JAMES BYRD'S ATLANTIS RISING - CRIMES OF VIRTUOSITY (SPECIAL BONUS
TRACKS EDITION) (A-/B+) Lion Music, 2005
12 tracks, RT: 61:14
[ http://www.jamesbyrd.com/ ]
[ http://www.lionmusic.com/ ]
Originally released in 1998, James Byrd's excellent CRIMES OF
VIRTUOSITY album sees a reissue through Lion which includes two bonus
tracks, lyrics and alternate cover artwork. James has long been a
favorite of mine, ever since I heard him on Fifth Angel's debut album
back in 1986. If you are a connoisseur of tasteful fretwork you may
already be familiar with Mr. Byrd, but if his soulful music and
exquisite playing are unknown to you then CRIMES OF VIRTUOSITY is as
good a place as any to get acquainted! James obviously grew up
listening closely to the masters, icons such as Jimi Hendrix, Ritchie
Blackmore, Frank Marino and his greatest influence, Uli Jon Roth.
After the short intro "Prelude In Sea," James sets fire to his Strat
with "Metatron," a track reminiscent of early Rainbow with plenty of
great guitar sure to satisfy even those with a taste for excessive
shred. A cover version of the song "Heaven On Their Minds" from the
musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" follows and is a definite highlight,
very melodic and forceful with characteristically blazing runs by
James. The intensity continues with the bonus track "Shot Down In
Flames" and what a scorcher this one is, Kendall Torey's vocals a mix
of Ronnie James Dio and Graham Bonnet while James lays down some lead
that even Yngwie Malmsteen would have been pleased to have recorded.
One of my favorites of the album is "Jane," a sensitive instrumental
featuring some nice acoustic work interspersed with emotional lead
playing. "Going Home" ends things dynamically with another fantastic
solo and expressive vocals. You can expect strong musicianship
throughout but keep in mind the emphasis is squarely on the guitar.
The production is good, however I think it will appeal most to those
who remember the sound of albums from the '70s, especially the
Scorpions' early records. The main complaint I have about James'
playing is sometimes he sounds a little too much like Uli, especially
his vibrato. Small criticism though, as Uli is no longer playing quite
like this so I think it's acceptable for James to take up the baton.
I've been listening to CRIMES OF VIRTUOSITY quite a bit lately and can
honestly say it reveals James to be a player of considerable depth
with a thorough understanding of the qualities that make for a great
musician. I say: add this one to your collection. - Neal Woodall
(MysticX10@msn.com)
Detritus Rock/Metal e-zine
"Rock Hard With A Purpose"
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Detritus/

James Byrd’s Atlantis Rising - Crimes Of Virtuosity (Lion Music) Review by Joe Florez www.live4metal.com
	Before I jump into the review, this has to be pointed out. If you are a fan of this unsung guitar hero, yes, this is a re-release of the 1998 album that seems to have been out of print until today. Now, Lion Music has come to the rescue and has re-packaged, re-mastered and even tossed in two extra tracks to make this worth your bones. Now, I have heard of the name before, but never heard a single lick from this so-called guitar God. According to the press release, he is being lauded as one of the best in the biz and Yngwie has given his total support to this individual. Also, he has his own line of guitars out. Now, when I read words like that, it can mean only one of two things: they are either full of shit! Or they’re
right! Guess what? They are dead on and then some. Taking my first dive ever into this man’s music, I was fucking floored when I heard the opening track “Metatron 444.” James’ fretwork is phenomenal. He is slick, smooth and aggressive all at the same time. While the musicians aren’t known, he has a killer vocalist in Kendall Torrey. His voice is as strong as Graham Bonnet’s, but sounds completely original. Make no mistake, this man is full of flash and pizzazz, but, he works it all out in such a way that you will be mesmerized for a long time to come. “Heaven On Their Minds” utilizes oriental riffs with plenty of heavy metal for a mix that is a sure fire hit. Once again, we are treated to another fine composition that will have you cheering him on. God damn, the ballad for “In My Darkest Hour” will bring a tear to your eye because the six string work here is done so beautifully. There are some sections where he plays fast particularly when he adds his flamenco influence into the mix. Everybody knows that a so-called guitar hero needs to have a solo or two and we get our first one during “Jane.” This is a power ballad and a half and boy does he play with emotion. You can feel it as it blares over the speakers. It has it all from fantastic wankery to soft spots and everything in between. I haven’t had my jaw on the floor like this in a long time. Perhaps since the first “Rising Force” album or Steve Vai for that matter. You will hear the influences from Blackmore to Hendrix with ease, but rather than duplicate them he just incorporates it into his own style and what comes out is nothing short of breathtaking. All you wanna-be future guitar greats better get this disc because Byrd can show you how it’s done. This is a must have!  www.lionmusic.com | www.jamesbyrd.com

James Byrd
Atlantis Rising Crimes of Virtuosity Lion Music

by John Kindred
Staff Writer
 

Comments: In today’s music scene, trends come and go. Whims of youth often dictate the flavor of the month for many music groups. And the corporate labels turn their backs on talent in favor of dollar driving revenue that comes in the form of regurgitated, reformulated concept bands.

