Album Review: Terminal Velocity, John Petrucci
We take a dive into Terminal Velocity, an album from the prodigy guitarist John Petrucci. 15 years have passed since John Petrucci's last solo record. The guitarist has finally returned with a new orchestral album that's sure to impress.
By Dimitris (Bari) Polyzois
Terminal Velocity gets four stars across the board as it delivers on all fronts. This is a record of killer guitar in every way.
Luckily for us, while Petrucci's legendary prog metal band, Dream Theater, couldn't tour due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that left a big gap in his calendar. We're all lucky that Petrucci seized this opportunity to get back in the studio and bring us this gem of an album.
We're all lucky that Petrucci seized this opportunity to get back in the studio and bring us this gem of an album.
From the first song to the last, Petrucci clearly demonstrates a mastery of the instrument that few have ever achieved. Looking at this record as a whole, you immediately notice just how much John Petrucci shapes the sound and style of Dream Theater. Any of these songs could easily be turned into a Dream Theater melody.
One of the most exciting pieces of news for Dream Theater fans was the involvement of the outstanding drummer, Mike Portnoy. This is their first serious reunion since Portnoy left Dream Theater. Through it, the record feels both stellar and familiar. It's refreshing to hear them reunite in this new setting. It's a reunion that many fans feel has been long overdue.
Dave LaRue rounds out the trio on bass, and he's terrific throughout the recording. The Dixie Dregs player performed on John's first solo record and joined him on the G3 tour of 2005. He has also played in a lineup with Jordan Rudess.
The songwriting on the record is refreshing to say the least. Beautiful themes, interesting harmonies, and tasty melodic passages. Was this expected? Yes! Was it written and delivered brilliantly? Also, yes! There are catchy hooks, rock riffs, and unforgettable melodies. At the same time, Petrucci truly gave his best throughout the record. He never loses sight of the song and plays for the trio.
This is their first serious reunion since Portnoy left Dream Theater.
Delivering great music doesn't need to be complicated to be wonderful. The somewhat simple progression in "Out Of The Blue" turned into a moving song with bluesy, soulful themes. The straightforward attack of "Snake In My Boot" was playful and fun, but there's also excellent guitar work in this track.
Overall, even though it's a prog metal, guitar-driven instrumental record, the songs are well-written and very well thought out. The showcasing of these three legends of prog and fusion is placed strategically throughout the tracks.
The production is as good as any Dream Theatre record, which is very important. The guitar tones on the recording are frighteningly good. Petrucci's signature guitar tone shows up throughout Terminal Velocity. If you've ever wondered about the sound of the Mesa Boogie Mark series or the sound of Petrucci's Music Man JP-series guitar
look no further than this record. We picked out the killer tones of the Mesa JP2C and the Music Man.
The drum sound projects its frequency spectrum in a pleasing way. It's kept a bit restrained in the low end to prevent the kick from overwhelming the rest of the recording. In fact, this more restrained drum mix level is a distinct departure from these guys' previous efforts together. The kick and bass live in harmony. They're carved beautifully for one another. Every drum hit occupies its own space, and that's no easy feat!
The sound, coming from Petrucci's Mesa Boogie and Music Man, is excellent.
Of course, this is a guitarist's record. That's why the guitars are up front in the mix (right where we want them). But never in the over-the-top way that shredders think it should be. We definitely appreciate the tasteful use of guitar effects like reverb and delay. They're there, but they seem to be on the safe side. So it leaves players like you and me to face the harsh reality that we can't play it clean, that fast. Yes, sometimes it's a humbling record.
The atmosphere of this recording feels like typical prog metal. Having heard so much of Petrucci and Portnoy's collective work in the past, that same atmosphere permeates this recording. These guys just know how to play together like a hand in a glove. And despite the absence of their other bandmates, the vibe is very reminiscent of Dream Theatre. We love it! Terminal Velocity might be the most cohesive and enjoyable instrumental guitar album we've heard in decades. And for a lot of today's young shredders, we can see this record being as important to them as Steve Vai's Passion and Warfare was to us.
