by Tom Holzerman

“Another chance at victory, a spirit breaking free”- from “One Little Victory”.

Perhaps when Neil Peart wrote those words, he was talking about himself, about his own spirit breaking free.

He certainly has every right to. Any man’s spirit would be broken down and battered after suffering the losses Peart has endured in the last six years. His wife lost her battle with cancer, and his daughter was killed in a car accident. That is enough to send any man over the edge. It was enough to keep Peart in seclusion for nearly 5 years.

But after all the pain Peart endured, he was able to break through it in the only way he knows how, through writing music. And Rush fans who have waited 6 long years for the progressive Canadian rockers to come out with something new now get to share some kind of release with Peart.

That release comes in the form of Vapor Trails, a slam dunk, energetic thirteen track set from drummer and lyricist Peart, bassist and vocalist Geddy Lee and guitarist Alex Lifeson. After listening to this album 3 times over the last 3 days, I have to say that it is the best release so far in 2002, and the best new release since Stone Temple Pilots released Shangri-la-di-da in June of last year. It is something fresh in the world of rock, yet it still has the unmistakable sound that is Rush.

What you should expect on Vapor Trails is nothing short of a pure rock record. The guitar riffs pack punch, Geddy still belts out songs with a passion and voice that make him a standout, but the real all-star of this album is Peart. His drum work is as good as ever, starting headfirst with a hard-hitting intro on the album’s first single “One Little Victory”. Peart’s lyrics also speak to you, as they seem to come much closer from his heart than from previous efforts, exorcising the demons of loss from the last six years.

But this album is so much more than a collection of songs. It’s Neil Peart’s, and Geddy Lee’s, and Alex Lifeson’s spirits all breaking free from 6 years of being away from Rush, and for Peart, 6 years of heartache.

And musically at least, it’s much more than just one little victory.

Take Five: "One Little Victory", "Ghost Rider", "Vapor Trails", "Earthshine", "Nocturne"

Rating 4.5 stars out of 5