There are many professionals in the music industry, whether musicians, producers or engineers, who know of James Byrd, the musician, artist, composer and guitarist who resides in Seattle. Byrd is quite possibly one of America’s finest guitarist, who should be more widely known yet success on a grand scale has eluded him more often than not.

James Byrd has been a fixture of the Seattle music scene since 1983 when his then band Fifth Angel, was discovered by Mike Varney and together the band and Varney produced their first record. The album was progressive for the time and met with stellar reviews. By 1987, the band had been taken on by Concrete Marketing and Management and soon landed a 7-album deal with CBS Records. The debut CD was re-released and the band was on the verge of tasting the success they had all strove for. With a deal signed and the possibilities for large monetary earnings the band went through a major shakeup, and Byrd found himself no longer in the band he had created.

By ’88 Byrd had returned to Shrapnel Records, releasing his next project under his own name James Byrd’s Atlantis Rising. Byrd went on to release his first instrumental release Octoglomerate in 93’ and followed up with his next instrumental disc Son of Man in ‘95. With Son of Man Byrd received an endorsement from a Swede who never gave any ’80s guitarist the time of day, Yngwie Malmsteen. Byrd returned again in ’96 with former Lynch Mob vocalist Robert Mason for his fourth solo release the Apocalypse Chime.

’97 brought the release of Crimes of Virtuosity. Four years later Byrd returned with what has been described as Symphonic Progressive Metal on Flying Beyond the 9 and Byrd continued this new avenue of exploration on 2003s Anthem.

In the here and now of 2005, Byrd is re-releasing Crimes of Virtuosity on Lion Records. Not happy with the mix on the CD that showed up in certain territories on the ’97 release, Byrd delivers Crimes of Virtuosity mastered they way his ears heard the music. Byrd’s guitar style is in the vein of many neo-classical shredders but Byrd brings to the table melodic thought and progressive ideas that keeps him from being pigeonholed into the often repetitive nature of the neo-classical guitarist.

Crimes of Virtuosity can be described as meaty and heavy; the guitars are powerful and the instrumentation is precise and adventurous. Dabbling in rich acoustic textures, sonic layers of warm distortion that are heard in the rhythm and lead guitar work provided Byrd. Byrd was not alone working on delivering Crimes of Virtuosity to his fans and critics. Singer Kendall Tory provides the grit and growl that make Crimes such a solid release. His vocal prowess is on par with his peers and provides the perfect compliment to Byrd’s guitar work. Rounding out the lineup was drummer Chase Culp and bassist Randy Matthiessen.

Opening the CD is the instrumental track “Prelude at Sea” which after 27 seconds takes us in the hard hitting “Metatron.” From the get go the lead guitar burns over the rhythm guitar before Mr. Tory enters the fray. A sitar and a mid eastern vocal opens up track 2 “Heaven On Their Minds,” dramatic solos abound under Tory as the verse takes off. Soon you are met the melodic tonalities of both Tory and Byrd as the vocals and guitar interplay with each other. The lyrics are strong featuring the social commentary that Byrd is known for writing.

“Shot Down in Flames” sees Byrd open with a neo-classical solo, before the ruckus of the song kicks into gear. Another political and social theme carries the song from beginning to end. “My Darkest Hour” is just beautiful song, and is the first time we hear the acoustic texture as Byrd leads us into this stellar track. Haunting, riveting the song sums up what is missing within the realm of today’s main stream music, which is great orchestration and compositional thought. The lead work here is phenomenal and expressive and Byrd proves that speed isn’t the epitome of a great solo. Lyrically introspective, the song delves into the seeking of knowledge and finding out the cost of that venture.

“The Hunted Heretic (When I Was Young)” opens with a whah pedal riff and has a loose, spacious and uncluttered feel. The buildup to the chorus is melodic. Song number 7, “Jane,” is the first instrumental track on the disc. Written by Byrd and Mattiessen the song opens with an acoustic intro and is a nice melodic piece that features beautiful acoustic classical guitar melodies. “Get Free” throws us right back into a more up tempo rockin’ song. Just sing the chorus to yourself, “Get Free,” and feel the power.

“Storm King” opens with an organ intro, ala Deep Purple. The song has a very Purple vibe. The rhythm pulses under the vocals as a clean guitar solo is played. The song slowly builds up to its crescendo, the chorus, where the instrumentation collides in furious fashion. Lovin’ it now! “Byrd’s Bolero” is the new track added to the re-release of Crimes. The song opens with a powerful orchestrated intro before dropping you into a piano melody and builds back into heavy guitar solo and then again returns to the piano. This interplay goes on throughout the song and is a masterful composition.

Haunting synth and guitars lead us into the nearly 8 minute epic, “Goodbye My Love.” Brilliant vocals, lyrics and instrumentation are a highlight. Crimes of Virtuosity closes with “Goin Home.” Another driving composition continues highlighting the guitarist and the vocalist. And after over an hour of music, as the song says, “this is where it ends.”

A very dramatic and powerful finish, one would hope that the interest in James Byrd will be peaked by the re-release of Crimes of Virtuosity. You can’t go wrong discovering the brilliant works done by Byrd and company. Do yourself a favor and discover his music for the first time or rediscover Byrd all over again.

www.jamesbyrd.com
www.lionmusic.com

Also check out the HRH most recent interview with James Byrd here!

