LOU DIBELLO
Heat Wave
Independent Release
Lou DiBello’s fourth studio release, Heat Wave, features a quick hitting, tasteful blend of hard rock and metal that showcases a stacked lineup featuring SYMPHONY X bassist Mike LePond and MANOWAR guitarist Ross “The Boss” Friedman. In addition to Lou’s traditional instrumental licks, he mixes in some lyrics with Carsten Schulz nailing down the vocal duties – a clear departure from some of his previous solo work that was strictly instrumental.
Upon pressing play, the listener is immediately immersed into a sweltering pool of impressive guitar work; the kind of guitar work that calls back to the 70’s and 80’s - when soloing was imperative and melodies were still cool, a concept that has been all but lost with many of today’s contemporary musicians. Maybe that is why Lou pays tribute to one of those living legends by covering MiICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP’s “Into The Arena”. That cover alone sends this record straight to my “must hear” list – not to take anything away from the strength of the other tracks, simply put, Lou DiBello’s take on “Into The Arena” is just the icing on the cake.
Heat Wave provides the best of both worlds by combining the classic rock feel with the precision and clarity of today’s production capabilities. Ross Friedman accompanies Lou DiBello on the epic track “Blood On The Cross” with soaring double leads and beautiful harmonies. Lou – a Musician’s Institute honor’s graduate, instructor and staple of the Central Illinois music scene - continues to put on a clinic with his dazzling fretwork on such tracks as “Heat Wave” and “Full Throttle”. My only complaint is that the 8-track album seems too short for an LP and leaves me thirsting for more.
If you want a classic, yet modern-sounding, rock album, brimming with exquisite solos and tight songwriting, this is your next record.
4.0 Out Of 5.0
