Talisman - Genesis

Vocalist extraordinaire, Jeff Scott Soto has recorded a positively staggering amount of releases in his not quite 20 year career, he can be heard as lead singer on over 45 releases, including several compliations, and his backing vocal session discography is equally as impressive. Anyone who has been into the metal/AOR scene for any time at all, will recognize the Soto name with ease. He has recorded with the likes of Axel Rudi Pell, Slaughter and Yngwie Malmsteen, not to mention all the bands he is in where he is the undisputed star, such as Human Clay, Eyes, Takara, and the outfit in question for this review, Talisman.

"Genesis" was recorded in 1993, one of the many years where Mr Soto's pipes for hire were in big demand, as he sang cuts on five albums in that one year. Although stretched thin, he doesn't miss a beat, and this Talisman release may very well be his 'magnum opus' out of the bunch. Although no one would deny its the voice that overpowers and drives this release, he certainly wasn't the only member on it. The talented Marcel Jacob handles the majority of instruments, tackling bass, all rhythm guitars and even drums, Fredrik Akesson plops down the solos and slings the axe on most of the leads, and one time Jeff's chick Julie Greaux plays grand piano where needed ("All I Want").

Musically its um...well its AOR/hard rock, in the typical Jeff Scott Soto flavor, if you expect anything more, then be prepared for disappointment, its a little more straightforward and simplistic than Takara, but tasty vocal harmonies abound.

01. "Time After Time" - Low key piddling begins before heavier in-your-face guitar kicks in. A good booty shakin rhythm takes over the tune and drives it home effectively. Sing-a-long, fist-in-the-air chorus jolt this one along on a nice upbeat pacing. Not too heavy, not too soft, just in the middle with some crunchy pulsating parts stirring up the bridge reminiscent of the likes of 80s pop metal sensation, Winger. This starts the album off on the right foot for sure, a solid open track with several musical varations thrown in to keep it spicy.
02. "Comin' Home" - No signs of slowing down, this one is even a tad more upbeat than the previous. The guitar theatrics echo Yngwie in a few places, as does the song structure, which would have been a nice match for something on perhaps "Eclipse".
03. "Mysterious (This Time Its Serious)" - After hearing this track, the rest of the album is going to seem like filler in comparision. This could be served up as the blueprint for what makes metal edged AOR so addictively intriguing. Absolutely fantastic, taking the best parts from the rest of the album, cranks up to eleven, and pours in a chorus to 'die for'. This one is so good, I could eat it right up. A little crunchy, a tad funky, a splash poppy, but 100% delicious.
04. "If U Would Only Be My Friend" - Another funky rhythm, with some lean and mean bass dropped in for good measure. This un sounds like it came from the same brainstorm as "Mysterious...", since it shares some of the same gripping qualities. The guitar solo flows over the top of a killer bassline like water running over blades of grass. The funky twists give a much needed break from the usual AOR formula.
05. "All Or Nothing" - Frantic and decidely Yngwie-ish arpeggio fest acts as the opener to this track which gallops right over the threshold between AOR and the beyond, and heads into a direction that is pure and untamed over-the-top European metal. Pompous and full of metallic beauty in the lead breaks, darting rhythm backbone and the scorching guitar solo which trades off with menacing bass, before they go into full duel mode.
06. "All I Want" - Julie Greaux spots as pianist in this ballad that feels very much like every ballad JSS has done over the past several years. This is perhaps where it all started, so here it would have been fresh, right? Oddly the best sections are the emotionally tipped stripped down duo of keys and voice. Here we have a person who is doing their best to hang on to the one they love, while their object of affection is slipping between their fingers and ultimately out of the relationship while the other pines away, pleading for (her) to rethink throwing their love away. "Remember the yesterdays, just take a chance on the dream." As the song closes, it still looks pretty bleak.
07. "U Done Me Wrong" - Seems the guy's attitude has changed from the previous song, this time he's pretty peeved because his gal threw his love away. Guess he's through lamenting over his broken heart and is just plain pissed now, which is a good thing, since the fire is back, as well as the searing guitar licks which were sorely missed on the depressive and slightly plodding ballad before. "Just close that door as you're walking away, I won't be a fool no more".
08. "I'll Set Your House on Fire" - pounding swingy rocker with Europe's "Prisoners in Paradise" stamped all over it which is not necessarily a bad thing.
09. "Give Me A Sign" - incorporates a few guitar twists and a bit of a sultry slant on Jeff's delivery, which fits in the context of the song nicely. Notice I said 'bit' since its barely even audible, but its there in suitable quantities.
10. "Lovechild" - lyrically takes us on verbal location to what sounds and even feels like, an island paradise, which serves as a background for the main subject of this tune, a psychedelic dancer, turned love machine and finally into object of eternal desire.
11. "Long Way 2 Go" - opens with a bit of atmospheric organ which wraps into a guitar assault followed by acoustic lappings and straight up vocal lines which are pierced by more axe heroics. Its the old 'seeking of peace on earth and acceptance of our differences to make the world a better place' song and dance. It feels worn out before it winds down to excessive repetitions of the title in the chorus and basically every place they could possibly stick it. The party-love mood of "Lovechild" would have made a better closer, for this one feels a little out of place and 'stuck on'.

While there's no doubt this album is done very well, snazzy production, especially for its time, great musical performances all around, and alot of energy in the assortment of varied pacing rockers and the token ballad, but as with most Soto albums, there's that overbearing feeling that if a little more effort had been invested in the songwriting process, then "Genesis" could be alot more than just pleasant background music towards the end. "Genesis" comes out of the starting gates quite strong, but lags a little towards the middling, slipping a few times until it finally runs out of steam just a hair short of the end. The Euro flourish of "All or Nothing" is the turning point, as everything after that seems to be lacking in the quality department, with an exception or two. I'm all for longer albums, but that last song I think we could have all done without. A few more tracks like the positively delictable tune with the cheesy rhyming title, "Mysterious (This Time Its Serious)", could have gone a long way. Without a shadow of a doubt, all JSS fans already own a copy (or even two) of this, and AOR/melodic rock and even Euro metal fans should pick it up, as long as they know what to expect. Rating - 7.8

Rating - 7.8
by Alanna Evans
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