Track Listing: 1. Prelude In Sea 2. Metatron 3. Heaven On The Minds 4. Shot Down In Flames 5. In My Darkest Hour
6. Hunted Heteric 7. Jane 8. Get Free 9. Storm King 10. Bolero No. 46 Mvt. 3 11. Good Bye My Love 12. Going Home

www.hardrockhaven.net

 

Crimes of Virtuosity
James Byrd's Atlantis Rising
(Lion)

There was a bit of trepidation when I plopped this sucker in the CD tray.
After several recent bad experiences with guitar wizards and their god awful
instrumental albums, I was a wee bit worried. I needn't have been, this is
in fact a group album from Atlantis Rising with that type of musical
instrument called vocals. This is a re-released of 1998 album (with bonus
tracks) and it is a rather good hard rock. While it won't be breaking any
sales records; its competent stadium rock that does not disappoint. Oweing
to the prescence of one time Fifth Angel guitarist Byrd, you can bet the
guitars on here are shit hot. Considering the complements this bloke has
gotten from Malmsteen, its not surprising that much of the guitar playing
here shares some similarities with his as well as in style of the music. I
believe Byrd is rather fond of Malmsteen in his Rising Force guise, which to
be honest, so are the rest of us.  There are other nods to Rainbow on such
tracks as 'Heaven on their Minds' as well as Deep Purple on 'Storm King.'
The vocal & guitar pairing on 'In My Darkest Hour' is rather impressive.
Basically my first impression of this disc were way the hell off. Quite an
impressive collection of tracks.

****
Marty Dodge


Reviews Editor
Get Ready To Rock!
www.getreadytorock.com

BYRD - ANTHEM

Lion Music / 2002

James Byrd became a real legend when he formed the band  Fifth Angel.The Fifth Angel debut album was a true classic in the epic melodic hardrock genre and in an instant James Byrd was one of the most famous guitarists from the 80’s.Regretfully James left after the first Fifth Angel album and formed his own band James Byrd’s Atlantis Rising.The self titled debut was a nice record but vocalist Freddy Krumins was definitely not as good as Ted Pilot (Fifth Angel vocalist).In the early nineties James released two highly aclaimed instrumental albums which were strongly influenced by the great Uli Jon Roth.In 1996 James released the album “The Apocalypse Chime” under the name of The James Byrd Group and two years later “Crimes of Virtuocity”, which was maybe the most diverse album that James ever released.In 2001 James made one of the best decisions of his life forming a band with Brian Hutchinson on keyboards and Michael Flatters on vocals.Under the name Byrd the album “Flying Beyond the 9” was released through Lion Music.Almost every

editor loved this album and this was definitely no surprise because the melodic

hardrock mixed with symphonic and neo-classical influences sounded fresh and inspired.Not only James’ guitar escapades sounded better than ever but also Michael Flatters was one of the biggest new vocal talents of the last couple of years.Now we got the new album titled “Anthem” and again the melodic, symphonic and neo-classical elements are here but I personally think that the songs are even better than on “Flying Beyond the 9”.My favorite songs are “Omen” , “All I Want”, “Killing Machine” (maybe one of the best songs James ever wrote), “Thank You” (just listen to the guitar solo on this one!) and “The Price of War”.”Anthem” is another classic in the making and together with the Fifth Angel debut album this is probably the best album that James ever released.Very recommended!!!

Rating : 9.5/10

Review by Ronny Elst (2002)     www.metalprovider.com/metalcoven

Former Fifth Angel founder and guitarist James Byrd continues his amazing career with another album. The new album titled 'Anthem' is now released via Lion Music and is a progression of his direction on 'Flying beyond the 9'. The difference that I picked up on this release is that the album comes across as more of a production. The songs are big. The band is classified as a symphonic metal act and lives up to the name very well. Now it needs to be said that James Byrd is not making Rhapsody style music even though some find those comparisons. The bands are definitely different in their approach. The new album is also filled with a lot of emotion. When Byrd started to write his new album it was a pre 9/11 era. After the tragic events he totally shifted gears and offered a different presentation. Maybe this affected the emotional aspect of this release. Actually, I'd bet on it. The release is tight with good musicianship, writing, and vocals. Most of the tracks are actual very visual in their presentation. Take 'Anthem -Dealt by Darkness' as an example. It's a great opener that displays the aforementioned emotion as well as big production sound. This is consistent throughout the rest of the album. Some of my own favorites include the opener already mentioned, 'Omen', the melodic 'Some Day', 'All I want', the atmospheric 'The price of war', and the upbeat album closer 'Only Love'. It's hard to pick favorites however because the entire album is consistent and well written.


Overall
James Byrd is really writing some prestigious sounding music. This album is similar than 'Flying beyond the 9' but is different at the same time. The songs are well crafted with a bit of classical thrown into big production. An emotionally driven album that makes a statement where James is as an artist. He has his own identity and this album really solidifies this notion. This one is definitely worthy of your attention!

www.heavymetalresource.com  (Dave)

2001's Byrd release "Flying Beyond The 9" was my introduction to the music of James Byrd, and his band; simply named Byrd. Besides Mr. Byrd himself, Brian Hutchinson (piano, drums, bass) and singer Michael Flatters (Takara) form this band.
I won't elaborate on the history of the band and James Byrd in specific, 'cause in the very near future a bio and interview will be available on RockNet as well, offering plenty of background info.

