:: Jeff Loomis - Zero Order Phase

Jeff Loomis

Following the critical acclaim that followed the release of ‘This Godless Endeavor’ in 2005, and the completion of touring commitments in support of the said album, the members of Seattle progressive/power metal act Nevermore decided to take a well earned break and pursue other interests. Vocalist Warrel Dane was the first to return with his debut solo release ‘Praises To The War Machine’ earlier in this year. And as expected, the album was more or less an extension of the familiar Nevermore sound, with Dane’s vocals primarily taking centre stage.
Now four months later, guitarist Jeff Loomis has finally unveiled his debut solo offering in ‘Zero Order Phase’. And as anticipated, it’s all about the guitars.

‘Zero Order Phase’ is pretty much a revisit to the mid to late ‘80’s when instrumental shred albums were all the rage. But unlike a lot of those infamous guitar releases, Loomis has managed to create an instrumental release that caters to almost all, with both guitar fanatics and fans of Nevermore likely to find plenty to enjoy within the ten tracks on offer. The opening track ‘Shouting Fire At A Funeral’ is perhaps one of the more Nevermore-like tracks on the album, with Loomis demonstrating his progressive thrash prowess alongside an abundance of extended solo work, without forsaking a sense of melody and hook throughout. ‘Opulent Maelstrom’ and ‘Devil Theory’ on the other hand are chaotic shredding/neo-classical influenced numbers where Loomis really manages to really push his sound and technical skills to the extreme. ‘Jato Unit’ is a definite favourite, with Watchtower/Spastic Ink guitarist Ron Jarzombek effortlessly trading solos with Loomis, while ‘Rage Against Disaster’ is as equally impressive with former Nevermore/Cannibal Corpse guitarist Pat O’Brien contributing some stunning (Not to mention heavy) guest solo work. The experimental jazz/progressive sounding ‘Cashmere Shiv’ is certainly one of the more adventurous tracks on the album, with bassist Michael Manring and producer Neil Kernon (Who provides the fretless guitar solos) helping flesh out a different sound to what you would normally expect from Loomis. Both ‘Departure’ and ‘Sacristy’ are the album’s slower numbers that drift between acoustic passages and mid-paced clean lines of shred guitar work, while on the melodic ‘Miles Of Machines’, Loomis again reprises his trademark Nevermore sound.

More often than not, instrumental albums generally cater to a particular audience. But on ‘Zero Order Phase’, Loomis has managed to create an album that appeals to both Nevermore fans and guitarists alike.