:: Uli Jon Roth - Under A Dark Sky

Uli Jon Roth

After spending several years focusing on his symphonic and classical works, news emerged that German guitar virtuoso/multi-instrumentalist Uli Jon Roth had decided to return to his rock origins, with his new album ‘Under A Dark Sky’ reportedly rooted in his traditional rock sound of his earlier releases. Conceptually based around the darkened times that we currently live in, ‘Under A Dark Sky’ is indeed steeped in Roth’s rock sound. But that’s not to say that it doesn’t have plenty of Roth’s latter day classic influences as well, with the opening track ‘S.O.S.’ given the full symphonic treatment, with Roth’s guitar work working alongside the dramatic strings, operatic vocal performances and the vast array of sound effects. The operatic ‘Tempus Fugit’ maintains the dense and heavy tone of the opener, but thankfully the three-part ‘Land Of Dawn’ marks a genuine return to more rock-like sounds. Vocalists Mark Boals and Liz Vandall put in some fantastic performances together on the ballad-like ‘Land Of Dawn’ and the more up-tempo ‘Lion Wings’, while Boals positively shines alongside Roth’s Hendrix inspired riffing on the heavier ‘The Magic Word’. Roth gets to show off his neo-classic shredding skills alongside his Sky Orchestra on ‘Inquisition’ and the symphonic/operatic ‘Letter Of The Law’, while on ‘Stay In The Law’, ‘Benediction’ and the beautiful ‘Light & Shadows’, Roth shows the level of feeling and emotion he’s able to elicit from his custom ‘Sky Guitar’ with undeniable ease. The real centrepiece of ‘Under A Dark Sky’ however, is the epic twelve piece closing suite ‘Tanz In Die Dämmerung’. Over nineteen minutes, Roth manages to combine his latter day passion for classical/opera material with his recent rediscovery of rock to create a stunning conclusion to ‘Under A Dark Sky’. Although Roth provides plenty of stunning moments with his numerous solos, no one particular moment stands out, meaning that the entire suite is a highlight in itself, rather than its individual parts. Although billed as a rock album, it would be unfair to say that ‘Under A Dark Sky’ is a simple rock album. Instead, the album marries the many aspects of Roth’s work throughout the years under the one piece of work, with perhaps Roth allowing his guitar work to get a bit more attention than he has done in many years. If you’re a fan of Roth’s varied and large body of work throughout the years, then you’ll no doubt be impressed by his latest venture ‘Under A Dark Sky’.