BUMBLEFOOT: Bumblefoot... Returns! (GUITAR HERO): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

In his thirty-year career, Ron Bumblefoot Thal had composed only one instrumental guitar album, his very first: “The adventures of Bumblefoot”. Since then, the guitarist has only released albums featuring his own vocals, and quite well at that. So we had to wait three decades to see one of the most talented and original guitarists of his time repeat the exercise, and a whole decade since his last solo album with vocals. Ten whole years of absence? Well, not quite, since in the meantime he has battled cancer and worked with Guns N'Roses, Art of Anarchy, Sons of Apollo, Asia and Whom Gods Destroy. Enough to keep him busy and pay the bills.

Not only is Ron Bumblefoot Thal's technique breathtaking, but few artists have managed to include humor in their technical compositions without descending into the grotesque. It's all about the art of putting technique at the service of music, and not the other way round. So, after so many years of waiting for his return with a solo album, we had every right to expect a little gem. That's the problem with expectations: the higher they are, the more likely they are to be thwarted. And in this case, it's disappointing!

Not that Bumblefoot has lost his touch, on the contrary, but there are so many inequalities on this album! Opener 'Simon in Space' gets off to a strong start with its syncopated heavy rhythm and singular melody from outer space (that's the theme). This is followed by 'Planetary Lockdown', a brilliant riff found and shared on Youtube during the lockdown (as the name suggests) five years ago. The track is certainly well thought-out and catchy, but it's nothing new. The same goes for 'Cintaku', which is certainly a fine track, but also dates from 2020. The track 'Chopin Walz Op64 No2' is the second time, after 'Chopin Fantaisie' (which first appeared in 1991 on a guitar compilation “Ominous Guitarists from the Unknown”), that we have appropriated a classic theme by Frédéric Chopin in metal sauce. It's undeniably beautiful, it's technical, but it's been done before. Fortunately, the album ends on a high note with the sublime 'Liftoff', which we can't wait to see on video to understand how this beauty could be executed.

So, is this album just a recycling of previously unreleased tracks? Not really, because there's some new material too, with big-name guests such as Steve Vai on 'Monstruoso', Guthrie Govan on 'Anveshana', as well as Brian May, Derek Sherinian and Jerry Gaskill, on 'Once in forever'. However, Bumblefoot's comeback was a melting pot of more or less recent, more or less original and more or less interesting tracks. His career was a singular one - like his Swiss Cheese guitar - and this album is unlikely to redress the balance. - Official website

BUMBLEFOOT

BUMBLEFOOT... RETURNS!

AUTOPRODUCTION

GUITAR HERO