THE KRIS NORRIS PROJEKT – Icons Of The Illogical

Kris Norris, once the lead guitarist for Darkest Hour, embarks on an instrumental journey of sinister and strange proportions with Icons of the Illogical. In actuality, the album isn’t entirely instrumental, as it features death vocals from Randy Blythe (Lamb of God) on two tracks. Subject matter is said to center upon conspiracy theories and those that believe in and support them.

Oftentimes, conspiracy theorists come off as fanatics or fruit loops. Facets of such impressions come to mind when listening to Icons. This occurs because of Norris’ frequently frenetic pace and his ability to alter his style with both subtlety and the occasional bit of guitar wizardry. Right from the get-go, it’s obvious that the dude can play. And he doesn’t just handle guitars. In addition to axework, he also tends to the keys and some of the bass playing.

There’s a lot to sink your teeth into with this album. A little over 54 minutes of guitar virtuosity spread out over 14 tracks makes for a pleasurable experience. Anyone that gravitates toward instrumental albums that are laden with endless guitar technicalities will be in for a treat. Arguably, Icons could be thought of as more of a niche recording than LPs that actually feature vocals.

The album is meant to address conspiracy theories, but without much in the way of singing it’s virtually impossible to realize this. Song titles drop hints as to the theories in question, but they may be too understated for most fans. That isn’t to say there’s a shortage of atmosphere on this one. When listeners are left to their own devices, they’ll surely conjure up images all their own that are relative to each track.

Standouts include “A Shift in Normalcy” and “Servants of Sadness”, where Norris shows that he can make light and pleasant transitions with ease and simplicity. The keys and voice samples on the latter song make things especially chilling. “The Bowman’s Friendship” is another paragon of excellence. This, the longest track on the album and shows Kris, at perhaps, his most proficient. His textured and piercing guitar lines will impress many a Metal fan.

Icons of the Illogical is excellent for what it’s promoted as: a guitar driven instrumental album. Consider inspecting Icons if you’re all about the crunch, electricity and power that come along with skillful guitar playing. If that’s not your thing, The Kris Norris Projekt still isn’t a bad choice. This is a very dynamic piece of work and Norris is a true reflection of what it means to be a skilled guitar player. Could the use of vocals on some tracks emphasize his message more? Maybe, but there’s still a lot here that’ll kick your brain into a higher gear.