MIKE ALBERT PROJECT commanded a capacity crowd at CLUB VODKA in Hollywood on April 14th,2005 with enthusiastic response to their latest CD HYPNOTIC, thrilling the crowd with title cuts as well as their of version of Mechanics, a song made popular by Megadeth.

HYPNOTIC,the aptly named new CD by (the) Mike Albert Project is an unabashedly hardcore metal hit. Led by one of the prime captains of the industry, Mike Albert, the CD features unique songs at once both powerfully thematic and decadently enjoyable. From the densely synchronized guitar riffs, played in a unique, mind-blowing tandem by guitarists Mike Albert, Richard M Hollon, and Jon Escobedo on Bass, to the near addictive quality of the the encompassing vocals of Richard Schroeder, HYPNOTIC sets a new standard for the ultimate contemporary metal CD. Throughout the CD, as in live performance, the band's players reveal a reverberating chemistry and total commitment to their art; expectancy leads inexorably to the exciting payoff; there is a definite feeling of "Lock and Load, kids, We're going in!" Extraordinary performances on drums and percussion by Arial Alvarado set the pace and atmosphere of dark, gothic glory. From the sociopolitcally aware Weapons of Mass Destruction!

n, to the hauntingly seductive Stalker, to the rhythmically mind altering title cut Hypnotic, the CD is both unified and diverse, totally immersing the listener in the experience. Mike Albert Project's structured rythms, synth melodies and powerful vocals rise and deliver with an epic quality that makes every tune feel like a bash--and everyone's invited. A powerful reminder that heavy metal is alive and flourishing, Mike Albert Project's HYPNOTIC brings the awesome, intense, mind-blowing scope of the best heavy metal firmly into the 21st century.


Review by Christopher Callahan