John Petrucci is the guitarist from Dream Theater and as things would have it this CD arrived the day before the new Dream Theater album Octavarium did! I remember reading a review of a John Petrucci solo show as part of a G3 tour in the States. (In fireworks issue 6 to be precise). Phil Ashcroft stated that most of the material was unreleased and here we are some four years later and some of that material  hasnow being made available to purchase, admittidly only from the Dream Theatre website or certain specialist shops (were mine came from). 

I cannot understand the reasons for this only being available from the website as I’m certain Inside out or Lion Music would have given their back teeth to release this album once they had heard it! (It may be due to the fact that the band, get all the money this way!) Anyway the album opens with Jaws of Life which proves to be a riff heavy statement of intent! with the usually clever melody line. and next up is 'Glasgow Kiss' which,as the title suggests, has a very Scottish flavour and reminds me of Steve Morse. (No big surprise as Dave Larue plays with Steve Morse in both the Steve Morse band and the Dixie Dregs.) 

Track 3 'Tunnel Vision' has the guest musicians as mention above and is almost new age in feel but the guitar takes the place of the keyboards and is also quite riffey in nature. Track 4 'Wishful Thinking' is almost a power ballad but misses the requisite big vocal style to truly fall into that category, very 'Always With You Always With Me' from Joe Satrianai in feel which is no bad thing!

Fifth track into the album we find 'Damage Control' which is a beginners guide on how write heavy riffs that are catchy as fuck and then with 'Curve' Petrucci returns to the aforementioned Satriani style and is slightly reminiscent of 'Summer Song' by Satch.

Rounding out this eight track album are 'Lost Without You', another ballad type track with a very bluesy in style and then finally 'Animate-Inanimate' with a very Arabian feel and fairly heavy in nature. 

In short this album is brilliant in every aspect, from the production to the playing and the songwriting which are all spot on . The only downer is that this album would have been amazing with the addition of a good vocalist.  I know I’m being to sound like a broken record when it comes to instrumental albums....

Mr Petrucci please get Mr La Rue to contact Terry Brock and write some vocal tracks with him. Why Terry Brock? Simple Terry Brock stated out as the vocalist on tour with Steve Morse! 

Let us know your views on 'Suspended Animation'

Track List

Jaws of Life
Glasgow Kiss
Tunnel Vision
Wishful Thinking
Damage Control
Curve
Lost Without You
Animate-Inanimate

Line Up

John Petrucci Guitars
Dave LaRue bass
Dave DiCenso drums,
Tony Verderosa (acoustic and
electronic drums on Tunnel Vision)
Tim LeFebvre (bass on Tunnel Vision.)