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As a fan of Symphony X, I had been mildly curious about singer Russell Allen’s upcoming solo album, not knowing what to expect from the man with the steel pipes. Rumors about ‘70s rock surfaced and comparisons to Rainbow were made, but how is one to take such suggestions seriously? After the evolution heavy metal has gone through in the past few decades, how is a relatively young musician to reach deep into childhood and reinvent or even replicate the earliest form of metal? I delved deep into his Atomic Soul to find out what all the fuss was about and came away not only wanting to dust off a few Dio albums, but wanting to give this disc a few more spins as well.
Rocking out without inhibition, Allen establishes a very simple ‘70s rock riff to open the album and the track really begins to rock about a minute into it when a siren rings. Call it cheap, cliché or whatever your heart desires, but it really rubs me in a way that seems honest in the intention to bring listeners to an era when heavy music was heading in an exciting direction. Although a better song could have been picked to open the album in terms of pump-your-fist vocals and riffs, such as the following track, “Unjustified,” “Blackout” excites the listener in a way that makes him or her think, and rightly so, that they’re about to be taken back three decades in time.
Don’t be mistaken, however, in the misguided belief that this effort is all about mindless, balls-to-the-wall rock. “Angel” reveals itself to be a more modern element of the album. In fact, when I was listening to this track I couldn’t help but think of Chris Cornell (Audioslave, ex-Soundgarden) in regard to the vocals. Sir Russell has this way of drawing influences from all eras of rock to create a new piece of work that could easily sustain itself through whatever metal brings in the future, and thanks to the masterful guitar work of Symphony X bandmate Michael Romeo these riffs will be stuck in my head for at least the next few weeks.
If forced at gunpoint to pick a favorite track I’d have to select “The Distance.” It’s not typical of the album, but it highlights Allen’s vocals, which I think was the goal here with Russell Allen’s Atomic Soul. I am sure I’ll change my mind in the next hour or so, because as I listen to “Loosin’ You,” the most blues-influenced song on the album, right now, I can’t help but question my initial choice. The solo somewhere at the halfway point rips, too.
One has to wonder where this album could go in terms of sales if given the press it deserves. I haven’t heard a ‘70s rock revival like this, a release that really sounds timeless rather than dated, in a long time, and I know others out there are starving for material like this, as well. For fun songs like “Saucey Jack” and dreamy epics like “We Will Fly,” do yourself a favor and take a peek into Russell Allen’s Atomic Soul.
| Tracklist |
| 1. Blackout |
| 2. Unjustified |
| 3. Voodoo Hand |
| 4. Angel |
| 5. The Distance |
| 6. Seasons of Insanity |
| 7. Gaia |
| 8. Loosin' You |
| 9. Saucey Jack |
| 10. We Will Fly |
| 11. Atomic Soul |
: 51:00
| Buy other Russell Allen albums |