I'm not even going to try to categorize this music. You'll simply have to judge for yourself. But the amazing compositions and guitar work will appeal to many. The songs on "Anthem" are a little calmer then Byrd's previous release, but the balance between up-tempo and slower material is excellent. 
The piano / keyboard-driven intro "Dealt By Darkness" is the perfect start of an album that will impress many. The bombastic orchestral arrangement will stir up an appetite, like a good intro should. The voice of Michael Flatters cuts through the broad sound, and if Mr. Flatters doesn't, the lead guitars of James Byrd do. The pompous following song "Omen" with the staccato piano, layered guitar licks and powerful choruses sounds like something the mighty Queen might have performed in the earlier part of their career. I wonder if Byrd himself will admit to the similarity. I'll ask him. 

Of course the guitars are very prominently here, but thank goodness James Byrd (who wrote all these songs) apparently has a deep understanding of songwriting and arranging. At least he doesn't drown each and every song in mindless scale-racing. More than once the (guitar) harmonies remind me of Brian May, but the songwriting (except for "Omen" maybe) is, as far as I can judge knowing only the previous record, typical Byrd work. 
"Messages From Home" is a somewhat denser song, with lots of licks and leads throughout. But pay some close attention to the rhythm guitar parts and assorted riffs going on in the background. "Some Day", the ballad of the album, is lyrically your typical ballad, but the chords, cleverly moving from 'flat' to 'sharp' (I hope I got the terms right on this one) gives the sad lyrics an underlying feeling of hope and optimism. 

Lion Music call themselves a 'Progressive Metal Hard Rock Label' and if it's up to "All I Want" this term is certainly justified as far as I'm concerned. Rhythmically this song (the verses in particular) is a *very* entertaining track. And Michael Flatters proves how well he's at home in the higher regions of his vocal capacities. 
Some weird-sounding backward guitars are the intro to "Killing Machine", another up-tempo tune, where Flatters sounds somewhat more powerful than on the majority of the material. I'd love to hear this man work live sometime. "Thank You" is lyrically a tribute to love and friendship. All this is poured into a mid-tempo track with a sing-along chorus. The lead guitar sound on this one is excellent!

A more melodic track; "The Price Of War" follows. The vocal line here is not your run-of-the-mill stuff. The sober piano riff adds to the atmosphere very nicely, and the strings and brass arrangements give this song a bit of a 'march' feel, especially when Brian Hutchison does his thing on the (snare).
Finally "Only Love" is the song on this record that, lyrically, impressed me most:

'Children see the light of truth
 within the bread they break.
Never knowing what has come
 behind the hand they take.'

Conclusion: by all means a worthy successor to "Flying Beyond The 9". And one of the first albums in a while that I have done a track-by-track review on, simply because every track has it's specific qualities. Downsides? Yes, there are some: the somewhat short playing time might disappoint some (like me) and I can imagine that (generally) the lyrical content won't impress a lot of people. Then again, when there's so much going on musically, it would be cruel to draw away too much attention from the amazing musical craftsmanship of Byrd - the band.

Eef Vink

Byrd - Anthem
August 2002 | Released: 2002, Lion Music | Rating: 3.5/5 | Reviewer: Rick

Following up his FLYING BEYOND THE 9 CD from 2001, James Byrd is back with his latest release called ANTHEM. Byrd had started working on songs for this album before the events of September 11th but in the aftermath of those events he was at a loss to continue. When he did he scrapped the work that he had done before and started over. The songs come from his feelings of personal anger, frustration and sadness at those events. One thing he wanted to stay away from was using 9/11 as a selling point for his CD. There is nothing in the packaging or the lyrics that directly links the album to that fateful day as Byrd felt that he did not want to cash in on that tragedy. It would be his inspiration.



Like FLYING BEYOND THE 9, ANTHEM is a CD rooted in 70s metal combined with copious amounts of orchestration. Byrd is again joined on this CD by vocalist Michael Flatters who takes up the challenge of Byrd’s emotional ride after 9/11. Opening the CD is “Anthem- Delt By Darkness”, a short highly orchestrated piece that speaks of the lives of those lost. Lyrics such as “my heart breaks” and “all their dreams scattered to the winds” illustrate how deeply Byrd was touched by the tragedy. One thing is for certain, James Byrd is still a masterful guitar player and proves it over and over again on this release by doing more than simply playing a break neck speed. His playing is tasteful and fits his compositions perfectly. On tracks such as “Killing Machine” and “Messages From Home” Byrd stretches gives into his more aggressive side while “Some Day” and “All I Want” are emotional windows into the mind of James Byrd and a mirror of how many people felt after such a loss of life.



James Byrd delivers another unique album of 70s inspired progressive, orchestral metal. As on his last release, Byrd uses the orchestration more as added colouring in the songs, not in a bombastic Rhapsodyesque way. There is no one else out there making music like this. It owes as much to Queen and Deep Purple as is does to the metal that Byrd first showcased in Fifth Angel. http://www.lionmusic.com
 

James Byrd - "Flying Beyond The 9"


James Byrd returns with a vengeance!! The Byrd fly's high on this epic release of great guitar music. In my opinion - "this is his best release of his career". James proves once again why he is the premier guitarist for the new millennium. This release surpasses anything that has been released by any guitarist in the year 2001.

