Opening track, The Fury is a 50 second instrumental piece that has Yngwie blazing in timeless fashion, a short war inducing prelude to...The Sons Of Anu. This track was written with Yngwie in mind by Derek and it shows, a blazing neo-classical esque tour-de-force. The main riff is totally brutal and this is augmented by Derek really giving it some on the keys. 2 minutes in Yngwie comes blazing in with one of the best solos I have heard in ages really driving the music along. Some nice stop-start interplay paves way for a more melodic section (much like a solo Yngwie spot live) with just simple chord variations over which Yngwie plays some more beautiful stuff. This paves way for Derek to throw down a nice solo, which Yngwie trades bluesy licks with. Very soulful and inspired. 5 minutes in we get a change of direction again with Al DiMeola throwing down a quasi spanish motif which is then backed up keyboards, drums and brutal guitar. The main riff enters again for Derek and Al to trade licks, this then lays down the gauntlet for Yngwie to burst back in with a trademark harmonic minor descending lick and trade back and forth with Derek. This is just a sublime track from start to finish, even Billy Sheehan gets a bass solo....whoa what an instrumental.

Nightmare Of Cinema then changes the mood to a more early Sabbath esque groove, this is where Zakk Wylde first is heard with some super crunchy riffing, a very moody track that would be complete if Ozzy could throw some vocals over the main basis of the track. However, it still stands on its own merit and you will be humming the main riff for days. Zakk throws down a trademark performance, squeeling pinch harmonics over the pummeling groove of the 2nd half of the track before taking your eyes out with a pentatonic at light speed solo.

Stony Days sees the tempo drop and mood lighten. Opening in a fashion reminiscent to classic Rush and some hallmarks of Derek's work with Dream Theater. Steve Lukather (Toto) supplies guitar here, again beautiful melodies are everywhere with Luke giving us a trademark perfect performance. Derek has built a superb backdrop here for the guitar melody to take the reigns and the track comes out stronger for it - another superb slice of music.

Starcycle opens with keyboard trills then a drone note - very disturbing, before hitting a great uptempo pattern over which Lukather builds the tension again with some whammy bar dipped notes. The main melody comes in over the aforementioned melody and to my ears its quite Frank Zappa (so a little Vai too). Derek lays down a nice solo with a synth sound he pioneered in Dream Theater, I can't help but feel that Derek is a huge guitar fan as many of his solos are very guitar in feel - perhaps this just goes to show how much Derek has managed to master an instrument that is still at the end of the day mechanical by making it sound human. Lukather throws in nice lead work mixed in with all kinds of whammy bar inflections. This Jan Hammer cover is another winner.

Axis Of Evil is another EVIL track! This time we get Yngwie and Zakk Wylde in a very haunting track that could be the soundtrack to a slasher movie. Zakk gets the first solo which is then followed by Yngwie. Both are blazing as fast as hell and you can almost see flakes of skin flying all around the recording studio such is the intensity. Derek must have realised people need a breather so gives us another Rush esque interlude to calm the nerves, nice use of light and shade. Yngwie and Zakk's playing eases up to compliment the new mood and what is left is yet another musical delight.

Gypsy Moth sees Al DiMeola return for another gypsy/latin soaked work. Nice mix of acoustic guitars, violins and synths with another very strong melody that sets the mood for this short and sweet atmospheric number.

Lukather returns on Sweet Lament and in the process manages to steal the album! A delicate ballad with all the classic arrangements intact, a beutiful melody with stunning phrasing. Lukather holds the main melody and its sound is a cross between Uli Jon Roth, Focus and reminds me a little of Procol Harum's 'Whiter Shade Of Pale', which despite not being classically music influenced in nature has the same sort of emotional content to it. This tune is perfect for those moments when you want to contemplate life....stunning.

Black Utopia opens with a scene setting theme which is built upon before going into a hautning yet brittle melody. The peace is quickly shattered with a prog-tinged riff over which Derek lays down some great keyboard work, before hitting a classic Zakk Wylde riff - pinch harmonics again add weight before the haunting melody of before returns this time intensified. This track would again not be out of place on a Ozzy album (not quite Black Label Society heaviness), its got that quality to it yet the lack of Ozzy does not hamper at all. The tempo picks up yet again for a riff that verges on Slayer type proportions before more atmospherics. The track seems to blend all the moods displayed elsewhere on the album and serves as a great rounder to a great album.

Well you may have guessed that I like this album. Derek has done himself proud and all the guest guitarists have delivered stunning performances that make this one of the best instrumental albums I have heard this year. Those that have Derek's previous solo album 'Inertia' and like it are going to love 'Black Utopia', its stronger in every department and quite simply is a "must have" album - BUY NOW!

Hot Spots: The Fury, Axis Of Evil, Sweet Lament, Black Utopia.

Rating: 90%