Sunrise" posses nowhere near the feeling of
Hoey's notable predecessors. In his long and successful career,
Hoey managed to get a few inspired songs and performances captured on tape. Unfortunately, none of these highlights are to be found on this recording. ~ Vincent Jeffries