YOU MUST BUY THIS CD!

The nine tracks on this CD all shine from both a compositional and production point of view. James blazes his way through each compositions relying heavily on his updated signature guitar sound - a sound that is as fresh and exciting today as it was back in the days of "Octoglomerate" or "Son of Man". I don't know what James has done but man these songs sound good. Everything sounds so fresh and unique. I love how the guitar solos jump out at you drawing you into the listening experience. The vocal work of Michael James Flatters is just way to good - this guy can really sing. He contributes in such a great way by enhancing the compositions through harmony and well thought out lyrics. There is nothing trendy or clichéd in these songs. The whole CD has a very positive vibe about it drawing the listener into the journey and a mighty journey it is. James has really outdone himself on FBT9. He has charted a new course, set a new standard for over all album production and provided some of the best guitar playing in the history of recorded music.

www.guitarmaina.ca

 

BYRD - Flying Beyond the 9 - (CD - Lion Music - USA).

The cover picture and CD artwork make us remember the 80's guitar albums (Malmsteen, Beck, etc.) and we think: "This is another tiresome  "ego guitar" album!" But it is not true, this is a wonderful album! The legendary guitar hero James Byrd left his ego sideways and created  beautiful compositions replete of originals orchestrated arrangements, creating epic climates for the excellent 9 compositions that compose this CD. Some composition have a progressive  atmosphere mixed with classic touches, the good vocals of Michael James Flatters give the perfect balance to the Byrd guitars. The prominences tracks are  "Nevermore", "Paradise Tonight" and the great title track. Contacts: www.lionmusic.com / info@lionmusic.com  (EF)

(of metalliville)

Review by Rage / Rock Reunioun

Byrd - Flying Beyond The 9 (Lion Music)
What a pleasant surprise! Guitarist James Byrd (ex-FIFTH ANGEL) is back with his new band BYRD and a brand new style! Most of the guitar hero parts have been left behind and been replaced by symphonic and classic sounds which are very unique, so that the tracks on "Flying Beyond The 9" are very hard to describe. The overall style maybe called a mix between sounds from QUEEN, MALMSTEEN, VALENTINE, PHANTOMS OPERA and REINGOLD mostly even though the complete album doesn't completely sound like one of those at all. Besides the beautiful guitar lines and melodies, new vocalist Michael Flatters really shines on this one who sounds a bit like a cross between Göran Edman (KHARMA etc.) and Freddie Mercury (QUEEN) at times and perfectly fits to the compositions. Speaking of those songs: I can't spot a weak track here at all! My personal faves include the bombastic "Who (We Took Over)", the hypermelodic "Paradise Tonight" and "Avianti Suite Op. 1 No. 63" - the neoclassical, instrumental part of the album. "Flighing Beyond The 9" is one of the best solo albums by a guitarist since a very long time. Highly recommended to any fan of symphonic, bombastic and classical influenced music!  5,0/ 6 points
rock-area.de
 

Byrd - Flying Beyond The 9 (Lion Music)
James Byrd is out with a new album in the neoclassical symphonic vein. Flying Beyond The 9 is a vision of progressive metal for the new millenium. Stylistically the album ventures into neo-romantic/neo-classical compositions that melds all the best elements of groups like Styx and Queen, with fully orchestrated support, and incredible musicianship. Check out the BYRD website for soundbytes!
AOR Gatekeeper

BYRD - "Flying Beyond The 9" - Lion Music
Guitar Virtuoso James Byrd (Fifth Angel) returns with a powerful new project for the new Millennium. In fact, the CD
Cover literally says "Symphonic Metal For The New Age". Byrd never quite achieved the notoriety of peers like Yngwie
Malmsteen or Michael Schenker, but listening to him play makes you wonder why. One reason might be the
progressive nature of the music isn't as listener friendly or as commercial as some other guitar greats. On this project
he is joined by vocalist "Michael Flatters" who does a fine job with the intricate song structures and melodies that Byrd
has written. I must admit that it took me a couple listens before really grasping the project, I think the fact it's so busy
requires an extended attention span. I also felt the CD got stronger and more enjoyable as it went along. I really
enjoyed "Everything To Me", "Unity (while you were sleeping)", and "Paradise Tonight". There was some incredible
song-writing and performance on these cuts specifically. The music itself is probably considered more AOR than Metal.
The production is quite "soft" if that makes any sense. I guess I don't consider the music heavy, but rather smooth and
pleasant. The drums could have been a bit stronger, at least the kick. That may have made the CD more appealing to
the Metalheads. Overall, if you're into Progressive music, Melodic AOR, or just some slick guitar work, you'll enjoy
James Byrd's "Flying Behind The 9". It may not be for everyone, but then again, if you spend your time trying to please
everyone, you're not being true to the music, and you can't accuse Byrd of not being true to his art.

