Today it's almost a rule: if you're a rock guitarist with a classical background your music is interesting to listen to but it rarely brings pleasure - it's an intellect-versus-pure joy game. Fortunately, Mike Martin, an axeman for, lately, FOZZY and The Duke, counts jazz and folk amongst his influences as well as hard rock and doesn't bind himself to any particular style on this, his first solo album, a fine collection of instrumental pieces. That's why "Salute" soars to the sun on the fusion wave and then rolls down the rocky road beckoning a listener to follow, and "Lavender" has a delicate aroma about it. Not that everything comes with a serious expression as suggests the playful "The Trouser Trout" that's hard not to get hooked on. The centerpiece, though, is "Epiphany", the best example of what Mike's capable of in terms of composition. Starting Bach-like, it builds on riffs but it's the lyrical, spiral way up through both speedy and relaxed soloing to the climactic resolution. There's no showing off, there's genuine feelings on display. With certainty that the next album will be a blast, it's 4 - not 2 - out of 5.