Liquid Tension Experiment

Liquid Tension Experiment 3 (InsideOut Music)

8/10

For prog rock fans, this quartet is basically Dream Theater minus James on vocals, with Tony Levin on bass. LTE’s third album (over 20 years since their second) is full of virtuosity, bravado and intensity so prepare to be stunned. Opener, ‘Hypersonic’ lives up to its name as this blazer opens with 30 seconds of fiery unison note spitting, and the blazing doesn’t let up until the ballad-esque middle section where John Petrucci soars with his trademark Boogie/MusicMan tone; then it’s back to intense shred picking. ‘Beating The Odds’ is in 7/8 with a memorable riff and colourful chord changes. Nice Vai-esque solo too. The ominous lurching of ‘The Passage Of Time’ is both exciting and visceral. Gershwin’s ‘Rhapsody In Blue’ could seem an unusual choice but the tones and creativity on show make it a very stimulating listen. On the basis of this, a fourth album surely beckons. (JS)