Torch
www.rockhardplace.com

Byrd - Flying Beyond The 9 (Lion Music)

Guitar player James Byrd first became a name on everyone's lips back in the eighties when he recorded a couple of albums with the highly respected Fifth Angel. Once Fifth Angel had disbanded Byrd formed the brilliant melodic rock outfit Atlantis Rising and  bringing us up to warp speed we have Byrd's excellent debut solo album "Flying Beyond The 9", which contains a heavy dose of progressive metal, melodic rock and instrumental metal with symphonic keyboard segments.

Byrd is joined by Brian Hutchnson - drums, keys and the considerable vocal talents of new power metal god Michael James Flatters whose mega vocal range lies somewhere in-between Goran Edman, Robbie Valentine and DC Cooper.

"Flying" musically lies alongside some of Malmsteen's greats and one of the albums best songs is the magical Malmsteen exquisite majesty of 'Dark Heart' which reminds me of Malmsteen's 'Final Curtain'.

Flatter's vocals are amazing on this song and Byrd better be careful that Malmsteen doesn't snap him up for his own use in his troubled time of loosing singers. Where on earth James found Michael is beyond me as together the pair feed off each other and have come up with a fine selection of songs which all work with amazing musical passion such as 'Nevermore'  and 'Everything To Me' where Michael's vocals are very prominent.

The best thing about this album is the depth of Byrd's playing which will indeed be the focus point for many of his fans, indeed the songs are flourished with interesting tangents of expression, but dive a little deeper into the record and you will notice a distinct absence of shred attacks which is replaced by good quality songs.

Examples of this can be heard on the magnificent 'Unity (While You Were Sleeping)' which is one of the more commercialised songs on the album and is easy to singalong to,  take away the melodicness of the song and leave just the vocals and the musical theme will remind you of a certain pop stars hit song whom I will remain nameless. 'Unity' is my favourite song on the record and has a dreamy memorable chorus.

'Paradise Tonight'  is another scorcher which ties in nicely with 'Unity', whilst 'All Of Me (An Allegory)' is destined for classic status and is an epical balladic piece which is played and sung with all round eloquence.

The only real instrumental affair is the symphonic masterpiece 'Avianti Suite op.1 No.63' which will keep Byrd's fans happy as this song is in the style of what Masi and Malmsteen tried to do with their classical albums, and serves as a great finale to an album that James Byrd and his fans (like me) should enjoy with pride.

Nicky Baldrian

FLYING BEYOND THE 9 (2001)

Undertitled 'Symphonic metal for the new age', this CD is -as always with James- a musical exploration with some recollections of things past. Indeed, the solo of the track Flying beyond the 9 reminds me a lot of some licks from 'Son of Man'. I won't take one hour to give you my opinion on that album : this is the best neo-classical album I've heard for years. The thing I really appreciate is that beyond the fact that each musician is brings is own musical approach (the singer Michael Flatters and Brian Hutchinson are really valuable players), James did a perfect orchestration to integrate his guitar playing with singing and keyboard (Everything to me is one example). It's also refreshing to hear neo-classical music which takes the time to breath with some piano breaks and guitar intros, this contributes indeed to the unique atmosphere of this CD. Also to be noticed some real cool tracks such as All of me. Concerning the guitar, James do not only provide us terryfying guitar soli (if a comparison could be made, this mixture of technique and emotion could be compared to early Malmsteen), but also a real emotion and an inventive support of the singing (hear Dark Heart with the little arpeggios). If you already know James' music or just want to hear good music : go to Lion Music and buy it !

www.guitar-heroes.fr


TRACK LISTING
1. FLYING BEYOND THE 9.
2. DARK HEART.
3. W.T.O. [WE TOOK OVER].
4. NEVERMORE.
5. EVERYTHING TO ME.
6. UNITY [WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING].
7. PARADISE TONIGHT.
8. ALL OF ME [AN ALLEGORY TO THE CHURCH].
9. AVIANTI SUITE.

RUNNING TIME:46.15

RELEASE DATE: MAY 29TH LION MUSIC.


PREVIOUS RELEASES
Crimes Of Virtuosity [1998]
The Apocalypse Chime [1996]
Son Of Man [1995]
RELATED RELEASES [IN SOUND]
Queensrÿche - Empire [1990]
Savatage - Edge Of Thorns [1992]
Fifth Angel - s/t [1984]


James Byrd, the Seattle native is back with his sixth and best solo album under the title of 'Flying Beyond The 9'. The guitarist has been
through a lot in his long career from forming the Melodic Power Metal band Fifth Angel, to releasing one of the most critically acclaimed
instrumental albums ever in 'Son Of Man'. He is also the only artist that Yngwie Malmsteen has ever given an official seal of approval too.
So you may be asking yourself why do I not own anything by him? Well all I can answer is amend that with this album!
'Flying Beyond The 9' is definitive Byrd but yet its a new beginning in many ways. Firstly James has finally got the kind of production he
has so richly deserved with everything on this release being crystal clear and ultra powerful. Second Byrd's songwriting has reached a
new plateau with 'FBT9'. By cutting down a lot of the guitar work during the main framework of the song Byrd has given the songs room
to breathe and they come across all the stronger as a result, guitar fans should not fear as there is still a lot of guitar on the album with
the solo sections shining brighter as a result of not being cluttered by excessive fretwork elsewhere. Whilst long time fans know Byrd has
a knack of picking hot vocal talent [in Robert Mason, Torey Kendall and Freddy Krumins] he has outdone himself this time with Michael
Flatters, this guy has a set of pipes on a par with Geoff Tate and Ronnie Dio, perfectly able to blend his voice to suit the nature of the
track and in now working with Takara. The majority of the tracks have symphonic backing / embellishments which all help to make the
album sound huge, yet it avoids sounding cluttered and helps add to the majesty of the tracks. Bass, Keys and Drums were provided by
Brian Hutchinson who also engineered the album and he has done a terrific job.




