From a guitar playing standpoint,
Tony MacAlpine's 2002 release,
Live Insanity, is a fitting album title -- especially with all the sweep picking and other fretboard acrobatics that occur throughout this all-instrumental set. Recorded at the Roxy Theater in Hollywood, CA during 1997,
MacAlpine (who also handles keyboard duties, as well) is joined by a rhythm section consisting of bassist Ricky Riccardo and drummer
Mike Terrana. The result is a group of tracks that can be neatly categorized into two categories -- a fusion of
Steve Vai and
Yngwie Malmsteen (the album-opening "The Vision," "Rusalka") or selections that reflect
Joe Satriani's gift of six-string phrasing ("The Sage," "Carolina Blue"). Fans of guitar shredding should enjoy
Live Insanity, but to the average listener, it all starts to sound the same after a while. ~ Greg Prato