Trioscapes - 'Separate Realities' (metalblade) 4.5/5

Oooo interesting. Metalblade records have a deserved reputation for being the home of all things good and extreme in metal, but every so often, like all good labels should, they do like to pitch a curve ball, and this album from US jazz/rock fusion outfit Trioscapes is just such a pitch. Featuring bassist Dan Briggs (Between the Buried and Me), saxpert Walter Fancourt (Casual Curious, Brand New Life) and drummist Matt Lynch (Eyris) this lot came together as a one off project to record a cover version of the Mahavishnu Orchestra classic Celestial Terrestrial Commuters. This in turn lead to the idea of a one off gig so more music was penned and as is often the way with such ideas things soon snowballed and soon Trioscapes were born and this their debut album was recorded.

Now my liking for jazz was formed at a very tender age. I grew up in the household of a jazz loving father and I knew the tunes to the likes of Dave Brubecks Take Five before I could sing most nursery rhymes; and although over the years since I have grown to become a bit of a rock and metal nut,  the soft spot for jazz is still there deep down.

There are six cuts on offer here, all very nice chilled out and perfectly performed sweet sax lead jazz workouts that serve equally well as background music and as music for active listening. Now I like jazz but I don't really know the language of the musical form, so I'll leave the technical analysis of this one to the more expert jazz reviewers, but I will say cuts like the chilled out Curse of The Ninth and the epic and driving title track, along with the aforementioned Mahavishnu cover all make for one great listen.

Fans of jazz and jazz rock will love this one up big time and anyone who is a little 'jazz curious' will find this a good place to start their own jazz odyssey.

NICE....

 For fans of... Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, King Crimson, Colosseum....