1. FLYING BEYOND THE 9 [4.20]
Opening with a mass of vocals the crystal clear production jumps straight out at you. Byrd's guitar enters and the new found clarity in his
tone is astounding. The track recalls the metal crunch of Fifth Angel but with a more sophisticated edge. Michael Flatters' vocals work
perfectly over the metallic crunch of the main riff and the track certainly sets the pace for the rest of the album.

2. DARK HEART [5.02]
Starting with a slow classical motif will please all fans of neo-classical metal. The track quickly changes direction for another mammoth
riff that creates a backdrop for Flatters' vocals which here remind me of the best of Queensrÿche's Geoff Tate. The track actually has a
little of the dark Queensrÿche techno metal feel to it, but the chorus is a bit more left field. "Sunrise upon my heart, waiting ships do
oceans call...pretty one on golden wing - is your wisdom in your king?". The sophisticated orchestral backing here makes the track jump
out at you even more whiles Byrd throws down one of my favourite guitar solos of the whole album here - stunning! A contender for
track of the album.

3. W.T.O. [WE TOOK OVER] [4.59]
Another extremely strong track that fuses commercial melodic metal with the prog leanings of Queen. The chorus is extremely catchy
despite the sharp lyrics attacking the shambles of the W.T.O. [World Trade Organization]. The symphonic backing here is mightily
majestic with the horn sections being particularly noteworthy, don't let this make you think that this is anything but heavy though...many
bands would be proud of the energy displayed here. Another strong solo from Byrd adds nicely to the track but its the infectious vocal
melody that will stand out from this track.

4. NEVERMORE [5.12]
Opening with a menagerie of church organ and Byrd's guitar 'Nevermore' gets off to a haunting start. This feel is further enhanced by the
dark pulsating groove of the track, and this is even further added to by scathing lyrics to former record companies over shady business
practices and malpractice. It also offers a warning to those starting out in the business that it is not all roses and champagne. "Take it
from an angry man, pay my wage upon demand what made you think I would bend? Counting my options and trying to stay cool when
did you make up the rules - you're not God". Michael Flatters vocals again impress and the depth added to them by double and triple
tracking pays dividends in delivering the songs message. Musically the track is again overflowing with imaginative ideas that are not heard
everyday - especially in the metal genre - yet they still have a commerciality to them that makes them irresistible, the often complex
harmonic ideas translate extremely well through the speakers while the counterpoints make the grandeur even more obvious, another
splendid track

5. EVERYTHING TO ME [6.22]
"Everything To Me" opens with a simple pulsating bass line over which drums, orchestration and grand piano is added, Byrd's HUGE
sounding guitar enters the mix next and the track looks like being another stunner. Thankfully it does not disappoint and only gets
stronger as it progresses. The chorus is super catchy and again will linger hours after in your head. The track is in effect a love song but
the up tempo and upbeat nature of it certainly makes it leap out from other tracks in this style by other artists. Byrd's guitar solo
continues the upbeat feel of the track with some cool licks throughout in major keys. "Everything To Me" features yet more superlative
performances from all involved and the production is again top notch.

6. UNITY [WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING] [6.00]
Guitar and lone grand piano open the track and give it another haunting start, it must be noted that Byrd's guitar tone and phrasing is
again stunning here. The rest of the band then kicks in for the verse and this is in a super quirky time signature. Michael Flatters must
have killed himself to get the phrasing right here but he has and it sounds superb, this track again brings a Queensrÿche type feel but
that is probably down to the simple fact that this is just well executed intelligent metal. The chorus sees a more basic time signature
come into play and again it is super catchy, the track picks up tempo slightly for a ripping guitar solo from Byrd that enhances the track
further. Another highlight.

7. PARADISE TONIGHT [5.05]
Another track that opens with harmonized vocals - "We'll be in Paradise Tonight, as fallen angels we must rise". A almost funky bass line
is the basis for a great riff from Byrd that leads into more simplistic areas for the verse. The pre chorus has an aggressive metal element
to it and the choir synth part here really makes it stand out. The chorus is the opening vocal refrain underpinned by Byrd's riffing and
symphonic backing - creating a huge sound. The solo is another one of my favorites with a superb quirky part that leads into a beautiful
classical motif before returning back into the catchy chorus. The symphonic backing is pretty wide here with horn fanfares, tympani
drums, choirs all of which never gets muddied in the mix - excellent.

