MIKE ALBERT PROJECT "Feast Or Famine" 2003 CD

Guitarist Mike Albert is known to the heavy metal audience thanks to his stint with Megadeth and several (unfortunately, not realized)
projects with ex-Megadeth member Gar Samuelson. However
both before and after playing with MegaDave's band Mike tried his luck in
the most diverse styles of music ranging from playing in Frank Zappa's backing 
band to movie soundtracks. Nevertheless, heavy metal is hardly a curable addiction,
and in the beginning of a new century Mike put together a three-piece
entitled simply the "Mike Albert Project", which is definitely a heavy 
metal CD. It would be an exaggeration to say that "Feast Or Famine" will turn
the heavy metal world upside down, but the release is indeed extraordinary. 
Though the album is completely instrumental (the only exception is the second
track "Dr. Death" with some growling parts), it has nothing to do with numerous
works of contemporary guitar heroes with supersonic shredding all the way or ambient landscapes decorated with a meditative guitar. It's more like an instrumental 
version of Metallica and Megadeth. Tracks are structured around regular song
patterns with two or three main riffs in each, but they're definitely not 
sketches, because vocal lines will be out of place here, guitar alone is more
than enough. Mike is not one of those who go into soloing on the first second 
of a track and continue until all other instruments are silent in the end of the 
track. His strong point is the riffs, of which there are plenty and each is excellent.
There is also some acoustics, but only in some fragments. In general, the 
album's main advantage is its compactness. "Feast Or Famine" is just 33 minutes long,
which is enough to enjoy the musicians' supreme skills in full, but not
enough for these supreme skills to make you tired. The CD is definitely worth
listening for all fans of good guitar playing and definitely a must-have for
practicing guitarists.

Roman "Maniac" Patrashov
Executive Reviewer
http://www.darkside.ru/