THE MIKE ALBERT PROJECT – Afterlife

Mike Albert is one in a long line of former Megadeth guitar players. He spent less than a year’s time as a member of that group. When Chris Poland left the band, Albert assumed the newly vacated position. Due to “friction” between Mustaine and Albert, the latter decided to leave one of Metal’s most legendary bands behind. Before releasing Afterlife, the Mike Albert Project’s first release, Albert worked as a session guitarist.

Afterlife kicks off with a 30 second intro that’s just too short to leave a real mark. It showcases some good drumming on the part of Angel Lujan, but little else. “Realms” is the next song on the album and the guitar work sounds reminiscent of early Metallica. Pantera is another big name that comes to mind when listening to this group. On “Blind Man’s Bluff” you come to realize that lead singer Richard Schroeder has a gruff and throaty style that’s not at all unlike that of Phil Anselmo.

Big names aside, the MAP have a somewhat modern tone. They retain age-old Metal influences but still manage to sound like somebody you might hear on your local Hard Rock radio station. If you’re seeking a band with a heavy yet accessible sound, you’ll get precisely that. They don’t alienate themselves to modern rockers or tried and true Heavy Metal devotees.

Most of the songs on this album seem to be on par with the others. While “Dr. Death” and “Weapons of Mass Destruction” stand out for their catchiness, the balance between each track is pretty equal. The only other distinguishable song may be “UMFR” but that’s just because it’s an F-bomb laced, tirade sort of song.

Mike Albert and his band mates do an admirable job of playing on this album. Simply put, they play a hard and fast brand of Hard Rock and Metal. The rhythm section of Angel Lujan (drums) and Jon Escobedo (bass) does a more than stellar job. The former displays a wealth of speed and marauding of drumheads throughout. As for lyrical craft, simplicity is in order. There’s nothing here that’ll leave you in a genuinely contemplative state. Keeping it simple works well for this group.

The Mike Albert Project has a ways to go before it’ll truly impress anyone. Their stuff is solid but nothing that’s crisp or fresh. The musicianship is strong and at times reminds of metallic days long gone by. At others, the modernity of what’s on tap seems to have been offered up a bit too frequently. Afterlife has a little to offer everyone but that little bit may not make it worth buying. Any interested parties would be wise to check out a few tracks before considering a purchase.