8. ALL OF ME [5.00]
This is the track that will probably throw long term Byrd fan slightly as it features NO guitar! What this does prove however is that James
Byrd is not only a master guitarist but also a master songwriter as it is not missed one iota. The track starts out very dark with sound
clips of sparse words that seem to tell a story if you can fill in the blanks. "All Of Me" is vocalist Michael Flatters magnum performance on
the album, here he manages to make his voice run the whole spectrum of styles, from Alice Cooper type evil/haunting to middle ground to
the soaring heights of Dio and Tate, truly impressive. The track is primarily led by Grand Piano and the sound is nothing but powerful and
commanding, it reminds me in some ways as Byrd's version of Pink Floyd's 'Us & Them' combined with Alice Cooper's 'Ballad Of Dwight Fry'
and then mixed with Queen's 'White Queen' yet retaining a totally original quality. Another highlight.

9. AVIANTI SUITE [4.15]
After the guitar less 'All Of Me' the album closes with the only instrumental of the album, the change in direction of no guitar then guitar
certainly makes this track hit your consciousness. Words simply cannot sum up the beauty and royal ness of this track. Every melody is
just right, every phrase, note and little inflection is just perfect. The mood of the track runs from light flirting almost humorous lines to
dark, deep and complex passages - every base is touched and every one comes away victorious. Byrd's guitar tone is again something to
behold - no excess distortion, just TONE that sings, weeps, moans and roars - everything is clearly audible and truly it is magnificent.
Byrd's instrumental masterpiece.




FLYING BEYOND THE 9 is certainly everything it was promised to be, but that's not the half of it. It manages to take all that was great
about James Byrd's previous works and build upon them to create not only a new landmark for Byrd, but in my eyes the beginning of a
whole new career. Every track here jumps out at you as being 100% sincere and heartfelt, you can tell Byrd took his time to get this one
right, every nuance and inflection sounds like it was meant to be here. Not only is the music superb but the production is one of the best
I have heard in ages and those on big production budgets and in multi million dollar studios could all learn something from this, its the ears
that count above all else. FBT9 multi-instrumentalist and engineer Brian Hutchinson deserves a special mention here as the whole
symphonic backing works perfectly and the balance is just right making a superb success out of what could have been a potential mess -
rest assured this is one massive sonic album. This basically leaves the question to what's for James Byrd. That I cannot answer but I do
know that if its half as good as FLYING BEYOND THE 9 it will be good enough for me.

RATING
10
(It had to happen sooner or later!!)

Review by Andy Craven
 

BYRD - FLYING BEYOND THE 9 (2001)
Ok. Another Lion Music-release. Goody, goody. Progressive Metal again. Nope! This is super syrupy, slick as hell, commercial Metal, with influences weighing heavy from QUEEN, Yngwie Malmsteen, TNT and others in this vein.

The guitar-playing is absolutely superb, very Yngwie-ish, lots of single coil, little distorted arpeggios, little to no reverb, very dry, very clean and usually very short in context. With keyboard-laden songs and the ever-soothing voice, this is an absolute gem from a song-writing guitar virtuoso.

Nothing is in question here at all. The song-writing is strong, the guitar-playing is WOW! and the musicianship`behind the super sweet vocals is solid as hell. Only problem, just a little too much Yngwie-influence and not enough personality or originality. BUT........I really like it, as any guitar-player would. This is an obvious talent. Along with his axe mastery, his pop hooks are top notch and I will be interested to see how long it is until Mr. Byrd is a guitar-icon! Very nice indeed!

www.metal-observer.com

BYRD: "Flying behind the 9" 8+

Lion Music 2001
Review by Urban "Wally" Wallstrom 01-05-29
Are you ready for a bombastic, fantastic, symphonic
metal album for the new age!? Indeed "Flying behind the
9" is an album that people will talk about for a long time
as guitarist James Byrd have done a really solid album
here without any real downsides. Byrd a well-known
person in the inner circles of instrumental guitar rock may
be more famous for the average hardrock fan for his days
with FIFTH ANGEL, a band which he formed together with
Ted Pilot & Ken Mary already back in 1982

You can't help to notice that his biography states that
Byrd started to play guitar the very same day Jimi
Hendrix died and in this, his story is apparently almost
the same as Yngwie Malmsteen´s. You could say that his
guitar work on this CD is sometimes similar to the above
mentioned guitar God? from Sweden as they both like to
include lots of classical influences. I would however like to
point out that Byrd is no Yngwie wannabee and that
"Flying behind the 9" sounds more like a lovely mix of
bands such as: Royal Hunt, Robbie Valentine, Styx,
Stryper, Dream Theater and ... yes ... add a big dose of
Yngwie Malmsteen and you´re pretty close.

I must say, Michael Flatters is an impressive vocalist and
his voice fits perfectly to everything from slow songs to
high pitched uptempo tracks, and big credit must go to
Brian Hutchinson as he handles all the keys, bass &
drums. I find it difficult to pick out any of the songs here,
but I would like to mention the opening and title track
"Flying behind the 9" as it´s a great song with some
lovely vocal harmonies a-la Stryper. It also kinda reminds
me of Yngwie´s old classic "Heaven Tonight". "W.T.O."
(We Took Over) is a great midtempo
neo-classical/symphonic anthem with some outstanding
guitar work but the real winner here is "Paradise Tonight"
with a absolutely marvelous sound and a really catchy
chorus. If you like symphonic, neo classical music that
are both melodic and progressive (ok, enough already)
then you really can´t go wrong with this release.
www.lionmusic.com

as reviewed by www.aor-europe.com